Aurangzeb

INTRODUCTION: 

Aurangzeb son of Shah Jahan was the last great Mughal emperor of India. He ruled for 50 years. His reign can be divided into two parts Of about 25 years each. During the first 25years, i.e. from I658 To I68I he lived in the North and his attention wad concentrated In the affairs of Northern India while South figured as negligible and far off factor. While during the second half i.e. from I68I to I707. He lived in south India concentrating all his energies in the affairs of the Deccan thereby neglecting the administration of the North and Consequently plunging the whole of it into disorder, and anarchy. In this lesson we shall study the important developments in the first 25 years of his reign and in the next lesson the study of the second half of his reign would be made. 

EARLY LIFE AND ACCESSION OF AURANGZEB: 

After winning the war of succession to which a reference has been made in last lesson, Aurangzeb ascended The throne in July I658 immediately after occupying Agra but his formal accession took place in June, I659. The coronation was celebrated with pomp and magnificence. He assumed the title of Alamgir The Nobility and the army at the capital and in the provinces accepted his authority without protest, Aurangzed fought two frontier Wars – in the North East and in the North West. 

WAR ON THE EASTERN FRONT (I66I TO I666): 

On the North Eastern border since I639 there had been no disorder as riven Bar Nadi had been recognised as the boundary between the Mughal and Ahom territories The Ahoms were a people of Mongoloid origin and had established their Rule in Eastern and Central Assam since thirteenth century. They Had adopted hindu religion and customs. Taking advantage of the war Of succession among the Mughal princes the Ahoms occupied Gauhati. After freeing himself from the civil war at home, Aurangzeb ordered Mir Jumla the Governor of Bengal to lauch a campaign for the Conquest of Assam. He started at the head of a powerful army in November I66I. His early operations were successful. He conquered both Coach Bihar and Assam and reached Garhgaon the capital of the Ahom kingdom in March, I662. The Ahoms offered little resistance and left their capital and property to the mercy of the imperialists who got enormous spoils. But the Mughals failed to maintain their hold over Assam for during the rainy season the country was flooded and the communications were cut off. A large number of Mughal Soldiers died of starvation. The Ahoms took the offensive and began to harass the Mughals whose sufferings increased owing to the outbreak of pestilence in their camp. After the rains Mir Jumla resumed the offensive. He himself was attacked by fever but still he pressed on. At last the Anoms sued for peace and a treaty was made with them in December,I662. According to the treaty the Ahoms king offered to pay a large indemnity. The mughals were to occupy more than half the Province of Darrang, rich in elephants. This success had caused great hardships to the Mughals and loss of many lives including that of Mir Jumla one of Aurangzeb’s best general who died on 30 March on his way back to Dacca. However, a few years latter the Ahoms recovered their lost provinces including Gauhati. Eamrupa ceased to be a part of the Mughal empire. The only outcome of this long warfare was that the ruler of Cooch Bihar acknowledged the nominal suzerainty of the Mughal empire as a price for the maintenance of Peace along his borders. 

After Mir Jumla’s death, Shaista Khan was appointed as the Governor of Bengal. He drove away the Portugues pirates who were growing bold day by day, annexed the island of Sondip in the Bay of Bengal and conquered Chittagong in I666 from the king of Arakan. 

War with the Frontier tribes:- 

Aurangzeb followed a forward policy on the North West Frontier. The Afghans (Pathans) such as Afridis, Yusufzais, Khattaks, were a constant source of anxiety to the MUghal empire. These tribes’ men indulged in highway robbery And plundered the rich towns of the North Western Punjab. Aurangzeb tried to win them over by payments of money so as to keep the North Western passes safe to traffic and trade. But the hardy tribesmen were not content. In I667 the Yusufzais rose in rebellion but were successfully suppressed. 

In I672 the Afridis rose in arms under their leader Akmal Khan who summoned all the Pathans to organise themselves in national war against the Mughals. He inflicted a crushing defeat on the Mghals. The victory enhanced their prestige and soon the whole Pathan land from attack to Kandhar rose in arms. The Khattaks joined the Afridies under their leader Khushal Khan. By I674 the situation become so menacing that Aurangzeb was obliged to proceed in person to direct the operations he reached Hasan Abdul near Peshawar and stayed there for a year and many clans were won over by means of pension, jagirs, and presents and commands in the Mughal army. With the appointment of Amir Khan as the Governer of Kabul (I677-I698) a period of peace followed who by tact and diplomacy kept friendly relations with the Afghans. A fear of their uprising was always there which forced the Mughals to leave a precious part of their troops to maintain border security. 

Aurangzeb’s religious policy:- 

Aurangzeb has been regarded as fanatic muslim who in his zeal to spread Islam adopted numerous measures against his non-muslim subjects of which persecution of Hindus formed the most glaring feature. Aurangzeb was convinced that his ancestors on the throne of Delhi had committed grave error in disregarding the Quranic law and in attempting to conduct the administration on secular lines. He restored Islam to its former position as the state religion. The chief aim of his life was to put down polytheism and to carry on jihad ( holy war ) for transforming India into the realm of Islam by converting the people to Islam. 

