The foundation of the Mughal Empire
I can explain how the Mughal Empire was founded.
The foundation of the Mughal Empire
I can explain how the Mughal Empire was founded.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- No single power ruled over India at the start of the 16th century.
- The Mughals came from Central Asia and were led by Babur.
- The Mughals invaded India in 1525 and achieved important military victories in 1526 and 1527.
- The Delhi Sultanate suffered from divisions before the Mughal invasion.
- Many historians date the foundation of the Mughal Empire to 1526.
Keywords
Sultanate - a sultanate is a Muslim state or country ruled by a sultan
Empire - an empire is a collection of territories or countries ruled by a single person or government
Descendant - a person who is related to you and who lives after you is known as a descendant
Conquer - if you conquer something you have taken control of it, usually by using force
Nobles - nobles are people from the highest social group in some countries
Common misconception
Prior to the Mughal conquest, India was all ruled by a single state.
Multiple states ruled over India prior to Babur's successful invasion from 1525-27. In northern India this included a mix of Muslim and Hindu-led states.
To help you plan your year 8 history lesson on: The foundation of the Mughal Empire, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 8 history lesson on: The foundation of the Mughal Empire, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 history lessons from the The Mughal Empire: how important was violence to the Mughal conquests in India? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of serious crime
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Starter quiz
6 Questions
a group of territories ruled over by one person or group of people
the exchange of goods
the religion of Muslim people
the religion of Sikh people
the religion of Hindu people
Exit quiz
6 Questions
a Muslim state or country ruled by a sultan
a person who is related to you and who lives after you
people from the highest social group in some countries
the king or ruler of a Muslim state or country