How Aurangzeb Bankrupted the Mughal Empire

Aurangzeb: The Emperor Who Expanded and Broke the Mughal Empire — Fexingo History · Jul 25, 2026 · 5m · transcript

Aurangzeb's reign is often remembered for its military expansion and religious policies, but beneath the surface, an economic catastrophe was unfolding. This episode explores the financial crisis that drained the Mughal treasury, from the jagirdari system's collapse to the devastating Deccan famine of 1702. We trace how endless warfare, revenue shortfalls, and corruption hollowed out the empire, forcing Aurangzeb to squeeze peasants and revive jizya for cash. Along the way, we meet the banjara grain merchants who kept the army fed, the amils who skimmed taxes, and the desperate…