Aurangzeb

Introduction

In this post, we will learn about the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, who was Shah Jahan's third son and had a very contentious background. We will first learn about his rise to power and how he came to be Emperor, followed by his early years and military battles and administrations that include information on the Bundela War, the Viceroy of Deccan, Gujarat's Governor, Balkh's Governorship, and the Viceroy of the Deccan for the Second Time. Following that, we will learn about his achievements, which include his religious, administrative, political, and military policies. Further in the article, we will learn about the objective and implications of Aurangzeb's religious policies, as well as how they impact his reign. Then we shall become acquainted with his tax policies as well as the policies enforced on temples. Following that, Aurangzeb's execution of opponents is described. Following that, we shall learn about his efforts to create Islamic law and what he did to achieve it. Following that, certain letters sent to Aurangzeb as a plea and farewell are mentioned. Finally, we will read some FAQs to better understand Aurangzeb and his actions.

Aurangzeb was Shah Jahan's third son; his mother, Mumtaz Mahal, was cremated in the Taj Mahal. In numerous positions, Aurangzeb demonstrated his skill in administrative and military concerns, which eventually led him to enviously admire his older brother Dara Shikoh, the intended heir to the throne.

Muhi al-Din Muhammad (c. 1618-3 March 1707), also known as Aurangzeb (meaning 'Ornament of the Throne') and by his royal title Alamgir I (means 'Emperor of the World),' was the sixth Mughal emperor, ruled from 1658 to 1707. The Mughal Empire attained its greatest size under his reign, encompassing practically the entire Indian subcontinent.

Aurangzeb was a member of the noble Timurid dynasty who held managerial and military positions under his father Shah Jahan (r. 1628-1658) and rose to prominence as a skilled military leader. In 1636-1637, Aurangzeb was viceroy of the Deccan, and in 1645-1647, he was mayor of Gujarat.

In 1648-1652, he simultaneously ruled the regions of Multan and Sindh and maintained raids into neighboring Safavid lands. Shah Jahan chose his oldest and liberalist son Dara Shikoh as his successor in September 1657, an action rejected by Aurangzeb, who declared himself emperor in February 1658. Aurangzeb conquered the united army of Shikoh and the Kingdom of Marwar at the Battle of Dharmat in April 1658. Aurangzeb's overwhelming victory at Samugarh in May 1658 established his authority, and his authority was recognized across the Empire. In July 1658, after Shah Jahan emerged from sickness, Aurangzeb deemed him unable to reign and imprisoned him in the Agra Fort.

The Mughals achieved their largest size throughout Aurangzeb's emperorship, with their domain encompassing virtually the whole Indian subcontinent. The time of his rule was marked by an occasion of great military advancement, with the Mughals overthrowing various kingdoms and states. Because of his victories, he was given the regnal title Alamgir ('Conqueror'). In addition, the Mughals eclipsed Qing China as the world's greatest economy and manufacturing force. The Mughal military progressively evolved and is considered one of the world's greatest militaries. Aurangzeb, a devout Muslim, is credited with building countless mosques and patronizing masterpieces of Arabic calligraphy. He effectively enforced the Fatawa 'Alamgiri as the empire's primary governing body and forbade spiritually illegal acts in Islam.

Despite suppressing multiple local revolts, Aurangzeb maintained friendly connections with other countries.

Aurangzeb is remembered for being the longest-reigning ruler of the Mughal Empire and for having one of the biggest Indian empires. However, his legacy is complex. His detractors believe that he abandoned the Mughal emperors' tradition of acceptance and diversity, noting his acts targeting non-Muslims and his fundamentalist perspective of Islam. Others, though, argue that he was against prejudice towards Hindus and Shia Muslims and that he hired many more Hindus in his imperial administration than those who came before him.

Aurangzeb's Elevation to Power

There had been numerous succession conflicts in Mughal history, but the conflict between Shah Jahan's four sons was possibly the worst. From 1657 until 1659, the brothers engaged in a series of deadly confrontations that contributed to tens of thousands of deaths. Shah Jahan became ill unexpectedly, and his sons hastened to rally their followers as he lay dying. Shah Jahan recovered, but the succession conflicts had already begun, and there was nothing he could do to prevent them. Aurangzeb demonstrated his leadership abilities and ability to maneuver an army of warriors in the last fight between Aurangzeb and his eldest brother, Dara Shikoh, known as the Fight of Samugarh.

