Alamgir, the Conqueror of the World | 1659CE - 1707CE | Al Muqaddimah

Summary

The 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

00:00

🏰 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.

05:03

🤝 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.

10:05

🔱 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.

15:05

⚔️ 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.

Keywords

💡Mughal Empire

The Mughal Empire refers to an era of Indian history that was marked by the rule of the Mughal dynasty, which was a central power from the early 16th to the mid-19th century. In the video, the Mughal Empire is depicted as the dominant force in the Indian subcontinent during the year 1659, with Aurangzeb emerging as its ruler after a war of succession.

💡Peacock Throne

The Peacock Throne, also known as Takht-e-Tavous, was a celebrated golden throne that was a symbol of the ruler's power and authority. In the script, the Peacock Throne symbolizes the seat of power that Aurangzeb's brothers were fighting for, and which he eventually claimed after the war of succession.

💡War of Succession

A war of succession is a conflict that arises within a ruling family or dynasty over who will inherit the throne or leadership position upon the death or incapacity of the current ruler. In the video, the war of succession is a pivotal event that leads to Aurangzeb's rise to power after his father, Emperor Shah Jahan, is imprisoned and his brothers are killed or exiled.

💡Aurangzeb Alamgir

Aurangzeb Alamgir, also known as Shahanshah Aurangzeb, was the sixth Mughal Emperor who ruled over a vast empire stretching from the Indian subcontinent to parts of the Middle East. The video discusses his ascension to power, his reign, and the various military campaigns he led to expand and consolidate the empire.

💡Magellan TV

Magellan TV is mentioned in the script as a streaming service that hosts a variety of documentaries and shows across different genres. It is relevant to the video as it is the sponsor, and the script includes an offer for viewers to try the service for free.

💡Bhutto: Politics in the Blood

Bhutto: Politics in the Blood is a documentary that the video's narrator watched and recommends. It tells the story of a prominent political dynasty from Pakistan, drawing parallels with other influential families like the Kennedys and the Gandhis. The documentary is part of the content available on Magellan TV.

💡Nero's Golden House

Nero's Golden House, also known as Domus Aurea, is a historical site in Rome that is featured in another documentary the narrator watched. It symbolizes decadence, perversion, and art in Ancient Rome, reflecting the extravagance and cultural significance of the era.

💡Rajput

The Rajput are a group of people from the northwestern Indian subcontinent, known historically for their martial prowess and aristocratic lineage. In the video, they are described as longstanding allies of the Mughals, with Aurangzeb's interference in their succession leading to rebellion.

💡Shivaji Bhonsle

Shivaji Bhonsle was the founder of the Maratha Empire and a significant figure in Indian history. The script discusses his rise to power, his military campaigns, and his interactions with the Mughal Empire, particularly Aurangzeb, culminating in his declaration as an independent ruler.

💡Chhatrapati

Chhatrapati is a royal title that means 'lord of the umbrella' or 'universal ruler' in Sanskrit. In the video, Shivaji Bhonsle adopts this title upon declaring himself an independent ruler, symbolizing his authority and the autonomy of the Maratha Empire.

💡Maratha Empire

The Maratha Empire was an Indian power that rose to prominence in the 17th century. In the script, the Maratha Empire is depicted as a formidable force that resisted Mughal expansion, with figures like Shivaji Bhonsle and his successors playing key roles in its establishment and defense.

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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