The Reign of Aurangzeb and decline of Mughal Empire
Aurangzeb Seizes Control
• In 1657 Shah Jehan fell seriously ill
• This presented a serious problem for the Empire as he had four sons, all of whom were of mature age, were all Governors of important parts of the Empire and had large armies available
• They all wanted to be the emperor
• When it appeared that Shah Jehan was dying, they began to jostle for power
• Two of them, Shah Shuja and Murad, actually had coins struck in their name showing them as the new Emperor. However, the eldest son, Dara Shikoh, was thought to be the emperor’s preferred successor.
• Before he could establish himself in power, it seemed that he could not because in 1658 two of his brothers, Murad and Aurangzeb, joined forces and defeated Dara Shikoh’s army
• But then Shah Jehan recovered and ordered his sons not to march on Agra
• Aurangzeb replied that his father had lost control and it was important that he, Aurangzeb, take over and re-establish order
• In May 1658 he defeated the Imperial army, led by Dara Shikoh and took his father prisoner
• Shah Jehan was allowed to remain in Agra until his death in 1666, where he was buried in the Taj Mahal
• This presented a serious problem for the Empire as he had four sons, all of whom were of mature age, were all Governors of important parts of the Empire and had large armies available
• They all wanted to be the emperor
• When it appeared that Shah Jehan was dying, they began to jostle for power
• Two of them, Shah Shuja and Murad, actually had coins struck in their name showing them as the new Emperor. However, the eldest son, Dara Shikoh, was thought to be the emperor’s preferred successor.
• Before he could establish himself in power, it seemed that he could not because in 1658 two of his brothers, Murad and Aurangzeb, joined forces and defeated Dara Shikoh’s army
• But then Shah Jehan recovered and ordered his sons not to march on Agra
• Aurangzeb replied that his father had lost control and it was important that he, Aurangzeb, take over and re-establish order
• In May 1658 he defeated the Imperial army, led by Dara Shikoh and took his father prisoner
• Shah Jehan was allowed to remain in Agra until his death in 1666, where he was buried in the Taj Mahal
The Fate of Aurangzeb's brothers
• Murad imprisoned and later executed.
• Shah Shuja was killed whilst trying to raise an army to oppose his brother.
• Dara Shikoh imprisoned and later executed
• Shah Shuja was killed whilst trying to raise an army to oppose his brother.
• Dara Shikoh imprisoned and later executed
The impact of Aurangzeb’s Polices on the Stability of the Mughal Empire
• After defeating the Imperial army Aurangzeb took steps to establish himself as an Emperor and fought number of battles to strengthen himself
• There was a war against
• the Rajputs
• rebellions by Sikhs
• the Satnamis in Mewar and
• the Jats in Gokal
• He also fight a tough campaign against Pathan tribes in his attempt to expand northward
• Perhaps most costly for Aurangzeb was the campaign fought against the Maratha tribe in the Deccan
• Maratha leader, Shivaji, was originally defeated and brought as a prisoner to Agra
• He escaped and was soon back in the Deccan leading fight against Aurangzeb
• Even after 25 years of fighting Aurangzeb had not defeated the Marathas
• But he almost emptied the Mughal treasury
• At the time of his death, Mughal Empire was a mighty one it had ever been
• There was a war against
• the Rajputs
• rebellions by Sikhs
• the Satnamis in Mewar and
• the Jats in Gokal
• He also fight a tough campaign against Pathan tribes in his attempt to expand northward
• Perhaps most costly for Aurangzeb was the campaign fought against the Maratha tribe in the Deccan
• Maratha leader, Shivaji, was originally defeated and brought as a prisoner to Agra
• He escaped and was soon back in the Deccan leading fight against Aurangzeb
• Even after 25 years of fighting Aurangzeb had not defeated the Marathas
• But he almost emptied the Mughal treasury
• At the time of his death, Mughal Empire was a mighty one it had ever been
Aurangzeb’s Reforms
Intolerant to religion by some historians
• Historians are divided about Aurangzeb’s attitude to religion
• Some say that he was intolerant and wanted to destroy other religions
• They point out that he re-introduced the tax on non-Muslims, the Jizya
• He destroyed a number of Hindu temples and he tried to ban some old Hindu practices, such as suttee
• He also enforced Islamic law making Hindus and Sikhs live according to the Quran
• Some say that he was intolerant and wanted to destroy other religions
• They point out that he re-introduced the tax on non-Muslims, the Jizya
• He destroyed a number of Hindu temples and he tried to ban some old Hindu practices, such as suttee
• He also enforced Islamic law making Hindus and Sikhs live according to the Quran
Not intolerant to religion according to other historians
• Other historians argue that Aurangzeb was not intolerant
• But that he was more ‘orthodox’ than earlier Emperors
• They emphasize that he employed some Hindu advisors
• And there are recorded instances of him making donations to Hindu temples.