Despite being vastly outnumbered, Aurangzeb overcame Shikoh when Shikoh's men assumed he was dead and submitted or fled to Aurangzeb. Dara Shikoh escaped and was subsequently apprehended. Two of Aurangzeb's three brothers were eventually slaughtered.

Aurangzeb then moved his gaze to Fort Agra, where his father was undergoing treatment for his sickness. He besieged the city and shut off the city's water supply, forcing Shah Jahan to submit. Aurangzeb was crowned emperor.

Early Years

Aurangzeb was born about 1618 in Dahod. His father was Sultan Shah Jahan (r. 1628-1658), who descended from the Timurid dynasty's Mughal family. The last one was a descendant of Emir Timur (r. 1370-1405), the Timurid Empire's owner. Mumtaz Mahal, Aurangzeb's mother, was the daughter of Persian prince Asaf Khan, who was the youngest child of vizier Mirza Ghiyas. Aurangzeb was born during the rule of his paternal grandfather, the fourth emperor of the Mughal Empire, Jahangir (r. 1605-1627).

After his father's failed revolt, eight-year-old Aurangzeb and his brother Dara Shikoh were taken to the Mughal court in Lahore as captives of their grandpa Jahangir and his wife, Nur Jahan, as a component of their father's parole arrangement in June 1626. Following Jahangir's death in 1627, Shah Jahan triumphed in the subsequent succession battle for the Mughal throne. As a result, Aurangzeb and his brother got back together with Shah Jahan at Agra.

Aurangzeb was educated as a Mughal prince in areas such as fighting, military tactics, and management. His educational background also encompassed Islamic studies as well as Turkic and Persian literature. Aurangzeb has grown up speaking Hindi well.

Aurangzeb narrowly missed death on May 28, 1633, when a massive war elephant rushed across the Mughal imperial encampment. He rode up against the elephant and lanced its trunk, effectively defending himself from being destroyed. Aurangzeb's bravery was recognized by his father, who bestowed the title of Bahadur (brave), had him weighed in gold, and gave him presents totaling Rs. 200,000. This occasion was commemorated in Persian and Urdu poetry, and Aurangzeb declared:

It would not be considered an issue of regret if the elephant struggle had ended terribly for me. Death brings down the curtain even on emperors; it is not a disgrace. What my siblings did was the source of my humiliation!

Early Military Battles and Administration

Bundela War

In October 1635, the Mughal Army, under the leadership of Aurangzeb, reclaimed Orchha. Aurangzeb was officially in command of the force that visited Bundelkhand to subdue the disobedient king of Orchha, Jhujhar Singh, who had assaulted another province in contravention of Shah Jahan's policies and refused to make amends for his acts. Aurangzeb waited in the rear, away from the action, and followed the counsel of his generals while the Mughal Army assembled and began the siege of Orchha in 1635. Singh was deposed as a result of the successful movement.

The Viceroy of Deccan

Artwork from the Padshahnama portrays Prince Aurangzeb confronting Sudhakar, a maddened war elephant.

In 1636, Aurangzeb was named viceroy of the Deccan. After Shah Jahan's vassals were ravaged by Ahmednagar's worrisome development under the reign of the Nizam Shahi boy-prince Murtaza Shah III, the emperor despatched Aurangzeb, who ended the Nizam Shahi dynasty in 1636. Aurangzeb wed the Safavid princess Dilras Banu, later known as Rabia-ud-Daurani, in 1637. She was his first wife, his main consort, and a personal favorite. He also developed a crush on a slave girl named Hira Bai, whose death at an early age devastated him.

In the same year, 1637, Aurangzeb was tasked with taking over the minor Rajput kingdom of Baglana, which he easily accomplished. Aurangzeb married Nawab Bai, subsequently referred to as Rahmat al-Nisa, in 1638. In the same year, Aurangzeb ordered an army to conquer the Portuguese coastal port of Daman, but his soldiers were repelled at the end of a protracted siege. Aurangzeb eventually married Aurangabad Mahal, a Circassian or Georgian.

