Alamgir, the Conqueror of the World | 1659CE - 1707CE | Al Muqaddimah
Summary
TLDRThe video script narrates the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb, who took over the Mughal Empire after a brutal war of succession in 1659. Known for his expansionist policies, Aurangzeb faced challenges from Assam and Pashtun tribes but secured the empire's borders. His reign saw the rise of the Maratha leader Shivaji Bhonsle, who declared independence, leading to prolonged conflict with Aurangzeb. Despite initial victories, Aurangzeb's relentless pursuit of conquest eventually exhausted the empire's resources and strained his relations with his sons. The script also mentions Magellan TV, a streaming service offering a wide range of documentaries and shows.
Takeaways
- 🏛️ In 1659, the Mughal Empire, under Aurangzeb, emerged from a war of succession where Aurangzeb became the emperor after imprisoning his father and defeating his brothers.
- 🎬 The video is sponsored by Magellan TV, a streaming service offering a wide range of documentaries and shows, including a special offer for Al Muqaddimah viewers.
- 👑 Despite Aurangzeb's later reputation, he initially pardoned many after the war of succession and even married his daughters to the sons of his defeated brothers, maintaining some of his father's ministers.
- 💰 Aurangzeb showed generosity to his subjects, distributing gold, opening charity kitchens, and ending road tolls for grain merchants, while also listening to commoners' complaints.
- 🕌 Aurangzeb's legitimacy as a ruler was questioned by the Sharif of Mecca until his father's death, and he faced mockery from the Safavid Shah regarding his title.
- 🛡️ Aurangzeb focused on expanding the empire, attempting to conquer Assam and securing the North-Western Border by making deals with Pashtun tribes.
- 🕌 He commissioned the Badshahi Masjid in Lahore, which was the largest mosque in the world for three centuries after its completion in 1671.
- 🔄 Aurangzeb's rule saw both new alliances and the loss of old ones, including a conflict with the Rajput tribes that led to rebellions and guerrilla warfare.
- 🐉 His favorite son, Prince Akbar, attempted to overthrow him, continuing a pattern of familial conflict within the Mughal dynasty.
- 🏰 Aurangzeb's conquests in South India led to the defeat of the Sultanates of Bijapur and Golconda, and a protracted conflict with the Maratha Empire under Shivaji Bhonsle.
- 🤴 The Maratha Empire, under the leadership of Shivaji's successors, Sambhaji and later Tarabai, resisted Aurangzeb's forces, maintaining autonomy and even expanding their territory.
Q & A
What significant event occurred in 1659 CE on the Indian subcontinent?
-In 1659 CE, the Indian subcontinent was under the rule of the Mughal Empire. A war of succession had just concluded, resulting in Prince Aurangzeb emerging as the sole surviving son of Emperor Shah Jahan and taking over the empire as Shahanshah Aurangzeb Alamgir.
What is the significance of the Peacock Throne in the context of the script?
-The Peacock Throne symbolizes the seat of power of the Mughal Empire. It was the object of contention among the four sons of Emperor Shah Jahan, who fought for their claim to it during the war of succession.
How did Aurangzeb treat his subjects and family members after becoming emperor?
-Aurangzeb pardoned almost everyone involved in the war of succession, except his brothers. He married his daughters to the sons of his deceased brothers, Dara Shikoh and Murad, and gave them official ranks. He also retained some of his father's ministers.
What actions did Aurangzeb take to show his piety and concern for his subjects?
-Aurangzeb distributed gold among his subjects, opened charity kitchens, ended road tolls for grain merchants, and spent time in his court listening to commoners' complaints. He also sent gifts to the Custodians of the Holy Mosques at Mecca and Madinah.
What was the significance of the Badshahi Masjid commissioned by Aurangzeb in Lahore?
-The Badshahi Masjid, commissioned in 1671, was the largest mosque in the world for almost three centuries after its completion. It symbolized Aurangzeb's commitment to the expansion of the Mughal Empire and his religious devotion.
How did Aurangzeb handle the Rajput succession crisis and what were the consequences?
-Aurangzeb intervened in the Rajput succession crisis by choosing an adult grandson over an infant son to lead the Rathor tribe of the Rajput. This decision led to a rebellion joined by the Sisodiyas tribe, resulting in guerrilla warfare that lasted for two decades.
What was the outcome of Prince Akbar's attempt to overthrow his father, Aurangzeb?
