Jahangir (1569-1627) was the fourth Mughal emperor of India. During his reign, which lasted from 1605 until his death, he continued the expansion of the Mughal empire.
Jahangir was known as a patron of the arts. He was also known for his genuine sense of justice. This was marred by his outbursts of cruelty, and his dependence on drugs such as opium and alcohol. He could be genial one minute and violent the next. He was also criticized for giving way too often to his scheming Persian wife, Nur Jahan (Light of the World).
Jahangir was born in the palace city of Fatehpur Sikri, near Agra, in what is now the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. His father was the Mughal emperor Akbar. Jahangir’s father named him Muhammad Sultan Salim, but he took the title Jahangir (World-Conqueror) when he became emperor.
In 1614, Jahangir captured the last great Rajput fortress of Rajasthan, and two years later he took over half the kingdom of Ahmadnagar on the Deccan Plateau. He granted trade concessions to the British in return for their naval support against the Portuguese.
