Nuruddin Muhammad Jahangir was born in 1569 in Agra. His real name was Salim because he was born with the blessings of Sheikh Salim Chisti. Salim’s mother Mariam-uj-Zamani was a princess. appointed Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khana as his tutor and he was married to the powerful Rajput houses. In 1585, he was married to Rani Man Bai. Prince Khausrau was born out of this wedlock in 1587. In 1587, Jahangir was married to Rani Jodha Bai, the daughter of Jagat Gosain of Marwar. She gave birth to Prince Khurram (). Salim revolted thrice against the authority of his father because his close friends told him that Akbar was enjoying good health in his old age and he would not become king for a long time to come. Revolts of Salim: In 1599, he revolted against his father for the first time at the time of Mewar campaign. Mewar at that time was ruled by Rana Amar Singh. Salim refused to fight the and went to . He later sought pardon. He was ordered to go to . On his way to Bengal, he revolted again and left for Allahabad. Salim conspired the assassination of Abul Fazal through Bir Singh Bundela. Akbar was determined to provide him exemplary punishment but Mariyam pleaded for mercy. Salim revolted again in 1599 and declared himself the Mughal Emperor in Allahabad. Raja Man Singh and Aziz Koka began to pressurize Akbar to declare Prince Khausrau as his successor. Daniyal and Murad were on death bed. But paternalistic feelings overcame Akbar and he pardoned Salim again. Accession: Prince Salim succeeded his father on 16 October 1605. He issued 12 edicts (Farmans): 1. He abolished Tamgha (toll tax) and Mir Velhi (tax imposed by the governors on people for their expenses). 2. He ordered the digging of wells, construction of sarais and mosques. 3. The property of the deceased should be inherited by his family members and the unclaimed property should go to the government, income out of which should be spent on public welfare. 4. He banned the public sale of intoxicants. 5. He banned inhuman punishments (amputation of human body parts). 6. He prohibited his Mansabdars not to occupy the lands of the peasants. 7. The public hospitals should be constructed and doctors (hakims) should be appointed to look after the sick. 8. Animal slaughter for human consumption was banned on Thursday and Sunday. 9. He reinstated all the Mansabdars to their previous positions. 10. The Aima and Madad-i-Maash grants issued to religious institution were allowed to remain with them. 11. All the convicts, serving long terms of imprisonments were released from jail. 12. He prohibited Mansabdars to marry in their territorial jurisdiction. Jahangir was known for his proverbial justice. He erected a golden bell which was 35 meters in length at the entrance of his royal court at Agra. Anyone could seek justice by striking the bell anytime. Revolt of Prince Khausrau: Prince Khausrau, the eldest son of Jahangir revolted in April 1606. He was assisted by Hussain Beg (Faujdar of Mathura) and Amar Simha (the Jain saint). He was also blessed by Guru Arjan Dev. Khausrau was defeated, blinded and imprisoned. Pedro Dalla Valla (Italian Traveler) has written in Travels in : “He was not blinded, only his eyelids were sewen.” Hussain Beg and Amar Simha were executed. Guru Arjan Dev was asked to explain his actions. He replied that he just blessed the grandson of his friend, Akbar. Guru Arjan Dev was executed in on 30th May 1606. Gurudwara Shahid Ganj was erected on the spot of his execution. Jahangir slaughtered bullocks in Jawalamukhi temple and destroyed several temples in Pushkar too. Rajput Policy of Jahangir: Jahangir entered into matrimonial alliance with Rajputs. He continued to appoint Rajputs to high posts and for the first time appoint appointed Marathas Mansabdars. Jahangir continued to celebrate Hindu festivals in the Mughal court. Akbar started the celebration of Rakshabandhan in royal court. Jahangir was imperialist par excellent and was determined to annex Mewar. Akbar failed to annex Mewar because of Salim’s revolt. In 1605, the first expedition was sent under the command of Prince Parvez. The second and the third expeditions were sent in 1608 and 1609 under Abdullah Khan and Mahabat Khan. The fourth and fifth expeditions were sent in 1611 and 1613 under Prince Khurram. Jahangir went to to supervise the expedition. Prince Khurram cut off all the lines of supply and communication. Rana Amar Singh was forced to sign the treaty of Mewar in 1615. The terms of the treaty are as follows: 1. Rana was restored all of his lost possessions. 2. He was exempted from matrimonial alliance with the Mughals. 3. Rana Amar Singh’s personal presence was waived off and he could rather send his son Karan Singh to the court. 4. Karan Singh was given a mansab of 5000 zat and sawar. 5. Rana Amar Singh was forbidden to repair in Mewar. To appease the Rajputs, Jahangir built two statues of Rana Amar Singh and Rana Karan Singh in the middle of the royal palace, Agra. Rana Karan Singh started the fortification of Mewar in 1654. It was because of the violation of the treaty of Mewar that Shah Jahan annexed Mewar. Jahangir intervened in the internal affairs of Rajputs twice: 1. During the succession dispute of Bikaner in 1624. 2. After the death of Rana Amar Singh in 1620, civil war broke out in Mewar. Jahangir supported the cause of Rana Karan Singh. Jahangir’s North West Frontier Policy: In 1595, Akbar annexed soon after the death of Mirza Muhammad Hakim. Jahangir and Shah Abbas I had cordial relations at that time. In 1606, Shah Abbas I invaded Kandhar and annexed it in the backdrop of Prince Khausrau’s rebellion. But the Mughal governor of Kandhar, Shahbegh Khan resisted the Persian army strongly. Shah Abbas I resisted diplomatically and sent four embassies in 1611, 1615, 1616 and 1620 to profess his friendship and good intentions. In 1622, civil war between the member of junta (Asaf Khan, Nur Jahan, Itimad-ud-Daula and Prince Khurram) started. Shah Abbas I took advantage of the situation and invaded Kandhar. Kandhar was annexed to Persian Empire in 1622. Jahangir’s North West frontier policy was a failure. Jahangir Painting: Jahangir was a gifted painter. The Mughal School of Portrait and European Paintings matured during the reign of Jahangir. The Mughal paintings made during his period were predominantly naturalistic in nature and were influenced by the European, the Persian and the Hindu style.