-Prince Akbar's attempt to overthrow Aurangzeb failed as Aurangzeb used spies to spread a rumor that Akbar was marching into a trap, causing the Rajput allies to disperse. Akbar fled to South India, where Aurangzeb had already been planning a conquest.
Who was Shivaji Bhonsle and what was his significance in the history of South India?
-Shivaji Bhonsle was a Maratha leader who rose to power in the Deccan region of South India. He amassed soldiers and forts, declared himself an independent ruler as Chhatrapati, and expanded his empire, becoming a significant figure in the history of South India.
How did Aurangzeb's military campaigns in South India affect the Maratha Empire?
-Aurangzeb's campaigns led to the capture and execution of Chhatrapati Sambhaji, the fall of Raigarh, and the temporary decline of the Maratha Empire. However, under the leadership of Tarabai, Shivaji's wife, the Marathas were able to revive and even expand their empire.
What were the challenges Aurangzeb faced during his later years and how did they impact the Mughal Empire?
-Aurangzeb faced challenges such as his inability to capture the fortress of Jinji, exhaustion of the empire's resources, desertion of soldiers, and internal political struggles among his sons and court members. These factors weakened the Mughal Empire and contributed to its decline.
How did Aurangzeb's approach to land distribution and administration affect the Mughal Empire?
-Aurangzeb's increasing need for land to distribute as rewards led to a shortage, forcing him to convert distributable Jagir into Crown Land. This change reduced the autonomy of vassals and centralized control under the emperor, which had various administrative implications for the empire.
Outlines
🏰 Ascension of Aurangzeb and Early Reign
The script begins by setting the stage in 1659 CE, where the Mughal Empire, under Aurangzeb Alamgir, emerges from a war of succession. Aurangzeb, the last surviving son of Emperor Shah Jahan, takes over the empire after imprisoning his father and defeating his brothers. Despite his later reputation, Aurangzeb's early reign is marked by mercy, as he pardons many, retains his father's ministers, and even marries his daughters to his brother's sons. He is also noted for his generosity, opening charity kitchens, and abolishing road tolls. Aurangzeb's reign is sponsored by Magellan TV, a streaming service offering a wide range of documentaries and shows. The video also mentions Aurangzeb's initial expansion attempts into Assam and dealing with Pashtun tribes, securing the North-Western Border, and the construction of the Badshahi Masjid in Lahore, which remained the largest mosque for centuries.
🤝 Alliances and Conflicts with the Rajput and the Rise of Shivaji
The second paragraph delves into Aurangzeb's relations with the Rajput, who were traditional allies of the Mughals. Aurangzeb's decision to intervene in the succession of the Rathor tribe of Rajput leads to a crisis and rebellion, joined by the Sisodiyas. His son, Prince Akbar, attempts to overthrow him but is thwarted by Aurangzeb's strategic use of spies. The paragraph also introduces Shivaji Bhonsle, a Maratha chieftain who rises to power, resisting Mughal influence and eventually being recognized by Aurangzeb. However, Shivaji later revolts, leading to a conflict where he is forced to surrender forts and his son to the Mughals. Despite being briefly imprisoned, Shivaji escapes and later declares himself an independent ruler, Chhatrapati, with a lavish coronation ceremony.
🔱 Aurangzeb's Southern Conquests and the Struggle with the Marathas
This paragraph discusses Aurangzeb's return to South India to continue his conquests, focusing on the Deccan region. He initially attempts to pit the Muslim Sultanates of Bijapur and Golconda against the Marathas but turns on them when they fail to comply. Aurangzeb conquers both Sultanates and then directs his forces against the Marathas. Sambhaji, Shivaji's son and successor, is captured and executed, but his younger brother Rajaram escapes and continues the fight. Aurangzeb's campaign is marked by a relentless pursuit of conquest, despite the challenges and the toll on his resources. The Maratha Empire, under the leadership of Rajaram and later his wife Tarabai, manages to resist and even expand, offering a promise of self-governance to potential allies.
⚔️ The Decline of Aurangzeb's Campaigns and His Legacy
The final paragraph outlines the decline of Aurangzeb's military campaigns in the Deccan. Despite his efforts, Aurangzeb fails to capture the fortress of Jinji and faces increasing difficulties, including financial strain and desertion by his soldiers. His ego and determination to continue the fight, despite the odds, lead to a stagnation in his conquests. The death of his generals and the internal power struggles among his sons further weaken his position. Aurangzeb's health deteriorates, and he eventually dies at the fort of Ahmadnagar, leaving behind a legacy of conquest and a vast empire that would face new challenges in the years to come.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Mughal Empire
💡Peacock Throne
💡War of Succession
💡Aurangzeb Alamgir
💡Magellan TV
💡Bhutto: Politics in the Blood
💡Nero's Golden House
💡Rajput
💡Shivaji Bhonsle
💡Chhatrapati
💡Maratha Empire
Highlights
The year 1659 marked a significant period in Indian history with the Mughal Empire's rule under Aurangzeb, following a war of succession among Emperor Shah Jahan's four sons.
