NIS - Conquests under Jehangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb

2020-05-02 17:04:58

Jahangir (1605-1627)

Aka Prince Salim. His early reign was marked by the rebellion of Prince Khusrau who was supported by his Uncle Man Singh and Mirza Aziz Koka. He was imprisoned but escaped and rebelled again only to be blinded and later killed by Prince Khurram in 1621.
Khusrau during his rebellion had taken the blessings of Guru Arjan Dev, miffed by this Jahangir fined him Rs 2 lakh which the Guru did not pay. He was taken captive and executed. This led to the beginning of Mughal-Sikh hostilities.
Mewar was the 1st campaign under his reign which was an independent kingdom reigned by Amar Singh son of Maharana Pratap. The Raja frustrated his attempts first under Prince Parwez in 1605 then Mahabat Khan in 1608 and Abdullah khan in 1609. Mirza Aziz Koka invested the fort of Chittor in 1613 but peace was finally bought in 1615 under Prince Khurram’s investiture and the advice of the Rana’s nobles.
- Rana accept the suzerainty
- He sent his on Prince Karan to Mughal service at court
- He was restored to territory of Mewar
- There was not matrimonial relation established b/w Rana and the Mughals It ended the long drawn hostility b/w them.
In the Deccan Ahmadnagar, Golconda and Bijapur were unconquered. Jahangir invested against Ahmadnagar and Malik Ambar, an Abyssinian ruler sending Prince Daniyal, Khan I Khana, Man Singh and others. He checked the Mughal forces advance through guerrilla tactics and frequently changing positions. It ended in 1621 after Mahabat Khan and Daniyal rebelled against Jahangir.
Kangra in north east Punjab was conquered in 1620 under Khurran and Raja Vikramjit. Various other areas conquered were Kharda in Orissa, Khokhar in Bihar, Kistwar is Kashmir, Kamrup kingdom in North West. Thus the boundaries of the empire was extended significantly.
However, Jehangir Also lost Kandahar to Shah Abbas of Persia after the revolt of Prince Daniyal in 1622.
VA Smith has called Jehangir ” A strange compound of tenderness and cruelty, justice and caprice, refinement and brutality, good sense and childish.”
Ishwari Prasad has called him “one of the most interesting figures in Mughal history”
Beni Prasad has called his reign “fruitful of peace and prosperity to the empire”
Certain defects in his personality were that he was easily influenced by other. He was ease loving and somewhat complacent ex the loss of Kandahar.