{"id":13147,"date":"2026-04-21T00:25:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T00:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/?p=13147"},"modified":"2026-04-24T06:18:57","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T06:18:57","slug":"aurangzeb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/aurangzeb\/","title":{"rendered":"Aurangzeb (6th Mughal Emperor): Revolts, Policies, Reign"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Aurangzeb<\/strong>, was the <strong>6th Mughal emperor<\/strong> of the<strong> Mughal dynasty,<\/strong> the 3rd son of <strong>Emperor Shah Jahan &amp; Mumtaz Mahal.<\/strong> He began ruling from <strong>1658 <\/strong>&amp; was known for his <strong>military conquests<\/strong> and<strong> strict religious policies.<\/strong> From the <strong>Mughal War of Succession<\/strong> to the <strong>Deccan policies,<\/strong> his reign witnessed regional conflicts against <strong>Jats, Satnamis, Sikhs,<\/strong> <strong>&amp; Bundelas<\/strong> and eventual decline in <strong>1707<\/strong>.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_56_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-transparent ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/aurangzeb\/#About_Aurangzeb_the_6th_Mughal_Emperor\" title=\"About Aurangzeb, the 6th Mughal Emperor \">About Aurangzeb, the 6th Mughal Emperor <\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/aurangzeb\/#Popular_Revolts_by_Aurangzeb\" title=\"Popular Revolts by Aurangzeb\">Popular Revolts by Aurangzeb<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/aurangzeb\/#Jats\" title=\"Jats\">Jats<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/aurangzeb\/#Satnamis\" title=\"Satnamis\">Satnamis<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/aurangzeb\/#Bundelas\" title=\"Bundelas\">Bundelas<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/aurangzeb\/#Sikhs\" title=\"Sikhs\">Sikhs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/aurangzeb\/#The_Policies_of_Aurangzeb\" title=\"The Policies of Aurangzeb\">The Policies of Aurangzeb<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/aurangzeb\/#Rajput_Policy\" title=\"Rajput Policy\">Rajput Policy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/aurangzeb\/#Deccan_Policy\" title=\"Deccan Policy\">Deccan Policy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/aurangzeb\/#Religious_Policy_of_Aurangzeb\" title=\"Religious Policy of Aurangzeb\">Religious Policy of Aurangzeb<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/aurangzeb\/#Aurangzebs_Reign_1658-1707\" title=\"Aurangzeb\u2019s Reign (1658-1707)\">Aurangzeb\u2019s Reign (1658-1707)<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/aurangzeb\/#Administration_and_Governance\" title=\"Administration and Governance\">Administration and Governance<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/aurangzeb\/#Evaluation_of_the_Empire\" title=\"Evaluation of the Empire\">Evaluation of the Empire<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/aurangzeb\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/aurangzeb\/#FAQs_on_Aurangzeb_Mughal_Emperor\" title=\"FAQs on Aurangzeb, Mughal Emperor\">FAQs on Aurangzeb, Mughal Emperor<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover, the public execution of the <strong>9th <\/strong>sikh guru, <strong>Guru Tegh Bahadur (Hind-di-Chadar)<\/strong> by <strong>Aurangzeb <\/strong>led to the transformation of Sikh community into \u2018<strong>Khalsa<\/strong>\u2019. On the other hand, despite his aggressive Deccan policies, Aurangzeb remained unsuccessful due to the<strong> tripartite alliance of Bijapur, Golconda, and Marathas<\/strong> under <strong>Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Mughal War of Succession<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>war of succession<\/strong> of the Mughals (1658-1659) involved a series of battles fought between the four sons of Emperor Shah Jahan namely <strong>Dara Shikoh, Shah Shuja, Aurangzeb, and Murad Bakhsh<\/strong>, after the death of their father.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>All the sons had control over an army within one of the provinces and tried to take control of the empire\u2019s throne.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aurangzeb emerged victorious by defeating Dara Shikoh at Samugarh, defeating Shah Shuja in Bengal, and finally eliminating Murad Bakhsh.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>By 1659, he had gained control of the empire and put Shah Jahan under house arrest in Agra Fort.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Battle of Samugarh (1658)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Battle of Samugarh<\/strong> took place on <strong>29th May 1658<\/strong>, near Agra, was an important battle in the Mughal struggle for succession after Shah Jahan fell ill.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The armies of <strong>Aurangzeb<\/strong>, although smaller and equipped with only war horses, succeeded in their objective through sheer determination against the larger and better equipped army of <strong>his elder brother Dara Shikoh.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1907006a3939687486b86af2775629ce\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About_Aurangzeb_the_6th_Mughal_Emperor\"><\/span><strong>About Aurangzeb, the 6th Mughal Emperor <\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Aurangzeb ascended to the throne in 1658 AD and assumed the Alamgir title, \u201cthe Conqueror of the world\u201d.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He reigned for a remarkably long period of 50 years. From 1658 AD to 1681 AD, he remained in the north, but afterwards, he shifted to the Deccan.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He was a great military commander and could crush the kingdoms of Bijapur and Golconda, but his struggle with the Marathas remained indecisive.