Aurangzeb emerged as the sole surviving son after a brutal war of succession, imprisoning his father and sidelining his brothers to become Shahanshah Aurangzeb Alamgir.
Magellan TV, a streaming service with over 3,000 documentaries and shows, sponsored the video and offered a free trial to viewers.
The video discusses the Bhutto political dynasty's impact on modern Pakistan, comparing it to the Kennedys and Gandhis.
Nero’s Golden House is highlighted as a symbol of decadence, perversion, and art in Ancient Rome.
Aurangzeb's reign began with a surprising act of mercy, sparing most of his family and retaining some of his father's ministers.
Aurangzeb's early rule was marked by generosity, opening charity kitchens and ending road tolls for grain merchants.
Despite Aurangzeb's attempts to send gifts to the Custodians of the Holy Mosques, they were initially refused due to his father's living status.
Aurangzeb faced challenges in expanding the empire, including unsuccessful attempts to conquer Assam and dealing with Pashtun revolts.
The Badshahi Masjid in Lahore, commissioned by Aurangzeb, was the world's largest mosque for three centuries.
Aurangzeb's rule saw a shift in alliances, with the Rajput tribes experiencing a crisis and rebellion against Mughal regulation.
Prince Akbar's attempted overthrow of Aurangzeb was thwarted by Aurangzeb's strategic use of spies and rumors.
Shivaji Bhonsle rose as a powerful Maratha leader, challenging Mughal authority and expanding his own empire.
Aurangzeb's conquest of South India led to the subjugation of the Sultanates of Bijapur and Golconda, and a prolonged conflict with the Marathas.
Tarabai, the widow of Chhatrapati Rajaram, demonstrated exceptional leadership in defending and expanding the Maratha Empire against Aurangzeb.
Aurangzeb's final years were marked by an unsuccessful campaign in the Deccan, leading to the weakening of the Mughal Empire.
Aurangzeb's death in 1707 signified the end of an era, with his burial near the old enemy of the Mughals, Malik Ambar.
Transcripts
The year is 1659 of the Common Era. A majority of the Indian subcontinent is
ruled by the Mughal Empire which just came out of a war of succession triggered while
the previous emperor was still alive. The four sons of Emperor Shah Jahan picked up the sword
for their claim to the Peacock Throne. When the dust settled, only one of the sons remained,
Prince Aurangzeb. With his father locked up and his brothers dead or exiled, Aurangzeb
took over the great Mughal Empire as Shahanshah Aurangzeb Alamgir, the Conqueror of the World.
This video is sponsored by Magellan TV. Magellan TV is a streaming service that hosts over 3,000
documentaries and shows in various genres, from History to Science as well as travel and art.
They’re adding new shows all the time which you can enjoy on all sorts of devices.
Also, best of all, there are no ads and an increasing percentage of shows is available in 4k,
with no additional cost. They were kind enough to offer Al Muqaddimah viewers an extended, free,
month-long trial. You can go to
[try.magellantv.com/almuqaddimah](http://try.magellantv.com/almuqaddimah) to take advantage of that.
This week I watched Bhutto: Politics in the Blood which is the fascinating story of one
of the most prominent political dynasties from my home country of Pakistan. This dynasty, along with
other forces, wrote the fate of modern Pakistan on par with the Kennedys and the Gandhis so, I’d
highly recommend you watch it. Secondly, I watched Nero’s Golden House which tells the story of the
Domus Aurea which became a symbol of decadence and perversion as well as art in Ancient Rome.
Again, you can take advantage of a month-long free trial by clicking the link in the description.
It would also help support the channel. Back to the video.
Before watching this one, be sure to watch the previous video on the Rise of Prince Aurangzeb
and the Mughal War of Succession. Assuming you’ve watch that and are all caught up, let’s continue.
Even though Aurangzeb has a reputation as kind of a jerk, he didn’t act that way
after the war of succession. Where his father had killed his brothers, cousins, and nephews
after becoming emperor, Aurangzeb pardoned almost everyone other than
his brothers. He even married two of his daughters to Dara Shikoh and Murad’s sons
and gave them official ranks. He kept some of his father’s ministers too.
