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BA History Honors Course: B.A. History Honors Semester: B.A. 4th semester Code: 410 Topic: Jehangir and political culture Prepared by: Dr Sangeeta Saxena Department: History, Patna Women's College,Patna. E. Mai: [email protected] Content: 1. Difficulties of Jahangir, 2. His achievements as a ruler 3. Place in history. The reign of Jahangir (1605-1627 A.D.) in India. The Revolt of Khusrav (1606 A.D.): Prince Khusrav was the eldest son of Jahangir. He was also the nephew of Raja Man Singh and the son-in-law of Mirza Aziz Koka, the two notable courtiers of Akbar. When Akbar died, both these nobles attempted to place Khusrav on the throne in place of Jahangir but as other nobles did not agree with them, they left their attempt. They accepted Jahangir as the emperor and were pardoned. Jahangir, however, kept Khusrav a semi-captive and removed Raja Man Singh from the governorship of Bengal after some time. Khusrav was only 17 years of age. He could not forget the dream of becoming the emperor. He fled away from the fort of Agra on 6 April 1606 A.D. He proceeded to Lahore via Delhi. The strength of his followers increased to 12,000. He received the blessings of the Sikh Guru Arjun Singh. But the governor of the fort of Lahore refused to entertain him. Jahangir had come to know about the flight of Khusrav only after some hours of the incident. He despatched an army immediately to follow the prince and started towards Lahore himself. Khusrav turned back and fought a battle against the Imperial army at the plain of Bharowal. He was defeated and forced to fly for safety. But he was captured while attempting to cross the river Chenab. The prince was simply imprisoned at this time while his followers were punished. In 1607 A.D., while Jahangir was coming back from Kabul to Lahore, a conspiracy was hatched to murder him. Khusrav and some other nobles were a party to it. Prince Khurram came to know about it and informed Jahangir accordingly. Jahangir made a thorough probe of it and when he came to know of all the conspirators, he punished them. Prince Khusrav was blinded this time, though, afterwards, Jahangir arranged for his treatment and partially succeeded in recovering the sight of one eye of the prince. Khusrav, however, remained prisoner as before. Later on, prince Khurram asked Jahangir to hand over Khusrav to him while proceeding on his Deccan-campaign. Jahangir could not say no to him and Khurram took Khusrav with him. Afterwards, in 1621 A.D., he was murdered by a hired killer at the instigation of prince Khurram. The revolt of Khusrav resulted in some other revolts but all of them were of a minor nature and were suppressed. But this revolt seriously disturbed the relations of the Mughuls with the Sikhs. Jahangir imposed a fine of rupees two lakhs on the Sikh Guru Arjun Singh as he had blessed prince Khusrav. He refused to pay the fine and was punished by death by Jahangir. The Sikhs regarded it as an oppression of their religion which resulted in the beginning of bitter relations between the Sikhs and the Mughuls. The Extension of the Empire: Jahangir pursued the policy of the extension of the empire like his father. The conquest of north India was nearly complete during the reign of Akbar. Only some petty states and Mewar in Rajasthan could maintain their independence. But the conquest of the south was incomplete. Jahangir tried to subdue Mewar and the states of south India. 1. War and peace with Mewar: Rana Pratap Singh had fought against Akbar throughout his life and succeeded in keeping free larger part of Mewar except Chittor. When he died his son, Amar Singh, became the ruler of Mewar. He continued the policy of his father against the Mughuls. Jahangir desired the submission of Mewar from the beginning of his reign and despatched prince Parwez to conquer Mewar just after his accession to the throne in 1605 A.D. Amar Singh fought an indecisive battle against the Imperial forces at the pass of Dewar. However, the Imperial forces were recalled after some time due to the emergency caused by the revolt of prince Khusrav. In 1608 A.D., Mahabat Khan was sent against Mewar. He did not succeed much and was recalled in 1609 A.D. Then Abdulla Khan was deputed in his place. He also failed to gain any success. Rather, he was once defeated by the Rajputs at the pass of Ranpur. Abdulla Khan was also called back and, in his place, Raja Basu and Mirza Aziz Koka were sent in succession while Jahangir too moved to Ajmer in 1613 A.D. to supervise the operations. From there, he despatched prince Khurram to subdue Mewar. The Rajputs were hard pressed, their lands were destroyed, their supplies were stopped and the Rana was forced to flee from one place to another. Ultimately, prince Karan and some other Rajput nobles advised the Rana to make peace with the Mughuls. The Rana agreed and sent an ambassador to Khurram for settling the terms of peace. Khurram welcomed him and directed him to Jahangir. Jahangir gladly accepted the offer of the Rana and a peace was signed between the Mughuls and the Rana in 1615 A.D. By its terms: 1. The Rana accepted the suzerainty of the Mughul emperor. 