Jahangir's Deccan Policy

 

Jahangir had inherited the situation of relations with the Deccan states and to pursue the policy of the Deccan . The reasons for Jahangir's entry into the south were almost the same as those that inspired the Mughal emperor Akbar. The main reason for this was the nature of the empire, economic reasons and political integration. Like his father, Jahangir was also devoted to the conquest of South India so that political unity could be established in the country. Thus it was a continuation of Akbar's policy which envisaged an aggressive war with all the regional states of the south.  The Mughal emperor Jahangir and his relations with the states of the south can be divided into three parts . Where most of the time there were two fronts of struggle - one against the enemy and the other within the Mughal army .

Phase I (1605 to 1616): Resistance of Malik Ambar

In the first phase, the period up to 1605 to 1616 AD, can be taken . At this time, Amir Malik Ambar of the Ahmednagar Sultanate in the south was trying to get the territories of Ahmednagar State which had gone under the control of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. In 1608, Jahangir handed over the command of the Deccan to Abdul Rahim Khane Khana. Khane Khana announced that within two years he would not only take back the territories that had gone into Amber's hands, but that he would also make Bijapur a part of the empire . Frightened by this threat, Malik Amber appealed to Adil Shah of Bijapur for help. And argued that both the states are one in all respects. Armed with the support of Bijapur and the active support of the Marathas, Amber forced Khan-i-Khana to withdraw to Burhanpur. Now in 1610, Khan-i-Jahan Lodi was tried after Prince Parvez but he too could not face the challenge of Amber. Here Malik Amber slowly got supercilious and he annoyed his friends. Khan-i-Khana, who was again appointed as the Mughal representative in the Deccan, took advantage of situation to help many Maratha chieftains, like Jagdev Rai, Babaji Kaate, Udaji Ram etc. In 1616 AD, With the help of Maratha chieftains, Khan-i-Khana deeply defeated the combined forces of Ahmednagar, Bijapur and Golconda .

Phase I I (1617 to 1620): When Khurram became Shah Jahan

Second phase can be dated from 1617 to 1620 AD when Mughal Crown Prince Khurram was given the leadership of the southern campaign to ensure victory. During this period, Mughals tried to control the situation in the south by giving priority to Sultan Ibrahim Adilshah of Bijapur state over the other two kingdoms, Ahmednagar and Golconda. Jahangir gave the title of Farzand or son to Adilshah. In fact, by breaking the alliance of Bijapur and Ahmednagar, the Mughal emperor Jahangir wanted to isolate Ahmednagar. With this, the Mughal army easily established control over Ahmednagar .

On October 12, 1617, Khurram reached the royal camp of Mandu with a huge gift, where the value was estimated at 22 lakh 60 thousand rupees. Jahangir writes that “After Sajdah and Pabosh, I called the prince into the Jharokha and rose with joy and grace and embraced him lovingly. .....Given him a mansab of 30 thousand which was unprecedented and honored him with the title of Shah Jahan .

Phase III (1621 to 1627): Power struggle in the Mughal court

The third phase of the relations of the southern states with the Mughal emperor Jahangir lasted from 1621 to 1627 AD. Within two years, Malik Ambar was successful in establishing his supremacy over the areas of Mughal and Bijapur state. Malik Ambar reached the capital of Bijapur. He burnt Nauraspur, the new capital built by Ibrahim Adilshah, and forced Shah to flee and take refuge in the fort. It can be considered as the culmination of Amber's power. Therefore, Shah Jahan took over the command of the Deccan military campaign for the second time on the condition that his elder brother Prince Khusrau be allowed to keep in his personal custody. He was still carrying out his military campaign against Amber when he got secret information about the political conspiracy of Nur Jahan in Burhanpur . In fact, Nur Jahan was trying to pursue her son-in-law Shahryar for the successor. A skeptical Shah Jahan made a treaty with Malik Ambar and his allies on easy terms. The Sultans of Ahmednagar, Bijapur and Golconda gave twelve, eighteen and twenty lakh rupees respectively and accepted their submission to the Taj . Shah Jahan, having disposed of his prisoner brother Khusra, and moved north with the army. As soon as got the opportunity, Amber took advantage of the rebellion . However, he was now old and died in 1626 at the age of 80 .

Thus the most important fact of Mughal relations with the south during the reign of Jahangir is that it did not extend terrestrial since the time of the Mughal emperor Akbar. But even after strong opposition from Ahmednagar's Habshi Amir Malik Ambar, Mughal continued to dominate the Ahmednagar region. Although the Mughal emperor Jahangir did not achieve any special achievement in the south, but it was necessary that during his reign the Mughal boundaries in the south remained unchanged.