While at Agra in 1644, Aurangzeb's sister, Jahanara, was burned when the chemicals in her perfume got toasted by another nearby light. This occurrence triggered a family crisis with political ramifications. Aurangzeb incurred his father's wrath by not heading back to Agra right away, but rather three weeks later. At the time, Shah Jahan was nursing Jahanara back to health, and hundreds of vassals had flocked to Agra to pay their respects. When Shah Jahan saw Aurangzeb come inside the palace compound dressed in military attire, he immediately disregarded him from his position as viceroy of the Deccan. Aurangzeb was also forbidden from using red tents or associating himself with the Mughal emperor's official military norms. According to some reports, Aurangzeb was fired because he abandoned a lifestyle of luxury and became a faqir.

Gujarat's Governor

He was banished from the court for seven months in 1645 after expressing his anguish to fellow Mughal officers. Following that, Shah Jahan named him governor of Gujarat. His reign in Gujarat was marred by religious strife, but he was praised for restoring security.

Balkh's Governorship

In 1647, Shah Jahan appointed Aurangzeb as governor of Balkh, replacing a younger son, Murad Baksh, who had proven unsuccessful. Uzbek and Turkmen tribes were attacking the region. While the Mughal artillery and muskets were powerful, so were their rivals' skirmishing abilities. The two sides were at odds, and Aurangzeb learned that his army could not survive on the soil that had been destroyed by conflict.

As winter approached, he and his father were forced to strike an unfavorable arrangement with the Uzbeks, ceding land in exchange for nominal acknowledgment of Mughal dominion. As it withdrew through the snow to Kabul, the Mughal force was attacked by Uzbeks and other tribesmen. By the end of this two-year campaign, into which Aurangzeb was thrown at the last minute, a large quantity of money had been spent for little benefit.

Aurangzeb was named governor of Multan and Sindh, which led to further unsavory military commitments. His attempts to oust the Safavids from Kandahar, which they had lately retaken after a decade of Mughal power, both failed as winter arrived.

John Richards mentioned practical difficulties in providing an army outside of the empire, as well as low-quality weaponry and opposition stubbornness, as contributing factors to failure, and a third effort in 1653, headed by Dara Shikoh, met with the same result.

Viceroy of the Deccan for the Second Time

In an attempt to retake Kandahar, Aurangzeb was substituted as viceroy of the Deccan by Dara Shukoh. Aurangzeb despised this and suspected Shikoh of manipulating the issue for his gain. Aurangbad's two jagirs (land grants) were relocated as a result of his homecoming, causing him financial hardship because the Deccan was a very destitute region. The territory was so destitute that subsidies from Malwa and Gujarat were necessary to keep the government running, and the condition fostered resentment between father and son. Shah Jahan felt that things might be better if Aurangzeb worked to increase agriculture. Murshid Quli Khan was chosen by Aurangzeb to introduce the Zabt income system employed in northern India to the Deccan. Murshid Quli Khan arranged a survey of agricultural land as well as a tax assessment of the output. Murshid Quli Khan gave loans for seed, livestock, and irrigation facilities to generate earnings.

The Deccan recovered its prosperity. Aurangzeb recommended assaulting the dynastic inhabitants of Golconda (the Qutb Shahis) and Bijapur (the Adil Shahis) to fix the problem. In addition to alleviating the financial issues, the idea would increase Mughal influence by acquiring more territory. Aurangzeb moved against Bijapur's Sultan and besieged Bidar. A gunpowder magazine burst, killing Sidi Marjan, the Kiladar (governor or commander) of the walled city. The Mughals conquered Bidar after twenty-seven days of heavy warfare, and Aurangzeb resumed his assault. Again, he was to believe that Dara had influenced his father, assuming that he was on the verge of triumph in both cases. Aurangzeb was irritated that Shah Jahan opted to negotiate with his rivals rather than press for total victory.

