The Mughal dynasty expanded their empire to rule almost all of the Indian subcontinent, although some areas were never under direct control. The Mughal empire was founded by Babur in 1526, and over the next three centuries, it expanded to include most of modern-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and parts of Afghanistan and Nepal. The Mughal empire reached its peak under the reign of Akbar, who ruled from 1556 to 1605. During his reign, the empire included almost the entire Indian subcontinent, except for the extreme south and the far northeast. However, even during Akbar's reign, some areas were never under direct Mughal control, such as the Rajput states and the Deccan Sultanates. After Akbar's death, the Mughal empire began to decline, and it eventually collapsed in the 18th century.