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Conquests and Consolidation of the Empire

Conquests and Consolidation of the Empire

Section titled “Conquests and Consolidation of the Empire”

2020-04-26 19 :31: 13

  • Policy of consolidation could be divided into various phases
  • 1556-1605 initially under Bariam Khan; policy of conciliation through marriages and diplomacy

Conflict with the Afghans, Rise of Hemu

Section titled “Conflict with the Afghans, Rise of Hemu”
  • Sikandar Sur at Sirhind and Punjab, Adali at Bihar and Jaunpur, Muhammad Khan Sur in Bengal.
  • Hemu was a trader and Suhna of market at Dlehi under Islam Shah. He rose to the position of wazir.
  • He was not representative of a Hindu resurgence neigther did his assumption of title ‘Vikramjit’ mean that he wanted to be a sovereigns.
  • His rise showed the dev of an open society under Afghans.

Abul Fazl praises his spirit, courage and enterprise who wanted him to be kept as a prisoner and to join royal service.

  • Shortly after this the Afghan Sur’s reconquered Agra and Delhi, Kabul was also threatened by an invasion from Mirza Suleiman of Badakshan
  • Mughals under Bairam Khan decided to march against Sikandar Shah Suri of Punjab, he avoided battle. After defeating him Mughals captured Lahore and Multan, followed by Ajmer and Rajputana.
  • Afghans after the death of Bairam Khan Afghans made 2 more attempts untils 1564.

Jalauddin Muhammad Akbar 1556-1605

Section titled “Jalauddin Muhammad Akbar 1556-1605”
  • Born in 1542 in Amarkot spent his infancy under captivity of Kamran when Humayun fled to Iran who treated him well.
  • Love for hunting, riding, animal sports, pigeon flying made him neglect study. He never learnt to write.
  • After H death at Delhi after falling from a library. Bairam Khan was appointed incharge of all political and financial matters.

Regency of Bairam Khan

Section titled “Regency of Bairam Khan”
  • Very few nobles objected to his appointment due to approaching Afghan threat. Used his powers to remove his potential rivals such as Tardi Beg.
  • Had many achievements to his credit. Threat to Kabul from Mirza Suleman of Badakshan was averted.
  • Gwalior for was captured. Efforts were made to capture Malwa, Ranthambore.
  • Akbars foster mothers Maham Anga, Atka Khail were jealous of Bairam and her mother Hamid Bano Begum. Who tried to poison his brains.
  • Bairam was not a sovereign so he could not raise a new nobility dependent on him but push forward low ranking officials loyal to him -> alienated large section of nobles.
  • Akbar did not have a privy purse and his servants had poor jagirs.
  • During this time the assessed rev on paper was more than realised rev -> meant that there was increased favoritism and corruption.

Revolt of the Uzbeks, Struggle for Wikalat

Section titled “Revolt of the Uzbeks, Struggle for Wikalat”
  • After Bairam Khan it was given to Munim Khan whom Akbar called as Khan Baba or My Baba/ Baba am.
  • He worked closely w/ Maham Anga at this pt in 1561 her influence was highest.
  • He was replaced by Atka Khan in 1561 but Atka was murdered by Adham Khan in June 1562 and Munim once again became Wakil.
  • Uzbeks first under Abdullah Khand Uzbek Governor of Malwa and later under Ali Quli Zaman started behaving independently.
  • 1565 Ak came to Jaunpur that is when they rose in rebellion. Bengal ruler supported them. Uzbeks bases were East UP, Bihar, Malwa.
  • Akbar took diplomatic and military measures to quell it. Advising Nobles to build their houses in Jaunpur.
  • Munim Khan insisted on pardoning them and their Jagirs were restores in 1566.
  • During this time Mirza Suleiman of Badakshan ousted Mirza Hakim brother of Akbar from Kabul.
  • M Hakin then attacked Lahore but retreated when Akbar reached there.
  • When Ak was at Lahore Uzbeks rebelled again for the 3rd time proclaiming M Hakim as their leader.
  • Uzbek leaders Khan i Zaman was killed, Bahadur Khan captured and executed. Revellion was quelled by 1567.

Early Expansion from 1560-76

Section titled “Early Expansion from 1560-76”
  • During this time ==Malwa, Gondwana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bihar and Bengal== was captured.

Malwa

Section titled “Malwa”
  • Baz Bahadur was ruler. He was defeated by Rani Durgavati (1524-1564) of Gondwana.
  • Akbar resumed his military operation against Malwa in 1560 after Bairam Khan’s death.
  • Afghan ruler Baz Bahadur was defeated at Battle of Sarangpur and fled to Khandesh.
  • Adham Khan his foster brother carried wholesale murder and slaughter of its residents. He was replaced by Pir Md Khan.
  • Rani Rupmati died and many other women were taken to Mughal harem by Adham Khan.
  • Pir Muhammad invaded Burhanpur in Khandesh where BB had taken refuge and repeated the cruelties of Malwa.