                                       Malik Amber

An Ethiopian Negro slave with unknown early life arrived in the Deccan full of possibilities. After the fall of Ahmednagar, Malik Ambar found a Nizamshahi prince and with the silent support of Bijapur, placed him on the throne of Ahmednagar in the name of second Murtaza Nizamshah and himself became his Peshwa. He prepared a group of expelled soldiers, Afghan fighters, Negroes and Maratha bargirs. The guerilla warfare system called Barjagiri or Bargagiri, which the Mughals were not used to, made the life of the Mughals fussed. It consolidated its position in Berar, Ahmednagar and Balaghat .

According to a contemporary Mughal historian Muhammad Khan, he had no touch in martial arts, military operations, right decisions and administration . He was a mighty warrior of Deccani freedom. Malik Ambar tried to reform the administration of Nizamshahi by introducing the Todarmal system of land revenue. He abolished the old practice of giving land on contract (Izare) as it was a cause of destruction for the farmers. He expanded agriculture by removing the problems related to agriculture . He laid emphasis on local law and order.

Political Dominance of Nur Jahan : Review

Learned women of extraordinary ability, Nur Jahan has a special significance of Indian history. The natural consequence of her marriage to Jahangir in 1611 and her ability was seen in the form of her cooperation in administrative matters . The emperor had also given her the right of sovereignty and rule. Sometimes she used to give a darshan like the emperor and people would attend and listen to her orders. Coins were minted in her name. On all such decrees which required the signature of the emperor, the name of Nur Jahan Begum was also written simultaneously. Mutmid Khan has written that Nur Jahan's sovereignty had reached such an extent that the emperor remained an emperor in name only. Mutmid Khan has also written that Jahangir used to declare repeatedly that I had handed over the dominion to Nur Jahan and that I wanted nothing more than a ser of wine and a half-ser of kebabs .

Sir Thomas Roe came to India in 1615 AD. He mentions the Nur Jahan faction in the court. Dr. Beni Prasad has divided the influence of Nur Jahan into two periods. The first period was till 1611 AD in which her parents were alive and they limited Nur Jahan. The second period lasted from 1622 to 1627 AD. During this period Jahangir had become incapacitated and the Nur Jahan group was facing the opposition .

First period ( 1611-1622 AD) Rise of Junta

Emperor conferred the title of Badshah on Nur Jahan. To strengthen her faction, Nur Jahan gave high posts to her supporters and weakened her opponents. This led to the formation of two parties in the court. Dr. Beni Prasad says that one party was a supporter of Nur Jahan and the other was a supporter of Khusrau. Nur Jahan's supporters were given high mansabs . Mansab of Itmad- ud - Daulah which was 2000/5000 in 1611 AD. 7000/5000 was done in 1616 AD. Asaf Khan's mansab which was 500/100 in 1611 AD was increased to 5000/3000 in 1616 AD. Abraham Khan was given the mansab of 2000 in 1616 AD and was appointed the Subedar of Bengal. The mansab of Khurram was 10000/5000 in 1610 AD, which was increased to 30000/200000 in 1617 AD. Mahabat Khan, Khan-e-Azam and Shahzada Parvez were demoted. Mahabat Khan, who was opposed to female influence in the administration, was sent to Kabul . Dr. Beni Prasad has written that, “It helped Nur Jahan, Itmad-ud-Daulah and Asaf Khan had an alliance with Yuvraj Khurram . For the next ten years this group of four highly qualified, actually ruled the empire."

Second Period ( 1622-1627 AD) Breakdown of Junta

In 1621 AD, Jahangir became ill. This worried Khurram more. Staying in Agra, he wanted to take the administration in his own hands due to the ill health of the emperor. Anxiety and suspicion were growing between Nur Jahan and him. So when the emperor ordered him to go to Kandahar, he refused. Shah Jahan thought that Nur Jahan is doing this work to increase Shahryar and eradicate him. So he rebelled. The rebellion lasted for four years and Mahabat Khan skillfully suppressed the rebellion of Khurram. The south slipped out of his hands and he had to send his two sons Dara and Aurangzeb to the court as bail. This was the great success of Nur Jahan .

