KOCHI: The tales of the Mughal Empire, despite spanning over three centuries, are often reduced in popular narrative to the stories of just a few rulers. The prosperous reign of Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar, Shah Jahan’s grand romantic gesture of the Taj Mahal, and Aurangzeb’s brutal era, marking the Empire’s decline, dominate the discourse.
Yet, between these stories of conquest and decay lies a rich and diverse history with the potential to inspire multiple shows akin to Game of Thrones. Seeking to bridge this gap, Ashwitha Jayakumar, along with illustrator Nikhil Gulati, has created The Book of Emperors: An Illustrated History of the Mughals (₹499, Puffin), an engaging illustrated book appealing to all ages.
“There’s so much written about the big six Mughal Emperors—Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb—but there isn’t really a book that covers the entire history of the dynasty in a narrative style. There are academic books for those studying history, but nothing for people who just want to read something appealing and accessible,” explains Ashwitha . The result is a work that marries rich, historically grounded illustrations with compelling storytelling. “It’s quite anecdote-driven but not historical fiction. It uses the techniques of writing a novel to tell history,” adds Ashwitha.
The book stands out not only for its informative content but also for its stunning visuals. As Gulati notes, “We haven’t seen many introductory illustrated histories that blend accurate representations with engaging artwork.” Each chapter begins with a portrait of the emperor it covers, but these are not your traditional portraits. For example, Akbar is depicted riding an elephant, capturing his action-oriented personality.
Between these chapters, double-page spreads offer a glimpse into life during the Mughal era. From royal gardens and bustling marketplaces to the often-overlooked queens and begums, these illustrations allow readers to immerse themselves in the empire’s cultural richness. “The spreads allow the visuals to take centre stage,” highlights Gulati.
Balancing the narratives of well-known emperors like Akbar and lesser-known figures such as Shah Alam II, the seventeenth Mughal emperor, was a challenge. “To some degree, it was determined by how much material was available about each emperor. For example, with Akbar or Jahangir, we have a lot of insight into their lives and psychological makeup, so they naturally have a longer chapter. For someone like Shah Alam II, it’s a longer chapter because he lived through the transition between the Mughal Empire and the British Empire, so there was a lot to cover,” shares Ashwitha.
She acknowledges that the most important thing for her was to humanise these larger-than-life figures. “For me, the challenge was finding an emotional hook with each emperor—something readers could relate to. Whether it was Aurangzeb’s difficult relationship with his father or Shah Alam II witnessing massacres and the murder of his father, I wanted to humanise these figures and show how extraordinary events shaped them,” adds Ashwitha.
The book also tackles the complexity of post-Aurangzeb Mughal history. Jayakumar recounts, “Post-Aurangzeb, it’s quite confusing with its ‘Game-of-Thrones-esque’ backstabbing, betrayal, and outright murder. I struggled with the 18th century because there are sources, but many are untranslated. There are so many players—from kingmakers to noblemen—that it was challenging to keep things on track.” Gulati agrees, “Even in terms of illustration, that was definitely a challenge. For the big six, there’s plenty of material. But for later emperors, it’s harder to find documented visuals. Keeping track of things like changing turbans over three centuries was tricky.”