Aurangzeb's Jizya Tax: Reinstating the Islamic Poll Tax

Aurangzeb: The Emperor Who Expanded and Broke the Mughal Empire — Fexingo History · May 30, 2026 · 8m · transcript

In 1679, Aurangzeb reinstated the jizya tax on non-Muslims, a decision that has been debated for centuries. This episode explores the actual implementation of the tax: how it was collected, who was exempt, and what contemporary chroniclers like Saqi Mustad Khan and foreign travelers like Niccolao Manucci and François Bernier recorded. We examine the tax rates from the Fatawa-e-Alamgiri, the exemption of women, children, the elderly, and the poor, and the role of the muhtasib in enforcement. The episode also looks at the political context—the ongoing Rathore rebellion and Maratha wars—and…