Accomplishments

His reign is remembered for important achievements and policies that changed the Mughal Empire and India's political environment. Among his significant accomplishments are:

1. Military Conquests
   • Aurangzeb was a skilled military leader who led soldiers to victory against the Uzbeks and Persians. He also captured Bijapur and Golconda from the Marathas, which aided in the establishment of order throughout the boundary.
   • Aurangzeb assumed command of the army sent to Bundelkhand to defeat Jhujhar Singh, the disobedient king of Orchha. Jhujhar Singh ended up being deposed from his throne by the Mughal army.
   • Aurangzeb was named Viceroy of Deccan in 1636. He was eventually fired from his position and barred from the court for seven months. He became the Governor of Gujarat in 1645 when he effectively brought calm to a land riven by religious strife.
   • Aurangzeb was assigned the governorship of the Balkh territory by Shah Jahan, which was often threatened by Uzbek and Turkmen tribes. Still, his attempts to capture control of Kandahar from the Safavids were thwarted owing to logistical challenges and inadequate weapons.
   • Aurangzeb's second reign as governor of Deccan was prosperous. He instructed Murshid Quli Khan to broaden the 'zabt' revenue system in Deccan, make a detailed survey of agricultural land, and evaluate agricultural products for taxation.
   • Despite his accomplishments, Shah Jahan preferred his eldest son, Dara Shikoh, to succeed him. Aurangzeb and his elder brother developed a rivalry as a result of this.
   • When Shah Jahan became critically ill in 1657, the power struggle between the two brothers heated up.
   • The struggle for dominance persisted even after Shah Jahan's recuperation. Aurangzeb conquered Dara at Samugarh in May 1658, thanks to his military strength and resolve.
   • Aurangzeb's stunning victory at Samugarh cemented his power and authority across the empire.
   • Dara Shikoh, his brother, was killed for political and religious purposes. In Mughal management, he hired a lot of Hindus, mostly Rajputs and Marathas, a lot of whom were strategic friends.
2. Administrative Abilities
   • During his career, Aurangzeb held several key positions, including viceroy of the Deccan regions, where he effectively subjugated the two Muslim Deccan kingdoms. He also effectively enforced Islam in his dominion and promoted Islamic calligraphy.
3. Political Strategies
   • During Aurangzeb's rule, Mughal-Afghan ties were transformed, and he created order throughout the frontier areas. He also treated the Sikhs harshly and ruthlessly, which ultimately damaged the empire.
4. Religious Policies
   • Aurangzeb was a devout Muslim who tried to establish Islam as a dominant force throughout his time in power. He promoted the construction of mosques and religious institutions such as the Lahore Badshahi Masjid and Aurangabad's Bibi Ka Maqbara.
   • Aurangzeb was known as "Zinda Pir" or "Darvesh" because of his humble lifestyle and high-level intellect.
   • He was a strict Sunni Muslim king with little patience for religious differences. He ruled following Sharia law, as outlined in the Quran.
   • In court, he prohibited drinking and singing. It was also forbidden to drink in public.
   • Muhtasibs were chosen to ensure that no one drank in public areas and that Sharia, a traditional Islamic rule, was respected. Muhtasibs, on the other hand, were not permitted to meddle with the lives of individuals in the state.
   • He forbade Kalma, Islamic writing on coinage since he feared it might become contaminated when handed from one person to another.
   • He restricted the observance of Nauroz, an Iranian holiday cherished by the Safavid kings.
   • He prohibited singing and dancing in courtrooms but permitted 'Naubat,' the royal band in courts, as well as instrumental music.
   • Aurangzeb reinstated the jizyah tax, also known as the poll tax, on non-Muslim people in 1679.
   • He also raised the land tax to cover governmental costs, which had a significant impact on the Hindu Jats.
   • Aurangzeb promoted Persian as a language. Several Persian compositions on Indian classical music were written during his rule.
   • He banned the practice of weighing the Emperor in gold, as well as Akbar's Jharokha darshan. Aurangzeb believed Jharokha Darshan or the Emperor exhibiting himself from the balcony, to be un-Islamic.
   • He was against renovating historic houses of worship, claiming that "buildings cannot last forever."
   • Aurangzeb forbade astrologers from producing almanacs.
   • In 1667, he prohibited the use of firecrackers and explosives in all of the states under his dominion in 1667.
   • Aurangzeb did not attempt to change the essence of the state. Indeed, he made an effort to emphasize Islam's essential beliefs

Despite his achievements, Aurangzeb's policies contributed to the Mughal Empire's demise. His rigid commitment to Islamic principles, as well as the expulsion of Hindus from his government, created a less tolerant climate, which may have contributed to the growth of regional forces and, eventually, the collapse of the monarchy.

