View of Tamahal from Agra Fort

Ibrahim Lodhi, the Last Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate, was killed and the Lodi Empire was overthrown in the first battle of Panipat in 1526. Babur founded a dynastyof his own which is known as the Mughal dynasty.

Immediately after battle of Panipat he despatched his eldest son Humayun to Agra to seize the treasury. Treasures were seized by the Mughals which included some rare diamonds. The gem which was later named the Koh-i-Noor also formed part of the booty. It was presented to Humayun by Bikramjit family (Raja of Gwalior) Babur mentions that on May 10, 1526 he entered Agra and "dismounted at the Manzil of Sultan Ibrahim." He constructed a big baoli inside the fort. It was here in 1530 that Babur breathed his last and Humayun was crownd. For all practical purposes Agra was the seat of the Mughal government. Later on Afghan under Sher Shah defeated Humayun at the battle of Chausa and Agra came under the rule of Baramzid (Brahmajit Gaur) on behalf of Sher Shah. Agra was thus made the commanding station whence began a series of roads and cross roads leading to the remotest parts of the Sur Empire.

After the death of Islam Shah the son and successor of Sher Shah in 1515 Hemu became the master of the area in the vicinity. It was not, however until the second battle of Panipat in 1556 that he was defeatd and killed and Agra was occupied by Iskandar Khan on behalf of Akbar. Akbar made Agra as the headquerters of his state.It was during Akbar’s period that Agra became the center of Art,Culture,Commerce and learning. After the death of Akbar Agra was ruled by Jehangir and Shanjehan. Shah Jehan's long reign (1628-58) of thirty years was marked by comparatively settled condition.The Emperor had a passion for architecture and it was during his rule that the world famous monumental masterpieces like the Taj Mahal and the Moti Masjid were constructed.

Auranjzeb came to the throne is 1658. He murdered his brothers and nephews in cold blood and imprisoned his father in the fort of Agra. He trnasferred his capital to Delhi and allowed Agra to Sink into backgrounds after about a century of glamorous years.
 

Agra was one of the twelve Subas (provinces) of the Mughal empire. It comprised thirteen Sarkars (divisions) including Agra and its adjoining regions Gwalior, Kalpi, Kannauj, Koil (Modern Aligarh), Narnaul and Alwar. It extended from Ghatampur near Allahabad in the east to Palwal in the west with the Ganges on the North and Chanderi to the South. It was thus one of the largest Subas of the Empire. Abul Fazl, Akbar's court historian, gives a picture of Agra of Akbar's day: "Agra is a large city and possesses a healthy Climate. The river Jamuna flows through it for five kos and on either bank are delightful villas and pleasant stretches of meadow.It is filled with people from all countries and is the emporium of the traffic of the world. His majesty has built a fort of red stone, and like of which travellers have never recorded. It contains more than five hundred buildings of masonry after the beautiful designs of Bengal and architectural models ... his present majesty embellished it and thus a matchless city has arisen." Badaoni and Nizamuddin, two other contemporary historians of the time of Akbar, confirm the grandeur of the city and its lofty fort.

The Jesuit Father established a church, an orphanage and a college at Agra; here they had a regular burial ground which for a considerable period was the only Christian cemetry in Northern India.

Ralph Fitch who visited Agra in 1585 noted that it was much larger in dimensions and populatious than London.Jehangir also noted in his memoirs that in the number of its buildings it is equal to several cities of Iraq, Khurasan and Mawar-un-Nahr (Transoxiana) put together.

William Finch visited Agra in 1610 in connection with the trade in Neel (Indigo) and other country stuffs in which the English East India company dealt. He has also left a memorable narrative of his observations of Agra. It was here that the embassies of Hawkins, Canning, Keridge and Sir Thomas Roe were received. The English and Dutch established their factories in Agra.

Niccolao Manucci was a venetian. He served in the ranks of the Mughal army as a gunner and participated in the disastrous battle of Samogarh in 1658. Francis Bernier was attached to the Mughal court in the capacity of a physician, practically from 1659 to 1665.He too has left a representative description of Agra: "Agra having been a favourite and more frequent abode of the kings of Hindustan since the days of Akbar, by whom it was built and named Akbarabad. 

Agra was the capital of the grand Mughal Empire for nearly a century. Akbar and his nobles adorned it with beautiful palaces. It was here that he chose to be buried in a splendid mausoleum. It was here later that Nur Jehan constructed a beautiful tomb over the remains of her parents. And it was here at Agra that Shah Jehan decided to construct not only the magnificent palaces and the MotiMasjid but also that wonder-creation of art and architecture Which is today known by the Simple name of Taj Mahal.

The medieval history which is writ large on her monuments keeps the story of its grandeur as fresh as it was in the 16th and the 17th centuries.