The Deccan policy of Aurangzeb was/were motivated by which of the foll...
The Marathas had an important position in the administrative and military systems of Ahmednagar and Bijapur. Their power and influence in the affairs of government had grown as the Mughals advanced toward the Deccan. After the fall of Malik Amber, a number of influential Maratha families, like the Mores, the Ghatges, the Nimalkars etc., became dominant. The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was anxiously watching the rise of a Maratha power near the Mughal frontiers. 3 phases of Aurangzeb's Deccan policy:
- The First phase lasted till 1668, during which the main attempt was to recover from Bijapur the territories belonging to the Ahmadnagar state surrendered to it by the treaty of 1636
- The Second phase lasted till 1684, during which the major danger in the Deccan was considered to be the Marathas, and efforts were made to pressure Bijapur and Golconda into joining hands with the Mughals against Shivaji and then against his son, Shambaji.
- The last phase began when Aurangzeb despaired of getting the cooperation of Bijapur and Golconda against the Marathas and decided to destroy the Marathas. For this, it was necessary first to conquer Bijapur and Golconda. So, Statement 1 is correct.
- Abul Hasan Qutb Shah ruled Golkonda at that time. He was a Shia, had handed over his administration to two Brahmana ministers, Madanna and Akanna and had expressed his displeasure at the occupation of Bijapur by the Mughals. Aurangzeb was dissatisfied with all that. He deputed prince Shah Alam to attack Golkonda. Besides this political motive, he desired to annex these states because their rulers were Shias who owed nominal allegiance to the ruler of Abbasaid-Khalifas. Besides, the states of the Deccan were wealthy. Aurangzeb was tempted to conquer them to possess their wealth. Therefore, Aurangzeb was not satisfied simply by their acceptance of his suzerainty, but he desired to annex them to the Mughal empire. So, Statement 2 is correct.
- In 1680 Aurangzeb sent a formidable army under his son Akbar to subdue the rebellious Rajput kings, but the emperor had not reckoned with his son's traitorous conduct. Akbar had declared himself the emperor but was compelled to flee to the Deccan, where he enlisted the help of Shivaji's son, Sambhaji. Aurangzeb decided to take to the field himself and to curtail the rebellious activities of his son Akbar, who had taken refuge in the Deccan, and he sent his son into exile in Persia. Aurangzeb's Deccan policy was a total failure, and he destroyed the Decan kingdom. It was a political error of the Mughals, and this was a barrier between the Marathas and the Mughals. So, Statement 3 is correct.
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The Deccan policy of Aurangzeb was/were motivated by which of the foll...
Reasons for Aurangzeb's Deccan Policy:
Reasons for Aurangzeb's Deccan policy were motivated by the following factors:
Influence of the Marathas:
- The Marathas had a significant influence in the Deccan region during Aurangzeb's reign.
- Their growing power and influence posed a threat to the Mughal Empire's control over the region.
- Aurangzeb aimed to assert his authority and bring the Marathas under his control through his Deccan policy.
Attitude of Shia kingdoms of Deccan:
- The Shia kingdoms in the Deccan region were not fully loyal to Aurangzeb, who was a Sunni ruler.
- Aurangzeb sought to establish his control and assert Sunni dominance in the region through his Deccan policy.
- The presence of Shia kingdoms added a religious dimension to Aurangzeb's motivations in the Deccan.
Rebellious activities of his son Akbar:
- Aurangzeb's son Akbar had rebelled against him multiple times during his reign.
- Akbar sought support from various factions in the Deccan region to challenge Aurangzeb's authority.
- Aurangzeb's Deccan policy aimed to suppress rebellious activities and maintain control over the region, including dealing with the threat posed by his son.
Therefore, all three reasons - the influence of the Marathas, the attitude of Shia kingdoms in Deccan, and the rebellious activities of his son Akbar - played a role in motivating Aurangzeb's Deccan policy.