Foreign Policy of Mughals in Northwest | History Optional for UPSC (Notes) PDF Download

Introduction

Three Major Powers the Mughals Dealt With:

• Uzbegs in Central Asia: Sunnis who posed a challenge to the Mughals.
• Safavids of Iran: Shia Muslims who were another rival power.
• Ottomans: Turk Sunnis who were also a significant force in the region.

Dealing with Afghan Tribes:

• In addition to these major powers, the Mughals had to contend with various Afghan tribes, such as the Afridis, Yasufzais, and Gilzais.
• These tribes were often incited against the Mughals by the Uzbegs, adding another layer of complexity to the Mughals' efforts in the Northwest frontier.

Features and considerations of Mughal’s foreign policy with respect to Northwest frontier

Emotional Dimension of Foreign Policy:

• Historians like Abul Rahim and Riyazul Islam believe that from the start,Babur had the ambition to conquer his ancestral land, which influenced his successors and shaped the Mughals' foreign policy.
• The Mughals aimed to maintain a safe frontier in the North-West, establishing the Kabul-Kandhar line as a natural boundary of their empire.
• They used both diplomatic and military means to defend India.

Checks on Uzbek Aggression:

• The Uzbeks and Mughals were longtime rivals, with the Uzbeks responsible for Babur's expulsion from Samarqand.
• Annoyed by the Mughal alliance with Iran, the Uzbeks would provoke Afghan and Baluchi tribes against the Mughals.

Friendly Relations with Safavid Iran:

• Despite the Kandhar dispute, both the Safavid and Mughal empires sought friendly relations due to the common threat posed by the Uzbeks.

Promotion of Trade Interests:

• Kabul and Kandhar were key trade gateways between Kabul and Central Asia and Kandhar and Iran.

Subjugation of Rebellious Tribes:

• The Mughals worked to subjugate rebellious tribes along their Northwest frontiers.

Equality of Status Among Powers:

• The Mughals did not accept the superiority claims made by the Ottomans as the successors of the Caliph.
• They refused the Uzbeks' proposal for a tripartite alliance with the Ottomans and Uzbeks against the Iranians, as it would disrupt the Asian Balance of Power.

Policy under different Mughal rulers

Babur 

• Kabul and Kandahar were under Mughal control during Babur's rule.
• There were conflicts with the Uzbeks, but relations with the Safavids were good.

Humayun 

Transfer of Kabul-Kandhar:

• He transferred Kabul-Kandhar to his brother Kamran.

Relations with the Safavid Empire:

• Initially had good relations with the Safavid Empire under Shah Tahmasp.
• Received help from the Safavids during his exile.

Loss of Kabul-Kandhar:

• Eventually lost control of Kabul-Kandhar.

Pact with Safavid Rulers:

• The Safavid rulers made a pact with Humayun, in which he promised to give Kandahar to Iran in exchange for their help.
• Humayun felt he had no choice but to agree to this during his exile.

Recapture of Kandahar:

• With Iranian assistance, Humayun managed to capture Kandahar, but Kabul remained under the control of his brother Kamran.

Conflict with the Safavid:

• Humayun noticed a delay in the transfer of Kandahar to the Safavids.
• While he was focused on regaining power in India, the Safavids captured Kandahar.

Akbar 

Akbar's Actions in the Northwest (1585-1598):

• He took control of Kabul in 1585 and Kandhar in 1595.
• Uzbeg Threat: The great Uzbeg king Abdulla Khan captured Balkh in 1570, followed by Khurasan and Badakshan. This brought him close to the Mughal Empire and posed a threat to Kabul. Abdulla Khan also incited Afghan and Baluchi tribes against the Mughals.
• To counter the Uzbeg threat and suppress revolting tribes, Akbar stayed in Lahore from 1586 to 1598, the year Abdulla Uzbeg died.
• To strengthen Mughal power in the Northwest, Akbar conquered Sindh in 1591,Kashmir in 1585, and Baluchi in 1595.
• He established a natural line of defense by maintaining control over Kabul,Kashmir, and Kandhar.
• Akbar promoted commercial interests and maintained cordial relations with the Safavids, despite both empires claiming Kandhar, due to strategic and commercial reasons.
• When the Uzbegs proposed a tripartite alliance of Sunni powers (Mughal, Uzbegs, and Ottomans), Akbar responded that differences in law and religion were not a valid reason for conquest.
• He believed a strong Iran was necessary to keep the Uzbegs in check and preferred to avoid conflict with them unless they threatened Kabul.

Jahangir 

Safavid Capture of Kandahar and Diplomatic Maneuvers:

• In 1622, the Safavid Empire successfully captured the city of Kandahar.
• Diplomatic efforts were made between Jahangir, the Mughal Emperor, and the Uzbegs. They sought to form a coalition of three Sunni powers to counter the Safavid threat.

Shahjahan 

• Embassies and diplomatic exchanges occurred between the Mughals and the Safavid Empire during this period.
• In 1638, the Mughals temporarily acquired Kandhar through diplomatic means, but it was not a permanent gain.
• The Safavids successfully regained Kandhar in 1649.
• Shahjahan initiated three significant military campaigns to capture Kandhar, all of which ended in failure.
• The Balkh campaign of 1646 under Shahjahan is viewed as a peak moment in Mughal foreign policy. Although the Mughals achieved a victory, they could not maintain control over this distant area and eventually withdrew. This campaign, despite the loss of Kandhar, demonstrated Mughal strength.

Aurangzeb 

Conflict and Diplomacy in the Northwest Frontier:

• The Mughal Empire did not attempt to reclaim Kandhar.
• There were diplomatic relations with the Safavid Empire.
• To protect trade interests, the Mughals subdued the Northwest frontier tribes through a combination of diplomacy and military force.
• Due to the weakness of both the Uzbegs and the Safavids, Kandhar lost its strategic importance for the Mughals compared to earlier times.
• Under the later Mughals, the rise of Nadir Shah in Iran and his invasion in 1739 after the battle of Karnal led to the loss of the entire Afghanistan region. Despite this, the Mughals were successful in maintaining a scientific frontier in the northwest, preserving the integrity of the Mughal Empire.