Aurangzeb, born in 1618, was considered as the last great Mughal emperor. He was the third son of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. By the time he turned 16, Shah Jahan gave him the post of the governor of Deccan. Aurangzeb moved to Kirki in the Deccan region, which he renamed, Aurangabad, after him. Learn about Aurangzeb, son of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, visit: http://mocomi.com/aurangzeb/

1. UNF FOR ME!
Copyright 2012 Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.©
History for kids
mocomi.com/learn/history/

2. UNF FOR ME!
Copyright 2012 Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.©
Aurangzeb, born in 1618, was considered as the last
great Mughal emperor. He was the third son of Shah
Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. By the time he turned 16,
Shah Jahan gave him the post of the governor of
Deccan. Aurangzeb moved to Kirki in the Deccan
region, which he renamed, Aurangabad, after him. In
1637, he married Rabia Durrani and it was around this
time that Shah Jahan began to favour his eldest son,
Dara Shikoh.

3. UNF FOR ME!
Copyright 2012 Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.©
Aurangzeb soon earned his father's disfavour and was
asked to step down from his post. However after
mending ties with his father, he was made governor
of Gujarat where he did well and was rewarded. By
1647, he was made governor of Balkh and
Badakhshan (present day Afghanistan and Tajikistan),
replacing his ineffective brother, Murad Baksh.

4. UNF FOR ME!
Copyright 2012 Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.©
These areas were constantly attacked by rebels and
Aurangzeb managed to quell them with his military
skills. When he was appointed as the governor of
Multan and Sindh, he engaged in a long battle in an
effort to capture Kandahar from the Safavid army.
Unfortunately, Aurangzeb failed to do so, and once
again earned his father's anger.

5. Aurangzeb was once again appointed the governor
of Deccan. He set out to expand the Mughal Empire
but was stopped by his father and and eldest brother
every time. Soon after Shah Jahan fell ill, all his sons
began to fight over the throne.Aurangzeb defeated
his elder brother Dara's armies and took his father as
prisoner. Dara was condemned to death by his own
brother. He defeated his other brothers too and soon
after took over the throne at Agra. Aurangzeb went
on to rule which last forty-nine years.
UNF FOR ME!
Copyright 2012 Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.©

6. Although Aurangzeb's predecessors were tolerant
towards all religions, Aurangzeb enforced strict
Islamic law called the Fatwa-e-Alamgiri. He banned
music, art and dance in his courts. He also destroyed
images in art and architecture, as Muslim Law
dictates. He destroyed many Hindu temples,
prohibited religious meets and enforced unfair taxes
on non-Muslims, which Akbar had removed. He also
banned the practice of Sati and forced many to
convert to Islam.
UNF FOR ME!
Copyright 2012 Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.©

7. Aurangzeb now had the freedom of expanding his
kingdom with no one in his way. He extended the
Empire both in the Northwest and Northeast. His
armies consisted of some 500,000 camp followers,
50,000 camels and 30,000 war elephants. In a
quick span of time he invaded Punjab and
Afghanistan and also tried to suppress territories
owned by the Maratha’s in the west who were led by
Shivaji. But these constant military campaigns
drained his treasury. As a result, the peasants of the
Kingdom had to pay heavy taxes.
UNF FOR ME!
Copyright 2012 Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.©

8. Because of his restrictive rule, Aurangzeb had many
enemies, especially the Sikhs. When Aurangzeb
insisted that all Kashmir Brahmins must convert to
Islam, the hapless Kashmiri's turned to the Sikh Guru,
Tegh Bahadur, for help. Aurangzeb refused to listen to
his pleas and insisted that he too must convert to Islam.
When Tegh Bahadur refused, Aurangzeb had him
executed which triggered a rebellion from the Sikhs.
UNF FOR ME!
Copyright 2012 Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.©

9. Aurangzeb's army continued to weaken. It was at
this time that his new enemies, the Maratha’s
attacked him. For 27 years the two armies fought
many battles, and only after Shivaji's death in 1680,
did Aurangzeb and his army get some respite.
UNF FOR ME!
Copyright 2012 Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.©

10. UNF FOR ME!
Copyright 2012 Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.©
This relief was short lived as the Rajputs of Jodhpur
and Mewar joined forces and rebelled against
Aurangzeb. They declared themselves independent
of their rule. Aurangzeb, sent his son to quell their
rebellions, only to learn later that his son would deceive
him.Akbar, Aurangzeb's son declared himself King and
soon fled to the Deccan where he allied with Shivaji's
son, Sambhaji. Aurangzeb later sent his son into exile in
Persia, from where he never returned. Aurangzeb
then later captured Sambhaji and killed him.

11. The decline of the Empire had already begun.
Aurangzeb's political power had weakened because
ofthe time he spent on military matters.His governors
and generals became powerful and many declared
themselves independent rulers. His harsh rule,
alienated the Hindus and the peasants, who lives in
utter poverty. Aurangzeb breathed his last in 1707.
The Empire was no longer and effective force though
it officially came to an end in 1857 when Emperor
Bahadur Shah Zafarwas put on trial.It was at this time
that the Mughal Empire was completely wiped out.
UNF FOR ME!
Copyright 2012 Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.©

12. The Sikhs established their Empire in Punjab, after
Aurangzeb's death. Charat Singh established his
stronghold in Gujranwala in 1763. Maharaja Ranjit
Singh was the most powerful of all Sikh rulers and
ruled for over forty years. He was also know as the
'Lion of Punjab'and died due to paralysis in 1839.After
his death the Sikh Empire was divided into small
principalities.
UNF FOR ME!
Copyright 2012 Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.©
For more Educational articles and video for
kids, visit: mocomi.com/learn/