8.1 Conquests and Consolidation of the Empire

Conquests and Consolidation of the Empire

2020-04-26 19 :31: 13

  • Policy of consolidation could be divided into various phases
  • 1556-1605 initially under Bariam Khan; policy of conciliation through marriages and diplomacy

Conflict with the Afghans, Rise of Hemu


**Ishwari Prasad** : Even in the disruption of Afghan empire, there were ample resources both men and leaders to have made reconquest of India by Mughals a virtual impossibility.
  • Sikandar Sur at Sirhind and Punjab, Adali at Bihar and Jaunpur, Muhammad Khan Sur in Bengal.
  • Hemu was a trader and Suhna of market at Dlehi under Islam Shah. He rose to the position of wazir.
  • He was not representative of a Hindu resurgence neigther did his assumption of title 'Vikramjit' mean that he wanted to be a sovereigns.
  • His rise showed the dev of an open society under Afghans.

Abul Fazl praises his spirit, courage and enterprise who wanted him to be kept as a prisoner and to join royal service.

  • Shortly after this the Afghan Sur's reconquered Agra and Delhi, Kabul was also threatened by an invasion from Mirza Suleiman of Badakshan
  • Mughals under Bairam Khan decided to march against Sikandar Shah Suri of Punjab, he avoided battle. After defeating him Mughals captured Lahore and Multan, followed by Ajmer and Rajputana.
  • Afghans after the death of Bairam Khan Afghans made 2 more attempts untils 1564.

Jalauddin Muhammad Akbar 1556-1605

  • Born in 1542 in Amarkot spent his infancy under captivity of Kamran when Humayun fled to Iran who treated him well.
  • Love for hunting, riding, animal sports, pigeon flying made him neglect study. He never learnt to write.
  • After H death at Delhi after falling from a library. Bairam Khan was appointed incharge of all political and financial matters.

Regency of Bairam Khan

  • Very few nobles objected to his appointment due to approaching Afghan threat. Used his powers to remove his potential rivals such as Tardi Beg.
  • Had many achievements to his credit. Threat to Kabul from Mirza Suleman of Badakshan was averted.
  • Gwalior for was captured. Efforts were made to capture Malwa, Ranthambore.
  • Akbars foster mothers Maham Anga, Atka Khail were jealous of Bairam and her mother Hamid Bano Begum. Who tried to poison his brains.
  • Bairam was not a sovereign so he could not raise a new nobility dependent on him but push forward low ranking officials loyal to him -> alienated large section of nobles.

**Turkman** : meant Iranized turks who were mostly shia.

**Badayuni(1540-1615)** : was a historian who was employed by Akbar to the religious office and wrote the book Muntakhad ut Tawarikh which a 3 volume book. 1st vol dealt with Babar and Humayun and 2nd exclusively with Akbar and was very critical of him.

Vakil of Mughal Empire : was considered as a representative/ lieutenant of the emperor was the most prestigious post combining financial, military and adm powers.

Bayazid Byat was Akbar's earliest biographer.

Tusli Das : famous Hindi poet was a contemporary of Akbar.
  • Akbar did not have a privy purse and his servants had poor jagirs.
  • During this time the assessed rev on paper was more than realised rev -> meant that there was increased favoritism and corruption.

Revolt of the Uzbeks, Struggle for Wikalat

  • After Bairam Khan it was given to Munim Khan whom Akbar called as Khan Baba or My Baba/ Baba am.
  • He worked closely w/ Maham Anga at this pt in 1561 her influence was highest.
  • He was replaced by Atka Khan in 1561 but Atka was murdered by Adham Khan in June 1562 and Munim once again became Wakil.
  • Uzbeks first under Abdullah Khand Uzbek Governor of Malwa and later under Ali Quli Zaman started behaving independently.
  • 1565 Ak came to Jaunpur that is when they rose in rebellion. Bengal ruler supported them. Uzbeks bases were East UP, Bihar, Malwa.
  • Akbar took diplomatic and military measures to quell it. Advising Nobles to build their houses in Jaunpur.
  • Munim Khan insisted on pardoning them and their Jagirs were restores in 1566.
  • During this time Mirza Suleiman of Badakshan ousted Mirza Hakim brother of Akbar from Kabul.
  • M Hakin then attacked Lahore but retreated when Akbar reached there.
  • When Ak was at Lahore Uzbeks rebelled again for the 3rd time proclaiming M Hakim as their leader.
  • Uzbek leaders Khan i Zaman was killed, Bahadur Khan captured and executed. Revellion was quelled by 1567.

Early Expansion from 1560-76

  • During this time Malwa, Gondwana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bihar and Bengal was captured.

