Latest / Aurangzeb: The Emperor Who Expanded and Broke the Mughal Empire — Fexingo History / Aurangzeb's Rajput Gamble: The Marwar War That Cost an Empire
Transcript
- Lucas: We've talked a lot about Aurangzeb's wars in the Deccan, his break with the Sikhs, his religious policies. But there's another conflict that I think was just as decisive in weakening the empire — his struggle with the Rajputs of Marwar, what we might call the Rajput gamble. Luna: I know the Rajputs were traditionally Mughal allies, right? Under Akbar and Shah Jahan? Lucas: Exactly. For over a century, the Rajput clans — especially the Rathores of Marwar and the Sisodias of Mewar — were the backbone of the Mughal military. They provided commanders, generals, and troops. But Aurangzeb managed to alienate them in just a few years, starting with a succession crisis in 1678. Lucas: That year, Maharaja Jaswant Singh of Marwar — a loyal Mughal officer who had served in the Deccan and Afghanistan — died unexpectedly in the frontier post of Jamrud, near modern Peshawar. He had no living sons, only a pregnant wife. Luna: So who takes over? Aurangzeb? Lucas: Aurangzeb saw an opportunity. He sent orders to seize the kingdom's treasury and lands, and declared that Marwar would be annexed as crown land. He argued that since there was no direct male heir, the state lapsed to the empire. But Jaswant's queen, Rani Hadi Bai, gave birth to a son a few months later — Ajit Singh. Luna: And Aurangzeb just ignored the baby? Lucas: He tried to bring the infant to his court in Delhi, effectively to raise him as a Mughal dependent and control the succession. But the Rathore nobles, led by a fierce warrior named Durgadas Rathore, refused. They hatched a plan to smuggle the baby prince and the queen out of Delhi before Aurangzeb could get his hands on them. Lucas: Durgadas and his men fought a running battle across the rooftops of Delhi to escape the city. The infant Ajit was passed from hand to hand, taken to the Rathore strongholds in the desert. It's an incredible story of loyalty and daring. Luna: So then Aurangzeb invades Marwar? Lucas: He did. In 1679, the emperor personally led a campaign into Rajasthan. He captured the city of Jodhpur, and in a brutal act, ordered the destruction of many of its Hindu temples. The mosque he built on the site of one of them still stands, but the long-term effect was catastrophic. Lucas: The Rajputs didn't give up. They fought a guerrilla war from their hill forts and the desert. Durgadas Rathore became a legendary figure, raiding Mughal supply lines and refusing to surrender. The war dragged on for years, tying down thousands of Mughal troops that were desperately needed in the Deccan. Luna: And this was right when Aurangzeb was trying to conquer the Marathas, wasn't it? Lucas: Exactly. The Marwar war was a massive distraction. And it got worse: in 1680, Aurangzeb's own son, Prince Akbar, rebelled with the support of Durgadas and the Marathas. That rebellion failed, but it showed how deep the fracture had become. Lucas: Aurangzeb also alienated the other great Rajput kingdom, Mewar. When its ruler, Maharana Raj Singh, refused to help him against Marwar, Aurangzeb attacked Mewar too. The Sisodias had to pay a heavy indemnity, but the emperor lost their trust permanently. Luna: So the Rajput alliance that Akbar built was shattered within a generation. Lucas: Shattered is the word. The Mughal army lost its most respected cavalry commanders. And the bitterness lingered. When the empire began to collapse after Aurangzeb's death, the Rajputs were among the first to reassert their independence. Ajit Singh, the prince who was rescued as a baby, later recaptured Jodhpur and ruled as an independent king. Lucas: The contemporary chronicler Bhimsen Saxena, who served as a Mughal officer in the Deccan, wrote about the Marwar war with a tone of regret. He noted that the Rajputs had been the 'sword of the empire' and that Aurangzeb's policies turned them into enemies. Luna: It seems like such a avoidable mistake. Why did Aurangzeb push so hard? Lucas: Partly ideology — his desire to expand the realm of Islam, and his suspicion of non-Muslim nobles who held too much power. Partly stubbornness. He believed he could crush the Rajputs just as he was crushing the Deccan sultanates. But he underestimated their resilience. Lucas: And it's a pattern we see throughout his reign: he could not compromise. He demanded total submission, and when he didn't get it, he escalated — even when it was strategically disastrous. Luna: That's a heavy legacy. And it's a reminder of how a single decision can ripple for generations. Lucas: If you've been stepping into history with us episode by episode, you'll know that this kind of deep research takes time and resources. We keep Fexingo History ad-free because of listeners who support us at buymeacoffee.com/fexingo. It's a simple way to say you value these conversations. Luna: And every contribution goes straight back into the show — better sources, more time to dig into stories like this one. Lucas: So back to Marwar. One of the most dramatic moments came when Aurangzeb tried to negotiate a truce in 1680. He demanded that the Rajputs hand over Ajit Singh to be raised as a Muslim. The Rajputs refused, and the war went on. Lucas: It wasn't until after Aurangzeb's death that the conflict truly ended. Ajit Singh eventually reclaimed Jodhpur and rebuilt the destroyed temples. The Mughal hold on Rajasthan was effectively over. Luna: And what about Durgadas Rathore? Did he live to see that? Lucas: He did. He served as regent and commander for Ajit Singh, and lived into old age, dying around 1718. He's still celebrated in Rajasthan as a folk hero. The loyalty he showed to his prince is legendary. Lucas: So the Marwar war is a perfect example of Aurangzeb's double-edged legacy: he was a brilliant administrator and a fierce defender of Islamic orthodoxy, but his inflexibility drove away the very allies he needed. Luna: It makes you wonder how things might have been different if he'd taken a more pragmatic approach. Lucas: History loves that question. And for the Rajputs, it's a story of survival against overwhelming odds.