The religious policy of Aurangzeb unfolded itself gradually. His initial step was to abolish some of the un-Islamic practices at the Mughal court. He abolished the celebration of the Persian New Year’s Day discontinued the practice of Jharokha Darshan (a practice by which emperor appeared every morning at a balcony on the wall of t he place to receive the salute of the people assembled on the ground in front). Forbade music at the court and dismissed the old musicians and singers. The old practice of stamping the Kalima (muslim confession of faith) on the coins was abolished lest the holy words be defiled by the touch of unbelievers. The ceremony of weighing the emperor against gold and silver was given up and royal astrologers were dismissed. The cultivation and sale of bhang was prohibited. All public women and dancing girls were ordered to get married or leave the realm. He appointed Censers of public Morals to regulate the lives of the peoples in strict accordance with the Holy Law. 

The emperor, however, was not satisfied with these regulations only. He issued Farmans which marked the inauguration of a new policy in regard to the important sections of the people. In I669 he issued orders to the Governors of all the provinces to demolish the schools and temples of the infidels. Among the famous temples thus destroyed included the temples of Somnath (Gujarat), Vishwanath (Benaras) and Keshavdev (Mathura), So large was the number of official temple breakers that a daroga had to be placed over them to guide them. In April, I679 he re-imposed Jizya Which Akbar had abolished in I564. While re-imposing Jizya on the hindus Aurangzeb deprived them of their right of citizenship of the Mughal empire. This was done to pressurise the hindus into embracing Islam. The effect of this step was highly injurious on the Hindus.Many of them who could not pay Jizya become muhamadens in order to obtain relief from the insults of the collectors. He even re-imposed pilgrims’ tax on hindus. The hindus, except for the Rajputs were prohibited from wearing arms, fine dresses and riding horses. 

Aurangzeb’s concept of public welfare was confined to the happiness and welfare of the orthodox muslims only. He did his utmost to harm the economic interest of the hindus. He abolished the custom duty in the case of muslim traders while hindus had to pay it at the old rate of 5 percent. 

Another method of putting economic pressure on hindus was the grant of rewards and public services to the converts. Aurangzeb never liked to grant high mansabs to the hindus although some of the Rajput chiefs had to be promoted by him as a matter of political expediency. He announced that those hindus who embraced Islam would be granted stipends and free gifts. He prohibited the celebration of hindu religious fairs and festivals. 

The new regulation must have produced a deep impression on the people and added much to the difficulties with which the imperial Government had to deal. Aurangzeb threw political wisdom to the wind and made propagation of Islam the chief. His zeal made him oblicious of the fact that the country over which destiny had placed him to rule was not inhabited by a homogeneous population but included various elements rich in their religious traditions and ideals, which needed tactful and sympathetic understanding His religious policy lost him active loyalty of his hindu subject. His policy generated feeling of discontent among certain sections of people which by distracting his energies during the remainder of his reign proved to be one of the most potent causes for the decline and fall of the Mughal empire. 

Reaction against Aurangzeb’s Religious policy:-

Auranagzeb’s policy of religious intolerance led to organised opposition from the non-muslims in the country. 

1. The Jats:- The first organised rebellion occurred among the Jats of Mathura. In the sixties the most important feature of Aurangzeb’s policy of persecution was the destruction of hindu temples. Abdur Nabi the faujdar of Mathura faithfully carried out his master’s policy of temple destruction and image bresking and built a mosque on the ruins of hindu temple. Consequently in I669 the Jats under their leader Gokul revolted and killed the Faujdar. The rebellion soon spread other districts. The rebellion was suppressed by a strong imperial force. Gokul was taken prisoner alongwith his family and brought to Agra. He was tertured to death while his family forcibly converted to Islam. But this did not crush the Jats permanently. They again rose in revolt under their now leader Rajaram in I636 who also fell fighting against the Mughals in I688. The leadership of the Jats was new taken up by his native Churaman who welded the disorganised Jats into strong military power and organised armed resistance against the Mughals after Aurangzeb’s death. 

2. The satnamis:- The satnamis were a religious sect of the hindus who inhabited the territory Narnaul and Mewat. They believed in the unity of God. They were industrious and honest, dressed like fakirs but most of them followed agriculture. They were popularly called mundiyas because they shaved off their head and face including the eye brows. Firmly united and militant they never hesitated to use arms to aid the harassed members. When a Satnami peasant was killed by a muslim foot soldier the whole tribe rosein rebellion. They look upon it as a holy war against the destroyer of hinduism. They occupied Narnaul. Aurangzeb was forced to send a large army equipped with artillery. The un-trained Satnami peasants were over powered by a large imperial force. Over a thousand Satnamis were slained. A few escaped while the rest were terrorised into submission and that tract of country was cleared of them. 

