The Mughal dynasty ruled from the early 16th century to the mid-18th century and is one of the most famous empires that maintained great control over the diverse northern part of India in medieval times. . Akbar, the third ruling emperor of the Mughal Empire, understood that for his dynasty to long survive, he had to legitimize his rule and establish Mughal superiority in the eyes of all his subjects. Thus, by reinventing the institution of kingship through Mughal paintings and implementing rituals such as the drinking of salt and the creation of the land revenue system, Akbar's successors such as Jahangir and Aurangzeb provided the bases to ensure their legitimacy as sovereign. and the loyalty of their conquered subjects for centuries to come. In the reading, Peering through the cracks in Baburnana: the texturized lives of Mughal Sovereigns, author Azfar Moin, assistant professor of South Asian history in the Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, explores the "literary and political processes interwoven that shaped the texts of the Mughal rulers” throughout Akbar's life. Moin argues that the texts “participated” in the creation of the new institutions of kingship and holiness. It can be argued that Mughal paintings were used as a means of expressing royal power and dynastic legitimacy. For example, early in Akbar's life, he loved hearing stories about his grandfather's (Amir Hamza) military expeditions. He loved them so much that after he became emperor, Akbar gathered artists and writers to produce the story of Amir Hamza's military expedition in which he dominated Iran through bravery and war (the changing of Zoroaster to Islam) to describe him as a courageous warrior. . And thus, 1400 folio...... middle of paper ...... rituals such as eating salt, ensured the loyalty of the warriors who played an important role in the process of the military and territorial campaigns of the Mughal emperors. enlargements. Finally, the economic theory of the tax system allowed classes such as peasants, merchants and elites to live a happy, stable and prosperous life within the Mughal empire and hence the subjects were content with the rule of their emperor at the time. . Overall, what we can learn regarding the Mughal Empire and the emperors is that the Mughal nobility was very unique because it did not depend only on religious legitimacy, as we have learned through the relationship between the Sufi saints and the sultan, but also involved literary and political aspects. policies and economic systems in order to maintain legitimacy, security and prosperity in the Mughal Empire for approximately 200 years.