Timur, the famous ancestor of the Mughals, was known for his love of painting, poetry, architecture and gardens, as well as for his empire-building. As he travelled he collected craftsmen from the areas he conquered and brought them back to his capital, Samarkand. This nomadic lifestyle also meant that Timur carried much of his wealth with him in the form of small jewelled objects or miniature paintings.

The Mughals continued this tradition and were great collectors and sponsors of the arts. Members of the royal family were often taught the arts of painting, seal-engraving, jewellery-making and goldsmithing as well as those of warfare and politics. The interests of the emperors and their training in the arts led them to collect, commission, and sometime even design fine examples of both Mughal and foreign artistic skill.

Akbar (reigned 1556-1605) was responsible for some of the most prized examples of Mughal architecture. Jahangir (reigned 1605-27) also had a flare for architecture. He incorporated Hindu elements into his designs, reflecting the political and cultural cooperation the Muslim Mughals needed to effectively rule their predominantly Hindu empire. The most famous Mughal building however, is the Taj Mahal, built by Shah Jahan (reigned 1628-58) for his favourite wife Mumtāz Mahal in 1634.