3. The Bundelas:- The Bundelas protest was led by prince Chhatrasal. His father Champatral had committed suicide in I66I to escape capture by the Mughal for his rebellious activities. Chhatrasal had served the emperor in the Deccan. He was inspired by Shivaji and dreamt of taking to a life of adventure and independence. Aurangzeb’s policy of temple destruction proveked the hindus of Bundelkhand and Malwa and this gave him an opportunity to take up arms in defence of religion. In I67I he was elected as the king of all the Budelas and collected troops. He gained several victories over the mughals and succeeded in carving out an independent principality in Eastern Malwa. He died in I73I. 

4. The Sikhs:- Aurangzeb’s policy of religious persecution roused the skihs who broke into a rebellion which become an important cause of the down fall of the Mughal empire. The sikh sect was founded by Guru Nank in the sixteenth century who believed in universal brotherhood, unity of God and spiritual liberation by means of prayer, self restraint and good actions. Under the next three Gurus the community remained peaceful. Guru Ramdas the fourth Guru for whom Akbar had great respect was granted a peace of land at Amritsar containing a pool which was enlarged and improved and on the side of which was constructed the famous Golden Temple. The fifth Guru Arjundev proved a more dynamic and zealous organised the Sikhs into a compact community. Guru Arjandev blessed the rebellious prince Khusrav in I606 for which Jahangir ordered his execution. This act greatly embittered the Sikhs against the Mughals and compelled the peace loving Sikhs to take up arms for their self defence under the guidance of the sixth Guru Hargovind. He declared himself to be a spiritual and temperal head of the Sikhs. He collected a small army round him and sikh devotees were transformed into soldier saints. This brought him into clash with the Mughals. He died in I645 and was succeeded by Guru Harrai after whose death Guru Harkishan become the eight Guru. Then came Guru Teg Bahadur. Mean while Aurangzeb who had become the emperor began his policy of religious persecution. Guru Teg Bahadur publically condemned Aurangzeb’s anti hindu measures. He encouraged the Brahins of Kashmir to resist these. Aurangzeb grew suspicious of Guru’s motives and summoned him to Delhi where he was offered the choice between death and conversion to Islam. On his refusal to embrace Islam, the Guru was tortured to death in NovemberI675. At the place where he was executed now stands Gurdawara Sisganj in Delhi. 

The death of Guru Tag Bahadur inspired the Sikhs with the feeling of revenge against the Mughal Empire and made an open war inevitable. His son and successor Guru Gobind swore to avenge his father’s death and transformed the Sikhs into a military community, In I699 on the Baisakhi day Guru Govind Singh created the Khalsa. A strict code of conduct was prescribed for the Khalsa. They were to put on distinct dress and were required to keep on their person five things beginning with letter ‘K’ viz Kes (long hair), Kanga (comb) , Kripan (sword) ,Kachcha (short drawers) and Kara (steel bracelet). Under him the Khalsa pursued the policy of ‘fight muslim fanaticism with sikh fanaticism’. 

Aurangzeb who was at this time engaged in struggle against the Marathas in the south could not tolerate the emergence of the Sikhs as an armed community. He ordered the chastise the Sikhs. They were however defeated by the Sikhs in the first battle of Anandpur inI70I. In the second battle of Anandpur fought in I704 the combined armies laid siege to the fort of Anandpur which was herically defended by the Sikhs but they were forced to surrender. Guru Govind Singh escaped to the Deccan. Two of his sons died fighting against the Mughals while the remaining two were captured by the Mughals and brought to Sirhind where they were asked to embrace Islam and on their refusal to do so were bricked alive. The Guru returned to Northern India. After the death of Aurangzeb in I707 it is said that he assisted his son Bahadur Shah in his contest for the throne and subsequently processed with him to the Deccan, An afghan fanatic stabed him to death in I708. 

5. Aurangzeb and the Rajputs:- The minor anti-imperial risings were suppressed by Aurangzeb but the more formidable revolts rising against his religious policy produced disastrous consequences for the Mughal empire. The worst of them was his wars against the Rajputs which continued for nearly 30 years and ended only after his death. 

Aurangzeb no doubt dreaded the Rajputs and because of the fear of the powerful Rajput chiefs he had not dared to disclose his real designs against the hindus for over two decades. 

Aurangzeb was intereseted in the conquest of Marwar. The state occupied a position of strategic importance as controlling certain military and commercial routes from the Mughal capital to the rich cities and ports of Western India. Its position as a strong military state in Northen India could not be tolerated by Aurangzeb but he suspected that Raja Jaswant Singh the chief of Marwar might stand forth as the leader of opposition to his policy. . 

Raja Jaswant Singh Died in I678 without leaving a male heir. His death was a signal for war. Aurangzeb took immediate steps to seize his kingdom and placed it under direct Mughal rule. He appointed his muslim officers in the state. He issued orders for the demolition of temples and revival of jizya. He himself left for Ajmer to personally supervise the operation. Large Mughal contingent poured into Marwar. 

And there was no opposition from the Rathore because the state was in utter confusion after the death of its chief. 

