The Mughal dynasty is a Muslim dynasty of Turkic-Mongol origin that ruled most of northern India from the early 16th to the mid-18th centuries. The Mughal Empire governed much of South Asia over three centuries, with an economy founded on a stable and abundant currency in gold, silver, and copper. They commissioned spectacular structures and works of art, including some of the world's largest, most expensive, most beautiful, and historically significant coins. This article will explain to you the features of the Mughal Coinage which will be helpful in Indian Art and Culture preparation for the UPSC Civil service exam.

Mughal Coinage

• The Mughals' coinage may be divided into different phases:
  • Wandering or regional phase, which lasted from 1526 to 1556 and featured emperors Babur and Humayun;
  • Classical period, which lasted from 1556 to 1707 and featured leaders such as Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb.
• The Mohur, weighing around 170 to 175 grains, was the Mughals' standard gold currency.
• In his 'Ain-i-Akbari,' Abul Fazl stated that a Mohur was worth nine rupees. There are also half and quarter mohurs.
• The most famous of all Mughal currencies was the silver rupee, which was an adaptation of Sher Shah's coins.
• Sher Shah's dam became the basis for the Mughal copper currency, which weighed 320 to 330 grains.

Mughal Coinage during Mughal Emperors

Babur

• Babur's first coins were minted in Afghanistan. It is known as mithqal or ashrafi (a gold piece weighing 4.7 grams) from around 1523 CE.
• Babur issued shahrukhi coins, which were large, thin silver pieces weighing about 4.6 grams.
• The Timurid money coin was known as "Shahrukhi."
• The Shahrukhis were thin broad-flannel coins imprinted with the Sunni Kalima (Islamic Phrases) in the centre and the names of the first four caliphs around it.
• They were named after Timur's eldest son, Shahrukh Mirza. The king's Islamic name and titles appeared on the reverse, along with the date in the Hijri era and the minting town's name.
• From Kabul to Agra, where he died on December 26, 1530, Babur issued Shahrukhis throughout his political career.

Humayun

• Babur's immediate successor, Humayun, and even his grandson, Akbar, upheld the Shahrukhi standard.
• Sher Shah Suri, an Afghan warlord who founded a vast but short-lived empire, conquered Humayun and drove him from the throne (1540-1556.)
• During Humayun's exile, his opponent, Sher Shah, devised a new silver currency known as the 'rupaiya,' which survived the Afghan ruler by over four centuries and is now known as the rupee.
• The transition from base metal alloys to bimetallic currency, such as the silver rupaiya and a copper coin known as the paisa, is credited to Sher Shah (the Mughals would call it daam).
• The Suri Empire left behind a reformed and largely standardized coinage, consisting of the gold mohur (about 11 grams), silver rupee (approximately 11.5 kilos), and copper dam or paisa (approximately 11.5 grammes) (of variable weight).
• One Mohur was worth 15 rupees, and one rupee was for 48 dams, however, the value of gold, silver, and copper fluctuated widely.

Akbar

• Akbar embraced Sher Shah's system, replacing the Shahrukhi with the rupaiya and introducing gold coins known as ashrafi (mohurs).
• Akbar's diverse religious beliefs are reflected on his coinage; his first coins were published with the Sunni Kalima until 1585, when he formed a new religion called Din-i-Illahi and issued coins with its credo: 'Allah hu Akbar Jalla Jalaluhu' (God is great, may His glory be glorified).
• He also started dating his coins according to a new 'Illahi era,' which supplanted the previous Hijri period.
• Most of his successors, including Aurangzeb, adopted the practice of inscribing Persian poetry honoring the emperor, which was started by Akbar.
• The silver rupees of Akbar come in both round and square shapes.
• The coin depicting full-length representations of the Hindu deities Rama and Sita, which were minted in Akbar's penultimate year, is perhaps the most surprising of this amazing ruler's coins.
• The falus (approximately 4.4 grammes) is included in Akbar's copper coinage, reflecting a thriving urban economy where people need to make minor daily expenditures.

Jahangir

• The "Zodiac" series of gold and silver coins, portraying the 12 astrological signs, are Jahangir's best-known and most widely acquired coins.
• He also released coins featuring images of himself holding a cup of wine.
• On his coinage, the Hijri era was reintroduced to some extent.
• He released a 1,000-mohur presentation piece weighing approximately 12 kilos, which must have been the heaviest gold currency ever made before modern times.
• Jahangir was the only Mughal emperor to confer the authority of coinage to his wife Nur Jahan, and he minted many gold and silver coins with beautiful phrases on them.
• After Razia Sultana, Nur Jahan was the first queen to produce coins.

Shah Jahan

• His regular coinage returned to conventional, strictly calligraphic designs, abandoning the visual depiction of his father's coins.
• Shah Jahan began his reign by reinstating the Kalima on his coins and renaming himself 'Sahib-e-Qiran Sani' (the Second Lord of Fortunate Astronomic Conjunctions), a title he borrowed from Timur.
• By ordering the melting of Jahangir's image and zodiac coins, Shah Jahan attempted to pacify the orthodox clerics. This is why the few remaining examples are so valuable.