Jahangir’s Deccan Policy: Jahangir’s Deccan policy was also guided by imperialistic designs rather than religious outlook. Akbar had failed to annex Ahmednagar due to Salim’s revolt. Ahmednagar at the time of Jahangir was ruled by the brilliant Abyssinian administrator Malik Ambar. Malik Ambar initiated Guerilla warfare in Deccan and implemented Zabti system of Todal Mal in his region. The Mughal historian, Mutmad Khan has written: “In sound intellect, common judgment and the art of warfare; no one could match him.” In 1606, Jahangir sent first expedition against Ahmednagar in 1606. It ended in failure. The second and the third expeditions were sent in 1609 and 1611 under the command of Daulat Khan Lodhi. Two more expeditions were sent in 1613 and 1617 under the command of Prince Khurram. Jahangir went to Mandu to supervise the expeditions. Malik Ambar was forced to sign the treaty of Ahmednagar in 1617. The terms of the treaty are as follows: 1. Malik Ambar was forced to surrender the forts of Ahmednagar and Balghat. 2. A war indemnity of Rupees 10,00,000 was forced upon him. Jahangir was pleased and conferred the title Shah Jahan to mark his victory and a mansab of 30,000 zat and 17,000 sawar was conferred upon him. Malik Ambar took advantage of the rebellion of Shah Jahan and re-annexed all the lost territories. Thus, Jahangir’s Deccan policy was also a failure. Jahangir Nama: Jahangir Nama, also known as Tuzk-i- Jahangiri is the autobiographical work of Nuruddin Jahangir. Composed in Persian, it contains details like Jahangir accomplishments, his views on politics, art and culture and his immediate family. The text covers first the period from 1605 to 1619. The work was later given to Mutmad Khan and Muhammad Hadi who took its content to 1627. The first known printed version of the text was published by Ahmed Khan in 1863 and 1864. Jahangir Coins: Jahangir’s coinage represents the zenith of the Mughal numismatic art in design, execution and calligraphy. Jahangir and Nur Jahan issued more than 50 types of gold and silver coinage featuring different poetic legends. His earliest coins contain the portrait of his father. Jahangir gold coins are also available in abundance. In 1618, coins bearing the zodiac signs were also issued. But these coins are not easily available now as Shah Jahan melted them. Nur Jahan issued coins with her name on the reverse and Jahangir’s name on the obverse. The autobiography covers Dr. A.N. Srivastava has written: “Nothing could conceal the fact that despite spending millions of Rupees and thousands of lives, the Mughal territories could not be extended by an inch in the Deccan. In 1627, Jahangir fell ill on his way to Lahore from Kashmir and died in the city of Lahore. He was buried in Shahdara on the bank of river Ravi. On receiving the news of his death, Asaf Khan asked his son-in-law (Shah Jahan) to reach Agra. Meanwhile, Asaf Khan decided to act diplomatically and appointed Dwarbaksh (son of prince Khausrau) as the next Mughal Emperor. Nur Jahan, on the other hand, declared Shahryar the legitimate successor to Jahangir. Nur Jahan and Shahryar were defeated. Shahryar was executed and Nur Jahan was allowed to live a retired life outside Lahore. She died in 1645. Elphinston has written: “Jahangir had an element of insanity.” V.A. Smith has written: “He was a compound of contradictions, a compound of refinement and brutality and a strange mixture of humanism and cruelty.”

Rebellion: When the Persians invaded Kandhar, Prince Khurram was given the command to repel the invasion but Khurram Procrastinated. Shahryar was then given the command of the army. Finding no way out, Khurram revolted and fled towards Deccan. He was defeated by Mahabat Khan. Khurram ultimately surrendered and was pardoned by Jahangir after three years of revolt (1622- 1624). Shah Jahan’s defeat raised the stature of Mahabat Khan in the eyes of the Emperor Jahangir. Nur Jahan, determined to crush any challenge, prompted Jahangir to transfer Mahabat Khan to Bengal. Another royal edict ordered Mahabat Khan to furnish an account of the sum forfeited to the government from the dismissal of disloyal Jagirdars and Zamindars. Mahabat Khan realized that ruin stare him in the face. In 1625, he took control of the Emperor and his camp but his rebellion failed and Mahabat Khan was forced to flee. Jahangir Accomplishments: Jahangir was widely considered to be an incapable ruler. Bevereridge has compared Jahangir to Claudius. Nicolo Manucci, the contemporary of Dara Shikoh, has written about the legacy of Jahangir and his father Akbar: “It is a truth tested by destiny that unworthy successors dissipates what their father had gained in the sweat of their brow.”