In the sixteenth century, Babur, a descendant of the Mongol chieftains, Timur and Genghis Khan, marched into India and conquered much of the northern territory. Babur established the Mughal dynasty that ruled India until the nineteenth century. (The name Mughal comes from Mongol.) Although he too was a follower of Islam, Babur clashed with the Indian Muslims, and in order to subdue them, he formed alliances with the Rajput, or Hindu, aristocracy of the north.

Babur complained about his new territory, its people, animals, arts, and food. He missed cultivated society, even hot baths and ice water. One of his first acts was to lay out gardens. He maintained close ties to the Persian empire, and he is credited with introducing its art and culture to India. Babur probably imported carpets from Turkey and Persia for use in his court.

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