Meanwhile in February I679 two of the widwed queens of Raja Jaswnt Singh gave birth to two sons, one of whom died and the other Ajit Singh survived and was taken to Delhi. The Rathers submitted a potition to Aurangeb requesting him to recognise Ajit Singh as the rightful successer to the deceased Raja but Aurangzeb put forth the condition of his conversion to Islam if he wanted the throne of Jodhpur. He ordered them to be detained at the Mughal court. This extraordinary proposal of the emperor hurt the feelings of the Rajputs. Aurangzeb failed to realise the dangerous implications of his decision. The Rathors determind to fight to the last man in defence of the honour of their ruling house turned to Durgadas for help in this crisis. Through a strategy the valiant Rather chief managed to carry away the infant and his mother to Jodhpur in July I679. Aurangzeb ordered an invasion of Marwar and he himself proceeded to Ajmer. The imperial armies were led by prince Akbar son of Aurangzeb. After a prolenged warfare the imperialists succeeded in occupying Marwar which was divided into district each under Mughal faujdar. Aurangzeb launched a policy of ruthless destruction of temples & towns. The Rathors launched a policy of guerrilla warfare from their shelter in the hills and in the deserts. Jodhpur was captured by the Mughals in I679. 

The anxemation of Marwar was considered dangerous by the Sisodias of Mewar Maharana Raj Singh of Mewar was asked by Aurangzeb to pay jazya for his entire state. Raj Singh realised that the a im of Aurangzeb was to blot out the Rajput states from existence. He realised that co-operation whit the Rathors was urgently needed if Mewar and Maewar were to be saved. More over the Rani of Marwar was the princess of Mewar and she appealed to Raj Singh for help. Through the Rathor-sisodia alliance the Rajput war assumed the aspect of a national rising in defence of liberty. 

Raj Singh made preparation for war. Aurangzeb left for Mewar with a huge army. Un-able to face the Mughal artillery Raj Singh abandoned Udaipur his capital and retired to he hills. Chittor and Udaipur were occupied by the Mughals where they destroyed 236 temples. Raj Singh was pursued and defeated in February, I680. 

Aurangzeb left Chitter under the charge of prince Akbar and himself returned to Ajmer. 

The Rajputs continued a successful guerrilla warfare and reduced prince Akbar’s army to starvation. Aurangzeb held prince Akbar responsible for it and an a punishment sent him to Marwar. The command of Chittor was given to another son Azam. Considering this as a disgrace and realising the futility of his father’s reactionary policy prince Akbar entred into negotiations with the Rajputs who promised him military aid and point out to him how his father’s policy was destroying the stability of the empire. Prince Akbar who now dreamt of wresting the crown of Delhi from his father in alliance with the Rajputs rebelled in January,I681. With an army of about 70,000 men prince Akbar’s arrived near Ajmer. Aurangzeb was shocked at the news of prince Akbar’s rebellion but at the same time he had made speedy arrangements for the defernce of Ajmer. The crafty monarch was too much of a match for the prince.Through an act of winning diplomacy he frustrated Akbar’s plans. He wrote a letter to prince Akbar and manged that it should reach the Rajputs. He congratulated the prince on having befooled the Rajputs in accordance with his instructions and bringing them within the easy reach of the emperor. The trick proved successful as the Rajputs suspecting foul play on the part of Akbar plundered his camp and deserted him,Soon the fraud played by Aurangzeb was discovered. The Rajputs gallantly saved the prince from his father’s anger and safely escorted him to Shambhaji son of Shivaji in the deccan. 

Prince Akbar’s junction with Sambhaji caused much anxiety to the emperor as it posed a threat to his very throne Aurangzeb hurriedly concluded peace with Rana of Mewar in June I68I and himself left for the Deccan at the head of a large army never to return to North India again, The terms agreed upon between Mewar and the Mughals were that the Maharana had to cede a few districts in lieu of jizya. The MUghals were to withdraw from Mewar. Maharana Jaisingh (son of Raj Singh) was recognized as the Rana holding the rank of 5000. 

Marwar continued the war, for the Rathors there could be no peace until Ajit Singh was restored to the throne of his ancestors. During Aurangzeb’s absence in the Decan Marwar continued to be in rebellion. 

Three definite stages may be marked out for the Rathor war of liberation. From I681 – I687, it was a peoples’ war as Ajit Singh was a child and the famous Rathor hero Durgadas was absent in the Deccan protecting prince Akbar. The Rajputs resorted to guerrilla tactics inflicted heavy losses on the imperialists. 

From I687 to I70I the Rathor command was in the hands of Durgadas who had returned from the Deccan. Despite some successes won by the Rajpute the Mughal’s hold on Marwar was maintained. During this period by the subedar of Gujarat Shujat Khan.

The third stage of the struggle was from I70I to I707. After the death of Shujat Khan in I701, Azam Khan was appointed the Governor of Jodhpur and he provoked the Rajputs, Both Durgadas and Ajit Singh set up the standard of rebellion but were again made to submit. The final opposition came on the eve of Aurangzeb’s death. The twin fighters again rose in revolt when the welcome news of the emperor’s death reached their ears in I707. Ajit Singh marched towards Jodhpur, occupied it and was crowned in March 1707. The new emperor Bahadur Shah led an expedition against Marwar but towards the close of I708 he recognised Ajit Singh’s title to his father’s throne.

