Get Complete Information on Deccan Policy of Aurangzeb

Aurangzeb spent the last 25 years of his life (1682-1707) in the Deccan. According to J.N. Sarkar, “Looking collectively at the Mughal gains in the Deccan during the first twenty years of Aurangzeb’s Reign, we find that he had in 1657 annexed Kalyani and Bidar in the North­eastern corner of the kingdom of Bijapur, the Fort and District of Parenda in the extreme north and had been gained by bribery in 1660; Sholapur had been acquired by treaty in July 1638; and now Nuldurg and Kulburga were annexed.

Thus the vast tract of land enclosed by the Bhima and Manjra Eastwards, up to an imaginary line joining Kulburga to Bidar Passed into Mughal hands and the imperial boundary on the south reached the north Bank, of the Bhima opposite Halsangi, within striking distance of Bijapur city-while South-Eastwards it touched Malkhed, the fortress on the Western border of the Kingdom of Golconda.” During all this long period, he had practically no rest. The object of his Deccan wars was to conquer the States of Bijapur and Golconda and crush the power of the Marathas.

Unfortunately, the Rulers of Bijapur and Golconda were Shias and Aurangzeb as a Sunni was the deadly enemy of the Shias. Aurangzeb also felt that the existence of these states enabled the Marathas to enrich themselves. The Marathas got not only military and administrative experience but also received a lot of money. Aurangzeb must have argued that if those states were annexed to the Mughal Empire, the Marathas would not dare to attack them. No wonder, Aurangzeb proceeded in person to put an end of these states.

Conquest of Bijapur (1686)

Sikander Adil Shah was the Ruler of Bijapur. His weakness lay in his youth. In 1682, an expedition was sent against him under Prince Azam, but the same failed and Prince was called back. For two years, Aurangzeb was busy against the Marathas and Prince Akbar.

This interval was utilised by the Ruler of Bijapur in re-organising his army with the help of Sharza Khan, his minister. Aurangzeb demanded the dismissal of Sharza Khan. As his order was not complied with, he proceeded against the King in person and besieged Bijapur in April 1685.

A breach was made in the fortifications of the city. It is true that the garrison fought very bravely and the Marathas also tried to help the people of Bijapur, but the siege could not last long. The city of Bijapur fell in September 1686. Sikandar Adil Shah was captured and made a prisoner. His Kingdom was annexed in 1686 and he himself was taken into the Mughal Service. He was made a Mansabdar and allowed a pension of Rs. one lakh. Later on, he was imprisoned in the Fort of Daulatabad where he died in 1700.

Conquest of Golconda (1687)

Abdul Hasan was the Ruler of Golconda and he was not in the good books of Aurangzeb. The cause of Aurangzeb’s displeasure was not only the Shia Religion of the Ruler but also the employment of Hindus in his Kingdom. During the Mughal invasions of Bijapur under Jai Singh in 1665-66, under Dilir Khan in 1679 and under Prince Muhammad Azam in 1685, the Sultan of Golconda had openly sent his troops to assist his brother in distress. The first two wrongs were condoned by the payment of tribute but the last one brought ruin on him.

Moreover, the Sultan of Golconda had helped Shivaji with the sinews of war after his flight from Agra in 1666 and thus enabled him to recover his forts from the Mughals. He also welcomed Shivaji on his visit to Hyderabad in 1677 and behaved like a humble vassal of the Maratha king, placing a necklace of gems round his horse’s neck and promising him an annual subsidy of one lac of Huns for the defense of his territory.

He made Madanna and Akkanna, two Brahmins, his Chief Ministers. Aurangzeb himself explained the causes of the war in these words: “The evil deeds of this wicked man passed beyond the bounds of writing, but by mentioning one out of a hundred, and a little out of much, some-conception of them may be formed.

First, placing the reins of authority and government in the hands of vile tyrannical infidels; oppressing and afflicting the Saiyids, Shaikhs and other holy men; openly giving himself up to excessive debauchery and depravity; indulging in drunkenness and wickedness night and day; making no distinction between infidelity and Islam, tyranny and justice, depravity and devotion; waging obstinate war in defence of infidels; want of obedience to the Divine Commands and prohibitions, especially to that command which forbids assistance to a country, the disregarding of which it cast a censure upon the Holy Book in the sight both of God and man.

