BA History Sem III Jahangir PDF

Architecture Under Sher Shah Sher Shah has left an indelible impress as a builder. The Purana Qila in Delhi is said to have been built by him and is considered to be “the most perfect of his buildings.” It is a good example of Indo-Islamic architecture. The best example of Sher Shah’s architecture i...

Architecture Under Sher Shah Sher Shah has left an indelible impress as a builder. The Purana Qila in Delhi is said to have been built by him and is considered to be “the most perfect of his buildings.” It is a good example of Indo-Islamic architecture. The best example of Sher Shah’s architecture is his own mausoleum(Tomb) at Sasaram in Bihar. Fall of the Sur Dynasty After the death of Sher Shah his son Islam Shah came to the throne in 1545. Though he did not inherit the qualities of his father, yet he kept his heritage intact for 8 years. After his death in October, 1553, the Sur dynasty began to disintegrate. The Afghan empire was partitioned and was ruled by three independent nobles namely Ibrahim Khan Sur in Delhi and Agra, Muhammad Adil Shah in the East and the Punjab under Sikander Shah. JAHANGIR (1605 -1627) Jahangir, also recognized as Nur-ud-Din Muhammad Salim, held the position of the fourth Mughal emperor from 1605 until his passing in 1627. Born on 31 August 1569 to Akbar and his primary empress, Mariam- uz-Zamani, he was their third and sole surviving son. His name was bestowed in honour of the Indian Sufi saint, Salim Chishti. As the eldest surviving son of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, he was trained for succession from a young age. He was tutored by the best teachers his father could find and was given expert training in civil and military administration. However, he grew impatient for power and revolted in 1599 when Akbar was engaged in Deccan, but they later reconciled and after the death of Akbar in 1605, Jahangir succeeded to the throne. His ascension was challenged by his eldest son Prince Khusrau who staged a revolt with the blessings of Sikh Guru Arjun Dev. Prince Khusrau was defeated, captured and blinded, while Guru Arjun Dev was executed. Initial Challenges Within five months after he ascended to the throne, Jahangir ’s son Khusraw revolted in alliance with Man Singh. The prince was defeated and imprisoned while many of his followers were put to death. The fifth Sikh Guru, Arjun Dev, who had supported the rebellion of the prince was imposed with a heavy fine. When he refused to pay the fine, he was arrested and later tortured to death. Conquests and Campaigns Jahangir continued with several of his father’s policies. Like Akbar, he too embarked on a series of military campaigns aimed at expanding the territories under Mughal rule. He also held the vast empire established by his father with great efficiency. In the East, the Afghan Chiefs, supported by Hindu Rajas of the region, raised a rebellion against the Mughal Emperor under the leadership of Usman Khan. In 1608, Jahangir sent Islam Khan, grandson of Shaikh Salim Chishti to lead the campaign against the Afghans. Islam Khan fixed his headquarters at Decca tried to capture Sonargaon, which was under the control of Musa Khan and his confederates who were called Barah- Bhuiyan. After three years of hard-fought campaign, Sonargaon was conquered. Soon, Usman Khan was defeated too, and the Afghan resistance ended. Jahangir next turned his attention towards Deccan where Malik Ambar had declared himself the ruler of Ahmednagar and started defying the authority of Mughals. Ambar was an Abyssinian military commander who served as Peshwa under Murtaza Nizam Shah II of Ahmednagar and was adept in guerrilla warfare in which he also used the local Maratha warriors to his advantage. Jahangir sent an expedition under Abdur Rahim, Khan-i-Khana, in 1616 who inflicted a crushing defeat on Ambar. To add to this, Jahangir sent a large army under Prince Khurram (later Shah Jahan) which made Ambar to submit to the Mughal Emperor. But this peace was short lived as Ambar resumed his resistance against Mughals and he was helped by other Deccan States like Bijapur. In 1622, when Mughal Empire was in turmoil following the rebellion of Prince Khurram against the crown, Ambar regained many of his old territories. Thus, Deccan continued to remain a troubled spot for the Mughals even after the death of Ambar in 1626 AD. One of the main achievements of Jahangir was the settlement of the long-standing dispute with Mewar. Rana Pratap had been succeeded by his son Amar Singh in 1597 