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aurangzeb\u2019s last 25 years of reign, which he spent in the Deccan, were disastrous for the empire, as bankruptcy and maladministration threatened to break it apart.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Muhammad Akbar, the rebellious son, revolted against his father Aurangzeb in 1681, weakening Aurangzeb\u2019s position against Rajputs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aurangzeb had the highest number of Hindu generals in the Mughal army.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aurangzeb constructed \u2018Bibi ka Maqbara\u2019, an architectural wonder with intricate design, carved motifs, imposing structures, and a beautifully landscaped Mughal-style garden. It is also known as Rabia-ud-Durani or the Second Taj Mahal.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aurangzeb built the Moti Masjid inside the Red Fort in Delhi.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Mansabdari system was introduced mainly to effect clean administration.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Portuguese introduced tobacco to India in 1605. The Mughal emperor Jahangir noticed its harmful effects and ordered to ban it in 1617 AD.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a8b10b80c6f2a10b42de1dafbd995bef\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Popular_Revolts_by_Aurangzeb\"><\/span><strong>Popular Revolts by Aurangzeb<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the first phase, Aurangzeb had to deal with revolts for local independence, including those of Jats, Satnamis, Sikhs, and Bundelas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-02837661c1411183bb60c457b131c5ec\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Jats\"><\/span><strong>Jats<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Jats <\/strong>in the region of <strong>Delhi and Mathura<\/strong> were the <strong>first to revolt<\/strong>. The Jats revolt had a peasant\u2013rural background, and they used the area\u2019s rugged terrain to their advantage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In <strong>1669 AD<\/strong>, they raised the banner of rebellion under the leadership of a local Zamindar, <strong>Gokula<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>However, they were defeated as Aurangzeb personally marched against them but the Jats continued their resistance, and in <strong>1685<\/strong>, there was a<strong> second uprising <\/strong>under <strong>Rajaram\u2019s <\/strong>leadership.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Jats <\/strong>were much<strong> better organised<\/strong> this time and offered a tough fight to Raja Bishan Singh, the Kachhawah ruler appointed by Aurangzeb to crush the rebellion.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>However, the<strong> rebellion ended <\/strong>in <strong>1691<\/strong>, and Rajaram and his successor, Charuman, were forced to submit.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Later, in the <strong>18th century<\/strong>, taking advantage of the weakening authority of the Mughals, the <strong>Jats under Charuman<\/strong> established an <strong>independent principality<\/strong> for themselves.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-143dcdec6590411d9b414cec441fb424\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Satnamis\"><\/span><strong>Satnamis<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Satnamis <\/strong>were a peace-loving religious sect mainly consisting of <strong>peasants<\/strong>, <strong>artisans <\/strong>and <strong>low-caste people<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They did not observe distinctions of caste and rank between Hindus and Muslims.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>revolt <\/strong>began in <strong>1672 AD<\/strong> due to their conflict with a local officer and soon grew in extent.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>However, the <strong>Satnamis were defeated<\/strong> as Aurangzeb marched in person to Narnaul, a place near Mathura, to crush the revolt.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-34c1e81137ac1e11a8c155fb2c269c2f\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Bundelas\"><\/span><strong>Bundelas<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Bundelas, <strong>a Rajput clan of Bundelkhand<\/strong>, revolted against Aurangzeb\u2019s religious policies, which were perceived to be discriminatory against Hindu subjects.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>However, the Mughal army successfully <strong>suppressed <\/strong>the revolt.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-83289388afe0bb2b5ff3e7aa312cbc5b\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sikhs\"><\/span><strong>Sikhs<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Sikh community emerged when <strong>Guru Nanak<\/strong> founded the <strong>new religious sect<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Earlier, the relations between the Sikhs and Mughals were harmonious as the <strong>fourth Guru<\/strong>, <strong>Ram Das<\/strong>, was revered by Akbar and was presented with a land grant in Amritsar.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"256\" height=\"147\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/11\/image-3.png\" alt=\"sikhs\" class=\"wp-image-13152\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/11\/image-3.png 256w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/11\/image-3-150x86.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 256px) 100vw, 256px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Additional Information:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Impact of Aurangzeb\u2019s Deccan Campaigns:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The campaigns of Aurangzeb in Deccan from 1681 until 1707 became the start of the irreversible decline of the Mughal Empire due to their devastating impact on <strong>Finances and Military.