akbar-vs-aurangzeb

Akbar vs Aurangzeb, explained

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Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur founded Mughal Empire in 1526. He was related to Timur from his father’s side and to Chengiz Khan through his mother, even the name Mughal is derived from Mongol, even though Mughals liked the name Timurid more than the name Mughals. the Mughals were Chaghtai Turks by origin, Turkish was their mother tongue. Their first ruler Babur wrote poetry and his memoirs in Turkish language. Chaghtai Turks traced descent from the eldest son of Ghengiz Khan.
    1.    Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodhi on 21st April 1526 in the first battle of Panipat.
    2.    In 1527, he defeatedthe  Rana Sangha of Mewar in the battle of Khanwa
    3.    In 1528, he defeated Rajput Ruler Mediini Rai and captured Chanderi
    4.    In 1529, he defeated the Afghans in the Battle of Gogra in Bihar
This consolidated his position in India, there is mnemonic to remember this battles Pani Pikar, Khana Khakar, Chanderi Chali, Ghagra Pehanakar.

After Babur came Humayun and then Humayun ka Akbar

Akbar and his policies

Akbar was one of the greatest monarchs of India. He was 14 years old when he sat on the throne of Kalanaur in 1556. But he could consolidate his position only after the second battle of Panipat (5th November 1556). In the battle of Panipat, Hemu almost defeated Akbar, but an arrow pierced Hemu’s eye, and he became unconscious. The army fled the scene, and fortune favoured Akbar. So Akbar defeated Hemu, and in the next five years, he consolidated his position with the help of Bairam Khan. Though Bhairam Khan was religiously fanatical and Akbar later removed him from the court.
Akbar succeeded in extending the frontiers of the empire to the Hindukush mountains and checked the expansionist designs of the Uzbeks of Turan (Central Asia) and the Safavids of Iran. By doing this he consolidated the NW frontiers. He conquered Northern India from Agra to Gujarat in the west and to the Bengal in the east

Rajput Policy of Akbar

In the beginning, Akbar got formidable resistance from the Rajputs; in this regard, his Rajput Policy was remarkable. The Rajput Policy of Akbar was based on matrimonial alliances, in which he first married the daughter of Raja Bharamal. Raja Bhagwan Das and Raja Man Singh were given formidable positions in the administration. He treated everyone alik,e and this won the heart of Rajputs. They served the Mughals for four generations.

In a situation when the close associates of Akbar revolted against him. Rajputs appeared as a shield. This led to a famous Rajput policy of Badshah. As per modern calculations, the proportion of HINDUS in the nobility under Akbar in 1594 was about 16 per cent. Raja Birbal and Raja Man Sing were close friends of Akbar also Raja Todar Mal was head of the finance department.

Many of them rose to the position of military generals. And almost all Rajput states surrendered to Akbar. But Mewar was the only state which did not surrender to him. Though his Rajput Policy proved beneficial in the long run for the Mughal Empire. It ensured peace in Rajasthan so trade flourished and coffers of the State filled. This cooperation resulted in Economic Prosperity and Cultural renaissance, This was a period of communal harmony. Hindu and Muslim cultures synthesised and flourished together.

It should be noted that the Mughal Empire was a military state at its core. And all the Mughals acted violently towards political foes (whether they were Rajput, Muslim, Hindu, or otherwise)

It is said that the Deccan ulcer ruined Aurangzeb and the Mughal Empire. Let us see how?

The Deccan ulcer ruined Aurangzeb

At first the Aurangzeb faced similar kind of situations in Deccan which Akbar faced in Rajasthan. Like Rajputs, Maratha was a warrior clan, But instead of following policy of conciliation and compromise he followed expansionist policy.

In the early part of Aurangzeb’s rule he had recruited more Marathas in nobility than any other Mughal ruler, Mughals started taking more interest in Marathas when Jehangir realised that the Marathas were the hub of affairs in the Deccan.

But the biggest pain for Badshah Aurangzeb was the creation of Maratha Swaraj by Raja Shivaji in 1674. When he united the Maratha Saradars for the common cause of Swaraj. In 1680, Chhatrapati Shivaji died of illness, and Sambhaji succeeded him. Sambhaji gave shelter to Akbar II, the rebel son of Aurangzeb. So, this ended the patience of Badshah, and Aurangzeb got angry

So to contain the Marathas, Aurangzeb himself marched to south and eliminated the Adilshahi at Bijapur in 1686 and the Qutubshahi of Golconda in 1687. But this was a political blunder. The virtual buffer between the Marathas and the Mughals was removed. Now, Marathas and Aurangzeb were face to face.