The Rajput wars of Aurangzeb produced disastrous consequences for his empire. The imperial prestige was damaged and its material consequences were still worse. It was an act of political un-wisdom on the part of Aurangzeb to provoke Rajput hostility and thus forfeit the devoted service of gallant chief and soldiers so long friends of the empire.

 AURANGZEB AND THE DECCAN: 

After his accession to the throne, Aurangzeb did not pursue a vigourous policy in the Deccan during the first half of his reign. With the end of the Rajputwar in I68I he turned his attention to the Deccan and spent the last twentyfive years of his life (I682-I707) in the Deccan. The object of his Deccan wars was to conquer the states of Bijapur and Golkunda and to crush the power of the Marathas. 

Aurangzeb’s attitude towards the Shia states of Bijapur and Golkunda since the days of his princely career had been very aggressive. It was influence partly by his imperialist instincts and partly by religious bigotry. The very existence of the Shia rule was an eye sore to him.He also felt that the existence of these states enabled he Marathas to enrich themselves. The Marathas got military and administrative experience and also reveiced lot of money, They also befriended the Qutb Shahi and Adil shahi Sultans whenever it was convenient to co-operate with them against the mughals. The continuation of the Maratha raids convinced Aurangzeb that only a complete subjugation of the region could provide the permanent solution. 

Annexation of Bijapur :- 

First Aurangzeb preferred to raise arms against Bijapur. The death of Adil Shah II, the able Sultan of Bijpur in I672 marked the beginning of the decline of Bijpapur. His son Sikandar who was a boy of four years was placed on the throne. A civil war broke out 

among the nobles, followed by independence of the provincial Governors and paralysis of the central administration. The state consequently degenerated into worst anarchy and corruption till its dissolution become only a question of time. 

Taking advantage of this Aurangzeb sent Diler Khan in I679 to carry the siege of Bijapur but he failed to capture it. During the next four years nothing decisive was done against Bijapur by the Mughals, because their primary interest was to resist Shambhaji who had given protection and promised aid to prince Akbar. In I683 Aurangzeb sent an ultimatum to Bijapur making following demands:- 

(I) To supply the provisions to the Mughal army. 

(2) To stop helping Shambhaji. 

(3) To render five thousand Bijapur troops against the Marathas. 

The mughal offer was turned down by Bijapur. This convinced Aurangzeb to extinguish Bijapur and Golkunda. He was fully convinced now that it was impossible to destroy the Marathas with out first subjugating Bijapur and Golkunda which were directly or indirectly sending assistance to the Maratha king. He therefore ordered a full fledged invasion of both the states by two imperial armies.Bjapur government under the ministership of Sharza Khan had grown very weak. Sultan Sikandar who knew that an invasion was imminent began with preparations. Bijapur was invaded by the imperial army led by prince Azam in April I685. Mughals over ran many parts of the state and laid siege to the stronghold of Bijapur. The siege continued for fifteen months. Supplies and reinforcements continued coming from Shambhaji and the Sultan of Golkunda while the imperialists suffered from want of supplies. Aurangzeb himself proceeded to the scene of action in July, I686 and conducted the siege under his personal supervision. His determination shook the nerves of Bijapuris and the shortage of provisions decided the issue. They capitulated in September I686 and Sikandar Adil Shah surrendered the fort of Bijapur. 

The state of Bijapur was annexed to the Mughal empire and the Adil Shahi dynasty came to an end. Sultan Sikandar was enrolled a Manasbdar in the Mughal service with the title of Khan and was given and annual pension of rupees on lakh. Aurangzeb ordered the removal of all the Shia symbols including pictures, inscriptions and architectural designs on the walls of the palace. The muslim aristocracy had to shed Shia practices and conform to Sunni principles in order to secure the imperial favour. 

The city was ruined. The loss of independence spelled also the ruin of her culture for the provincial vicroy whom Aurangzeb appointed simply squeezed money from the people and remitted it to the imperial headquarters. 

CONQUEST OF GOLKONDA :- 

The annexation of Bijapur was soon followed by the annexation of Golkunda. During the reign of Abdulla Qutub Shah Sultan of Golkunda ( I626 –I672 ) anarchy and misrule had spreed in the country. The state was hastening towards dissolution. Adbulla died in I672 without a male issue. Therefore the nobles of the Golkunda put up his son-in-law Abul Hasan on the throne. He was a pleasure loving man hence during his regime the nobles got the upper hand. Anarchy and operation had set in ever since Abdulla’s neglect public business. 

A Brahmin family acquired ascendancy during the reign of Abul Hasan. Madanna Pundit become the prime minister in I673 while his brother Akkanna become the commander-in-schief of the army. The predominance of hindu influence at Golkunda and the latter’s alliance with the Maratha king Shambhaji were particularly offensive to Aurangzeb. Moreover their offer of help to Bijapur provided the Mughals ready pretext to invade the country. 