Everyone was so happy with him that in the third year of his reign,
he fell seriously ill and no one tried to overthrow him or restore Shah Jahan,
who was still alive. He also distributed a lot of gold among his subjects.
He opened charity kitchens and ended the road toll collected from grain merchants. He also
spent a lot of time in his court listening to commoners and their complaints. It was
the source of a lot of pride for him that he spent so much time with his subjects.
He sent some money as a gift to the Custodians of the Holy Mosques at Mecca and Madinah.
However, the Sharif of Mecca didn’t accept it saying that Aurangzeb was not
the rightful sovereign as long as Shah Jahan was alive. Aurangzeb sent gifts almost every year but
they were refused. When Shah Jahan died, Aurangzeb sent gifts again, this time they were accepted.
Even fellow monarch didn’t think of him as a legitimate ruler. The Safavid Shah wrote a letter
to Aurangzeb telling him that instead of, “The World Conqueror” he should’ve picked the title,
“The Father Conqueror” which just sounds dirty in English. Aurangzeb’s reply to all of this
was denial. He kept insisting that Shah Jahan had chosen retirement and was not forced.
Aurangzeb would be haunted by the fact that he had overthrown his father for the rest of his life and
this fact probably guided a lot of his actions, especially in regards to him becoming more pious.
Being a warrior, Aurangzeb quickly got to the business of expansion of the empire. Bengal had
already been under Mughal control, so Aurangzeb tried to expand into Assam. He made his loyal Mir
Jumla governor of Bengal and sent him there but due to various reasons, not the least of which
was brilliant Assamese resistance, he wasn’t able to conquer it. On the other side of the empire,
Pashtun tribes became a problem for him. In 1667, the Yusufzai tribe revolted, and then in 1672,
the Afridi tribe revolted. Kabul, being the region’s central city, was told to raise an army
and fight, but the army was ambushed near Khyber Pass. This went on for at least two more years
before Aurangzeb himself arrived in Peshawar. He struck deals with the tribesmen, using carrots
where necessary and employing sticks where needed. He gave them land grants and money to defend the
vital trading route that went from Central Asia to India. This secured the North-Western Border.
In 1671, he commissioned the Badshahi Masjid in Lahore. It took around two years to
complete and remained the largest mosque in the world for almost three centuries.
Where he was making new allies, he was also losing old ones. The Rajput were longstanding allies of
the Mughals who had stood with them through thick and thin. The Mughal emperor, by law,
had the right to regulate Rajput succession. Although, by tradition,
that regulation was guided by Rajput opinion. Basically, the emperor could appoint a new head
of a tribe upon the death of the old one but that person had to be popular among the tribe.
What happens if the tribe is divided among itself over who should succeed?
The Rathor tribe of the Rajput had such a crisis. When the ruling Raja died,
the two candidates were his young grandson or his alleged son who was born after his death.
Aurangzeb didn’t want to put that tribe under regency and so chose the adult grandson over
the infant son. This led to a crisis and then a rebellion which was soon joined by another tribe,
the Sisodiyas, who had been the last Rajput tribe to submit to Mughal authority. While Aurangzeb was
able to restore peace, some rogue elements of the tribes remained in guerrilla warfare
for two decades until that infant grew up and was installed as Raja.
During this rebellion in the 1680s, Aurangzeb gave command of his army to his favorite son,
Prince Akbar. Prince Akbar, like his father, his grandfather, and his great-grandfather,
decided to try to overthrow his father. I mean, seriously, this family was messed up.
Zeus, Kratos, and Atreus have nothing on this family. Akbar allied with the rebellious Rajput
and marched to face his father. Aurangzeb used spies to spread a rumor that they were marching
into a trap and the Rajput dispersed overnight. Akbar was left alone as Aurangzeb had vanquished
an army without shooting a single arrow. Akbar, knowing how much the people of South India hated
Aurangzeb, fled there but what he didn’t know was that this was exactly what Aurangzeb wanted.
Right before the war of succession between Aurangzeb and his brothers,
Aurangzeb was in the middle of conquering territory in the Deccan. After becoming emperor,
he saw this as an unfinished project and was itching to complete it. Now that they were housing
a rebel, Aurangzeb had a reason to revisit his passion project of conquering all of India, from
the mountains to the ocean. This project would occupy the last twenty-five years of his life.
