Ascension to Throne Akbar had founded a vast empire. After him his successors, Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Augangzeb followed his footsteps. Because of their efforts country got a lot of benefits. But many of their policies failed which gave big blows to the strength of the Mughal Empire. After Akbar’s death his son Saleem Noor-ud-din Jahangir ascended to throne. He ruled India from 1605 to 1627. He got married to Sher Afghan’s widow Meharunisa (Noorjahan). She was daughter of Ghiyas Begh and sister of Aasif Khan. Because of it his beautiful and able wife started to play an active role in the administration. Some historians believe that from 1611 to 1627 the real powers were in the hands of Noorjahan this was her era not of Jahangir. But this is not correct. In spite of being a ‘hard drinker’ Jahangir was a best administrator and ablest ruler. He himself used to make policies of his government and Noorjahan only used to help him to change those policies into reality.
Mughal-Mewar Agreement Akbar had sent many expeditions against the Mewar King but he could not subdue him and all his efforts failed bear fruits. After his ascension to the throne Jahangir decided to follow Akbar’s Mewar policy. By that time Rana Sanga had died and his son Rana Amar Singh had become the new ruler of Mewar. Jahangir too had to send many expeditions to subdue Mewar. All the expedition sent during the years from 1606 to 1613 failed. In the last an expedition send under the leadership of Prince Khurram succeeded. Khurram destroyed many villages and towns of the Mewar Riyasat (Kingdom) and thus Rana Amar Singh was forced to sign an agreement with Prince Khurram. On the basis of this agreement Rana Amar Singh acknowledged the lordship of the Mughal Ruler. All those areas of Mewar that were won during the rule of Akbar were given back to the Rana. This agreement between the Mughals and the Mewar King is considered to be the most important achievement of Jahangir. It ended that centuries old enmity between Mughals and Mewar and established friendly relations between them. This agreement indicates that Jahangir followed his father’s footsteps by adopting most conciliatory policy towards his vanquished foe. After that, till the time of Aurangzeb, Mewar rulers remained trusted friends of Mughals.
Expansion of Mughal Empire Under the rule of Jahangir, conquest of Kangra was an important achievement of Mughal military. It is said that this mountainous fort was attacked 54 times but it could not conquered. In 1619 Mughals laid seize to the fort under the leadership of Khurram. After four months of efforts this fort fell to the Mughals on November 16, 1620. Jahangir followed his father’s Deccan policy consistently. During the last years of Akbar’s rule Khandesh, Brar and Ahmadnagar had been annexed into the Mughal Empire but by the time of Jahangir’s ascension to throne Ahmadnagar had become free. So he decided to conquer Ahmadnagar once again. But it was his misfortune that it was ruled by a very able, clever policy maker and administrator Wazir Malik Ambar. His power had increased manifolds. From 160 to 1616 campaigns were sent under the leadership of Khankhana Abdul Rahim and Khan Jahan but nothing substantial could be achieved. In 1616-17 a campaign was sent under the leadership of Khurram. Jahangir himself followed him to Mandu to help him. When Mughlas started to destroy Ahmadnagar territory Malik Ambar preferred to make peace with Mughlas. So he surrendered Ahmadnagar and Balaghat forts to Mughals. He himself met Khurram along with gifts worth 15 lakhs and acknowledged Mughal Emperor’s lordship. But by 1620 he had recaptured his lost territory from the Mughals with the help of Bizapur and Golkunda rulers. Thus Jahangir’s Deccan campaigns failed to achieve something substantial. On Jahangir’s orders Bengal governor Allaudin Islam marched against the Bihar ruler Laxmi Narayan. He acknowledged lordship of Mughal Emperor and gave his world to give annual taxes.
Setbacks and Death In 1622, Iran ruler Shah Abbas attacked Kandhar and captured it after 45 days of seize. Jahangir had ordered to Shahjahan to lead Mughal military to Kandhar but the later declined to do so. Thus because of Shahjahan’s revolt Khandhar was lost forever. Jahangir had planned to recapture Khandhar but it could not turn into reality because of Shahjahan’s revolt and some other internal problems. It was a big blow to the Mughal Empire. After 1621, Noorjahan had started to conspire against Shahjahan and had hatched a plan to make her son-in-law Shehryar as the heir of Jahangir. So Shahjahan revolted and this rebellion took three years from 1623 to 1626 to get suppressed. Soon after it, famous Mughal noble and military general Mahabat Khan revolted because Noorjahan had mistreated him and his son-in-law. He arrested both Jahangir and Noorjahan and ruled the country for one hundred days. In the last his revolt was suppressed but both these revolts gave a big blow to the Mughal power and prestige. In Deccan, Malik Ambar had increased his military power manifolds an in north-west Kandhar was lost. In 1627, Jahangir fell ill because of too much drinking. He went to Kashmir to get well but returned because of cold. He died in Lahore in 1627 and beautiful tomb is located at his burial place which is accompanied by the tombs of his wife Noorjahan her brother Aasaf Khan.
December 11th, 2009 
Aman 
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