The Goals of Aurangzeb's Religious Policy

It is often assumed that Aurangzeb was a zealous Sunni Muslim. His main goal was to convert Dar-ul-Harb (India, the land of unbelievers) to Dar-ul-Islam (the land of Islam). He was intolerant of other faiths, particularly Hindus. He was also opposed to Shia Muslims.

Aurangzeb's religious policy included two components:

• Promoting Islamic doctrines and ensuring that people lived according to them.
• Adopt anti-Hindu policies.

Aurangzeb took the following anti-Hindu measures:

1. Temple Deconstruction and Idol Destruction

Even as governor of Deccan, he demolished numerous temples, including Ahmedabad's renowned Chintamani temple, which he replaced with a mosque. After becoming Emperor of India, he actively pursued this practice. During his first year in power, he directed the governor of Orissa to destroy all temples in the region.

He ordered the destruction of all notable and famous temples within his realm in the twelfth year of his reign. Mosques were erected on the grounds of several temples. He is claimed to have destroyed 240 temples in Mewar alone. The most well-known temples that were demolished were Keshva (Krishan Janmabhoomi) in Mathura, Vishwanath in Varanasi, and Somnath in Kathiawar.

2. Imposition of Jizya

Although Akbar eliminated this levy on Hindus, Aurangzeb reinstated it. The goal of renewing the Jizya, or poll tax, as stated by Elliot, was "to curb infidels and distinguish the land of the faithful from an infidel land." Manucci, on the other hand, believes that the levy had two purposes: first, to replenish his budget, which had begun to diminish due to expenditure on his multiple military expeditions; and second, to force Hindus to accept Islam.

When hundreds of Hindus gathered to protest the legislation, the Emperor allegedly commanded his elephants upon them, causing many people to perish under the elephants' hooves.

The broad scope of Aurangzeb's anti-Hindu policy is described by Haig as follows: "Aurangzeb was a bigot to whom the religion of the overwhelming majority of his subjects was anathema, disorder, and idolatry, which it was his duty before heaven to attack and, if possible, to stamp out." His techniques included iconoclasm, sacrilege, economic persecution, bribery, forced transformation, and worship restrictions."

3. Discriminatory Toll Fare

Hindu traders were compelled to pay a 5% toll fee, whereas Muslim businessmen only had to pay half. Later, Muslim traders were completely free from paying this levy.

4. Removal of Hindus from Government Jobs

Aurangzeb's predecessors, particularly Akbar, had placed a considerable number of Hindus in various ministries, but Aurangzeb continued the policy of removing Hindus from these positions. Hindus were not permitted to hold senior administrative or managerial positions. In 1670, a general edict was issued barring the employment of Hindus in the tax service. However, because it resulted in a complete breakdown of efficiency, the decree was somewhat changed, and Hindus were permitted to work on select limited jobs in the revenue department.

5. Restrictions on Hindu Educational Institutions

To eradicate Hindu culture, Aurangzeb demolished their educational institutions in Varanasi, Multan, and Thatta. He restricted the establishment of new pathshalas. The Hindu children were not permitted to learn the foundations of their belief system. They were barred from attending Muslim madrasas and Maktab.

6. Conversion by Various Means

For Hindus, the only option to avoid paying various taxes such as pilgrimage tax, commerce tax, Jizya, and so on was to convert to Islam. It was also simpler to find work following the change. The Hindu inmates were released once they converted to Islam. The converts were promised all kinds of promises.

7. Social Restraints

Aurangzeb issued rules prohibiting Hindus from riding elephants, horses, or palanquins unless they were Rajputs. The Holi and Diwali celebrations were permitted to be observed under particular conditions.

The Hindus could no longer dress elegantly. Hindus were not permitted to burn their dead on the banks of the Sabarmati River in Ahmedabad. Similar limitations were imposed on the Jamuna River in Delhi.