Noorjahan  worried about Jahangir 's declining health, Asaf Khan deftly presented the problem of Mahabat Khan's rebellion. Actually Asaf khan started working in favor of his son-in-law Khurram. His aim is Mahabat Khan had to be separated from Parvez so that both would become weak and the path of his son-in-law would be paved. Asaf Khan Asked Mahabat Khan for an account of Bengal's loot and elephants. unfortunately Mahabat Khan kept thinking that this was the work of the Nur Jahan who now wants to crush him. Mahabat Khan revolted but his aim was only to keep the emperor under his control. But he was only a capable soldier and he could not understand the political tricks that were being played by Asaf at that time. So he failed and had to run away. Asaf Khan defeated his sister Nur Jahan in diplomatic tact. Nur Jahan from 1622 to 1627 AD Asaf Unable to understand Khan's deviousness. As soon as Jahangir died in 1627 AD, he revealed his policy openly. He made Khusrau's son Davar Baksh the nominal emperor and wrote to Khurram to reach Agra soon. He defeated Shahryar in the battle, in which Shahryar was killed.

In fact, the basis of Nur Jahan's prestige and power was the emperor . As soon as Jahangir died, the whole building of his power collapsed. Shah Jahan kindly gave him pension. Nur Jahan and his daughter Ladli Begum spent the rest of their lives as widows in Lahore where Jahangir was buried.

According to Dr. Beni Prasad, She had formed the group and emperor Jahangir remained only a nominal emperor and the power of governance was in her hands. Many scholars including Nurul Hasan do not accept this. It is believed that her influence in the first period was constructive. But in the second period she was motivated by narrow interests and started increasing the unfit Shahryar as compared to Shah Jahan. Due to feminine jealousy, She chose Shah Jahan and Mahabat . Khan's powers were crushed. Dr. Ishwari Prasad has written that, because of Nur Jahan, Jahangir was immersed in luxury and he neglected the duties of his office. He further wrote that , "Nur Jahan's influence on the state was not entirely good. Her limitless attachment to power, her feminine jealousy, her clever tricks to make her husband slave, all caused troubles that disturbed the peace of the empire. But the opinion that Nur Jahan had formed the faction is based on European sources (Sir Thomas Roe). Mutmid Khan has not mentioned it. According to R. P. Tripathi, the high mansabs given to Nur Jahan 's father and brother were due to their merit, there was no favoritism in them. The titles, mansabs that Shah Jahan also received were also due to his merit. After the rebellion, Nur Jahan did not oppose the pardon to Shah Jahan. Different factions of the nobles used to live in the Mughal court, this was not a new thing.

Khusrau's Revolt

Khusrau: A Worthy Prince of Unblemished Character

This revolt during Jahangir's reign is the heinous tale of Mughal Prince Khusrau. It is a story of a struggle between the desire for power and the fear of losing power, where the tragedy of the relationship between father and son stirs pain in the human mind. Khusrau was the second child born to Jahangir's Rajput wife Manbai. Manbai was the daughter of Bhagwan Das, the king of Amber. Khusrau's maternal uncle, Raja Mansingh, was the governor of Bengal, and Mirza Aziz Koka was his father-in-law. Khusrau grew up under the tutelage of his grandfather, Akbar. He was a handsome, well-mannered, intelligent, charming, young man of impeccable character. He was the favorite of the courtiers and popular among the citizens.

Jahangir's Concern: Fear of Losing Power

The question arises: what was the reason for such a good prince's separation from his emperor father? In fact, Khusrau's own qualities, identity, kinship, and popularity became the enemies of his life. The emperor father started considering his son as a threat to his throne. Why shouldn't it be so? Grandfather Akbar was once fed up with his drunken and rebellious son Salim, who had now become Jahangir, and started looking at Khusrau as an alternative. Jahangir could not get rid of this fear even after becoming the emperor. He kept considering Khusrau as a fraud and a conspirator. However, Munib Khan's old palace was given to him to live in, and Rs. 1 lakh was also granted for renovations.

Khusrau's Complaint: Desire for Power

On the other hand, the seed of desire for power that was sown in Khusrau's mind could not be eliminated. This complaint of Khusrau was also justified in one sense because he did not get any post or mansab according to his position as the crown prince. His role in administration was made negligible. A great sorrow upon him was that no facility or favor was given to his friends. He could have withstood all this, but how could he always deny doubt and hatred instead of love in the eyes of his father? So, he always remained sorrowful. This behavior of the son exasperated the apprehensive father, and he banned Khusrau's movement in the city.

Rebellion: Anxiety Over a Bleak Future

Khusrau became restless with his detention and bleak future. On April 6, 1606, on the pretext of visiting Akbar's tomb at Sikandra with 350 cavalry, he left the fort of Agra and proceeded towards Delhi. Husain Beg arrived in Mathura with 300 horsemen. The royal treasury coming to Agra on the way was looted. As soon as the news spread, supporters, including soldiers and farmers, started gathering around Delhi, whose number reached around 12,000. But as soon as he realized the strong security of Delhi, he turned towards Lahore. The Diwan of the province, Abdul Rahim, was encountered at Lahore, and he was made the Shahi Diwan. The rebels laid siege to the Lahore Fort, but Subedar Dilawar Khan continued to defend it successfully.

