Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Court: Aurangzeb was born on 3 November 1618 as the son of Mughal ruler Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. His full name was Muinuddin Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir. Since childhood, Aurangzeb received religious education and showed a keen interest in Islamic law. He was proficient in Arabic and Persian languages and was very devoted to his religious beliefs. From the early days, Aurangzeb showed deep interest in the Mughal army and politics, and led several important military operations under his father Shah Jahan.
In 1658, Aurangzeb took over the throne of the Mughal Empire by ousting his father Shah Jahan from power. He won the power struggle against his brothers Dara Shikoh, Murad and Shuja. After becoming the Emperor, Aurangzeb adopted the policy of expanding the Mughal Empire and rule according to Islamic principles. Akhilesh Jaiswal, Professor of the Medieval History Department of Allahabad University, has given some figures in his book ‘Aurangzeb and Relations with Hindus’. According to the data, many countries and religions lived in Aurangzeb’s court. If we talk about religion, then there were a total of 486 people in the court during his first term (1658–1678). The maximum number of 381 people were Muslims. The rest of the people were Hindus, including Ambassador, Maratha and other Hindus, 105 people.
Aurangzeb’s second term increases
A total of 575 people were present in the court during Aurangzeb’s second term (1679–1707). These numbers were 89 more than the previous term. There were a total of 486 people in the last term, while in the second, 575. In Aurangzeb’s second term, there was more number of Muslims. This figure was 393, while in the last term there were 381. Apart from Muslims, there was an increase in the number of Hindus. (1679–1707) during the tenure of Aurangzeb’s court, the number of Hindus was 182, which was 77 more than the previous number.
The policies of Aurangzeb are considered deeply influenced by its religious perspective. He made the Islamic law “Sharia” the basis of governance and re-enforced Jazia (tax on non-Muslims). In addition, she banned music, dances and other cultural activities, which were prevalent under the rule of the earlier Mughal rulers. These policies made him a controversial ruler among Hindu and other non-Muslim communities.
Religious dispute and Aurangzeb criticism
Aurangzeb has often faced criticism due to his religious policies. He made an identity as a disputed ruler due to allegations of demolishing Hindu temples and promoting forcible conversion. His religious policies influenced the social fabric of the Mughal Empire and his relations with many Rajputs and Hindu rulers deteriorated. However, the empire expanded during Aurangzeb’s reign, but at the end political instability and rebels weakened the Mughal Empire.
Aurangzeb’s death and his legacy
Aurangzeb died on 3 March 1707. He continued to rule India for almost 50 years, which was the longest reign in Mughal history. After his death, the Mughal Empire began to fall. Even today, he is remembered as a religious fundamentalist and strict ruler.
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