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In order to conquer the Deccan Sultanates of Bijapur and Golconda and defeat the Maratha guerrilla movements led by the heirs of Shivaji, such as Sambhaji, the Mughal treasury was exhausted.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The move of the royal court and 500,000 soldiers from the north to the Deccan resulted in a large number of deserters, huge military losses, and the lack of protection for the north from the attacks of Jats, Sikhs, and Rajputs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Policies_of_Aurangzeb\"><\/span><strong>The Policies of Aurangzeb<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-426d923f251e7bdbb1afefd56ef6e53f\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rajput_Policy\"><\/span><strong>Rajput Policy<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Aurangzeb failed to realise the value of an alliance with the Rajputs, which had contributed so much to the growth of the Mughal Empire since Akbar&#8217;s time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aurangzeb&#8217;s relationship with the Rajputs began to deteriorate after the death of Raja Jai Singh of Ambar and Raja Jaswant Singh of Marwar.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-fb895abe07f31082b9c6d4b240844e91\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Deccan_Policy\"><\/span><strong>Deccan Policy<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Aurangzeb had already been Deccan\u2019s viceroy during Shah Jahan\u2019s reign. He wanted to follow an aggressive Deccan policy but needed help in the first half of his reign as he was kept busy by the rebellions in the North and trouble with the Rajputs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Therefore, initially, the responsibility of looking after the affairs of the Deccan was left to Raja Jai Singh, who attacked Bijapur in 1665 AD but failed to get the submission of Adil Shah II.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>However, soon after Adil Shah II\u2019s death, the state of Bijapur went into political turmoil due to infighting among the nobles.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Taking advantage of this, Mughal commander Diler Khan attacked Bijapur in 1679 AD, but still remained in vain.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Mughals were mainly unsuccessful because of the <strong>tripartite alliance of Bijapur, Golconda, and Marathas under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The three forces stood united against the Mughal attack despite internal conflicts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Thus, the Mughals failed to succeed until Aurangzeb reached Deccan in 1681 AD.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"416\" height=\"458\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/11\/image-4.png\" alt=\"deccan policy of aurangzeb\" class=\"wp-image-13153\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/11\/image-4.png 416w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/11\/image-4-234x258.png 234w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/11\/image-4-150x165.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 416px) 100vw, 416px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-37bcfa1e3103cc3b4d27e51588ccf45f\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Religious_Policy_of_Aurangzeb\"><\/span><strong>Religious Policy of Aurangzeb<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Aurangzeb <\/strong>was a zealous Sunni Muslim. He tried to enforce Quranic laws strictly. <strong>Muhtasibs <\/strong>were <strong>officials<\/strong> appointed in all provinces to check that people lived their lives according to Sharia.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He <strong>discontinued <\/strong>the practice of <strong>Jharokha-Darshan<\/strong>, as he considered it a superstitious practice against Islam. He forbade music in the court even though he was a <strong>proficient veena player<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Initially, he forbade the destruction of old Hindu Temples and only banned the construction of new ones. But after the revolt of Jats, Satnamis, and Rajputs, he changed his policy and consented to the <strong>destruction <\/strong>of even old <strong>Hindu Temples<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The celebrated temples at Mathura and Banaras were reduced to ruins. In <strong>1679 AD<\/strong>, he revived the <strong>Jizya tax on non-muslims.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This led to widespread resentment among the Hindu subjects as they considered Jizya to be discriminatory against them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Aurangzeb <\/strong>was also not tolerant of other Muslim sects. His invasions against the Deccan sultanates were partly due to his hatred of the Shia faith, as the Deccanis were Shias.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He was also against the Sikhs, and he executed the ninth Sikh <strong>Guru Tegh Bahadur.<\/strong> This had resulted in the transformation of Sikhs into a warring community, <strong>Khalsa<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Although Aurangzeb\u2019s religious policy had political motives behind it, he reversed the policy of religious tolerance that his predecessors followed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>religious orthodoxy<\/strong> practised by <strong>Aurangzeb <\/strong>led to several revolts by the Marathas, Satnamis, Sikhs and Jats.