Malwa

  • Baz Bahadur was ruler. He was defeated by Rani Durgavati (1524-1564) of Gondwana.
  • Akbar resumed his military operation against Malwa in 1560 after Bairam Khan's death.
  • Afghan ruler Baz Bahadur was defeated at Battle of Sarangpur and fled to Khandesh.
  • Adham Khan his foster brother carried wholesale murder and slaughter of its residents. He was replaced by Pir Md Khan.
  • Rani Rupmati died and many other women were taken to Mughal harem by Adham Khan.
  • Pir Muhammad invaded Burhanpur in Khandesh where BB had taken refuge and repeated the cruelties of Malwa.

Garh Katanga/ Gondwana

  • Rani Durgavati was the ruler. Who was famed for killing tigers and had been ruling for at least 16 years.
  • Gondwana consisted of modern districts near Jabalpur and about 70,000 villages.
  • In 1564 Asaf Khan led an expedition against it.
  • She was defeated at Damoh later committed suicide. Raj Narayan was defeated and killed at capital Chauragarh.

Rajasthan

Why? To secure its flanks and routes to Gujarat sea ports.

  • Mughals already controlled Mewat, Ajmer and Nagor.
  • They captured Mewar after siege of Chittorgarh fort defeating Udai Singh. After 4 months of siege and digging of mines.
  • Akbar ordered a general massacre of Rajputs and peasants inside the fort. Last time he did so. This was in March 1568.
  • It was followed by capture of Ranthambore and Kalinjar, Bundelkhand.
  • His son Pratap Singh/Maharana Pratap was defeated in Haldighati in 1576. Akbar celebrated this by founding the city of Fatehpur Sikri

Gujarat

Why? Growing power of Mirzas and Portuguese; due to its strategic location and presence of ports; west Gujarat was fabled for its fertile land.

  • Ak was invited by Itimad Khan Habshi ruler of Ahmedabad to put down anarchy.
  • Ak captured Ahmedabad in 1572 by driving out the Mirzas and its ruler Muzaffar Shah III from south Gujarat.
  • Akbar appointed Aziz Koka as governor. After Ak left various elements joined hand to expel the Mughals but Koka entrenched himself at Ahmadabad.
  • To commemorate this he built the Buland Darwaza at Fatehpur Sikri.
  • He was to later return here in 1573 to put down the Mirzas once again.

Bengal

  • The only remaining Afghan stronghold was Bengal under Daud Khan that comprised south Bihar upto Rohtas.
  • Munim Khan then governor of Jaunpur was asked to capture Bengal but failed.
  • Ak considered this to be a combined operation.
  • Daud Khan was pushed out and Munim K became governor. After MK's death Daud Khan again tried captured Bengal.
  • Was later defeated by Hussain Quli Khan-i-Jahan in 1576.

Last Phase of Akbar's Reign 1580-1605

  • Akbar captured Kabul in 1581. His northern campaign started from 1585 onwards.
  • He shifted his capital form Lahore to counter the Uzbek threat from Abdullah Khan Shaybanid as well as the tribal Afghans(Yusufzai's). Akbar made a pact to neutrality with the Uzbeks on their Safavid invasion
  • Tribal excursion of Akbar in Afg was a disaster Birbal lost his life in 1586. The area was pacified under Todar mal over the next 6 years.
  • Kashmir was subdued in 1589. Lower Sindh and Baluchistan capitulated by 1593
  • Shah Tahmasp I had captured Kandahar in 1558 from the Mughals. It was taken back when the Persian governor Mozaffar Husayn and rebel Persian prince Rostom Mirza defected to the Mughals
  • In 1593 Akbar started the military operation against Deccan sultans. He besieged Ahmednagar fort in 1595 forcing Chand Bibi to cede Berar

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Akbar as a Ruler

  • A used to appear 3 times a day. 1st in the morning was called Jharokha darshan to estd personal bond b/w ruler and its subject.
    • people presented their cases and a decision on spot was taken
    • was sometimes used to witness animal fights and later due to reveration of the emperor people did not eat or drink until the darshan of the King.
    • then he retired to the diwan-i-khas-am where petitions were presented person to person.
  • 2nd Appearance was in the afternoon where he reviewed condition of horses and saw the working of the Karkhanas. Anotnion Monserrate has written about it.
  • Confidential business was done at Ghusal Khana/ Bath room. This was renamed as Daulat Khana-i-Khas by Shah Jahan.
  • Diwan-i-Khas was to bring together learned, wise men and truthseekers. Discussion of various topics were held.
  • Akbar went ingnotio sometimes to observe his subjects.
  • His most significant achievement was establishing routine that was strictly followed by his successors and bringing monarchy closer to people.

PYQs

Conquests and consolidation of the Empire

  1. Write a short essay on: "Hemu vikramaditya" [2001, 20m]
  1. Analyze how the political processes of state formation of Mewar, from 10th-15th century CE was challenged in the 16th century CE by the imperialist policy of Akbar. [2013, 15]