Preparation for Suppression of Rebellion: Leaving No Stone Unturned

That night itself, Prime Minister Sharif Khan woke up Jahangir and informed him about the rebel's escape. The responsibility of leading the counter-action campaign was given to Mirbakshi Farid Khan. Along with this, the emperor also sent his soldiers for vigilance. The Kotwal of Agra was made an intelligence officer to ensure no mistakes were made and to prevent any further conspiracy. The road to Bengal was blocked so that he could not meet his maternal uncle Mansingh. The Prime Minister was warned that whatever would be done to Khusrau would not be considered a crime because the king had no relatives. Even after all this, Jahangir was not satisfied, so he himself joined the campaign.

Khusrau's Defeat: A Definite Result

Here, Khusrau still failed to take Lahore Fort. By then, he got information about the arrival of the royal army under the leadership of the emperor. Continuing the siege of the fort, he left with some 10,000 soldiers to confront the royal army. A definite result was seen in the bloody struggle of Bhairowal, where Khusrau suffered a crushing defeat. During the escape, Sheikh Farid, who was later given the title of Murtaza Khan as a reward, captured Khusrau on the Sodharao bank of the Chenab River.

Punishment to Rebels: To Set an Example for the Future

The rebels were brought before Jahangir, where Hussain Baig and Abdul Rahim were sewn into ox and donkey skins, leading to Hussain Baig's death, though Abdul Rahim survived and was reinstated to his old position. Other supporters were hanged on both sides of the road outside Lahore. The main rebel, Khusrau, was seated on a dirty elephant and humiliated in front of his followers.

Guru Arjan Dev: Scepter or Religious Fanaticism

In this incident, the fifth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Arjan Dev, was killed on May 30, 1606. The Guru was accused of helping Khusrau in Gondwal with a saffron tilak and a donation of five thousand rupees. The royal demand was that the Guru should accept his crime and pay a fine of 2 lakhs. Punishment was given for refusal. Jahangir himself confirmed the religious intolerance in the incident, although historian Vincent Arthur Smith did not see it as communal but rather a matter of political power.

Conspiracy: And He Was Blinded

Khusrau was imprisoned in the Agra Fort. His intimacy with the security personnel led to the cooperation of a eunuch, Atbar Khan, and Nuruddin, which probably led to a conspiracy to kill Jahangir. However, the plot was exposed. As a result, Khusrau was blinded so that he could never attempt such an act again. The father’s heart broke once, but later, Persian physician Hakim Sadr treated him, and it is said that vision in one eye was restored. As a reward, the doctor was given the title of Massim Uj Jama.

Khusro Bagh: Mother, Let Me Sleep Now

Due to Nur Jahan's influence and Khusrau being a potential rival to Khurram (Shah Jahan), he was taken to the Deccan, where he was imprisoned in Burhanpur and then executed in March 1622. By Jahangir's order, his grave was moved from Burhanpur to Agra, and later to Allahabad. Here, he was buried next to his mother in Khuldabad, now known as Khusro Bagh.

Babur's Administration

There is very little information about Babur’s administration in Hindustan. He did not have enough time to familiarize himself with Indian conditions and experiment with reforms. Although he had competent commanders, he did not have a Todar Mal to advise him on agricultural matters. Unlike his grandson Akbar, Babur’s talent lay in waging wars, not in administration. He squandered the wealth accumulated by the Lodi kings, causing a significant financial crisis. Despite these shortcomings, Babur took several measures to improve his administration and establish a strong centralized government.

• Theory of Kingship

Babur's primary task in India was to establish both respect and administrative fear among the conquered people, and for this, the recognition of the ruler’s omnipotence was essential. Babur emphasized the divine theory of kingship, viewing kingship as a divine radiance that illuminates the emperor. In 1508, Babur adopted the title of Padshah, aiming to prove his superiority over his contemporaries. In a letter to his son Humayun in 1529, he wrote, "There is no bond greater than kingship. Solitude or a lazy life is not appropriate for kings." He advised Humayun to consult with capable and experienced nobles and allies in state affairs and to order nobles to present themselves before him twice in a day for state matters.

Babur's advice to Humayun is noteworthy. "The land of Hindustan is inhabited by people of all religions. Al-ham-dulil-lah, the kingship of this country has been entrusted to you. Remove bias from your heart and do justice. Especially, do not sacrifice cows. This will win the hearts of the people of Hindustan and they will connect with the kingship. Do not demolish the places of worship of those living in the sultanate. Administer such equal justice that people are happy with their king and the king is happy with the people. Islam will spread not by the sword of oppression but by gentleness. Turn a blind eye to Shia-Sunni disputes, or else Islam will weaken."