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These <strong>revolts <\/strong>destroyed the empire\u2019s peace, <strong>disrupted <\/strong>its <strong>economy<\/strong>, and <strong>weakened <\/strong>its <strong>military strength<\/strong>, ultimately leading to Aurangzeb\u2019s failure and the <strong>downfall <\/strong>of the <strong>Mughal Dynasty<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6125c84753006bc7e6978d0e0c2a9ec3\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Aurangzebs_Reign_1658-1707\"><\/span><strong>Aurangzeb\u2019s Reign (1658-1707)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Administration_and_Governance\"><\/span><strong>Administration and Governance<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The administration under Aurangzeb was highly centralised. He looked into the minute details of administration, read the petitions submitted to him, and either wrote or dictated orders. All his officers and ministers of Administration were kept under his strict control.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The ministers of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb were reduced to mere clerks, as the Emperor himself made all the critical decisions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This resulted in great administrative degeneration and helplessness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Thus, though the administration&#8217;s framework remained the same as under his predecessors, the manner and spirit of implementation changed vastly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>At the time of Aurangzeb\u2019s death in 1707, the Mughal Empire consisted of twenty-one provinces, fourteen of which were situated in Northern India; one was Afghanistan, and the remaining six were in the Deccan.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As in Akbar&#8217;s time, every province had a Governor, a diwan, and other officers to assist in governance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>During his reign, the provincial administration considerably deteriorated because of his more than twenty-five years\u2019 absence from Northern India and continuous wars in the Deccan.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Local chiefs and zamindars in several provinces disregarded law and order as a natural result of the central authority&#8217;s weakening caused by the emperor\u2019s obsession with never-ending wars and his unwise policy of religious intolerance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Besides the land revenue, other important government income sources were zakat (realised from Muslims), jizya (poll tax from Hindus), salt tax, customs duty, mint and spoils from war.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The mode of assessment and collection of revenue established by Akbar was replaced by the revenue farming system, which allowed the contractors to realise the revenue from the peasants directly, not by the state officials under the direct supervision of the government.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Because of this change, the condition of the peasants was worse than under Akbar or Jahangir.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Foreign trade did not play an important role in the Mughal Empire&#8217;s economy. India exported indigo and cotton goods. After agriculture, the cotton industry employed the most people.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The chief imports into the country were glassware, copper, lead and woollen cloth.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Horses from Persia, spices from the Dutch Indies, glassware, wine, curiosities from Europe, slaves from Abyssinia, and superior kinds of tobacco from America were also imported.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>However, the trade volume was small, and the government\u2019s income from import duties was not more than 30 lakhs of rupees a year.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Mughal army under Aurangzeb had increased considerably. He was engaged in fighting throughout his life, and naturally, he needed a much larger army than his predecessors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The expenditure on the army under Aurangzeb was roughly double that under Shah Jahan.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>However, despite the emperor\u2019s vigilance and strictness and his ability as a general, the Mughal army&#8217;s administration system and discipline were far inferior to those of Akbar.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Additional Information:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Aurangzeb\u2019s administration compared to Akbar\u2019s policy:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The administration of Akbar focused on tolerance, alliances with the Rajputs through marriages, and sulh-i-kul (universal peace).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The administration of Aurangzeb was orthodox. He imposed the jizya tax, limited non-Muslim participation, and forcefully suppressed the Rajputs, thereby weakening the alliances.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>While Akbar strengthened his authority diplomatically, Aurangzeb\u2019s centralized government led to uprisings.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This contrasts the expansion under Akbar with over-extension under Aurangzeb.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-80d0926d4d89250c92e41348a0843695\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Evaluation_of_the_Empire\"><\/span><strong>Evaluation of the Empire<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Aurangzeb died in 1707 AD, leaving a vast empire on the verge of bankruptcy and collapse.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>His rigid religious policies alienated not only the Hindus and Sikhs but also the liberal-minded Muslims, and he lost the loyalty of most of his subjects.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>His Deccan campaigns had drained the treasury and disrupted trade and commerce.