The Consequences of Aurangzeb's Religious Policy

Aurangzeb's devotion to religion overwhelmed his merits. His rejection of Akbar's policy of religious tolerance weakened the entire framework of the Mughal empire. It resulted in several battles and wars that erupted in various sections of the country.

These confrontations included:

• a conflict with the Jats;
• a conflict with the Satnamis;
• a conflict with the Sikhs;
• a conflict with the Rajputs; and
• a conflict with the Marathas.

Policy on Taxes

Aurangzeb refunded more than 80 long-standing levies affecting all of his subjects shortly after taking office. After a hundred-year hiatus, Aurangzeb elected to re-impose jizya, a military levy on non-Muslim subjects in place of military duty, in 1679, which was criticized by numerous Hindu monarchs, Aurangzeb's extended family, and Mughal court officials. The particular amount varied according to a subject's social and economic status, and tax collection was sometimes waived for disaster-stricken areas; also, Brahmins, women, children, seniors, the crippled, the jobless, the unwell, and the mad were all forever excused. Muslims were required to be collectors. A majority of current academics deny that religious intolerance played a role in the imposition; rather, realpolitik—economic limitations resulting from many ongoing fights and the development of credibility with the orthodox Ulemas—is regarded as the key actor.

Aurangzeb also imposed a 5% tax on Hindu businessmen (as opposed to 2.5% on Muslim entrepreneurs), which led to widespread dissatisfaction with Aurangzeb's economic policies; this was a major departure from Akbar's unified tax law. According to historian Marc Jason Gilbert, Aurangzeb ordered that the jizya fees be paid in person, in front of a tax collector, and that non-Muslims quote a phrase from the Quran referring to their lower rank as non-Muslims.

This ruling sparked outrage among the general public as well as Hindu judicial authorities. Aurangzeb imposed hikes in land taxes to finance governmental expenses, putting a heavy burden on the Hindu Jats. The reimposition of the jizya prompted Hindus to escape to territories under the East India Company administration, where policies of religious toleration and religious tax exemptions existed.

Non-Muslim Religion Views

The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb had a complicated stance towards non-Muslim religions. Traditional historiography frequently paints him as a religious fanatic, focusing on his orthodox policies that alienated huge segments of Hindu society. Some academics, however, contend that his acts should be contextualized before labeling him as sectarian or discriminatory.

Aurangzeb's policies were oppressive towards Hindus, Sikhs, and other non-Muslims, and he sought to convert them to Islam. Notwithstanding this, some historians contend that he hired many more Hindus than his predecessors in his imperial administration. Political convenience, as well as the desire to obtain the support of the ulama and aristocrats, drove Aurangzeb's motivations for restoring tolerance for religion in the Mughal Empire. While some see him as a religious hardliner, others maintain that his policies were only an era in his lengthy presidency and that he prohibited religion from interfering with the empire's interests. As a result, Aurangzeb's stance towards non-Muslim religions was complex, and his legacy is still being debated and interpreted.

Policy Regarding Temples and Mosques

India is the birthplace of three main faiths: Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism, and these three religions laid the path for the development of great cultural centers across India. Different religious groups and great ideologies saw the light in India and brought deep intellectual teachings to mankind. The ancient Indian civilization was extraordinary, with many art and architectural masterpieces appearing in every nook and cranny of India. Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism all made significant contributions to this cultural evolution. Later political developments and Islamic conquests distorted and destroyed India's old religious culture. Aurangzeb's rule was one such political system.

Aurangzeb made land grants and provided finances for the upkeep of religious sites, but he also often commanded their demolition. Modern historians deny the colonial and nationalist historians' belief that these destructions were motivated by religious zealotry; instead, the relationship of temples with sovereignty, power, and position of authority is accentuated.

While building mosques was considered a royal obligation to subjects, Aurangzeb's name is also associated with several temples, maths, Chishti shrines, and gurudwaras, including the Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain, a gurudwara in Dehradun, the Balaji temple in Chitrakoot, the Umananda Temple in Guwahati, and the Shatrunjaya Jain temples.

