Rajput Policy of Aurangzeb | History Optional for UPSC (Notes) PDF Download

Introduction

Aurangzeb's Fear of the Rajputs:

• Aurangzeb feared the Rajputs more than any other group of Hindus.
• For over 20 years, he did not reveal his true intentions against the Hindus because he was afraid of the powerful Rajput chiefs.
• He saw their strength and influence as the biggest obstacle to his plans for religious persecution of Hindus.
• Aurangzeb believed he could not establish Islamic supremacy in India without subjugating the Rajputs.

Key Rajput Rulers:

• During Aurangzeb's time, important Rajput rulers included Raja Jaswant Singh of Marwar, Rana Raj Singh of Mewar, and Raja Jai Singh of Jaipur.

Aurangzeb's Doubts and Plans:

• Aurangzeb was suspicious of the Rajputs' loyalty and aimed to eliminate their independence by annexing their states into the Mughal Empire.
• He disregarded the principles set by Akbar and followed by Jahangir and Shah Jahan.

Main Objectives of Rajput Policy of Aurangzeb

Background of Aurangzeb's Rule and Rajput Relations:

• Aurangzeb was skeptical about the loyalty of the Rajputs because many Rajput generals supported Dara Shikoh during the Mughal succession conflict.
• As a Sunni Muslim, Aurangzeb felt he couldn't fully trust the Hindu Rajputs. He believed that they would be a major obstacle in his goal of establishing Islamic rule in India.

Rajputs as Pioneers and Their Resistance:

• The Rajputs were influential Hindus with significant political and military power, making them strong opponents to Aurangzeb's plans.
• They also had sympathies for the Satnami rebels, which further positioned them against Aurangzeb.

Role of Rajput Generals:

• Jaswant Singh, a prominent mansabdar in the Mughal court since Shah Jahan's time, initially supported Dara Shikoh against Aurangzeb.
• Jaswant Singh fought against Aurangzeb at the Battle of Dharmat in 1658 CE but later joined Aurangzeb's side.
• Despite his initial support, Jaswant Singh's loyalty wavered again, but he was eventually persuaded by Raja Jai Singh to accept Aurangzeb's authority.

Jai Singh's Role and Mewar's Stance:

• Raja Jai Singh, while appearing loyal to Aurangzeb, grew suspicious of him over time.
• Mewar, under its own rulers, maintained peace with the Mughal Empire following a treaty during Jahangir's reign.

Aurangzeb's Distrust and Military Campaigns:

• Despite accepting service from Rajput rulers like Jaswant Singh and Jai Singh, Aurangzeb did not genuinely trust their loyalty.
• He sent Jai Singh to the Deccan, where Jai Singh died in 1666 CE.
• Jaswant Singh was tasked with fighting against the Afghans on the North-West frontier, where he proved his leadership but did not return to court alive.

Aurangzeb's Goals and Challenges:

• Aurangzeb aimed to bring the semi-independent Rajput states under Mughal control, following Islamic principles of kingship.
• He sought to annex Rajput territories and subjugate their rulers, anticipating strong resistance from them.

Attack on Marwar

Jai Singh's Death and Aurangzeb's Plans:

• After Jai Singh's death, Aurangzeb delayed his plans until the death of Jaswant Singh in December 1678 CE.
• Jaswant Singh died in Jamrud (Afghanistan). His eldest son, Prithvi Singh, had died due to Aurangzeb's deceit, and his other two sons died fighting the Afghans.
• With no heirs to succeed Jaswant Singh, Aurangzeb seized the opportunity to occupy Marwar.
• Aurangzeb's forces faced little resistance as most of the Rajput army was in Afghanistan.

Destruction and Humiliation:

• Aurangzeb went to Ajmer, where he destroyed Hindu temples.
• He humiliated the Rathors by selling Jaswant Singh's throne to the chief of Nagar for 36 lakhs.
• Aurangzeb felt strong enough to suppress the Rajputs and Hindus.

The Birth of Ajit Singh:

• While returning from Afghanistan, the widowed queens of Raja Jaswant Singh gave birth to two sons in Lahore in February 1679 CE.
• One son died shortly after birth, while the other, named Ajit Singh, survived to have an eventful life.