• Central Government

Babur borrowed the structure of the central government from the Timurids. He was the executive, military, and judicial head of the government; however, understanding the importance of consultation, he formed a general council of his ministers (viziers) and prominent Mughal, Turkish, and Indian nobles, whose advice he sought before making any decision. Additionally, he had an inner council that included Mir Khalifa, Qamber Ali Beg, Tardi Beg, Hindu Beg, Arish Khan, and a few others, who met in an inner chamber (Khilwat- Khana) of the palace.

• Khwaja Nizam-ud-Din Ali Barlas

After Babur, the most important person in the state was Khwaja Nizam-ud-Din Ali Barlas, commonly referred to as Mir or Amir Khalifa. It is unclear from sources what the official designation of Khalifa was, but due to Babur's attitude towards him, some scholars believe he was a vizier. While Bakhshi Nizamuddin calls him Vakil-i- Sultanat and Badauni gives him the title of Vakil and Wazir Mutlaq, Abul Fazl states: "He held a high position under His Majesty and was a pillar of Babur’s government."

• Diwan

The Diwan was in charge of revenue and finance, making him a very important official. He oversaw the work of provincial diwans and collected revenue from provinces and taxes from jagirdars and zamindars. All this money was deposited in the treasury at Agra, managed by the Khazin (treasurer). The Diwan also maintained a register for the payment of soldiers' salaries. However, it is unclear whether the salaries were directly distributed by his department or through the Bakhshi. The Baburnama does not mention any other powers that the Diwan might have had.

• Bakhshi

The Bakhshi was in charge of the military department. Like the Diwan, he kept a register of soldiers, which he showed to the Padshah, to whom he had direct access. The Bakhshi’s duties included recruiting soldiers, inspecting horses and equipment, posting commanders before battle, and obtaining orders from the emperor. The Bakhshi was also involved in the distribution of soldiers’ salaries.

Diwan-i-Buyutat (Public Works Department)

This was an important department headed by Mir Muqim Haravi, the father of Bakhshi Nizamuddin. Under Akbar, the department head was in charge of government factories and stores, but since Babur had no factories to maintain, he was responsible for Babur’s construction activities—building wells and palaces and organizing gardens. The officer called Samanchi was the storekeeper under the Diwan-i-Buyutat.

Other Officials

• Aishak Agha: In charge of gatekeepers.
• Parvanchi: A secretary who wrote royal orders.
• Shaghawal: Chief clerk.
• Tawachi: Special messenger.
• Yasawal: Transmitted orders and enforced them.
• Qarawal: Acted as a scout during war and a hunter during peace.
• Qurchi: Weapon bearer or bodyguard.
• Bakawal: Taster—called Chashnigir in Hindustan.
• Kushbegi: Superintendent of aviaries (falcons, pigeons, etc.).
• Mir Akhwar: Supervisor of the royal horses.
• Akhtebegi: In charge of castration.
• Khazin: Treasurer.
• Qurbeqi: Keeper of the armory.
• Kitabdar: Librarian.
• Qissah-Khwan: Storyteller.
• Sheikh-ul-Islam: Chief Kotwal of major cities.
• Muhtasib: Censor of morals.

Provincial Government

Babur continued the provincial administration of the Lodis for the most part. The state was divided into approximately twenty provinces, further subdivided into parganas, each comprising a large number of villages. 

The Hakim was the executive and judicial head of the province, while the Diwan was its financial head, overseeing pargana accounts. Appointed by the emperor, the Diwan's financial responsibilities allowed him to exert some control over ambitious governors. Another important provincial officer was the Bakhshi, whose duties in the province mirrored those of the central Bakhshi. The Qazi was the head of judicial administration, but the Hakim also decided cases, especially appeals. The Khazin was in charge of the provincial treasury. The Sadar was responsible for the religious department. 

The Shikdar was the executive and military head of the pargana. Other pargana officers included:

• Aamil: Collected revenue.
• Khazin: In charge of the pargana treasury.
• Kanungo: Responsible for revenue supervision and assessment.
• Amin: Surveyed the land for revenue assessment.

Village administration continued as before with its panchayat and village officials—Muqaddam (headman) and Chaudhary (chief of three or four villages) and Patwari, who kept the village revenue records.