Marathas were good fighters, and he fought long war with them. In 1705, he got exhausted and bankrupt. This Deccan campaign exhausted the Mughal Treasury, whereas Badshaha Akbar’s Rajput Policy increased the revenue of the empire. So it is said that the Deccan Ulcer Ruined the Aurangzeb.
His Deccan policy was narrow-sighted, and at firs,t it looked like he gathered some territories and added to the empire but the empire lost all of these territories eventually in the 18th century. And this expansionist policy eventually led to the decline of the Mughal Empire.
Now, let us compare the religious policies of Akbar and Aurangzeb

Religious policies of Akbar

Akbar is known in history for his religious policies. We can say that Akbar’s religious policy was inspired from the great Genghis Khan, as Genghis Khan did not discriminated his subjects on the basis of religion and there were no religious persecution. These principles were taught by his tutor Abdul Latif. Also his religious policies were result of his marriage with Rajput Women, Poet Abul Fazl and Sufi Saints. In 1563 Akbar abolished the tax on pilgrimage and he abolished jizya in 1564 (NCERT) Now what is Jizya?
Jizya was the tax levied on the Non Muslim Population of the Muslim State for the protection provided by the Muslim Ruler. We will learn this again in keywords.  He abolished above two taxes as the two were based on religious discrimination. Akbar abolished the pilgrim tax on bathing at holy places such as Prayag, Benaras, etc. He also abolished the practice of forcibly converting prisoners of war to Islam.
This led to foundation of an empire based on equal rights to all citizens, irrespective of their religious beliefs. Instructions were sent to officers of the empire to follow the code of sulh-i kul in administration.
Sulh-i-kul means Universal peace or peace to all. I.e. equal toleration and respect of all sections, irrespective of their religious beliefs. Akbar’s quest for religious knowledge led to interfaith debates in the Ibadat Khana at Fatehpur Sikri. Akbar invited learned Muslims, Hindus, Jainas, Parsis and Christians for discussion on religious matters. Akbar’s religious views matured in this period as he asked scholars of different religions and sects and gathered knowledge about their doctrines. As a result, he moved away from the orthodox Islamic ways of understanding religion.
He even disliked the interference of muslim ulemas in political affairs, especially in the later part of his life. Later in his accounts, it is said that he spent sleepless nights in search of god. Later he set up a new religion which was composed of many existing religions – Hinduism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism etc.

Akbar and the Spirit of Tolerance

One of the most remarkable initiatives taken by Emperor Akbar was the promulgation of Din-e-Ilahi (Divine Faith) in 1582. This new religious concept was rooted in belief in one god and incorporated the best teachings of various religions on a rational basis. Akbar was influenced by debates held in the Ibadat Khana, where he observed contradictions and dogmas in different religious doctrines. His aim with Din-e-Ilahi was to bridge these gaps. However, this ambitious spiritual experiment never gained mass appeal. Even during Akbar’s lifetime, the religion had only about fifteen members, including close confidants like Birbal. Importantly, Akbar never imposed it as a state religion or made it compulsory, and it faded away after his death.

Akbar’s Progressive Reforms

Akbar was not only a promoter of interfaith harmony but also a reformer of society. He took bold steps against orthodox practices. For instance, he banned the forceful practice of Sati, especially for child widows whose marriage had not been consummated. He legalised widow remarriage and raised the age of marriage to 14 for girls and 16 for boys. Though not all reforms were widely successful, they reflected the liberal and enlightened nature of Akbar’s administration. Under his rule, the Mughal state transformed into a secular and inclusive empire, fostering religious harmony and cultural growth.

Aurangzeb and the Rise of Orthodoxy

A Ruler Shaped by Rigidity

In stark contrast, Aurangzeb is remembered as a fanatical ruler, shaped deeply by his upbringing under Miya Masoom, who instilled strict orthodox values. Unlike Akbar, Aurangzeb failed to recognize that to rule a diverse country like India, tolerance and pragmatism were essential. Historians argue that Aurangzeb’s policies aimed at transforming India into an Islamic state. He ordered that Quranic verses should not be inscribed on coins, appointed Mutahids (moral teachers) to enforce Islamic conduct, and banned alcohol and narcotics like bhang.