From Aurangzeb’s point of view there was ample justification for war. The kingdom possessed great natural resources, its rich mines of diamonds and iron and its flourishing ports added to her wealth. As indicated above Aurangzeb had come to the Deccan in I682 determined to crush the Marathas and he wanted his muslim vassals of Bijapur and Golkunda to help him in their task but when he discovered that their sympathies lay with the enemy he decided to finish them first as a preliminary to the destruction of the Marathas. This was the chief cause for the invasion of Golkunda in I685. While the siege of Bijapur was going on a force under prince Maazzam styled Shah Alam was sent to Golkunda to prevent the junction of the Qutb Shahi forces with the Bijapuris. The progress of the Mughals was much hampered by the jealousy of the imperial officers but the army finally reached Hyderabad and occupied it while Abul Hasan sought shelter in the fort of Golkunda and made peace. He promised to pay a large sum as war indemnity in addition to an annual tribute as he used to pay previously. He also agreed to dismiss his two Brahmin ministers Madamna and Akkanna from service and to cede some places which Mughal forces had already occupied (October, I 685 ). In March I686 Madanna and Akanaa were murdered by the muslim nobles. This caused general disorder and panic in the kingdom. The Mughals were, however, satisfied and evacuted the Golkunda territory. 

In Aurangzeb’s scheme of things and independent Golkunda was an offence. Therefore soon after the fall Bijapur (September-I686) he again turned his attention to Golkunda. He himself proceeded to Golkunda in January I687 and ordered a siege of the town. The siege went on but the Mughals suffered from famine and enemy inflicted heavy losses upon them. An outbreak of epidemic further added to their sufferings and destroyed men and beasts by hundreds. The fort on the other hand had large stocks of essential supplies and munitions but the iron will Aurangzeb refused to bend before any obstacle. On failure of valour and arms Aurangzeb following the example of Akbar before Asirgarh made use of “the golden key” to capture Golkunda. Abdulla pani one of the inmate officers of the Golkunda fort was bribed into opening the gates in the morning of 21, September,I687. Qutb Shah nobles and their Sultan Abul Hasan surrendered without fight, but one faithful noble Abdur Razzaq Lari fought the Mughals at the risk of his life. Throughout the siege he had rejected with scorn all the bribes of Aurangzeb including a command of 6000 cavalry in the Mughal army. He fought single handed till he fell with seventy wounds on his body, The fate of Qutb Shah dynasty was finally sealed not by force of sword and spear but the treachery of its own officers. Golkunda was declared annexed to the Mughal empire in I687. Abul Hassan the last sultan of Qutab Shahi dynasty was sent to Dulaltabad as prisoner and was granted a pension of Rs. 50,000/- a year. Enormous booty was seized amounting Rs.7 crores of rupees in cash besides gold, silver, Jewels and other articles of value.

AURANGZEB AND MARATHAS: 

Having achieved the one of the two objects of his Deccan policy i.e. annexation of the decadent sultanas of the Deccan Aurangzeb turned towards the other that is the suppression of the Maratha power. 

The rise of the Maratha power introduced and important factor in Indian polities during the second half of the seventeenth century. Their rise was a sort of challenge to the Mughal empire complicated the political situation in the Deccan, The full significance of which Aurangzeb could not realise at first. During the first half of his reign ( I657 – I68I ) his victory’s in the Deccan achieved no definite success against the Marathas. Mirza Raja Jalsingh, the Mughals vicroy of Deccan from I658 to I666 humbled the pride of Shivaji and compelled him to sign the treaty of Purandhar in I665. 

In 1666 Shivaji visited the imperial court at Agra but was put under confinement by Aurangzeb. On his return to the South Shivaji not only recovered his lost territoties but also extended their boundaries and celebrated his coronation as sovereign ruler in 1674 . Before his death in 1680 the Maratha kingdom had become the most powerful state in the south Shivaji died in I680. He was succeded by his son Shambaji (I680-I689). In I68I occurred the revolt of prince Akbar and his flight to the court of Maratha king Shambhji. This obliged Aurangzb to come the South where he was destined to spend the remaining 27 years of his life. He arrived at Burhanpur in November, I681. His mind must have been full of high hopes and he could not foresee that destiny was dragging him to the South to dig the graves of himself and his empire. The first four years were spent in unsuccessful attempts to seize prince Akbar and in fruitless campaigns against the Maratha. After the annexation of Bijapur and Golkunda (I686 & I687) Aurangzeb was free to deal with the Maraths. Sambhji proved to be an incapable ruler and a poor diplomat. He failed to protect even his own person and was taken prisoner by Aurangzeb and tortured to death in I689. After his death Rajaram Shivaji’s son from another wife was proclaimed the new Chhatrapati. He remained in power from I689 to I700. The Mughals laid siege to the Maratha capital Raigad but Rajaram sliped out and reached Jinji which become the Maratha headquarters out side Maharashtra. The Mughals now captured a number of Maratha force and created disorder in the whole of their kingdom. 