Aurangzeb

• On one face of his coins, he wrote the name of the mint city and the year of issue.
• Aurangzeb's gold, silver, and copper coins are the most prevalent.
• With the development of regional and foreign forces gradually usurping the Mughal emperor's minting privileges after Aurangzeb's death in 1707, the empire began its downhill decline.
• The English, for example, obtained the minting privileges of Chinnapattan (Madras) by paying Aurangzeb's youngest and favourite son, Prince Kam Bakhsh.

Conclusion

Bahadur Shah 'Zafar,' the last Mughal Emperor, was temporarily the central figure of the 1857 Uprising, and silver rupees were produced in his name by the rebel soldiers who re-crowned him 'Emperor of Hindustan.' In September 1857, however, the British ousted him and banished him to Rangoon, effectively ending the Mughal empire and its legendary coinage.

FAQs

MCQs

1. Which Mughal emperor is credited with standardizing the coinage system?

A) Babur
B) Humayun
C) Akbar
D) Aurangzeb

2. What were the 'Ilahi' coins issued by Akbar associated with?

A) A new trade policy
B) Din-i-Ilahi religious reform
C) Military conquests
D) A new calendar system

3. Which metal was not commonly used in Mughal coinage?

A) Gold
B) Silver
C) Copper
D) Iron

4. Which of the following towns was known for having a major Mughal mint?

A) Hyderabad
B) Agra
C) Mysore
D) Surat

5. What was a unique feature of Mughal coins?

A) They featured portraits of the rulers
B) They were made exclusively of gold
C) They had inscriptions of the emperor's name and titles
D) They were round in shape

GS Mains Questions and Answers

Q1: Discuss the significance of Mughal coinage in the economic and cultural history of India.

Answer: Mughal coinage played a significant role in both the economic and cultural history of India. Economically, the Mughal rulers introduced standardized coins that facilitated trade and commerce across the subcontinent. The high purity of gold and silver coins and their uniform weight across regions helped create a stable currency system, boosting the economy by integrating regional markets. Mughal coins were also widely accepted by foreign traders, enhancing India’s position in international trade networks.

Culturally, Mughal coins reflected the artistic and religious values of the empire. The coins featured inscriptions in Persian, often including religious invocations, the emperor's titles, and poetic references, which showcased the empire's cultural sophistication. The meticulous craftsmanship of the coins made them valuable not only for their economic worth but also as pieces of art, demonstrating the Mughals' commitment to combining utility with aesthetic appeal.

Q2: Analyze the role of Akbar in shaping the Mughal coinage system and its impact on the empire’s economy.

Answer: Akbar played a pivotal role in shaping the Mughal coinage system, introducing significant reforms that standardized the currency and stabilized the economy. Before Akbar’s reign, the coinage system was inconsistent, with varying weights and values across different regions. Akbar reformed the system by introducing uniform coins made of gold, silver, and copper, ensuring consistency in weight and purity throughout the empire. This uniformity facilitated smoother trade and increased trust in the currency, both within the empire and in foreign markets.

Akbar's reforms helped integrate regional economies and contributed to the prosperity of the Mughal Empire. His coinage system provided a reliable medium of exchange that supported the expansion of the empire's agricultural and commercial activities. The wide acceptance of Mughal coins, both within the subcontinent and in international trade, was a testament to Akbar’s visionary approach to monetary policy.

Q3: Evaluate the contribution of Mughal mint towns to the development of regional economies in India.

Answer: Mughal mint towns played a crucial role in the economic development of various regions in India. These towns, such as Agra, Delhi, Lahore, and Ahmedabad, were centers of coin production, where high-quality coins were struck under the supervision of trusted officials. The presence of mints in these towns facilitated the circulation of currency, which was essential for trade and commerce.

The establishment of mints also stimulated local economies by creating jobs for artisans, metalworkers, and traders involved in the production and distribution of coins. The consistent quality of coins produced in these mint towns enhanced their reputation, making them critical to both regional and empire-wide economic stability. The minting activity contributed to the growth of urban centers and the integration of regional markets into the broader Mughal economy.

Previous Year Questions on Mughal Coinage

1. UPSC CSE Prelims 2020:

Question: Which Mughal emperor introduced the 'Ilahi' coins?

A) Babur
B) Akbar
C) Jahangir
D) Shah Jahan

Answer: B

Explanation: The 'Ilahi' coins were introduced by Akbar as part of his Din-i-Ilahi religious policy. These coins featured a unique calendar based on the Ilahi era.

2. UPSC CSE Mains 2019 (GS Paper 1):

Question: "Mughal coinage not only facilitated trade but also reflected the artistic and cultural values of the empire." Discuss.

Answer: Mughal coinage was central to the empire's trade and economic prosperity. The coins were known for their high purity, consistent weight, and standardization, which encouraged trade both within the empire and with foreign traders. However, Mughal coinage was not purely economic; it also reflected the artistic and cultural values of the empire. The inscriptions on the coins, often written in Persian, included religious invocations and poetic references, demonstrating the empire's cultural sophistication. The meticulous craftsmanship of the coins made them valued not only for their monetary worth but also as symbols of Mughal artistry and craftsmanship.