AD, who was as resilient as his father in opposing  Mughals. After his accession, Jahangir launched several campaigns against Rana, but in vain. In 1613 AD, he himself reached Ajmer to direct the campaign and was successful in forcing Rana to sue for peace. Amar Singh’s son, Prince Karan Singh was graciously received by Jahangir and was accorded a Mansab of 5000. The other major challenge that Jahangir faced was from the Persians. Akbar had conquered Kandahar in 1595 AD, but in 1620, Shah Abbas, the Safavid ruler of Persia, tried to capture it. Jahangir decided to send Prince Khurram to defend Kandahar fort but he refused to march and raised the banner of rebellion. Khurram was suspicious that it was a ploy of Nur Jahan to keep him out of the line of succession, in favour of her son-in- law, Shahryar, who was also the younger son of Jahangir. This controversy enabled the Persians to conquer Kandahar, which was a serious blow to the Mughal Empire, as much of the trade between India and Central Asia passed through this region. Moreover, it was easy to defend the empire from attacks from Central Asia and West Asia from Kandahar region. Jahangir & Nur Jahan Mehrunisa or Nur Jahan was the daughter of Mirza Ghias Beg, also known as Itmad-ud-Daulah, a noble in the court of Akbar. She was married to Jahangir in 1611 and ever since, she held great influence over the state matters and administration. Her brother was appointed Khan-i-saman, a post reserved for nobles in whom the emperor had full faith. Along with her father, her brother and Prince Khurram, she formed a closed group or Junta which manipulated decisions of Jahangir in administrative matters. She was also politically ambitious and that led to Shah Jahan revolting against his father. After the death of Jahangir in 1627, she retired from court life and died in AD 1645. Religious policies of jahangir In the beginning of Jahangir ’s reign, there were expectations in orthodox circles that Akbar’s policy of Sulhi- Kul and religious eclecticism would be abandoned, and the supremacy of the sharia restored. However, Jahangir maintained the liberal character of the state instituted by Akbar. He did not seek to revive the Jizya or the pilgrim tax and the Hindus still occupied high office and enjoyed freedom to construct new temples. Consequently, in Mathura, Gokul and Brindavan many new temples were built during his reign. The Christians were also permitted to build and maintain places of worship for themselves. Relation with Europeans When Jahangir ascended to the throne, the Portuguese, the Dutch and the English traders had already arrived in India. Jahangir was initially liberal with the Portuguese traders and granted them trade concessions. But they soon incurred his wrath when they began to indulge in piracy and attacked Mughal ships. Jahangir refused them permission to have any trade relations with Mughals until the Portuguese made amendments. He had fight with the Portuguese when they seized a Mughal ship off the coast of Surat in 1613. He retaliated by seizing Daman and confiscating their churches. He gave the English considerable concessions to gain advantage and favour against the Portuguese. It was during Jahangir’s reign that two Englishmen, Sir John Hawkins and Thomas Roe arrived in India as ambassadors of King James I of England. The East India Company had already been formed in AD 1600. John Hawkins remained in India for three years (1608-1611) while Thomas Roe came to India in AD 1615 and succeeded in obtaining trade concessions for the British traders. The two ambassadors have left behind detailed account of Mughal administration. Achievements of Jahangir Jahangir, a builder as well, oversaw the construction of new cities, including Jahangir Nagar (later Dhaka), the capital of the Mughal province of Bengal. Emperor Jahangir introduced the Do-Aspa and Sih-Aspa system: This system allowed selected nobles to maintain more troops without increasing their Zat rank. The system was also known as the "du-Asaph" (two horses) or "sih-Aspah" (three horses) system. Jahangir wrote his autobiography Tujuk-i-Jahangiri in Persian language.  