The Mughal emperors were larger-than-life figures, men written on a supra-human scale who exercised absolute power. The three centuries of their rule, as laid out in Eraly's THE MUGHAL THRONE, mark one of the most crucial and fascinating periods of Indian history. Here, he blends detailed description and contemporary sources, the writings of the emperors themselves and those of European travellers, to bring their world vividly to life.From the heat of the sun to the stagnation of industry, and from the religious tolerance and sexual appetite of Akbar (he married 300 wives as an act of royal kindness), to the Mughal fondness for gardening and the Hindu custom of venerating long-armed men, almost every imaginable angle is covered. Detailed and diverting, this book plunges the reader into a foreign world of stark contrasts: a world of brutal war and cultural refinement, of unbelievable opulence and terrible famines, of sacred harems and sati rites. As a companion volume it adds colour and depth to THE MUGHAL THRONE, but this book also provides a wonderful introduction to India's last golden age.