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Chapter: 10. Jahangir Shah Jahan And Aurangzeb

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CRASH COURSE STUDY MATERIAL: THE MUGHAL EMPIRE (JAHANGIR, SHAH JAHAN, AND AURANGZEB)

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1. EMPEROR JAHANGIR (1605 – 1627 CE)

Succession and Inheritance

Origin: Prince Salim, the son of Akbar, rebelled against his father in his closing years. Before his death in 1605 CE, Akbar forgave Salim and declared him heir. Salim ascended the throne under the title Jahangir (“Conqueror of the World”).
Empire Status: Jahangir inherited a stable, prosperous, and well-organized empire. The strong administrative foundation laid by Akbar meant Jahangir faced no major problems maintaining the kingdom early on.
Internal Rebellion: The first half of his 22-year reign was peaceful, except for the rebellion of his eldest son, Khusrau, who was captured and imprisoned.

Military Campaigns & Territorial Changes

Conquest of Mewar:
Jahangir sent an expedition against Rana Amar Singh of Mewar (son of Rana Pratap Singh), who refused Mughal overlordship.
The Rana was defeated but treated courteously. Jahangir allowed him to retain his territory and appointed his son, Karna, as a military commander in the imperial army.
This submission established Mughal paramountcy in Rajputana and marked the fall of the final bastion of Rajput resistance.
The Deccan Campaigns:
Malik Ambar (chief minister of Ahmadnagar) recovered territories Akbar had previously conquered.
Jahangir sent his son, Prince Khurram, who successfully recaptured the Ahmadnagar fort. Prince Khurram was honored with the title Shah Jahan (“Lord of the World”).
Ahmadnagar reasserted its independence by the end of Jahangir’s reign and remained outside Mughal control.
Conquest of Kangra: The fort of Kangra, which Akbar had failed to conquer, submitted to Jahangir after a 14-month siege.
Loss of Kandahar: The Shah of Persia successfully captured Kandahar from the Mughals. Jahangir’s attempts to recover it failed.

Nur Jahan (“Light of the World”)

Background: Born Mehrunnisa, she was the widow of a Persian nobleman named Sher Afghan (governor of Burdwan in Bengal). Jahangir met her at a bazaar, fell in love, and married her in 1611 CE.
Influence: She was highly educated, artistic, cultured, write Persian poetry, and designed new fashion trends (silk, cotton fabrics, jewelry, carpets). She was also physically brave and went on hunts.
Political Power: Nur Jahan became the virtual ruler as Jahangir left the administration to her while indulging in leisure. Coins were issued jointly in the names of Jahangir and Nur Jahan.
Family Influence: She appointed her father, brother, and other relatives to key administrative posts. Her niece, Mumtaz Mahal, was married to Prince Khurram (Shah Jahan).
Retirement: After Jahangir’s death in 1627 CE, a power struggle ensued between Nur Jahan and Shah Jahan. Shah Jahan executed all close male claimants to the throne. Nur Jahan retired from public life and lost her political influence, though she was treated well.

Administration & Foreign Relations

European Contact: Jahangir met with Sir Thomas Roe, an English ambassador, in the early 17th century. Jahangir granted him trading rights, which paved the way for the British East India Company in India.
Justice: Highly benevolent and committed to justice. He installed a Chain of Justice made of pure gold with 60 bells between his palace and the banks of the Yamuna River. Any citizen could ring it to seek personal redressal from the Emperor.
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2. EMPEROR SHAH JAHAN (1628 – 1658 CE)

Overview

Identity: Known as the “Engineer King” due to his legendary patronage of architecture.
Reign Status: His 30-year rule is considered the Golden Age of the Mughal Empire, characterized by immense architectural splendor and cultural brilliance.