Hundreds of temples were razed by Aurangzeb or his chieftains on his orders, according to contemporary court chronicles. In September 1669, he authorized the demolishing of the Vishvanath Temple in Varanasi, which was built by Raja Man Singh, whose grandson Jai Singh was thought to have helped Shivaji evacuate. Aurangzeb defeated the Jat insurrection in Mathura (early 1670), which murdered the head priest of the local mosque, and instructed that the city's Kesava Deo temple be razed and rebuilt with an Eidgah. Aurangzeb ordered the restoration of all concessions held by Hindus across the empire in 1672-73; however, this was not strictly implemented in locations such as Gujarat, where estates awarded in in'am to Charans were not impacted. Throughout 1679, he authorized the demolition of numerous major temples, including those patronized by rebels at Khandela, Udaipur, Chittor, and Jodhpur. The Jama Masjid at Golkunda was similarly handled once it was discovered that its monarch had erected it to conceal state income; nonetheless, the destruction of mosques is uncommon in comparison to temples due to their utter lack of political capital. In a Banaras-specific decree, Aurangzeb cites Sharia to proclaim that Hindus would be afforded protection by the state and temples would not be burned (but prevent the construction of any new temple); similar orders may be found elsewhere. According to Richard Eaton's analysis of primary sources, 15 temples were demolished under Aurangzeb's rule. Iqtidar Alam Khan, who states that Aurangzeb constructed more temples than he demolished, is echoed by Ian Copland and others.

Execution of Adversaries

Aurangzeb, the sixth Mughal Emperor, is notorious for executing numerous of his opponents. He hanged his brother Dara Shikoh for apostasy in 1659. Aurangzeb's rule was characterized by brutality and religious intolerance, and he was chastised for his treatment of his opponents, including family members and religious leaders.

Aurangzeb executed the second Maratha Chhatrapati (King) Sambhaji in 1689. In a sham trial, he was found convicted of murder and assault, as well as atrocities committed by Marathas under his command against the Muslims of Burhanpur and Bahadurpur in Berar.

In 1675, Aurangzeb ordered the arrest of Sikh leader Guru Tegh Bahadur, who was found guilty of blasphemy by a Qadi's court and killed.

Syedna Qutubkhan Qutubuddin, the 32nd Da'i al-Mutlaq (Absolute Missionary) of the Dawoodi Bohra sect of Musta'l Islam, was killed for heresy by Aurangzeb, then ruler of Gujarat, on 27 Jumadil Akhir 1056 AH (1648 AD), Ahmedabad, India.

Establishment of Islamic Law

Aurangzeb codified Hanafi law in the Fatawa 'Alamgiri. Aurangzeb was a devout Muslim monarch. Following in the footsteps of his three predecessors, he sought to make Islam a dominant factor in his rule. These efforts, however, led him into confrontation with the elements hostile to the resurrection. Aurangzeb was a Mujaddidi Order adherent and a pupil of Ahmad Sirhindi, the son of a Punjabi saint. He tried to establish Islamic governance as he had been instructed and inspired.

According to Sheikh Muhammad Ikram, after returning from Kashmir, Aurangzeb issued an edict in 1663 to prohibit the practice of Sati, a Hindu practice of burning a widow if her husband died. Ikram said that Aurangzeb made the following decree:

"In all lands beneath Mughal authority, never again should authorities permit a woman to be burned.".

Even though Aurangzeb's requests could have been avoided by paying bribes to authorities, later European tourists tracked that sati was "very rare, except for some Rajah's wives, that the Indian women burn at all" by the conclusion of Aurangzeb's rule.

Katherine Brown, a historian, said: "The very title of Aurangzeb appears to function in popular consciousness as a symbol of politico-religious intolerance and oppression, irrespective of historical truth." The topic has also resurfaced in current times, with widely held beliefs that he planned to annihilate the Bamiyan Buddhas. Aurangzeb is a religious and political traditionalist.

After his succession, Aurangzeb preferred not to comply with his predecessors' secular-religious ideas. He did not refer to Farr-i-Aizadi, the Persian idea of familial ties, and instead founded his reign on the Quranic concept of kingship. Shah Jahan had already moved away from Akbar's liberalism, albeit in a symbolic fashion rather than to eliminate Hinduism, and Aurangzeb went much further. Though the religious approaches of Akbar, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan were more harmonious than those of Babur, the empire's creator, Aurangzeb's attitude is not as clear.