2. The Rana was not asked to enter into matrimonial relations with the Emperor and he, in place of himself, sent his son, prince Karan to the Mughul service at the court. 3. Jahangir restored all territory of Mewar including the fort of Chittor to the Rana on condition that the fort would not be repaired. Thus ended the long-drawn war between Mewar and the Mughuls. The Ranas of Mewar observed this peace-treaty till the reign of Aurangzeb when Rana Raj Singh was forced to Fight the Mughuls due to their policy of annexation. The struggle of Mewar against the Mughuls occupies a most respectable place in the history of medieval India. Mewar was no match to the mighty power of the Mughul empire. Yet, its struggle remained heroic. The prestige of Rana Khumba and Rana Sanga was well defended by Rana Pratap and Rana Amar Singh against the power of the Mughuls. It is wrong to conclude that Rana Amar Singh compromised with the honour of Mewar by entering into a treaty with the Mughuls. Amar Singh fought the Mughuls the same way and in the same difficult circumstances as his father, Rana Pratap had fought. He succeeded in defeating the Mughul army several times. It was only on the advice of his nobles and crown-prince Karan that he agreed for peace with the Mughuls. The terms of the treaty which he accepted were also respectable. He neither agreed to give any royal princess to the Mughuls in marriage nor to visit the royal court. Yet, he was not satisfied after the peace, handed over the throne to prince Karan and retired to a lonely place Nau-Chauki to pass his life in peace. The peace also brought much desired relief to the subjects of the Rana. There was no chance of any success of the Rajputs against the Mughuls. The best result which they could achieve was the defence of their honour. But for that they were paying a very heavy cost for long years. There could not be any security or prosperity among the subjects of the Rana till the war was stopped. The Rana recovered all the territories of Mewar including the fort of Chittor and the much desired peace to his subjects by just accepting the suzerainty of the Mughul emperor. Jahangir also proved magnanimous towards the Rana. He accepted the peace treaty on the terms which were respectable to the Rana, provided the mansab of 5,000 sawar and 5,000 zat to prince Karan, gave him huge presents and provided him the honour to seat him at his right hand in the court. No other Rajput prince was honoured by the Mughul emperor in like manner. 2. South India: Jahangir tried to complete the conquest of south India. Akbar had made a beginning towards it. Khandesh and a part of Ahmadnagar were conquered during his time. But the conquest of Ahmadnagar could not be completed while Golkunda and Bijapur were untouched so far. Jahangir attempted to conquer them. But Malik Ambar, the capable vazir of Ahmadnagar succeeded in checking the Mughul expansion towards further south. Malik Ambar was an Abyssinian. He was purchased by one person named Kasim Khwaja in the market of Baghdad. He brought him to India and sold him to Dabir Cenghiz Khan, vazir of Nizam Shah, ruler of Ahmadnagar. He once left the service of Ahmadnagar and took up service in Bijapur but came back and took up service under Anaga Khan. When the Mughul prince Daniyal attacked Ahmadnagar, he and Malik Raju were deputed to harass him, the task which he carried on most successfully. Malik Ambar, however, fought his first face to face battle with the Mughuls in 1601-1602 A.D. at Mander where he was seriously injured though escaped from death. But Malik Ambar could not cooperate with Malik Raju as he proved his contender to capture power and influence at the court of Ahmadnagar. Therefore, he accepted the service of the Mughuls twice but realised that his future did not lie with them. In 1607 A.D., Nizam Shah put Malik Raju in the prison which cleared the way of Malik Ambar who finally went over to the side of Nizam Shah and was appointed vazir of Ahmadnagar.
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