By the end of I689, Aurangzeb had reched the peak of his glory. Bijapur and Golkunda were annexed, the legacy of Shivaji was on the verge of liquidation. Three decades of strenuous efforts had made Aurangzeb the unrivalled lord paramount of the Northern Indian and the Deccan alike.” All seemed to have been gained by Aurangzeb now, but in reality all was lost, It was the beginning of his end. The sadest and the most hopeless chapter of his life was now opened. “ Sambhaji’s brutal murder provoked the maratha wrath to seek revenge and the Marathas joined Rajaram at Jinji determined to retrieve their lost territority and prestige. It now become people’s war and Aurangzeb could not end it. Zulfikar Khan was sent by Aurangzeb to besiege Jinji and capture Rajaram. The siege lasted for eight years but before its fall in 1698 Rajaramescaped to Maharashtra. He died prematurely in I700 at the age of 30. 

After him his gallant wife Tarabai (I700-I707) made her son aged four years successor to his father (Shivaji III). And took the reins of the government into her own hands. Under her superb guidance and inspiration the Marathas liberated major part of their territories and led successful raids into all the Mughal provinces of central and south India including Malwa and Gujarat. They even laid night attacks on the imperial Mughal camp and maintained pressure on Aurangzeb wherever he went , Thus by this time the Marathas with their resources enormously increased practically because masters of the Situations in Deccan and also in certain parts of Central India. All the attempts of Aurangzeb to crush the Marathas proved futile. Brokendown by age and frustration he returned to Ahmednagar in January, I706 and died there a year later. Maratha nationalism survived as triumphant force which his feeble successors failed to resist. 

Effects of Aurangzeb’s Deccan policy:- 

Aurangzeb has been critisised for his Deccan policy for politically brought it about the ruin of the Mughal empire. No wonder V.A. Smith remarks that the Deccan was not only the grave of his body but also of his empire. 

According to some historians it was a mistake on the part of Aurangzeb to have conquered the states of Bijapur and Golkunda. They hold that “it freed the Maratha chiefs from any fear of local rivalry.” It should have been anticipated that the removal of these two muslim powers in the Deccan would offer a clear field to the Marathas. The new administrative responsibilities incurred through annexation should have been kept in view. It was a great strain on a system which was already showing signs of weakness and inefficiency. The destruction of Bijapur and Golkunda indirectly led to great anarchy in the South which proved beneficial to the Marathas in their war of independence. However, Sir J.N. Sirkar takes a different view. He says that an alliance between the Mughals and the Shia rulers of the Deccan was impossible. Since the days of Akbar the Mughals had aimed at the annexation of these kingdoms. He also points out that it would have been impossible for the decadent Sultanates to cheak the Marathas effectively as they had already organised into a national state. 

The Deccan wars of Aurangzeb proved very expensive and wasteful The incessant warfare in the Deccan emptied the state treasury. The empire was brought on the verge of bankruptcy. Hundreds of Soldiers and several officers fell into arrears for three years. Sir J.N.Sarkar writers that “the men starving from lack of pay and the exhaustion of their credit with the local grocers some times created scenes in the emperor’s court, some times abused andhustled their general’s Manager-some driven to desperation, best to death the paymaster of their contingent.” To meet the situation, Aurangzeb revived the system of allocation of land or jagirs to the imperial officers in lieu of their services but such grants remained only on papers. Aurangzeb spent huge amounts on bribing the Maratha officers in charge of hill forts. He ordered the accumulated treasures of his anncestors to be taken out of the vaults of Agra and Delhi forts and sent to him in Deccan but even these last reserves were exhausted. It had great effect on provincial governments as public buildings, educational institutions, irrigational works and other public utility services could not be carried out because of lack of funds, 

Aurangzeb’s long absence from the capital for twenty five years put the entire administrative machinery out of gear. By draining away the revenues and manpower to fight the incessant war in the Deccan and by placing the North Indian provinces in the charge of second rate officers with small contingent of troops and limited resources he caused disorder and mis rule in the country. The administration grew slack and corrupt. The provincial governors and faijadars defied the central authority and there was nothing to curb them. Such conditions gave an opportunity to the disaffected elements in Northern India to raise their heads in rebellion. It was during this period that the Jats and the Sikhs got an opportunity to strengthen their hands. 

The spirit of the mughal army in the Deccan was utterly broken. The army was in wretched condition. Soldiers grew sick of the endless and futil wars. The continuous Maratha raids dampened their morale. Many manabdars were prepared to come to terms with them instead of engaging in fights with them. The Mughal soldiers on march destroyed the crops on the way and government did nothing to compensate the peasants for their losses. The roads were flooded and transport difficulties eronmous. The Marathas were dominant throughout the Deccan. They acquired much wealth by plunder and rendered highways unsafe. The country was completely desolated and there was no trace of crops of any kind, The total deforestation injured agriculture. In the Deccan there was no rain from I702 to I704. Plague and famine added to the horrors of war. Trade almost ceased in the Deccan during this period. 

