Analyse the diplomatic and political relationship of the Mughals with the neighbouring empires.

OR

Analyse the reasons for the frequent shifting of the capital cities of the Mughals during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

The diplomatic and political relationship of the Mughals with the neighbouring empires could be described as follows:

1. Turan and Iran relied on the control of the frontier defined by the Hindukush mountains that separated Afghanistan from the regions of Iran and Central

Asia.

2. The prime focus of Mughal dynasty was to keep away potential dangers – notably Kabul and Qandahar.

3. The relationship between the Mughals and the Ottomans was concerned with ensuring free movement for merchants and pilgrims in the territories

under Ottoman control. This held true especially in the case of the Hijaz, that part of Ottoman Arabia where the important pilgrim centres of Mecca and Medina were located.

OR

Reasons for the frequent shifting of the capital cities of the Mughals during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries:

1) Akbar made Agra the capital of his empire and constructed the Agra Fort which was connected to the other adjoining areas.

2) Fatehpur Sikri- Sikri was connected with the road to Ajmer where the dargah of Sheikh Muinuddin Chishti was built. Akbar paid pilgrimage to the saint and thus it could be one of the reasons why he shifted his capital there.

3) Lahore- Akbar after having a look at the North west Frontier for around thirteen years, decided to gain control over the same, thus he made Lahore as his capital.

4) Shahjahanabad- This city acquired the Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Chandini Chowk, making it appropriate enough to be called as a capital.