Durga Das Rathor's Plea:

• Rajput commander Durga Das Rathor went to Delhi with the queens and pleaded with Aurangzeb to recognize Ajit Singh as his father's rightful successor.
• Aurangzeb agreed but demanded that Ajit Singh convert to Islam, leading to conflict between the Rathors and the Mughals.

Annexation and Rescue:

• Aurangzeb annexed the state of Jodhpur and brought Jaswant Singh's family to Delhi.
• Durga Das rescued Ajit Singh and his mother from Aurangzeb's clutches by substituting a maidservant and her child in their place.
• By the time the Mughals discovered the substitution, Durga Das was beyond their reach.

Rajput Resistance:

• The Mughal army pursued Durga Das for twenty kos but failed to catch him.
• Durga Das left small detachments of Rathors to block the Mughal army's way.
• Durga Das, Ajit Singh, and his mother reached Marwar safely.
• Ajit Singh was accepted as king by the people of Marwar, and the Rathors began their war of independence against the Mughals.

Durga Das Rathor's Legacy:

• Aurangzeb attempted to discredit Durga Das by procuring two children, declaring them as Maharaja Jaswant Singh's sons, and converting them to Islam.
• Despite Aurangzeb's efforts, the Rathors continued to resist, and Durga Das became a hero.
• The Rajputs still honor Durga Das's bravery, and he is remembered for his unwavering commitment to his chieftain's cause.
• Colonel Tod compared Durga Das to Ulysses among the Rathors.
• Historian Jadu Nath Sarkar praised Durga Das for his valor and ability to keep the cause of his chieftain triumphant against all odds.
• Durga Das combined the qualities of a Rajput soldier with the diplomatic and organizational skills of a Mughal minister.
• He placed Ajit Singh, the infant son of Maharaja Jaswant Singh, on the throne.

Aurangzeb's Response:

• Aurangzeb was furious upon hearing of these developments and declared war on Marwar.
• He went to Ajmer and sent a strong Mughal army, led by Prince Akbar and Tahavvar Khan, to campaign against the Rajputs.
• The Mughals plundered Marwar, destroyed temples, and built mosques in their place, occupying Marwar by the middle of 1681 CE.
• The Rathors retreated to the hills and deserts but continued to confront and harass the Mughals.

Mewar joins the Struggle

• Aurangzeb, the Mughal emperor, imposed jizya (a tax on non-Muslims) on Raj Singh, the ruler of Mewar, aiming to weaken the Sisodia clan's power.
• Ajit Singh, whose mother was a princess of Mewar, feared that Raj Singh would support Marwar against the Mughals.
• Raj Singh believed that if Marwar fell to the Mughals, Mewar would be next, so he allied with Marwar to resist Mughal forces.

Raj Singh's Preparations:

• Raj Singh fortified the fort of Chitor and deployed troops to protect the Devbari pass.

Mughal Invasion:

• Aurangzeb anticipated Raj Singh's plans and launched an attack on Mewar, leaving Ajmer in November 1679 CE and advancing towards Udaipur.
• Udaipur was quickly captured by the Mughals after Raj Singh abandoned it. The Mughal forces also seized Chitor, destroying around 173 temples in Udaipur and 63 temples in Chitor.

Raj Singh's Defeat:

• Raj Singh faced defeat in a major battle in February 1680 CE.
• He evacuated Chitor and Udaipur, retreating to the inaccessible hills with his soldiers and most of his subjects.

Aurangzeb's Return and Rajput Resistance:

• Aurangzeb returned to Ajmer in January 1680 CE.
• Raj Singh died suddenly in November 1680 CE, but the Rajputs continued to resist Mughal rule.

Mughal Campaigns and Challenges:

• Aurangzeb sent his three sons—Akbar,Muazzam, and Azam
• The campaign failed due to the princes' inability to work together and the strong collaboration between the Sisodias and the Rathors.

