Aurangzeb and the Deccan PDF

Conqueror of the Deccan Aurangzeb spent the last 25 years of his life in the Deccan. He conquered the kingdom of Bijapur in 1686 CE. The very next year, the kingdom of Golconda surrendered after offering a stiff resistance.  Thus, under Aurangzeb, the Mughal Empire r...

Conqueror of the Deccan Aurangzeb spent the last 25 years of his life in the Deccan. He conquered the kingdom of Bijapur in 1686 CE. The very next year, the kingdom of Golconda surrendered after offering a stiff resistance.  Thus, under Aurangzeb, the Mughal Empire reached its greatest geographical extent. The Deccan campaign ruined him in the long run. It was in the Deccan that Aurangzeb breathed his last trying to win a losing battle against the Marathas. The greatest challenge to Aurangzeb came from the Marathas. The Marathas were chieftains in the hilly region surrounding Poona (modern-day Pune) and the Konkan. Many of them held important positions in the Deccan kingdoms of Ahmadnagar and Bijapur.  Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire, was born in 1627 CE near Poona. His father, Shahaji, was an officer in the Bijapur kingdom. His mother was Jija Bai. Shivaji made his first conquest when he captured Torna Fort from Bijapur. By the age of 20, Shivaji had already captured several forts along the Konkan Coast. Aurangzeb Shivaji Maharaj were fierce rivals. Shivaji used guerrilla tactics to outsmart the larger Mughal army and resist Mughal expansion in the Deccan. Shivaji’s Rise: He captured forts, disrupted Mughal supply lines, and built a strong naval presence. Aurangzeb’s Efforts: Aurangzeb sent powerful generals like Shaista Khan to defeat Shivaji, but they failed. Shivaji even raided Mughal territories, including Surat. Agra Incident (1666): Aurangzeb captured Shivaji, but Shivaji famously escaped, humiliating the emperor.  Challenges and Costs Treasury Depleted: Prolonged wars left the empire financially strained. Discontent Among Nobles: Many Mughal officials disliked working far from home in harsh conditions. Famines and Disease: Battles and sieges devastated populations, leading to famine and outbreaks like cholera. Aurangzeb’s relentless ambition also weakened the empire. His later victories were seen as hollow, as the lands he conquered were lost within decades of his death.