Babur’s administrative system was not free of flaws; there was neither uniformity at various levels nor proper coordination among different departments of administration. He paid little attention to the revenue system. However, Sheikh Abul Fazl later flattered him, writing: "He possessed in full measure the eight qualities essential for ruling the world. First, high destiny; second, lofty courage; third, the power to conquer the world; fourth, the ability to manage the kingdom; fifth, the effort to improve cities; sixth, concern for the welfare of the people; seventh, the ability to please the soldiers; and eighth, the power to prevent the army from spreading havoc."

Akbar's Deccan Policy

 

                                        

In the complex political environment, Akbar dreamed of converting his kingdom into an all-India state. Akbar was the first Mughal ruler who, like Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khilji, dreamed of conquering the south. The era in which Akbar was born was the era of imperialism in which no state could have any final limit. The axis of the military system and the state system rested on the possibility of a new territory. After North India, the southern states were certainly new battlefields for Akbar which could expand the boundaries of his kingdom as well as increase his fame.

                              Reason/purpose of conquering the south

1. Model of the North in the South: Abul Fazal

“Wise and just people who understand the trend of the age have said that if this entire world, which has become divided due to the inattention of great souls, would have been under a just ruler of skillful and versatile ability, then surely the dust of differences would settle down and humans would attain happiness. Therefore, Akbar, the priest of destiny of our era, is continuously engaged in the conquest of other countries.

2. Racial and communal violence in the South

These days, in the southern states, Shia, Sunni and Mahdavi people were trying to eliminate each other. The religious fanaticism of the Muslims of South India was ultimately causing harm to Islam. Therefore, Akbar wanted to attack South India and bring it under his control.

3. Imperialist Policy: Ishwari Prasad / Ashirwadi Lal Srivastava

Ishwari Prasad - Propagator like Maurya, Gupta, Khiljis

Ashirwadi Lal Srivastava is of the opinion that although the idea of world government is a gift of the 20th century, Akbar had made it a part of his political idealism in the 16th century itself, i.e. four centuries ago. World government in the 16th century meant the unification of the entire Indian subcontinent. He was the first emperor who dreamed of bringing the whole of India under one umbrella and strived for it throughout his life.

4. Economic interests: Shiri Mousavi

The Mughal rulers did not go towards the south with their own will or reluctance, but the structure of the Mughal class was such that it was necessary to increase the royal resources and treasury, which forced the Mughals to move towards the south. The taxes imposed on the southern states of Khandesh, Ahmednagar, Bijapur and Golconda and the money and precious gems collected from treaties increased the Mughal treasury.

5. Dealing with the Portuguese: R.P. Tripathi Vincent Smith

Vincent Arthur Smith believed that the main reason for Akbar's connection and expansion with the southern states was the dominance of the Portuguese on the western seaboard and their control over the ports of Daman and Diu in Gujarat province. According to Smith, although Akbar directly welcomed Christian priests in his court, he indirectly wanted to expel the Portuguese from the western border of India. The behavior of the Portuguese included deceit, hypocrisy and immorality and they also put pressure on the local residents to convert to religion. Used to issue letters.

4. Hideout of Gujarat rebels

 

7. Complex Socio-Economic Political Factors: Satis Chandra

After observing the contacts and relations of Mughal Emperor Akbar with the southern states of Khandesh, Ahmednagar, Bijapur, Golconda, Berar and Bidar, Akbar's southern policy can be divided into four phases.

                     First phase: 1556-1576 AD: Policy of neutrality

At this time, the Mughal Emperor had not yet established complete dominance over North India, hence he continued to follow the policy of neutrality without paying special attention to the activities of the Sultans of the South.

During this period, the Sultans of Khandesh and Berar not only gave refuge to Sultan Baz Bahadur of Malwa in their kingdom against the Mughal Emperor but also helped him and got him the kingdom of Malwa.

Apart from this, Sultan Murtaza Nizamshah of Ahmednagar captured Berar in 1574 AD, although Mughal Emperor Akbar had ordered Murtaza Nizamshah to leave Berar, but Murtaza Nizamshah ignored it and included Berar in Ahmednagar.

Mughal Emperor Akbar did not express any reaction on the above mentioned anti-Mughal conduct of the Sultans of the South, but remained calm and neutral and concentrated on solving his other problems in North India. Apart from this, he left his relations with the sultans and states of the south to the future.

                         Second phase till 1576-1584 AD: Policy of observation

During this period, Mughal Emperor Akbar had only formal relations with the Sultans of South Indian states of Khandesh, Bijapur, Ahmednagar and Golconda.

Mughal messengers went to the court of the southern Sultans from time to time and out of courtesy the southern Sultans also sent their messengers and gifts to the court of the Mughal Emperor Akbar.

Although during this period, as an exception, a Mughal military campaign was carried out against Khandesh in 1576 AD, but soon a treaty was established between the Mughal Empire and Khandesh. The Mughal side benefited more from this treaty.

