how did Aurangzeb exceed the Throne write down the achievements as well as a few significant policies
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Answer:
- Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb, who won the war of succession, ascended the throne in 1658. He killed all his three brothers one by one and imprisoned his father Shahjahan at Agra.
Religious Policy:
Aurangzeb was an orthodox Sunni Muslim who did not have any faith on the other religions except his own. To him, his own religion was the only true religion. In this respect, he was just the opposite of his great grandfather Akbar. Akbar had taken liberal stand in the matters of religion as a result he had obtained the support of the Hindus. Jahangir and Shahjahan also maintained the policy of Akbar.
Festivals like Deepavali were prohibited in the cities. The Hindus could not get official appointment as before as he gave appointment not on merit but on religious considerations. The Rajput’s who used to enjoy higher posts were deprived of their post and honour.
He discontinued the popular system, the Jharoka Darshana which shattered the faith of the Hindus on the emperor. He also abolished the use of kalama or the Muslim confession of faith on the coins so that men of other faiths should not touch it. Officers called muhtasibs were appointed to regulate the lines of the people in strict accordance with the Holy law.
Further he committed the blunder by reimposing Zaziya on Hindus. By its revival, Aurangzeb lost the loyalty of the Hindus. He restricted people to be in possession of arms, horse elephant and palaquin. Thus by taking rigid religious measures Aurangzeb invited troubles for himself and paved the way for the decline of the Mughal Empire. The Gokla, Raja Ram and Churaman revolted against him. Then the Hindus of Bundekhand and Malwa took up arms under their leader Chhatrasal Bundela. He defeated the Mughal soldiers repeatedly. He created an independent territory for himself.
Aurangzeb could not suppress him in his life time. Even peaceful people like the Satanamis of Patiala and Alwar took up arms against Aurangzeb for his strong measures. Though they were mercilessly killed and put down by the Mughal army, yet their discontent did not die out. Matter did not end and Aurangzeb for his anti-Hindu religious measures had to face the formidable sections of the Hindu society such as the Rajput’s, the Marathas and the Sikhs.
The Deccan Campaign:
In the Deccan Aurangzeb’s first work was to capture his rebel son prince Akbar. But he could not capture him as the unfortunate prince apprehending danger to his life had escaped to Persia. Aurangzeb’s next move was against the Sultan of Bijapur. He invaded Bijapur and after a grim struggle the Adil Shahi Sultan surrendered. Bijapur was annexed to the Mughal empire in 1686. The very next year in 1687, Aurangzeb invaded Golkunda. The State of Golkunda was ruled by the Qutb Shahi Dynasty.
During the Mughal period, the emperor was assisted by a Council of Ministers.
The Ministers were:
(1) Vakil or Prime Minister
(2) Diwan or Finance Minister
(3) Pay Master General or Mir Bakshi
(4) Chief Sadr.
Social condition:
The foreign Muslims constituted the ruling class. The foreign Muslims like the Persians, the Afghans, the Arabs, the Turks, the Abyssinians etc. were the most privileged section of the society. All the higher posts of the state were kept reserved for them. They yielded great influence in society and administration. The state always accorded a preferential treatment to them. The Turks maintained their superiority till the coming of the Khiljis. During the rule of the Khiljis, different sections of foreign Muslims came at par with one another.
Economy:
. The Sultan collected chiefly five taxes.
These taxes were:
(i) Ushr, which was 5% to 10% of the produce;
(ii) Kharaj, which was collected from non-Muslims and was from 1/3 to 1/2 of the produce;
(iii) Khams which was 1/5 of the pluadered property of war;
(iv) Zakat which was realised from rich Muslims as a religious tax and was 2.5 of their income;
(v) Zizya which was religious tax imposed on the Hindus. Besides these taxes, the state derived its income from custom, excise duties, mines and from presents offered to the Sultan by the people, nobles and provincial governors.
Land Revenue:
Land revenue was the principal source of income. The peasants normally paid 1/3 of the produce to the state as land revenue. But Alauddin collected 1/2 of the produce from certain territories. The land revenue was assessed on the basis of proper measurement of the land. They also abolished all the privileges of hereditary officers of villages like Chaudhuris, Kliuts, Muqaddams etc. and compelled them to pay the land, house and grazing taxes.
Explanation: