The King and the People

Explore the dynamic relationship between the Mughal emperor and his urban subjects in the heart of the Mughal empire. The King and the People offers a comprehensive account of the emergence of ordinary people as actors in a regime that saw them only as the ruled. Drawing on a wealth of sources from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, this book uncovers a formerly invisible urban panorama of soldiers, poets, merchants, and shoemakers. Learn about the rise of an urban culture of political satire, the practices of faith in everyday politics, and fresh perspectives on imperial sovereignty during an era of dizzying turmoil and heady possibilities. Accessible for specialists and lay readers alike, this lively and lucid book offers a unique window into the lives and ambitions of India's historic capital three hundred years ago.