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Expedition against Rajputs Aurangzeb was not in favor of allowing the Rajputs to play an important role in his administration. He transformed Akbar’s Rajput policy. But Aurangzeb did not tried to take any concrete step against the Rajputs for next twenty years after his accession to throne as he wanted to strengthen and consolidate his position and Empire. He also needed their help to fight against Shivaji. But after the deaths of Jaipur ruler Raja Jai Singh and Jodhpur ruler Raja Jaswant Singh, Aurangzeb started sending expeditions against the Rajput states. Soon after Raja Jaswant Singh’s death in December 1678, Aurangzeb ordered Khan Jahan Bahadur to march towards Mewar. Mewar was captured by the Mughal forces and both his wives and newly born son Price Ajit Singh were arrested. A brave Rajput noble and trusted friend of Jaswant Singh, Durga Das Rathode freed both the Rajput queens and Prince Ajit Singh from the clutches of Mughals and accompanied them to reach to Jodhpur. Mughal forces marched towards Jodhpur under the leadership of Prince Akbar to punish the Rajputs and conquered the Jodhpur fort. But Ajit Singh and Durga Das had fled unhurt. Mewar ruler became very upset because of Aurangzeb’s tyranny on Marwar people.  He repaired the fort of Chittorh and joined anti-Mughal battle. Aurangzeb himself led Mughal forces to Udaipur and captured it on January 4, 1680. After Aurangzeb’s return, Rajputs recaptured their lost territory by guerrilla warfare. Prince Akbar could not succeed against them and Aurangzeb sent Prince Aazam to replace him while Akbar was appointed at Marwar.

Result of anti-Rajput Policy Prince Akbar signed an agreement with the Rajputs of Marwar and revolted against his father. He declared himself the Mughal ruler. Aurangzeb was shaken to hear this news. He very cleverly created a rift between Akbar and the Marwar Rajputs by throwing forged letter in Akbar’s camp. Akbar fled towards Deccan and new ruler of Mewar Rana Jai Singh preferred to make peace with Mughal Emperor. Aurangzeb too preferred to sign an agreement with the Rajputs. Thus an agreement was signed between the Mughals and Rajputs in July 1679 according to which Aurangzeb removed his army from Mewar and acknowledged Jai Singh as the new Rana of Mewar. On the other had Rana acknowledged the lordship of the Mughal Emperor and agreed to pay annual taxes. But the Rathode Rajputs of Marwar kept on fighting against the Mughals from 1681 to 1707. Because of Durga Das’s relentless efforts, Ajit Singh became the free ruler of Mewar in 1707. Aurangzeb also died in 1707 and Bahadur Shah accepted Ajit Singh as the new ruler of Marwar. Aurangzeb’s anti-Rajput wars proved out to be dangerous for the existence of Mughal Empire. Except the loss of men and wealth, Mughals lost incomparable services of Rajputs. ‘A race which had been the right arm of the Mughal Empire at the beginning of the reign was now hopelessly alienated’. Mughals could not attain any thing substantial by fighting against the Rajputs and it was a big blow to the Mughal prestige.

Mughal Empire After 1681 Aurangzeb gave his full attention to expand his empire towards Deccan and to suppress the revolt of Marathas. He wrote a letter to Bijapur ruler to acknowledge the lordship of the Mughal Emperor. But the latter declined to do so. On Aurangzeb’s orders Mughal army marched against the Bijapur ruler under the leadership of Prince Aazam. After 17 month’s of seize Mughal forces succeeded to conquer the Bijapur fort. Bijapur Sultan was captured alive and sent to the Daultabad fort as a royal prisoner. Bijapur territory was annexed into the Mughal Empire. After conquering Bijapur, Aurangzeb attacked the Golkunda riyasat. After eight months of unsuccessful seize of Gulkunda fort, Mughals got the eastern door of the fort opened after bribing a Gulkunda Pathan Noble Abdullah Pni. Mughal soldiers forced into the fort and attacked the enemy. A Gulkunda noble Abdur Razzaq reached the door and fought very bravely against the Mughals. Golkunda Sultan Abdul Hassan was captured alive and sent to Daultabad fort. His territory was annexed into the Mughal Empire. After these conquests Aurangzeb became the sovereign ruler of the entire north and south India. No other Indian ruler had ruled over such a vast empire before him. His empire was expanded from Himalaya in the north to the Kaweri River in south. In East it touched the Bengal coast while in north-west Hindukush mountains were its borders. In West Arabian Sea bordered it. But it can not be ignored that Jats, Rajputs and Marathas had revolted in the last years of Aurangzeb’s rule and had become free with the passage of time.

Revolt of Marathas and Death By the year of 1660 Marathas had revolted against the Mughal Empire under the leadership of Shivaji and had conquered many forts. For next five years he quelled all the Mughal efforts to retain the lost territory.  A Mughal army sent under the generalship of Raja Jai Singh defeated Shivaji and forced him to sign a treaty with the Mughal Emperer. In 1666 Shivaji was arrested along with his son when he went to the royal court. But he cleverly escaped the prison and reached his homeland. Within a few years he recaptured his lost territory and was anointed as the first Maratha King at Raigadh fort in 1674. After Shivaji’s death in 1680 his son became the next king of Maratha Kingdom. But he was an unable ruler. He never took the advantage of Aurangzeb’s difficulties and wasted his time in luxurious pursuits. Mughal forces attacked the Sangeshwar fort where Shambhaji had taken refuses after consecutive defeats. He was captured alive along with his friend Kavi Kalash and were murdered in 1689. Mughal forces attacked the Maratha capital Raigadh and captured Shambhaji’s son Shahu along with other family members was captured alive while his second son fled from the fort and kept on fighting against the Mughal Emperor. They kept on fighting guerrilla war against the Mughals. Because of years’ long battles against Marathas, the Mughal Emperor weakened. In the last he fell ill and returned to Ahmadabad. After remaining ill for some time he died on March 3, 1707. He was buried at Khuldabad near Daultabad.

Auragzeb wasted his last 25 years while fighting in south without any concrete gains. ‘All seemed to have been gained by Aurangzeb. But in reality all was lost. It was the beginning of Aurangzeb’s end’. Mughal Empire was economically shaken and the royal treasury became empty. Agriculture and trade was severely affected by years’ long battles. Unrest prevailed in the north India because of 25 years long battles of South. In different areas enemies of the Mughal Empire revolted. Feudal system and taxation was totally shaken. It is believed that it were not the religious but the economic reasons that caused the downfall of the Mughal Empire.