The Mughals also under estimated the Maratha might. It is true that the Mughals were more in numbers and resources and they could defeat the Maraths in pitched battles but the Marathas followed guerrilla tactics and refused to be drawn into pitched battles. The inability of the Mughals to appreciate and master the guerrilla tact continued to baffle the Muhals and proved a major handicap to them. Sir.J.N.Sarkar makes the following observation with regard to the Deccan wars,” the old emperor in the far off Deccan lost all control over his officers in Hindustan …….. In the province of Agra in particular there was disorder. Art and learning decade at the withdrawal of imperial patronage, not a single edifice finely written manuscript or exquisite picture commemorates Aurangzeb’s reign. The endless war in the Deccan exhausted his treasury, the government turned bankrupt, the soldiers starving from arrears of pay mutinied and during the closing years of his reign the revenue of Bengal sent by the able Deawan Murshid Quli Khan was the sole support of emperor’s house-hold or his army and its arrival was eagerly looked forward to. Napoleon I used to say,’ It was the Spanish ulcer which ruined me,’ The Deccan ulcer ruined Aurangzeb,” 

Causes of Aurangzeb’s Failure:- 

Aurangzeb’s administration was highly centralised despotism with all powers concentrated in his hands. He had a passion for seeing everything carried to the highest perfection according to his own ideas of it which urged him to supervise every minute detail of administration and war-fare personally. He loved over centralisation and crushed initiative and sense of responsibility of his subordinates who become “lifeless puppets moved to action by the master pulling their strings from the capital.” Such system of administration was entirely unsuitable for the vast and heterogeneous empire over which he ruled. 

Aurangzeb failed to train his sons and to share with them the burden of administering the vast empire. Due to the fear of rebellion of his sons he always kept them at arms length. He was a man of suspicious temperament and as such did not trust even his own sons. He surrounded them with spies who reported every detail of their activities to him. The result was that the imperial princes failed to develop initiative and sense of responsibility. They often acted against him. 

Aurangzeb was obsessed by his narrow ideal of duty and was ignorant of the real limitations of his character. A zinda pir or a living saint as he was called by the muslims, he never deviated from the tenets of Islam. He lacked generosity, catholicity and political wisdom. He alienated the sympathy and support of non-muslims by committing all kinds of atrocities on them. He reversed Akbar’s wise policy towards the hindus and struck at the foundation of the empire which derived its stability and prosperity from the loyalty of composite population. His religious policy brought discontent among all classes of his hindu subjects. As a result the jats rose in rebellion Agra, the satnmis in Doab, the Sikhs become a problem in the Punjab and the Marathas consumed all his energies for 27 long years in the South. Aurangzeb found it impossible to keep peace in any part of the country. His fault lay in going away from the path Akbar had shown. ( Auangzeb’s religious policy and its effects have already been discussed in detail in the previous lesson). 

Aurangzeb commited the mistake of alienating the sympathies of the Rajputs and converted them into the enemies at a time when the empire needed their assistance the most. Akbar had made the Rajputs the staunchest supporters of his dunesty and empire by a policy of friendship and religious tolerance. Auarangzeb unwise policy towards them turned them into enemies and compelled the Sisdias, Rathors and some other Rajput clans to remain in rebellion till the emperor’s death in I707. The Rajput wars proved to be a great handicap for him when he was busy in the Deccan wars. Instead of depending upon the support of the Rajputs he had to get a a part of Mughal forces to meet any possible trouble from their side. The Rajputs who had been the pillars of the Mughal empire for more than a century become hostile and the Mughal army lost its finest and most loyal recruits during its desperate struggle against the Marathas in the Deccan. 

Aurangzeb,s Deccan policy which aimed at the destruction of the Marathas and the extinction of the Shia Kingdom was a great blunder. His engagement in t he Deccan wars for 26 years led to the dis organisation of central Government, law and order deteriorated, resources of the state were sapped, state treasury was empty, morale of army was seriously impared and it lost its discipline and efficiency. 

Aurnagzeb wrongly imagined that the successful rule implied only the conduct political, military and religious and religious administration of a country and he sadly neglected the economic and cultural progress. Music, painting and other fine arts were a neglected. He did nothing to improve architecture. 

There was moral degeneration of the Mughal aristocracy. Too much wealth, luxury and leisure softened their character. Their harems become full. They got wine in plenty. They went in palanquins in battle field. Such nobles were not not fit to fight against the Marathas, the Rajputs and the Sukhs, There was no good education, no practical training of the sons of the Mughal nobility. Their moral declined was rapid. Most of them and even sons of Aurangzeb like Shah Alam and Kam Buksh were beyond correction. 

Thus by the time of Aurangzeb’s death the weakness of the Mughal army economic bankruptcy, breakdown of administration coupled with the wide spread discontent of the majority of its subjects had rendered the grand edifice of Mughal empire hollow from within & was reduced to a house of cards, ready to crumble down at the blow of wind or touch of human hand.