Prince Akbar’s Revolt

• Muhammad Akbar, son of Aurangzeb, was a liberal thinker who disapproved of his father's harsh methods, especially the war against the Rajputs, which he believed jeopardized the Mughal Empire.
• Rajput leaders Maharana Raj Singh and Durga Das promised to support Akbar if he declared himself emperor. However, Raj Singh died on November 1, 1680 CE. His son, Jai Singh, also pledged support to Akbar after his coronation.
• Encouraged by the Rajputs, Akbar proclaimed himself the Mughal emperor on January 1, 1681 CE, claiming that Aurangzeb had forfeited his throne due to his violation of Islamic laws.
• Akbar, backed by 70,000 Rajput soldiers, marched towards Ajmer. In response, Aurangzeb summoned Prince Muazzam and positioned his forces at Rohara, near Ajmer, to confront Akbar.
• Aurangzeb managed to sway some of Akbar's officers to his side. He sent a threatening message to Akbar's advisor, Tahavvar Khan, promising to kill Khan's family if he did not return to Aurangzeb's camp. Overwhelmed, Khan defected to Aurangzeb, only to be executed immediately.
• Aurangzeb further undermined Akbar's position by sowing distrust among the Rajputs. He sent a deceptive letter to Akbar, praising him for outsmarting the Rajputs, which was intercepted by the Rajputs and given to Durga Das.
• While Durga Das was skeptical, most Rajput leaders believed the letter and abandoned Akbar. By morning, Akbar found himself alone with only a few thousand soldiers and was greatly discouraged.
• Aurangzeb's forces attacked Akbar's camp, forcing him to flee with a mere 350 men back to the Rajputs. Aurangzeb's strategy succeeded without a battle, and Akbar's revolt ended.
• Feeling defeated, Akbar was taken under Durga Das's protection and moved to Maharashtra, where he was safeguarded by Shambhaji, son of Shivaji. Aurangzeb pursued Akbar to Maharashtra in 1682 CE.
• Fearful for his life, Akbar fled to Persia by sea. En route, he sought refuge with the Imam of Masket, who planned to hand him over to Aurangzeb for a ransom of two lakh rupees. However, due to the intervention of the Persian ruler, Akbar was freed and safely reached Persia, where he died in the late years of his father's reign.

Treaty between Mewar and the Mughals

• Akbar's revolt against Aurangzeb was unsuccessful, but it played a crucial role in saving Mewar.
• Aurangzeb was more concerned about Akbar than any other opponent at that time, which forced him to focus on dealing with Akbar.
• In light of this situation, Aurangzeb considered making peace with Mewar. Maharana Jai Singh of Mewar also sought to establish peace with Aurangzeb.
• As a result, a treaty was signed between the Mughals and Maharana Jai Singh on June 24, 1681 CE, with the following terms:
• The Mughals agreed to withdraw their forces from Mewar.
• Maharana Jai Singh accepted a mansab (rank) of 5,000, while his son Bhim Singh was given the title of Raja and inducted into Mughal service.
• The Maharana surrendered the Parganas (administrative divisions) of Mandal, Pur, and Bednur to the Mughals in exchange for the jizya (a tax) imposed on his kingdom.

War against Marwar

• In 1687 CE, Durga Das returned to Marwar and resumed the struggle against the Mughals. With the young Ajit Singh, they led the Rathors in recapturing some Mughal military posts and raiding Mughal territory near Delhi. They were aided by Raja Durjan Sal Hara of Bundi.
• In 1694 CE, Durga Das handed over Prince Akbar's daughter, Safiyat-un-nisa, to Aurangzeb. By 1698 CE, he also handed over his son, Buland Akhtar. Durga Das had raised and educated these children well, fostering goodwill between the Rathors and the Mughals.
• This goodwill led to peace, with Ajit Singh receiving the jagir of Jalor, Sanchod, and Siwana, while Durga Das was granted the Faujdari of Patan in Gujarat and a mansab of 3,000. Both entered Mughal service, though it was not a respectable settlement for the Rathors.
• In 1701 CE, Ajit Singh and Durga Das revolted again but made peace in 1704-05 CE. By 1707 CE, Ajit Singh had effectively become the ruler of most of his state. After Aurangzeb died on February 20, 1707 CE, Ajit Singh led a final assault on the Mughal troops, capturing Jodhpur on March 7, 1707 CE.
• According to historian Jadu Nath Sarkar, when Ajit Singh entered Jodhpur, the Mughals fled, leaving their property behind. Many were killed or imprisoned, and some escaped disguised as Hindus. The fort was purified with Ganga water and Tulsi leaves.
• Ajit Singh gradually regained all of Marwar, completing the work started by Durga Das. In 1709 CE, Bahadur Shah I, Aurangzeb's son, recognized Ajit Singh as the Rana of Marwar.