Architectural Achievements

Monument
Location
Key Architectural Features & Details
Taj Mahal
Agra
Built in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Made of pure white marble, decorated with semi-precious stones (pietra dura) and lace-like screens. Octagonal structure with a grand central dome and four slender minarets. Took over 20 years to complete, costing 3 to 4 crore rupees.
Agra Fort Modifications
Agra
Reconstructed many of Akbar’s earlier red sandstone structures and replaced them with white marble.
Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque)
Agra Fort
Considered the most perfect of Shah Jahan’s buildings. Renowned for its simple, elegant design and fine white marble construction.
Shahjahanabad
Delhi
A new capital city built by Shah Jahan in 1639 CE (now known as Old Delhi).
Red Fort (Lal Qila)
Delhi
Built within Shahjahanabad using red sandstone. Features massive defensive walls and spectacular interior halls.
Diwan-i-Khas
Red Fort, Delhi
Hall of private audience. Features a ceiling made of silver, walls of white marble decorated with gold and semi-precious stones.
Diwan-i-Aam (Peacock Throne)
Red Fort, Delhi
Hall of public audience. Housed the legendary Peacock Throne, which was made of gold, took 7 years to build, and featured a canopy supported by 12 emerald pillars (each bearing two gem-studded peacocks). Carried away to Persia by Nadir Shah in 1739 CE.
Jama Masjid
Delhi
One of the largest mosques in India, noted for its simple, dignified, and grand design in red sandstone and white marble.
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End of Shah Jahan’s Reign

In 1657 CE, Shah Jahan fell seriously ill. False rumors of his death triggered a bloody war of succession among his four sons.
His third son, Aurangzeb, defeated and executed his brothers, imprisoned Shah Jahan in the Agra Fort (1658 CE), and crowned himself emperor.
Shah Jahan remained a prisoner for 8 years until his death in 1666 CE at age 74. He was buried next to Mumtaz Mahal inside the Taj Mahal.
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3. EMPEROR AURANGZEB (1658 – 1707 CE)

Overview

Status: The last of the “Great Mughals.” He expanded the Mughal Empire to its greatest territorial extent, making it the largest single state in Indian history (stretching from Kashmir to Karnataka, and the Hindu Kush to Chittagong).
Administrative Flaw: His vast empire lacked administrative stability and sound policies, leading to rapid decay after his death.

Two Phases of Aurangzeb’s Reign

First Half (1658–1681 CE): Spent in North India, focusing on northern administration and countering local rebellions.
Second Half (1681–1707 CE): Spent entirely in the Deccan (26 years) trying to crush the Marathas and annex southern kingdoms. He never returned to the North.

Key Internal Challenges & Policies

Reversal of Akbar’s Policies: Reimposed the jizya (tax on non-Muslim subjects) and pilgrimage taxes, alienating the Hindu population.
Revolts in the North:
Ahoms in Assam (Northeast frontier)
Afghan tribesmen (Northwest frontier)
Jats in the Delhi-Agra region
Bundelas of Bundelkhand
Satnamis (a peace-loving sect of peasants, artisans, and traders)
Major resistance also came from the Sikhs and the Rajputs.

The Deccan Campaigns and the “Deccan Ulcer”

Annexation of Sultanates:
Annexed Bijapur in 1686 CE.
Annexed Golconda in 1687 CE.
Negative Impact: The empire became too vast and unwieldy to govern effectively. Removing these sultanates brought the Mughals into direct conflict with the Marathas.
The Maratha War:
In 1689 CE, Aurangzeb captured and executed Shivaji’s son and successor, Sambhaji, and imprisoned his son, Shahu.
Rajaram (Sambhaji’s younger brother) escaped to continue the struggle.
After Rajaram’s death, his widow, Tarabai, took over the leadership, organizing highly effective guerrilla warfare and harassing Mughal forces for 18 years.
Aurangzeb refused to negotiate. He died in Ahmadnagar in 1707 CE, exhausted, financially drained, and defeated by the persistent Maratha resistance.

Consequences of the Deccan Campaigns

Economic Ruin: The long wars completely drained the imperial treasury and ruined the agrarian economy of the Deccan.
Administrative Collapse: Aurangzeb’s 25+ year absence from Delhi led to lawlessness, rampant administrative corruption, and disorder in North India.
Rise of Regional Powers: Rebellions among the Jats and Sikhs grew stronger. The Marathas emerged as a rival center of political power.
Military Mutiny: Drained and unpaid Mughal soldiers in the Deccan mutinied.
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4. DECLINE OF THE MUGHAL EMPIRE

Disintegration (First Half of 18th Century CE): The empire decayed rapidly and shrank to a small territory around Delhi.
Causes of Decline:
Weak, pleasure-loving, and inefficient successors of Aurangzeb.
Successors became puppets in the hands of powerful, scheming nobles.
Provincial governors took advantage of central weakness to establish independent regional kingdoms.
Extreme economic strain caused by Aurangzeb’s long Deccan wars.
The Aftermath: The political vacuum left by the collapsing Mughal Empire sparked intense rivalries among regional powers, which eventually cleared the path for the British to establish rule over India for nearly 200 years.
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