AURANGJEB 'Alamgir' (1658 - 1707)

A remarkable reign of half a century can be divided into two parts, each part having it's own well defined distinguishing features.  During the first part, the North India remained the epicentre of interest for all important developments, civil and military.  South was in total negligence.  But in the second half of the reign, Emperor went to South with his family in 1681 and moved bulk of his court along with him.  During this period, Daulatabad and Aurangabad remained the focus and North went in total disorder and anarchy.

Aurangzeb was a great strategist, he rapidly seized Agra and had his father imprisoned in the Red Fort where he stayed for eight years until his death.  Of his brothers, Shah Shuja fled to Burma seeking asylum but was refused and had to disappear in the jungle.  As for Murad Bakhsh, he claimed the title of emperor.  Murad accepted Aurangjeb's invitation and got him drunk, imprisoned and then executed in 1661.   However, his most formidable enemy remained Daro Shikoh.  while fleeing across North India, Pathan prince handed him over to Aurangjeb.  Having been dragged through the streets of Delhi, Dara was condemned to death by the Sufis for heresy and Dara was decapitated by slave.  The body of Dara was finally thrown near the tomb of his ancestor Humayun.

In the south, Marathas joined hand with the Sultans of Ahmednagar and Bijapur to fight against Mughal.  Marathas rose powerful and remained hostile to Aurangjeb throughout his reign.  At the age of ninety, Aurangzeb fell prey to attack of Languor, and died in 1707.  His final years were very sad, followers died one after other, treasury emptied due to numerous campaigns.  It was only on his death bed that Aurangzeb acknowledged his mistakes.
 

THE COINAGE

Aurangazeb too, issued big coins like Jahangir, only a big silver coin is reported to be in Dresden, which weighs five and a half british pounds.  His coinage was never extraordinary, it carried mostly the usual Kalima on one side, and Kings name on the obverse.  Other than the commonest rupee, he also minted small pieces struck for largesse; the commonest of these were the nissars.  The gold nissars seems to be scarce.  In 1679, Aurangzeb reimposed the jizya on infidels, and in order to facilitate a smoother payment, he struck Dirham Shari (Legal Dirham), usually in square shape.   After the fifth year of Aurangzeb, owing to a rise in the cost of copper, the dam or falus were diminished in weight to 220 grains and became a standard especially in the south.

The practise of giving mint towns, the honorific title was also continued by Aurangzeb.  Aurangzeb's "Khujista Bunyad - The fortunate foundation" to Aurangabad was the only example of referring to a Mughal mint by and epithet.  The verse on Aurangzeb's mohurs and rupees came from the pen of Abdul Baqui.
 

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