Mewar Campaign & Deccan Campaigns Jahangir successfully subdued the Rajput kingdom of Mewar, which had long resisted Mughal control. Led by his son Prince Khurram (later Shah Jahan), the campaign resulted in a peace treaty in 1614, solidifying Mughal authority in the region. Jahangir's forces recaptured the fort of Ahmednagar in the Deccan, which had declared independence under Malik Ambar. He successfully maintained the administrative structure set up by Akbar. In his reign of twenty-two years. One of the greatest virtues of Jahangir was his love for justice. He is most famous for installing the golden “chain of justice” outside the castle of Agra. Art & Architectural Achievements Under Jahangir Moti Masjid: This beautiful mosque was built by Jahangir in Lahore. Shalimar Gardens: These stunning gardens were constructed in Kashmir, showcasing the Mughal love for landscaped beauty. Growth of Mughal Paintings under Jahangir o Jahangir was also interested in the arts and Mughal painting continued to flourish during his reign. o He was influenced by European painting and instructed his painters to use a single-point perspective. o As a result, Mughal paintings under Jahangir tended to have finer brushwork and warmer colours. o Jahangir's painters also began to experiment with new techniques, such as the use of shading and shadow. Death of Jahangir o Jahangir, a persistent user of opium and wine, faced frequent illnesses in the 1620.Seeking health restoration, he travelled from Kabul to Kashmir but returned to Lahore due to a severe cold. During the journey back from Kashmir to Lahore, Jahangir passed away near Bhimber on October 29, 1627. o To preserve his body, entrails were buried in Bagasra Fort, and the body was transported to Lahore for burial in Shahdara Bagh. His tomb, commissioned by son Shah Jahan, is now a popular tourist site. o Jahangir's death triggered a succession dispute, with Nur Jahan favouring son-in-law Shahryar Mirza, while Asaf Khan corresponded with Prince Khurram. Meanwhile Abu'l Hassan installed Dawar Bakhsh as a puppet ruler, confining Nur Jahan, but upon Khurram's arrival, both Shahryar and Dawar were executed. Prince Khurram then assumed the regnal name Shah Jahan in February 1628. SHAHJAHAN (1627- 1658) The death of Jahangir was followed by a brief struggle for succession. In 1628, Khurram was able to remove all his rivals and ascended to the throne as Shah Jahan. He proved to be an able military commander, though he is best remembered for his architectural achievements and during his reign Mughal Architecture reached its zenith. Conquests and Campaigns In AD 1628, Jujhar Singh, a Bundela Chief, raised the rebellion in Bundelkhand, but was defeated and later killed. The next to rebel was Khan-i-Jahan Lodi, the Subedar of Deccan, who had revolted in alliance with the ruler of Ahmednagar. He too was defeated and killed. The three Deccan States – Ahmednagar, Bijapur and Golconda ▪ In 1629, he deputed large army against Ahmednagar, and personally marched to Deccan to coordinate the forces. The Bijapur ruler, Adil Shah, and Shahji Bhonsle, father of Shivaji, were asked to cooperate with Shah Jahan in the campaign. A large part of Ahmednagar was annexed by the Mughals and after the conquest, a puppet ruler was given the throne of Ahmednagar. After the battle, Mahabat Khan was made the viceroy of Deccan. ▪ In 1633, Adil Shah sent a large army to capture Daulatabad fort. Mahabat Khan had to face the combined forces of Bijapur and Ahmednagar, including Shahji who had defected to Bijapur. However, the Mughal forces once again proved superior and Nizam Shah was forced to surrender. He was sent to Gwalior fort, thus ending the Nizam Shahi dynasty. Even after this, Shahji and Adil Shah continued their campaigns against the Mughals. Shah Jahan realised that the main problem was the attitude of Bijapur. He deputed a large army to invade Bijapur and forced Adil Shah to enter into a treaty according to which Bijapur recognised Mughal suzerainty, and paid an indemnity of twenty lakh rupees. Shah Jahan also forced a treaty on Golconda according to which the Qutub Shahi ruler pledged his loyalty to the Mughal Emperor and agreed to include the name of Shah Jahan in khutba. These treaties, signed in 1636, were truly statesman like and after this, the Mughal suzerainty was recognised throughout the length and breadth of the country. RELIGIOUS POLICIES OF SHAHJAHAN During the early years of his reign: Shah Jahan himself was a devout Sunni Muslim, he exhibited orthodoxy also. He stopped the practice of Hindus keeping Muslim slaves, imposed pilgrimage tax on the Hindus, though he removed it shortly afterwards, and stopped the celebration of Hindu festivals at the court. 76 temples begun at Banaras were destroyed. Temples and churches were also destroyed during wars. Shah Jahan encouraged conversion to Islam throughout his reign. Later period of his rule: Shah Jahan’s zeal to support Islam slowly slackened and his regulations were not enforced during the later period of his rule. This was probably due to the influence of the liberal views of his favourite son Dara Shikoh and his daughter Jahanara. The necessity of getting the loyalty of Hindu nobles too might have been another reason. Shah Jahan even showed a reverence for Hindu scholars. Kavindra Saraswati, Sundar Das and Chintamani received patronage at his court. A few Sanskrit texts were translated into Persian under the patronage of Prince Dara Shikoh. The Hindus were given state services on merit. Raja Jaswant Singh and Rai Singh were well rewarded by him. RELATION WITH EUROPEAN TRADERS The Portuguese had been allowed to establish a factory in Hugli in Bengal, during the reign of Akbar. In defiance of the imperial orders, the Portuguese began to fortify the area in 1641 AD. They not only exacted heavy duty from Indian traders, but also began the cruel practice of slave trade. The proselytization of Indians into Christianity added to the resentment.  All this led to Shah Jahan attacking the Portuguese and Hugli was seized from them. The Dutch East India Company, which was established in 1602 had opened its trading centres at Surat, Ahmedabad, Cochin, Patna and Agra. The English had also built their trading centre at Fort Saint George and were also allowed to trade at Hugli during the reign of Shah Jahan. Achievements of ShahJahan ▪ Shah Jahan launched a prolonged campaign in the northwest frontier to recover Kandahar and other ancestral lands. ▪ His Deccan policy was more successful. He defeated the forces of Ahmadnagar and annexed it. Both Bijapur and Golkonda signed a treaty with the emperor. ▪ The Upanishads were translated into the persian language during the reign of Shah Jahan by his son Dara Shikoh, as Sirr-i-Akbar. ▪ Shah Jahan shifted the capital from Agra to Delhi in 1648. And Shah Jahan abolished the Persian court custom of Sijda which was started by Balban. ▪ Shah Jahan left behind a great legacy of structures constructed during his reign. Buildings constructed by Shah Jahan include Diwan-i-Aam, Diwan-i-Khas, Shish Mahal, Moti Mosque, Khas Mahal, Musamman Burj, Nagina Mosque, Jama Mosque, Taj Mahal and Red Fort. ▪ Europeans like Bernier (French physician and traveller), Tavernier (French gem merchant and traveller), Mandelslo (German adventurer and traveller), Peter Mundy (English Trader) and Manucci (Italian)visited India during the reign of Shah Jahan and left behind detailed accounts of India. Art & Architecture during ShahJahan Mughal architecture reached its Apex during the reign of Shah Jahan. o The Taj Mahal is a marble structure on an elevated platform, the bulbous dome in the centre rising on a recessed gateway with four cupolas around the dome and with four free-standing minarets at each of its corners is a monument of universal fame. o The Red Fort in Delhi, encompassed by magnificent buildings like Diwan-i Aam, Diwan-i-Khas, Moti Mahal and Hira Mahal, reflect the architectural skills of the times of Shah Jahan. o The Moti Masjid inside the Agra Fort is made exclusively of marble; the Jama Masjid in Delhi, with its lofty gateway, series of domes and tall and slender minarets, are the two significant mosques built by Shah Jahan. o Shahjahanabad city was constructed by Shahjahan, now called as old delhi. WAR OF SUCESSION AND DEATH OF SHAHJAHAN Shah Jahan had four sons-Dara, Shuja, Aurangzeb and Murad. He was in favour of his eldest son Dara becoming the emperor after his death. When Shah Jahan fell ill in AD 1657, a fierce conflict broke out among his sons for the throne. Shuja, who was in Bengal, crowned himself as the king and marched towards Agra. However, Dara’s son Sulaiman along with Raja Jai Singh defeated Shuja near Banaras in February, 1658. Aurangzeb was not only an able military commander, but also a shrewd diplomat. He realised that it would not be easy to defeat Dara. So, he won over Murad, who was in Gujarat, with a promise to share the Empire with him. The combined army marched towards Agra and defeated a large army commanded by Raja Jaswant Singh of Marwar at Battle of Dharmat (April, 1658). In the decisive Battle of Samugarh (May, 1658), Aurangzeb proved to be a superior military general. Dara’s forces were routed and Aurangzeb made Shah Jahan a virtual prisoner. Aurangzeb treacherously imprisoned Murad and sent him to Gwalior jail. Shah Jahan lived for eight more years confined in his fort. Dara and Murad were executed while Shuja was killed a few years later.