Letters full of friendly advice and warning upon these points had been repeatedly written, and had been sent by the hands of discrete men. No attention has been paid to them; morever, it had lately become known that a Lac of Pagodas had been sent to the wicked Sambha. That in this insolence and intoxication and worthlessness, no regard had been paid to the infamy of his deeds, and no hope of deliverance in this world or in the next.”

The war between Golconda and the Mughals dragged on for some time. Ultimately, Aurangzeb arrived at Golconda in January 1687 and pressed the siege. Both mining and assaults failed. Then Aurangzeb had recourse to bribery and grained admittance through the treachery of one of the officers of the garrison who opened a gate. Abul Hasan was captured and made a prisoner. His Kingdom was annexed in September, 1687.

The fall of Golconda has been described thus: “Before break of day, the Imperial Forces attacked the city and frightful scene of plunder and destruction followed; for in every part and road and market there were lakhs upon lakhs of money, stuffs, carpets, horses, elephants, belonging to Abul Hasan and his Nobles. Words cannot express (writes Khafi Khan) how many women and children of Mussalmans and Hindus were made prisoners, and how many women of high and low degree were dishonoured, carpets of great value which were too heavy to carry were cut to pieces with swords and daggers and every bit was struggled for.”

Reference may also be made to the bravery of Abdur Razzak, one of the ablest officers of Abul Hasan, who remained faithful to his master to the last. He rejected the tempting offers of Aurangzeb and fought bravely in the hands to hand fight at the gateway till he fell with 70 wounds on his body. Aurangzeb was so much impressed by his bravery and fidelity that he appointed one of his surgeons to cure him.

Khafi Khan has given the following account of this brave man; “Abdur Razzak Lari heard this and, springing on horse without any saddle, with a sword in one hand and a shield in the other, and accompanied by 10 or 12 followers, he rushed to the open gate through which the Imperial Forces were pouring in. Although his followers were dispersed, he alone like a drop of water falling into sea, or an atom of dust struggling in the rays of the sun, threw himself upon the advancing foe, and fought with inconceivable fury and desperation shouting that he would fight to the death for Abul Hasan.

Every step he advanced, thousands of swords were aimed at him, and he received so many wounds from swords and spears that he was covered with wounds from the crown of his head to the nails of his feet. But his time was not yet come, and he fought his way to the gate of the citadel without being brought down. He received twelve wounds upon his face alone, and the skin of his forehead hung down over his eyes and nose. One eye was severely wounded and the cuts upon his body seemed as numerous as the stars.

His horse also was covered with wounds and reeled under his weight, so he gave the reins to the beast, and by great exertion kept his seat. The horse carried him to a garden called Nagina, near the citadel, to the foot of an old coconut tree where by the help of the tree, he threw himself off. On the morning of the second day, a party of men belonging to Husaini Beg passed and recongnising him by his horse and other signs, they took compassion upon him and carried him upon a bedstead to a house. When his own men heard of this they came and dressed his wounds.”

According to Lane-Poole “With the conquest of Golconda and Bijapur, Aurangzeb considered himself master of the Deccan. Yet the direct result of his destruction of the only powers that made for order and some sort of settled government in the peninsula was to strengthen the hands of the Marathas. The check exercised upon these free-lances by the two kingdoms may have been weak and hesitating, but it had its effect in somewhat restraining their audacity. Now this check was abolished; the social organization which hung upon the two governments was broken up; and anarchy reigned in its stead.

The majority of the vanquished armies naturally joined the Marathas and adopted the calling of the road. The local officials set themselves up as petty sovereigns, and gave their support to the Marathas as the party most likely to promote a golden age of plunder.

Thus the bulk of the population of the two dissolved states went to swell the power of Sambhaji and his highlanders, and the disastrous results of this revolution in Deccan politics were felt for more than a century. The anarchy which desolated the Deccan was the direct forerunner of the havoc wrought by the Maratha in Delhi in the time of Shah-Alam and Welleseley.'”