The Sultan of Khandesh (Raja Ali Khan) became a lifelong friend of the Mughal Empire.

From 1576 to 1584 AD, Mughal Emperor Akbar appears to have been satisfied with formally exchanging envoys and gifts at the diplomatic level with the Sultans of the South.

                  Third phase: 1584-1591 AD: Policy of partial intervention

In these seven years, the Mughal Emperor followed a policy of indirect intervention with the Sultans of South India. In fact, the Mughal emperor's relations with the southern states of Khandesh, Ahmednagar, Bijapur and Golconda during this period were limited to his relations with the Ahmednagar state. The entire attention of the Mughal emperor remained on the activities of Ahmednagar.

During this period, on one hand, Mughal Emperor Akbar Burhan wanted to establish Mughal control over Ahmednagar indirectly through Nizamshah. At the same time, Burhan Nizamshah could gain power in Ahmednagar with the indirect support of the Mughal Emperor.

But after this he did not accept the sovereignty of Mughal Emperor Akbar and started behaving independently. Mughal Emperor Akbar did not like this behavior of Burhan Nizamshah.

Secondly, Akbar had solved the problems of North India. Therefore, he reestablished his relations with the sultanates of South India. In this phase the Mughal emperor only indirectly interfered with the southern sultanates.

                   Fourth phase: 1591-1605 AD: Policy of direct intervention

In 1591 four missions were sent to the four Deccani rulers.

Khandesh- Faizi

The ruler of Khandesh, Raja Ali, accepted Mughal-suzerainty, and sent his daughter in marriage.

Ahmadnagar- Khwaza Aminuddin

In fact, Burhan Nizam Shah was rude: he sent no presents, and brusquely dismissed the Mughal envoy. Because knowing that Akbar was too busy in the north-west to take any stern action against them.

Bizapur- Mir Muhammad Masudi

Golkunda- Mirza Masudi

The other missions came back with presents and letters of goodwill.

The failure of Akbar's diplomatic offensive of 1591 postulated a more active intervention in the Deccan.

    Akbar's search for opportune time and civil strife in Deccan

In 1595, Burhan Nizam Shah died and was succeeded by his son, Ibrahim. Ibrahim Nizam Shah renewed the war with Bijapur over Sholapur, but he was defeated and lost his life in the battle.

Various contenders to the throne now arose: Mian Manju, who was the Peshwa and leader of the Deccani party, put forward his own candidate, though he was a mere pretender, not belonging to the Nizam Shahi dynasty.

Chand Bibi, sister of Burhan Nizam Shah, who had been married to the Adil Shahi ruler in 1564, supported by the Habshi party favoured the claim of Bahadur, the infant son of the late king, Ibrahim Nizam Shah.

Miyan Manju the leader of the Deccani party, appealed to the Mughals for help. Akbar had already geared himself to invade the Deccan.

                                           First siege of Ahmednagar

Diplomacy- Raja Ali, the ruler of Khandesh, joined Mughals.

Campaign- The campaign was led by Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khanam. Due to internal differences among the Nizam Shahi nobles, the Mughals faced no opposition till they reached Ahmadnagar.

Betrayal, Regret and Patriotism- But on their approach, Miyan Manju felt sorry that he had invited them, and decided to join hands with Chand Bibi to resist them. Chand Bibi also appealed to Bijapur and Golconda for help.

War- The arrival of a Bijapuri force of seven thousand enabled Chand Bibi to offer a valiant defence: After a close siege of four months, Chand Bibi was forced to an agreement.

Treaty-

1.     whereby Berar was ceded to the Mughals.

2.     The infant, Bahadur Nizam Shah, was acknowledged as the ruler under her Regency.

3.      Mughal suzerainty was accepted. This was in 1596.

Cause of Treary-

Mughals accepted this compromise partly because of the presence of a strong Bijapur-Golconda force at the frontier.  So, neither side was satisfied with this agreement.

                                     Second siege of Ahmednagar

Cause

Mughal-The Mughals were keen to get Balaghat which had been a bone of contention between Gujarat and Ahmadnagar.

1.     One group of Ahmadnagar opposed the handing over of Berar to the Mughals.

2.     While another group led by the Wakil and Peshwa, Muhammad Khan, opened negotiations with the Mughals.

3.     Chand Bibi sent urgent messages to the rulers of Bijapur and Golconda to send reinforcements for her help.

4.     The rulers of Bijapur and Golconda responded, because they felt, not without reason, that Berar would give the Mughals a permanent foothold in the Deccan which enlarged upon at any time.