• But that he was more ‘orthodox’ than earlier Emperors
• They emphasize that he employed some Hindu advisors
• And there are recorded instances of him making donations to Hindu temples.
Views about his success as an Emperor
His strict laws
• There are mixed views how successful was Aurangzeb
• He is criticized for his number of measures including
• Appointing censors of public morals
• Banning the consumption of alcohol
• stopping singing and dancing at ‘court’
• Determining the maximum length for beards
• But to many people these were wise and needy measures helping to ensure that peoples’ lives were lived in the correct manner
• He is criticized for his number of measures including
• Appointing censors of public morals
• Banning the consumption of alcohol
• stopping singing and dancing at ‘court’
• Determining the maximum length for beards
• But to many people these were wise and needy measures helping to ensure that peoples’ lives were lived in the correct manner
Taxes
• Aurangzeb made himself popular with traders by abolishing many local taxes
• But generally taxation was very high during his reign
• But generally taxation was very high during his reign
Reasons for imposing high taxes
• He needed money to fight wars
• The wars against Marathas proved to be the costliest
• He build luxurious palaces
• Just for his own private prayers he built Pearl Mosque in Delhi
• The wars against Marathas proved to be the costliest
• He build luxurious palaces
• Just for his own private prayers he built Pearl Mosque in Delhi
Start of decay of Mughal Empire
• Imposition of high taxes made Aurangzeb unpopular
The Effectiveness of Aurangzeb’s Successors
Succession Problems after Aurangzeb’ death
• Aurangzeb had become emperor by defeating his rivals in battle• He was determined to avoid such a war after his death so he divided the Empire between his three sons But he did not succeed
• Fighting broke out between them
• Prince Muazzum established himself as Emperor
• He survived only a few years and then his four sons fought over the throne
• But the victor, Jahandar Shah, was murdered within a year
• In the ten years after Aurangzeb’s death, twelve different people claimed to be Emperor at one time. The stable Mughal Empire had become weak and divided.
• Muhammad Shah became emperor in 1719 and ruled for almost thirty years, but he faced so much opposition, that he was really the last Mughal leader who could claim to be emperor.
Invading Forces or threats from enemies
The Persians – Foreign invasion
• Persian leader, Nadir Shah invaded the Mughal empire
• He defeated Muhammad Shah's forces
• After that he captured and sacked Delhi, taking over territories west of the Indus
• Nadir Shah did not intend to make himself emperor, but only to win as much booty as possible
• After two months when he left, he took huge amounts of gold and jewels
• He also took prestige of the Mughals
• Now people saw how weak the empire had been
• He defeated Muhammad Shah's forces
• After that he captured and sacked Delhi, taking over territories west of the Indus
• Nadir Shah did not intend to make himself emperor, but only to win as much booty as possible
• After two months when he left, he took huge amounts of gold and jewels
• He also took prestige of the Mughals
• Now people saw how weak the empire had been
The Marathas – rebels within Mughal Empire
• Another problem for the Mughals was the Marathas
• They formed a Hindu empire in southern India and were a constant source of difficulty for the Mughals
• Aurangzeb spent over 25 years trying to defeat the Maratha forces and after his death, they continued to take land from the Mughals
• In 1737 they defeated Mughal army and plundered Delhi
• Soon Marathas had replaced the Mughals as the most powerful force in India
• They formed a Hindu empire in southern India and were a constant source of difficulty for the Mughals
• Aurangzeb spent over 25 years trying to defeat the Maratha forces and after his death, they continued to take land from the Mughals
• In 1737 they defeated Mughal army and plundered Delhi
• Soon Marathas had replaced the Mughals as the most powerful force in India
The Afghans – Foreign Invasion
• A third invading force came from Afghanistan• An Afghan general Ahmad Shah Durrani attacked Kabul, Peshawar and Lahore
• He gained control of the Punjab, Kashmir and Multan
• The weakness of the Mughal Empire can be seen by the fact that the Mughals were unable to stop Maratha or Afghan expansion
The End of the Empire
• Ahmad Shah Durrani helped place Muhammad Shah’s son, Ahmed Shah on the Mughal throne• However, the empire he ruled was shrinking rapidly, as the unrest in the empire continued to increase
• Indeed, Ahmed Shah was imprisoned in his own court and died in captivity
• His successor, Alamgir II, was assassinated on the orders of his chief minister and the next emperor, Shah Alam II
• He remained in Bihar and chose not to return to Delhi for another twelve years
Rising of British
• Shah Alam II suffered defeat at the hands of the British at the Battle of Buxar• Shah Alam’s defeat led to the British taking control of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa
• Soon they also occupied Delhi and placed the emperor under ‘British protection’
• The British were now winning a stranglehold on India
• The two emperors ruled in name only
• Shah Alam’s son, Akbar II ruled parts of Delhi
• His son, Bahadur Shah II was expelled for his part in the War of Independence
• He died in exile in Rangoon
• The once-mighty Mughal Empire was over
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