By 1636, long before Aurangzeb’s war of succession, the powerful Nizam Shahi
Sultanate of Ahmadnagar had fallen. Its territory was divided between the Mughals and the Adil Shahi
Sultanate of Bijapur. Bijapur, too, had declined over time. This western plateau of south India
was occupied by the Marathi-speaking people who weren’t exactly united by a sense of anything
other than a common language. They were divided into Parganas which was a loose confederation
of twenty to a hundred villages united under a Deshmukh (literally, the face of the country)
who, in return for taxes, provided security. His loyalty was only to his villages and being part of
anything bigger depended on nothing but his own will. If he wanted, he could serve one empire
or the other, be it a Muslim empire or a Hindu one. Out of these many local chieftains of the
Maratha, one rose up to become powerful in the region. His name was Shivaji Bhonsle.
His grandfather had been the right-hand man of Malik Ambar in his resistance against the Mughals.
His father, Shahji Bhonsle had tried to fill Malik Ambar’s role as the puppet master of Ahmadnagar
but that proved to be futile so, he briefly joined the Mughal Empire as Mansabdaar before
defecting to Bijapur. He was a capable general so he served the Sultan of Bijapur and moved
around a lot but he sent his wife and young son, Shivaji to his ancestral lands near Pune.
Shivaji wasn’t happy with his people serving the Bijapur overlords and started to come
into his own as a charismatic and politically gifted leader, not unlike Aurangzeb himself.
From 1647 to 1657, he had amassed a decent number of soldiers and forts, with his capital
at the impregnable fort of Raigarh. This is when his first interaction with Aurangzeb happened,
who was, at the time, the governor of Deccan. He offered his military service to the Mughals
if they recognized his claim over that of his enemies. Aurangzeb agreed to almost all
his conditions except a few forts which were still under the control of Bijapur.
Then, the Mughal war of succession happened and Aurangzeb became emperor.
After his ascension to the throne, Aurangzeb sent his uncle Shaista Khan to govern the Deccan
but during a daring night-time raid by Shivaji, Shaista Khan was injured and his son was killed
so Aurangzeb called him back. Confident by this victory, Shivaji reached all the way
to Gujarat and attacked the major Mughal port of Surat. This was an offense that couldn’t be
tolerated. In 1665, Aurangzeb gave command of his army to Jai Singh, the Raja of the Kacchwaha clan
of the Rajput, and sent him against Shivaji. Jai Singh was able to corner Shivaji and forced him to
ask for terms. He was told to surrender 23 of his 35 forts to the Mughals. He was also to enroll his
son, Sambhaji into the Mughal army. Finally, Shivaji and Sambhaji had to appear in Delhi,
at Aurangzeb’s court. There, at the court, in the year 1666, Shivaji was asked to stand with some
men whom he considered below his station, even though he didn’t hold any Mughal rank himself. He
made a huge scene there, after which Aurangzeb had him put under house arrest. He escaped, probably
by bribing the guards and disguising himself. He and his son made the long way back to Deccan
on foot, dodging Mughal patrols. In 1674, due to the decline of Bijapur, Shivaji declared
himself an independent ruler as Chhatrapati, the Umbrella or Universal Ruler, and also,
the protector of all Hindus, because, of course. His coronation ceremony was so lavish that it cost
5 million rupees, around the same as what the Taj Mahal had cost. Chhatrapati Shivaji then expanded
his empire further and died in 1680 leaving the small Maratha empire to his son, Sambhaji.
This was the South India that Aurangzeb was now returning to, in 1682,
some twenty-four years after leaving it to claim his throne.
At first, Aurangzeb tried to rile up the Muslim Sultanates of Bijapur and Golconda against the
Marathas but that failed because they were weak and preferred the Marathas over the Mughals. So,
Aurangzeb turned his gun on them. Bijapur was conquered in 1686 and Golconda in 1687. Then,
the full force of the mighty Mughal Empire was turned on the Maratha. Sambhaji, the Chhatrapati
was captured, taken to Delhi, humiliated, seriously tortured by having his eyes clawed out
and executed. The Marathas crowned Shivaji’s second son Rajaram but he too
was pushed and Raigarh itself fell. Sambhaji’s nine-year-old son, Shahu was captured. However,
he was treated well by Aurangzeb. He was raised in a Persianate court, fully versed in Mughal
traditions but he wasn’t converted to Islam. That might’ve been because converting him would have
invalidated his claim to the Maratha throne and he would have become pretty useless to Aurangzeb.
