Latest / Aurangzeb: The Emperor Who Expanded and Broke the Mughal Empire — Fexingo History / Aurangzeb's Siege of Bijapur: The Conquest That Changed the Deccan
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot about Aurangzeb's wars in the Deccan — the Maratha campaigns, the siege of Golconda. But I think one of the most dramatic moments, and maybe the one that really sealed the fate of the Deccan sultanates, was the siege of Bijapur in 1686. Luna: Bijapur — that's the Adil Shahi capital, right? With that massive dome? Lucas: Exactly. The Gol Gumbaz is still there today, one of the largest domes in the world. But back then, Bijapur was a fortress city, heavily fortified, and the Adil Shahi sultan, Sikandar Adil Shah, was determined to hold out. Aurangzeb had already taken Golconda the year before, and Bijapur was next on his list. Lucas: The Mughal army was massive — tens of thousands of men, with heavy artillery. But Bijapur's walls were thick, and the defenders were experienced. The siege dragged on for over a year, from March 1685 to September 1686. Luna: A year? That's incredible. What made it so long? Lucas: A few things. First, the defenses were just excellent. The city had a double wall, a moat, and plenty of provisions. Second, the Mughals had trouble with their supply lines — the Deccan is hot, dry, and the Marathas were constantly harassing their convoys. And third, Sikandar was hoping for outside help, maybe from the Marathas or even the Portuguese, but it never came. Lucas: Aurangzeb put his best commander, Zulfikar Khan, in charge of the siege. Zulfikar was a brilliant military engineer — he built siege towers, mines, and trenches. The Mughals slowly tightened the noose, cutting off supplies and bombarding the walls day and night. Luna: Were there any famous accounts of the siege? Like from European travelers? Lucas: Yes, François Bernier — the French physician and traveler who spent time in the Mughal court — wrote about it. He described the relentless cannon fire, the famine inside the city, and the desperation of the defenders. He noted that the Mughal gunners were so good they could hit a specific spot on the wall repeatedly, eventually causing breaches. Lucas: But the defenders were tenacious. They made sorties at night, trying to spike the Mughal cannons or set fire to the siege works. There's a story about a Bijapuri soldier who sneaked into the Mughal camp and killed the commander of a cannon battery before being caught. Luna: Wow. That's the kind of detail that makes history feel alive. Lucas: Exactly. Meanwhile, Aurangzeb was getting impatient. He was camped nearby, and he kept pressuring Zulfikar to finish it. But Zulfikar knew that a direct assault would cost too many lives, so he kept up the blockade. By August 1686, the city was starving. People were eating rats and leather. Lucas: Finally, in September, a massive breach was opened. The Mughals stormed the walls, and after fierce fighting, the city fell. Sikandar Adil Shah surrendered and was taken prisoner. He spent the rest of his life in Mughal captivity. Luna: What happened to Bijapur itself? Was it destroyed? Lucas: Surprisingly, it wasn't sacked. Aurangzeb ordered that the city be spared, and he even let Sikandar keep his life. But the kingdom was annexed, and the Adil Shahi dynasty ended. Bijapur became a Mughal province, and a lot of its nobles were integrated into the Mughal administration. Lucas: But here's the irony: conquering Bijapur didn't bring peace. The Marathas, who had been a nuisance before, now became a full-blown insurgency. Aurangzeb had to commit more and more resources to the Deccan, draining the empire's treasury. The victory at Bijapur was actually the beginning of the end for the Mughals. Luna: So it's a classic case of overreach — winning the battle but losing the war. Lucas: Exactly. And you know, it's funny — we're talking about this massive siege, and it's a reminder that these stories are only possible because of the support we get from listeners. If you've been enjoying these deep dives into Mughal history, a small contribution really helps keep the show ad-free and alive. Luna: Yeah, it's amazing what just a couple of dollars a month can do. It's like buying us a coffee. Lucas: Exactly. So if you're able, head over to buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It makes a real difference for a show like this. Lucas: Anyway, back to Bijapur. One more detail that's often overlooked: the siege had a huge impact on architecture. After the conquest, Aurangzeb ordered the construction of a new mosque inside the fort, and many of the old Adil Shahi palaces were repurposed. You can still see the blend of styles today. Luna: That's fascinating — how conquest leaves a physical mark on the landscape. Lucas: And on people. The fall of Bijapur sent shockwaves through the Deccan. It showed that no sultanate was safe from Aurangzeb's ambitions. But it also unified the Marathas against a common enemy. Within a decade, the Mughals were stuck in a quagmire they couldn't escape. Luna: So the siege was both a triumph and a trap. Lucas: Exactly right. And that tension — between expansion and overreach — is the story of Aurangzeb's reign in a nutshell. Next time, we'll look at another turning point, maybe the Maratha counterattack under Rajaram.