Aurangzeb's Tax on Non-Muslims and the Economic Cost of Empire

Aurangzeb: The Emperor Who Expanded and Broke the Mughal Empire — Fexingo History · Oct 16, 2026 · 7m · transcript

In this episode, we look past the battles in the Deccan to examine the fiscal engine that sustained Aurangzeb’s vast empire: the jizya tax. We explore how the reimposition of this poll tax on non-Muslims in 1679 was not just a religious statement but a desperate financial maneuver to fund endless warfare. Lucas walks us through the administrative mechanics of the jizya, the resistance it sparked from merchant classes and Rajput allies, and the long-term economic damage it inflicted on Mughal trade. Luna probes the human cost of these policies, asking about the everyday experiences of those…