Mughal Empire (A Different History)

Mughal Sahmraja

Mughal Empire

Timeline: A Different History OTL equivalent: India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Eastern Iran, Southern Central Asia

The Mughal Empire, also known as India, is the only state in the Indian subcontinent.The Emperor( or Padishah) of the nation is Akbar Shah Zafar II and its capital is Kabul, and its official language is Urdu, however, several others are known to be spoken as well. There were several attempts to colonize it in the 18th century, but the Mughals were able to beat off the European conquerors, several times. It eventually captured the city of Samarkand, and increased their gains in Persia to Esfahan, thus causing the Emperor ( Shah Alam, at the time) at one point, to declare himself Khalifa, however, that was an unpopular move in a mainly Hindu country, and he eventually retracted it, allowing the Empire to be stable. In the 20th century, the Mughal Army was mobilized to the Russian border, and they beat the malnourished Russians, in the Battle of Temir Tau, causing Kazakhstan to be added to it, uniting the Turkic lands, with the exception of Turkey.



Relocation Relocation
India switched its capital several times, between Agra, Delhi, Fatehpur Sikri, Samarkand (upon its capture, as it was a Timurid capital) and eventually Kabul, which is the centre of the Empire. Kabul is home to the Royal Palace, which houses the Emperor, and the Royal Family, however, there are many other palaces reserved for the Family, in Delhi, Agra, Samarkand, Almaty, and Kholkatha (one of the outposts the British had created before their removal.) One of the favourites is the Winter Palace located in the Province of Travancore, where the Emperor's esteemed friend, the Maharaja of Travancore, governs.

Governing System
The governing system of India, consists of the Emperor on top, followed by his Grand Vizier. Followed by his court ministers, including his Navaratna, a system adopted from his ancestor, Akbar the Great.

The Mughal Empire has hundreds of provinces who are governed by Nawabs, in predominantly Muslim states, Maharajas in the Hindu states and Khans in the Turkic States of the North. Rajas are the governors of territories, which are under federal power.

The Empire is divided into different "zones": areas in which provinces fall in, who each report to the Federal Government. The reason for having zones, is because the Empire has a Hindu majority, but the rest of its peoples also need to be heard, so each zone fulfills that result. Each zone is governed by one of the Navaratnas.

The 9 Zones are:


 * Turkestan


 * Afghanistan


 * Eastern Iran


 * Balochistan


 * Hindustan


 * Bengal


 * Dravid Nadu


 * Maharashtra


 * Orissa

The Emperor used to be an autocratic post, but over the years he has become mainly a figurehead, with the real governing done by the Grand Vizier, who is elected by the Navaratnas, who are elected by the general populace in each zone. This voting system allows everyone's opinions to be voiced and results in a fair and balanced government.

The Lahore Question
In the early 20th century, the Province of Panjab and its Nawab, Zhulfikar Muhammad, were having problems. The western half, was largely Muslim, but the eastern half was mainly Hindu and Sikh. The population was getting restless, as they felt misrepresented in the ballots and requested the formation of a new province, East Punjab. The Nawab was okay with giving them the request however there was one problem: Lahore. The capital of Panjab, was evenly divided between East and West, and the matter would have to be solved. Eventually, in the year, 1925, Lahore stayed part of West Panjab, whilst East Punjab's capital became Amritsar. The states remained that way, until the early 1980's when a movement questioned the point of having Two Panjabs in an age of tolerance, and the two provinces became one, yet again.

Padishah Akbar Shah Zafar II
His Imperial Majesty, Padishah Akbar Shah Zafar II, Agent of Allah, Son of Timur, Emperor of India, King of Delhi, Khan of All Turks, Khagan of All Mongols, Maharaja of Varanasi, Protector of Mecca, King of Bumbai, Chief of the Afghans, Ruler of Jerusalem, Ruler of the World, Defender of all Faiths(b.1940) is of the House of Timur, and the 23rd Mughal Emperor. Born in the Winter Palace in Travancore to Padishah Akbar Shah Zafar I and Begum Zeenat Mahal, he would develop a soft spot for it, throughout his reign. He engineered many reforms in transport, and oversaw several architectural wonders, including the tallest building in the world, the Zafar Tower, completed in the year 2011. He was married to his wife the Rajput Princess Chandresh Kumari, who became Roshanara Begum in the year 1969, and their first child, Prince Salman, was born the following year. Zafar ascended to the throne on August 16th, 1972, after his father died of old age, and at first he was unwilling to take on the burden of being Emperor, but relented. As he was the third child, he dueled his two brothers for the right to rule. The duel was non-lethal, of course, simply a tradition from older times, without the savageness. After he won, he immediately set up a road system to be the envy of the world, on top of buying shares in one of the world's most successful car companies, Maaruti Automotive. In the year 1981, his wife gave birth to their second son, Prince Jawan.

Economy
The Government has a stake in a lot of companies in India, as the economy is partially regulated. Several companies are highly successful, and have gained a name outside of India:
 * Tata Enterprises
 * Maaruti Automotive
 * IndiaBank
 * National Bank of India
 * Greenlight Filmstudios
 * Kohinoor Comics (this company bought DC Comics in the 90s and Marvel in the 2000s.)
 * The Royale ( a hotel chain)
 * KwikKhanna ((fast food) Indian fast food company, (chicken burgers, fries, samosas, chaat etc.))

Politics
There are several popular political parties in India, however three stand out the most: the Democratic Party, the Socialist Party, the Conservative Party, and the Imperial Party. The Conservative Party and the present-day Imperial Party have such similar goals, that they usually split the voters, causing either the Democrats or the Socialists to win. Currently out of the Navaratnas, 4 are Democrat, 3 are Socialist, 1 is Imperial, and the last is Conservative.
 * The Democratic Party was formed in 1896, and its core principles are akin to OTL US Democratic Party
 * The Socialist Party was formed in 1917, and its core principles are akin to OTL UK Labour Party
 * The Conservative Party was formed in 1864, and its core principles are akin to OTL Republican Party
 * The Imperial Party was formed in 1864, and it is also conservative.

Tourism
Tourism in India has been increasing since the early 20th century. Catering to many people, Bumbai was the economic powerhouse of India, and is the home of Bollywood. It has many attractions, including the Zafar Towers, and contains a significant expatriate community. It has the Imperial Museum of Natural History, and the Imperial Gardens. Another city is Delhi, the former capital of the Empire. Home of the Museum of History and the Museum of World Culture, it is a pinnacle of manmade cities. The Tomb of Bahadur Shah I ( Dara Shiko), lies here. With its intristic craftmanship, and architecture, it has replaced the Twin Tajs as one of the Indian Wonders of the World. Delhi also offers authentic Mughal cuisine, and there are a number of places to shop. Over all this, the Red Fort looms. Kholkatha is home to the Music Hall, a place where many a singer and performer have performed, and is home to the Royal Library, the biggest in all India. Containing old works of literature, and poems ranging from centuries ago, it is a museum unto itself. To top it all off, Kholkatha also has the largest Eid and Diwali celebrations as well, ranging from fireworks, to music, and even the appearance of the Emperor.