Garh Katanga/ Gondwana

Section titled “Garh Katanga/ Gondwana”
  • Rani Durgavati was the ruler. Who was famed for killing tigers and had been ruling for at least 16 years.
  • Gondwana consisted of modern districts near Jabalpur and about 70,000 villages.
  • In 1564 Asaf Khan led an expedition against it.
  • She was defeated at Damoh later committed suicide. Raj Narayan was defeated and killed at capital Chauragarh.

Rajasthan

Section titled “Rajasthan”

Why? To secure its flanks and routes to Gujarat sea ports.

  • Mughals already controlled Mewat, Ajmer and Nagor.
  • They captured Mewar after siege of Chittorgarh fort defeating Udai Singh. After 4 months of siege and digging of mines.
  • Akbar ordered a general massacre of Rajputs and peasants inside the fort. Last time he did so. This was in March 1568.
  • It was followed by capture of Ranthambore and Kalinjar, Bundelkhand.
  • His son Pratap Singh/Maharana Pratap was defeated in Haldighati in 1576. Akbar celebrated this by founding the city of Fatehpur Sikri

Gujarat

Section titled “Gujarat”

Why? Growing power of Mirzas and Portuguese; due to its strategic location and presence of ports; west Gujarat was fabled for its fertile land.

  • Ak was invited by Itimad Khan Habshi ruler of Ahmedabad to put down anarchy.
  • Ak captured Ahmedabad in 1572 by driving out the Mirzas and its ruler Muzaffar Shah III from south Gujarat.
  • Akbar appointed Aziz Koka as governor. After Ak left various elements joined hand to expel the Mughals but Koka entrenched himself at Ahmadabad.
  • To commemorate this he built the Buland Darwaza at Fatehpur Sikri.
  • He was to later return here in 1573 to put down the Mirzas once again.

Bengal

Section titled “Bengal”
  • The only remaining Afghan stronghold was Bengal under Daud Khan that comprised south Bihar upto Rohtas.
  • Munim Khan then governor of Jaunpur was asked to capture Bengal but failed.
  • Ak considered this to be a combined operation.
  • Daud Khan was pushed out and Munim K became governor. After MK’s death Daud Khan again tried captured Bengal.
  • Was later defeated by Hussain Quli Khan-i-Jahan in 1576.

Last Phase of Akbar’s Reign 1580-1605

Section titled “Last Phase of Akbar’s Reign 1580-1605”
  • Akbar captured Kabul in 1581. His northern campaign started from 1585 onwards.
  • He shifted his capital form Lahore to counter the Uzbek threat from Abdullah Khan Shaybanid as well as the tribal Afghans(Yusufzai’s). Akbar made a pact to neutrality with the Uzbeks on their Safavid invasion
  • Tribal excursion of Akbar in Afg was a disaster Birbal lost his life in 1586. The area was pacified under Todar mal over the next 6 years.
  • Kashmir was subdued in 1589. Lower Sindh and Baluchistan capitulated by 1593
  • Shah Tahmasp I had captured Kandahar in 1558 from the Mughals. It was taken back when the Persian governor Mozaffar Husayn and rebel Persian prince Rostom Mirza defected to the Mughals
  • In 1593 Akbar started the military operation against Deccan sultans. He besieged Ahmednagar fort in 1595 forcing Chand Bibi to cede Berar

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Akbar as a Ruler

Section titled “Akbar as a Ruler”
  • A used to appear 3 times a day. 1st in the morning was called Jharokha darshan to estd personal bond b/w ruler and its subject.
    • people presented their cases and a decision on spot was taken
    • was sometimes used to witness animal fights and later due to reveration of the emperor people did not eat or drink until the darshan of the King.
    • then he retired to the diwan-i-khas-am where petitions were presented person to person.
  • 2nd Appearance was in the afternoon where he reviewed condition of horses and saw the working of the Karkhanas. Anotnion Monserrate has written about it.
  • Confidential business was done at Ghusal Khana/ Bath room. This was renamed as Daulat Khana-i-Khas by Shah Jahan.
  • Diwan-i-Khas was to bring together learned, wise men and truthseekers. Discussion of various topics were held.
  • Akbar went ingnotio sometimes to observe his subjects.
  • His most significant achievement was establishing routine that was strictly followed by his successors and bringing monarchy closer to people.

PYQs

Section titled “PYQs”

Conquests and consolidation of the Empire

  1. Write a short essay on: “Hemu vikramaditya” [2001, 20m]
  1. Analyze how the political processes of state formation of Mewar, from 10th-15th century CE was challenged in the 16th century CE by the imperialist policy of Akbar. [2013, 15]