By the year 1689, Aurangzeb had gained victory over victory. This could’ve become a good point to
stop. History could have recorded that Shahanshah Aurangzeb Alamgir returned to the capital
after ten years of first leaving. He had destroyed two sultanates. He had almost destroyed the young
Maratha Empire. He could’ve just returned with the treasures of the Golconda and the
throne of Shivaji. He could have restructured the empire and installed new administrative policies.
He could have destroyed what little remained of the Maratha by simply buying their supporters.
He could’ve sent his sons to govern the Deccan and other regions so they’d be fit
for succession. He could have handed a rich and powerful empire down to his successors.
His empire could have fought the invaders and maybe even the Europeans. All could have been well
but well… That’s not what happened. Aurangzeb, the great conqueror that he was, was determined
to keep going. He didn’t want to return to the boring day-to-day administration of the empire,
he wanted to be where the swords and the blood were. After seven years of entering
the Deccan to capture his son, who, by the way, had actually escaped to Iran long ago,
Aurangzeb was determined to conquer everything from the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean.
From 1689 to 1698, Aurangzeb was camped out in huge tent cities that he used as
temporary bases in an attempt to first capture the fortress of Jinji where the Maratha Chhatrapati
Rajaram was holding out and then to capture the entirety of Karnataka and the Tamil Country.
The challenge of capturing Jinji was given to his trusted general Zulfikar Khan who had previously
captured the impregnable Raigarh. From 1690 to 1693, various attempts were made but the terrain
always played for an advantage of the Marathas. In 1693, the 75-year-old emperor fell ill and
his sons almost picked up their swords just as Aurangzeb and his brothers had once done.
Although, Aurangzeb was able to bring things under control. Speaking of bringing things
under control, Jinji never fell to Aurangzeb. From 1689 to 1698, for nine whole years, he couldn’t
capture a single fortress but his ego clouded his judgment. The empire’s coffers ran dry,
its generals grew tired, its soldiers deserted but the emperor kept pushing. By 1698, the Mughals
began to withdraw and Rajaram moved to the city of Setara and began reviving the Maratha Empire.
He was doing quite well until he died in 1700 when his wife Tarabai declared her four-year-old son
Shivaji II as the next Chhatrapati. It’s said that Aurangzeb actually
celebrated the fact that a woman and a baby were now in charge of the Marathas.
Though, he had judged a bit too early. The twenty-five-year-old Tarabai was incredibly
talented at her job. By all sources, including Mughal ones, she comes off as a better ruler
than her husband. Not only was Tarabai able to fend off Mughal attacks, but she was also able to
expand the empire. She even sent raiding missions into North India, as far as Malwa and Gujarat.
Aurangzeb, on the other side, was suffering from success.
His tent city was huge and measured around fifty kilometers in circumference. His artillery
was heavy and his supply lines were long. This wasn’t a mobile army while Tarabai’s
Marathas were well-aware of the mountainous terrain and were able to deliver swift attacks,
so Aurangzeb had a disadvantage. For every one fort he captured, he lost
two. He was old beyond his years and his generals had started dying. Most of his trusted companions
were gone. Newer generations were having their own political struggles. As princes had to build
their own support, Aurangzeb’s sons were already working against each other and all the notable
members of the court were pulled into various factions and were hence unable to work together.
Another interesting aspect of this war was that both the Mughals and the Marathas were trying
to win allies. Aurangzeb promised them land and a rank while the Marathas promised them,
along with land and rank, a Swaraj, the idea of self-governance. This is why the Maratha Empire
is often called the Maratha Confederacy because of how much autonomy the vassals had. Though,
Aurangzeb simply didn’t have enough land to distribute among everyone he was subjugating.
In the last 25 years of his reign, the Maratha Mansabdaars at Mughal court
actually controlled more land than the Rajput did.
The increasing cost of the war also forced him to turn land from distributable Jagir to Crown Land,
that is turning it from land that could be given to a vassal to land that was directly under the
emperor’s control and hence gave him the full revenue. On top of that, it seems that he was a
bit paranoid and frustrated by his commanders. From 1699 to 1706, he actually led sieges
himself. He refused to rest during these years. Though, still, he wasn’t able to achieve much.
He collapsed while leading such a siege in 1706 and was put in a palanquin and taken to the fort
of Ahmadnagar. He declared this fort to be his journey’s end. On March 3rd, 1707, Shahanshah
Muhi ad-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir passed away at Ahmadnagar. In a somewhat ironic twist, he was
buried around a kilometer away from where Malik Ambar, the old enemy of the Mughals, was buried.
See you next time.
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