Although India is the oldest civilization in the world, it is a fairly young country with its democratic status and independence. 15 August commemorates the nation's independence from the British Raj in 1947. Since then, the day is celebrated with utmost pride and will forever be etched in the hearts of the citizens. Movements such as non-violence and civil disobedience are largely responsible for the culmination of 200 years of British rule. In this journey of 75 years, India has proudly gained the status of “ world’s largest democracy” and has maintained it to date.

Another strong empire was unfolding on a similar timeline as the Mughal Empire. The empire began with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the 17th Century. Shivaji abolished the Jagir system in the military and introduced a new system where officers were paid a salary in cash for providing services to the empire. Despite being smaller in number, the Maratha army was brave enough to challenge the Mughal army. The focus was more on infantry troops than on cavalry. The reason behind it was because the region consisted of a rough landscape of the Western Ghats and other hilly regions. Another reason for the change of focus from cavalry to infantry was that the horse markets were controlled by the Mughals in North India and Shivaji didn’t have access to it.

The previous article ended with the discussion on the Vijaynagar Empire which was a part of the Medieval age. This article will continue focussing on the Medieval Military history of India during the Mughal Era.