Results of the Rajput Policy

• Aurangzeb's Rajput policy pushed the loyal Rathor and Sisodia clans away from the Mughal throne.
• Historian Jadu Nath Sarkar believed that Aurangzeb's Rajput policy had disastrous effects on the Mughal Empire.

According to Sarkar:

• Thousands of lives were lost, and vast amounts of money were wasted without any lasting success or benefit to the emperor.
• Constant warfare with the Rajputs damaged the prestige of the Mughal Empire.
• Aurangzeb's actions were politically unwise, as he alienated the Rajputs.
• Aurangzeb's aggressive policy deprived him of the loyal services of Rajput chiefs and soldiers, which he needed to fight the Marathas in the South and Afghan tribes in the North-West.
• While Aurangzeb was occupied with the Rajputs in the North, Southern rulers grew more powerful.
• The Marathas exploited this situation.
• Aurangzeb's narrow vision and religious zeal undermined the foundations of the empire that had been stable for over a century.

Summary

Rajputs: A Thorn in Aurangzeb's Side:

• Aurangzeb faced significant challenges in his quest to establish Islamic supremacy in India, particularly due to the strong resistance from the Rajputs. To address this, he implemented a strict and harsh policy towards them, reversing the more conciliatory approach of his predecessors, Akbar, Jahangir, and Shahjahan.
• Three prominent Rajput rulers during Aurangzeb's reign were Raja Jaswant Singh of Marwar, Rana Raj Singh of Mewar, and Raja Jai Singh of Jaipur. Initially, these rulers maintained peaceful relations with the Mughal Empire under Aurangzeb.
• Aurangzeb faced significant challenges in his quest to establish Islamic supremacy in India, particularly due to the strong resistance from the Rajputs. To address this, he implemented a strict and harsh policy towards them, reversing the more conciliatory approach of his predecessors, Akbar, Jahangir, and Shahjahan.
• Three prominent Rajput rulers during Aurangzeb's reign were Raja Jaswant Singh of Marwar, Rana Raj Singh of Mewar, and Raja Jai Singh of Jaipur. Initially, these rulers maintained peaceful relations with the Mughal Empire under Aurangzeb.
• Aurangzeb was suspicious of the Rajputs' loyalty, especially since many Rajput generals had supported Dara Shikoh during the Mughal succession conflict. This suspicion led him to believe that subduing the semi-independent Rajput states would be a challenging task.
• To strengthen his position, Aurangzeb sent Raja Jai Singh to the Deccan, where Jai Singh passed away in 1666 CE. Raja Jaswant Singh was dispatched to defend the North-West Frontier, but he died in Afghanistan in 1678 CE. Following Jaswant Singh's death, Aurangzeb seized Marwar.
• After Jaswant Singh's death, his widows gave birth to two sons in Lahore. One son died, but the other, Ajit Singh, survived. Durga Das, a Rajput commander, brought the infant prince to Delhi and requested Aurangzeb to restore Marwar to Maharaja Ajit Singh. Aurangzeb refused, leading to the declaration of Ajit Singh as the ruler of Marwar and the start of the war for Marwar's liberation.
• Rana Raj Singh of Mewar supported Marwar in this struggle, recognizing that it was in Mewar's best interest to oppose the Mughals.
• In 1681 CE, Akbar, Aurangzeb's son, rebelled against his father with the support of the Rajputs. However, this revolt failed, and Akbar fled to the Deccan under Durga Das's protection. Aurangzeb then offered peace to Mewar, which was accepted, but the Rathores of Marwar continued their resistance against Mughal rule.
• In his pursuit of Akbar, Aurangzeb left for the Deccan and never returned. Marwar continued to fight against the Mughals until Aurangzeb's death in 1707 CE, achieving independence despite temporary peace agreements.
• Ultimately, Aurangzeb's efforts to subdue Mewar and Marwar were unsuccessful. His harsh policies alienated the Rajputs, who had been loyal supporters of the Mughal Empire since Akbar's time. This shift not only weakened the Mughal Empire but also sparked other revolts, demonstrating the failure of Aurangzeb's Rajput policy and its detrimental impact on the empire's stability.