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>His preoccupation with the Deccan and the extended stay there led to many revolts in the north, as the nobles, the Sikhs and the Rajputs tried to assert their independence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Moreover, being suspicious of his sons, he kept them as far away from himself as possible.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consequently, they failed to receive proper administrative training and became pleasure-loving.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The administration had become over-centralised, and when Aurangzeb&#8217;s iron hand became still after his death, chaos ensued, and the empire disintegrated quickly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-d0adc4bd9eb2e9b9b187dc32f0e06642\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Aurangzeb&#8217;s death in 1707 left the Mughal Empire on the brink of collapse. His centralisation efforts and rigid policies alienated key sections of society, contributing to internal revolts and economic strains from his Deccan campaigns. As his control weakened, chaos ensued, leading to the rapid decline of the empire. His reign serves as a critical reminder of the importance of tolerance and the dangers of excessive centralisation in governance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-162c46834b8fcc6133a6059a6f2d25c6\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQs_on_Aurangzeb_Mughal_Emperor\"><\/span><strong>FAQs on Aurangzeb, Mughal Emperor<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1730790266955\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<p class=\"rank-math-question \"><strong>How did Aurangzeb die?<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Aurangzeb died due to natural causes, primarily complications from illness, after suffering from poor health for several years. He passed away while on a military campaign in the Deccan region.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1730790279571\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<p class=\"rank-math-question \"><strong>When did Aurangzeb rule India?<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Aurangzeb ruled India from 1658 until he died in 1707, encompassing a reign of nearly 50 years.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1730790287996\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<p class=\"rank-math-question \"><strong>Who was Aurangzeb&#8217;s father?<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Aurangzeb&#8217;s father was Shah Jahan, the fifth emperor of the Mughal Empire, renowned for his architectural achievements, including the Taj Mahal.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1730790297067\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<p class=\"rank-math-question \"><strong>Who was Aurangzeb&#8217;s son?<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Aurangzeb&#8217;s son was Bahadur Shah I, who succeeded him as the emperor of the Mughal Empire. Bahadur Shah I ruled from 1707 to 1712 and faced significant challenges maintaining the empire&#8217;s unity and authority.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1776681377885\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<p class=\"rank-math-question \"><strong>What is Nauruz?<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Nauruz was the Persian celebration of the spring equinox which marked the Persian New Year in late March. It was founded in Zoroastrianism at least 2,500 years ago. The holiday is practiced by nearly 500 million individuals throughout Iran, Central Asia, and more. It was adopted by Mughal rulers like Akbar to create cultural unity between Persia and India.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1776681381421\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<p class=\"rank-math-question \"><strong>What does the term \u2018Deccan Ulcer\u2019 mean?<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>The \u2018Deccan Ulcer\u2019 refers to Aurangzeb&#8217;s extended and draining military campaigns against Bijapur, Golconda, and Marathas from the 1680s until 1707 in southern India. Although initially successful in conquering these kingdoms, they weakened the Mughal empire economically &amp; militarily. They served a similar function as Napoleon&#8217;s \u2018Spanish Ulcer\u2019.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1776681427448\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<p class=\"rank-math-question \"><strong>How did Aurangzeb lead to the decline of Mughal architecture and painting?<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>The orthodox policies of Aurangzeb prevented to flourish any figurative art, thus putting an end to patronage, whereas wars in Deccan resulted in less funds for large architectural projects, such as those constructed by Akbar and Shah Jahan.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Aurangzeb was the sixth Mughal emperor, ruling from 1658 to 1707. He was known for his military conquests and strict religious policies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":23678,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[818,838],"tags":[73],"class_list":["post-13147","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history","category-medieval-india","tag-gs-1"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13147","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13147"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13147\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23771,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13147\/revisions\/23771"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23678"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13147"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13147"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13147"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}