Chapter six examines developments from 1550 to 1650, with attention paid to aspects of early modernity. We begin with the careers of the Mughal emperors Jahangir and Shah Jahan and then to a consideration of trade during their reigns, especially the maritime textile trade that brought Europeans to Gujarat’s ports. Active merchant-traders, both Indian and European, illustrate the diversity of Mughal commercial activity. We then turn to the Bahmani successor states in the Deccan, Bijapur and Golconda, focusing on their artistic production, multicultural nobility, and flourishing trade. Following this is an overview of the post-1565 Vijayanagara kingdom and its successor states. An account of the textile production, European enclaves, and maritime trade along India’s southeastern coast concludes the chapter.
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