His concentration on Sharia clashed with, or was directly opposed to, his belief that zawabit or secular decisions could replace Sharia. Aurangzeb had refused to be crowned by the chief Qazi in 1659.

Due to widespread resistance to his acts against his father and siblings, Aurangzeb felt compelled to promote himself as a "defender of the sharia." Contrary reports occur, despite assertions of broad edicts and regulations. According to historian Katherine Brown, Aurangzeb never outright prohibited music. He attempted to codify Hanafi law via the efforts of many hundred jurists, known as Fatawa 'Alamgiri. Probably, the War of Succession, ongoing invasions, and Shah Jahan's spending rendered cultural expenditure difficult.

He discovered that the teachings of Hindu Brahmins drew a large number of Muslims to Multan, Thatta, and especially Varanasi. He directed the subahdars of these regions to tear down non-Muslim schools and temples. Aurangzeb also directed subahdars to punish Muslims who disguised themselves as non-Muslims. The deaths of the antinomian Sufi mystic Sarmad Kashani and the ninth Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur bore witness to Aurangzeb's religious policies; the former was killed on several charges of heresy, while the latter, according to Sikhs, had his head chopped off because he opposed Aurangzeb's forced reforms. Aurangzeb also prohibited the observance of the Zoroastrian festival of Nauroz, as well as other un-Islamic festivals, and encouraged conversions to Islam; persecution of certain Muslim factions was also documented.

FAQs

Q1. Which Emperor Reintroduced Jizya after Akbar had Abolished it?

In 1969, Aurangzeb reinstated Jizya, or poll tax, a charge on India's non-Muslim population. This verdict was made in line with Sharia law. The Jizya tax was originally imposed in India by the founder of the slave dynasty, Qutb-ud-din Aibak.

Q2. What was Aurangzeb's Influence on the Mughal Empire?

Aurangzeb governed for nearly 49 years, and his reign was the Mughal Empire's golden age. During his rule, the Mughal Empire rose to become India's single biggest empire. He enlarged the empire by taking over Golconda and Bijapur under the Deccan Policy.

Q3. What Exactly is Fatawa 'Alamgiri?

Fatawa 'Alamgiri is also known as al-Fatawa al-'Alamgiriyya. It is a collection of shared resources on statecraft, general ethics, military strategy, economic policy, and justice and discipline. Throughout Aurangzeb's rule, it acted as the Mughal Empire's primary governing authority. It is regarded as "India's greatest digest of Muslim law.

Q4. Who are the Aurangzeb Children?

Aurangzeb had 10 children from his three marriages during his life. Zeb-un-Nissa, Muhammad Sultan, Zinat-un-Nissa, Bahadur Shah I, Badr-un-Nissa, Zubdat-un-Nissa, Muhammad Azam Shah, Sultan Muhammad Akbar, Mehr-un-Nissa, and Muhammad Kam Bakhsh were among them.

Q5. If Aurangzeb was Regarded as the Greatest Mughal Emperor of all Time, how come he was seen as a Terrible Figure of Supremacy?

Aurangzeb was, without a doubt, one of the greatest kings in history. He had, nevertheless, executed his fair share of heinous crimes. Many observers consider him to be one of the Mughal Empire's cruelest monarchs. Nothing, not even his own family, could satisfy Aurangzeb's desire for power. He jailed his father and murdered his eldest brother, Dara Shikoh. But it wasn't the only reason he was seen as such a divisive and feared dictator. Aurangzeb was considered to be a fierce religious zealot who had used extremely brutal methods to subjugate Hindus. He was an extremely strict and conservative Muslim king who held strong prejudices against Hindus.

Q6. Who Defeated Aurangzeb?

Very few monarchs and officers in Indian history attempted to halt the Mughal war machine and their goals for expansion throughout the Indian subcontinent. They not only put an end to the Mughals' methods, but they were also accountable for defining the country and area as we know them today.

Lachit Borphukan, the Ahom Kingdom's commander, is most remembered for repelling the Mughals at the Battle of Saraighat in 1671 on the shores of the Brahmaputra near Guwahati.