Ban on Art and Public Practices

Aurangzeb enforced cultural and religious puritanism. He banned music, dance, and even musical instruments in court. He ended the practice of Jharokha Darshan, a symbolic public appearance by the emperor, and discontinued the celebration of festivals like Dussehra. Royal astrologers were dismissed, and even the mourning rituals of Muharram were prohibited.

Temple Policies and Religious Intolerance

Initially, Aurangzeb banned the construction of new Hindu temples and repair of old ones. Later, his policy became more aggressive, involving demolition of temples, notably in Mathura and Benaras. However, it is also recorded that he granted jagirs to some temples, likely to appease his Hindu subjects and maintain administrative order.

He reimposed Jizya and pilgrimage tax, which Akbar had abolished. His sectarian bias also led to the invasion of Deccani Sultanates because they were Shia Muslims, while the Mughals were Sunnis. Aurangzeb also executed the Sufi mystic Sarmad and the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, which antagonized the Sikh community, pushing them towards militarization.

Consequences of Aurangzeb’s Religious Policies

Aurangzeb’s rigid and orthodox policies alienated major communities including Rajputs, Marathas, and Sikhs, turning them into staunch enemies of the Mughal Empire. This shift is often cited as a major factor leading to the decline of the Mughal Empire.

Aurangzeb: The Man Behind the Policies

Quoting Bipan Chandra from Modern India, Aurangzeb was neither weak nor immoral. He lived a disciplined and austere life, avoided extramarital relations, and earned money by copying the Quran for his personal expenses. He was a scholar of Arabic and Persian and a lover of books.

However, his downfall was not due to personal flaws but due to a lack of political, social, and economic insight. He failed to understand the diverse nature of Indian society, unlike Akbar, who built an empire on accommodation and unity.

Structural Weaknesses and the Role of the Nobility

Bipan Chandra further notes that the Mughal nobility had also deteriorated by Aurangzeb’s time. The once efficient, cohesive administrative class had become self-serving and disloyal, further weakening the empire. The organizational strength of the Mughal Empire had hollowed out internally, and Aurangzeb’s policies only worsened the decline.

Aurangzeb’s story is one of personal discipline overshadowed by political miscalculation. Despite his virtues, his failure to accommodate the religious and cultural diversity of India led to widespread dissent and rebellion. Akbar’s inclusive model flourished, while Aurangzeb’s exclusionary policies laid the foundation for disintegration.

Understanding their contrasting policies is crucial to understanding not just the decline of the Mughal Empire, but also the evolution of secularism and religious tolerance in the Indian subcontinent.

Causes of the Downfall of the Mughal Empire

  1. Fragmented Nobility:The Mughal court was deeply divided among Turani, Irani, Durani, and Deccani nobles. These groups often acted in their own interests rather than serving the empire. Their self-serving agendas created political instability and weakened central authority.
  2. Aurangzeb’s Orthodox Religious Policies:Aurangzeb’s fanatical and orthodox approach to religion alienated large sections of the population, particularly Hindus, who constituted the majority in the Indian subcontinent. His reimposition of Jizya and persecution of non-Muslim communities fueled dissent.
  3. Expansionist Military Campaigns in the Deccan:His prolonged military campaigns in the Deccan region, particularly against the Marathas, proved to be a strategic blunder. These wars drained the empire’s treasury and left the Mughal administration overstretched and exhausted.
  4. Weak Successors and Succession Wars:After Aurangzeb, the Mughal throne was plagued by weak successors and frequent wars of succession. These internal power struggles further emptied the treasury and caused administrative chaos.
  5. Lack of Military Reforms:The Mughal Empire was essentially a military state. However, no significant military reforms or technological advancements were introduced in the later period, making the Mughal army outdated and less effective against emerging powers.
  6. Invasions by Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali:The invasions in the 18th century by Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali caused immense damage. These attacks tarnished the empire’s image, plundered its wealth, and exposed its vulnerabilities to the world.
  7. Neglect of Naval Power:Perhaps the most critical mistake was the neglect of maritime strength. While European powers like the British, Portuguese, and Dutch were building naval empires, the Mughals failed to control or protect India’s coastlines. This allowed more powerful contenders to establish dominance from the sea.

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