War-

Hence, a combined force of Bijapur, Golconda and Ahmadnagar, led by a Bijapur commander, Suhail Khan, entered Berar in strength.

Result- Defeated

In a hard-fought battle in 1597 at Sonepat, the Mughals defeated a Deccani force three times their number.

Left in bad times-

The Bijapuri and Golconda forces now withdrew, leaving Chand Bibi alone to face the situation.

Surrender, Compromise and Murder-

Although Chand Bibi was in favour of observing the treaty of 1596, she could not stop harassing attacks on the Mughals in Berar by her nobles.

This resulted in a another Mughal siege of Ahmadnagar. In the absence of help from any quarter, Chand Bibi decided to surrender the fort, and opened negotiations with the Mughals, demanding grant of a mansab and a jagir in Ahmadnagar to Bahadur as a subordinate ruler, with herself remaining his guardian.

She was, however, accused of treachery by the faction hostile to her, and was murdered. Thus, ended the life of one of the most romantic figures in Deccani politics.

What the Mughals got- The Mughals now assaulted and captured Ahmednagar. The boy king, Bahadur, was sent to the fortress of Gwalior.

Ahmednagar fort and the areas adjacent to it were surrendered to the Mughals. Balaghat including. Daultabad which had been claimed by the Mughals earlier, was also added to the empire, and a Mughal garrison was stationed at Ahmednagar. This was in 1600.

                                              Khandesh

Causes

1. In 1600, Akbar had advanced into Malwa and then into Khandesh to study the situation on the spot. In Khandesh he learnt that the new ruler of Khandesh. Miran Bahadur, had not shown due respect to Prince Daniyal when he had passed through the territory on his way to Ahmadnagar.

2. Worse, though summoned repeatedly, he did not appear before Akbar.

3. However, the main factor in Akbar's taking action again Bahadur was his desire to secure the fort of Asirgarh in Khandesh which was reputed to be the strongest fort in the Deccan.

4. He was also keen to annex Khandesh, with its capital Burhanpur which was a point of entry into the Deccan.

5. Khandesh, was also the hinterland of Surat and the Gujarat seaports, the route from Agra to Surat passing through Burhanpur.

                  Siege of Asirgarh (February 1600–6 January 1601)

Leadership of campaign

After reaching the capital Burhanpur, Akbar ordered to siege the fort of Asirgarh at the end of February 1600.

This siege was carried out under the joint leadership of Khan-i-Azam, Asaf Khan, Murtaza Khan and Jani Beg of Thatta. Soon Abul Fazal also joined him.

Position of the fort

According to Abul Fazal, "There is no other fort which has such a rich collection, such a number of guns, so many guards and defense materials. The special thing is that despite His Majesty not having the means to siege it, he did so”.

Akbar's leadership

The siege continued for months. Therefore, it is no surprise that Akbar was forced to take the reins of this action into his own hands.

It was in Asirgarh that Akbar received the information that Ahmednagar had been conquered.

Deception and Fraud

Knowing that the fort of Asirgarh was almost invincible, Akbar resorted to bribery and deceit to achieve his goal.

Miran Bahadur's army leaders and messengers were bribed. And on the assurance of the letter of resignation, he was induced to come out of the fort to talk to the Mughal emperor.

But Miran Bahadur was stopped in the Mughal camp and forced to sign a letter purporting to order the besieged army to hand over fort to the Mughals.

Mukarrab Khan, commander of the fort, who had come to the Mughal camp as a messenger, was killed without reason.

This was Akbar's last victory which was achieved unfairly.

Result

Khandesh was annexed to the Mughal Empire and Miran Bahadur was imprisoned and sent to the fort of Gwalior.

Prince Daniyal was appointed the governor of Malwa and Gujarat and the entire Mughal territory of Deccan (including Khandesh) was named Danadesh in his name.

Akbar returned to Fatehpur Sikri on August 1, 1601 where he ordered the construction of the famous Buland Darwaza to commemorate his victory over Asirgarh.

                                  Others

After the fall of Asirgarh, Akbar again sent envoys to the rulers of Bijapur, Golconda and Bidar to persuade them to "make binding treaties of obedience."

None of the rulers agreed to do so. However, the ruler of Bijapur reluctantly agreed to send his daughter to the haram of Prince Daniyal, the Mughal viceroy in the Deccan.

Meanwhile, in order to deal with the rebellion of Prince Salim, Akbar had to return to Agra.

Akbar's hope of befriending Bijapur, the most powerful and influential kingdom in the Deccan, could not be realized.

                                  Evaluation

 

According to RP Tripathi, in Akbar's southern policy we do not find a personal ambitious desire for victory but in it we get a glimpse of the enlightened policy of a great emperor.