Mughal India: Splendours of the Peacock Throne (New Horizons, £6.95 in UK)

The Mughals or Moguls, who were originally Mongol by blood, ruled India for three centuries and for a time united it in a way which was almost unique in the history of the sub-continent. They reached their apex in the 16th century with the Emperor Akbar, one of the greatest men in history, and declined under the horrible (and unfortunately long-lived) Aurangzeb, a fanatic Moslem who alienated many of his subjects and left his country open to exploitation by the English and the French. Another New Horizons book is Khmer: Lost Empire of Cambodia (same price), dealing with a more ancient dynasty which has left behind it some of the world's most remarkable sculpture and architecture.