Latest / Aurangzeb: The Emperor Who Expanded and Broke the Mughal Empire — Fexingo History / Aurangzeb's Hidden Letters to European Traders
Transcript
- Lucas: We’ve spent the last twenty episodes diving deep into Aurangzeb’s internal world—the gardens he planted, the laws he codified, and the temples he either protected or destroyed. But there’s another side to his rule that rarely gets the spotlight, even among serious historians. Luna: Which is? Lucas: His foreign policy, specifically his direct correspondence with European monarchs. It’s captured in a collection of letters known as the Ruqa'at i alamgiri. These aren't just polite notes; they are sharp, sometimes arrogant directives from an emperor who saw himself as the center of the world. Lucas: Most people think of Aurangzeb as purely inward-looking, focused on the Deccan and religious purity. But he was deeply aware of the growing power of the British and French trading companies along the coast. Luna: Did he see them as threats or just annoying merchants? Lucas: Both, really. He viewed them as potential tools, but only if they acknowledged his supreme authority. The letters reveal a man trying to bend European kings to his will, treating them more like subordinate vassals than independent sovereigns. Lucas: Take his letter to Charles II of England in 1686. It’s fascinating because it comes right after Aurangzeb’s victory over Golconda, when his power seemed absolute. He wasn't asking for trade privileges; he was demanding tribute. Luna: Tribute from the King of England? Lucas: Exactly. He asked for a golden chain, a diamond, and four fine horses. In the Mughal worldview, this wasn't extortion; it was the natural order. If you traded in Hindustan, you owed respect to the Padishah. Lucas: The letter also mentions his ongoing war with the Marathas. Aurangzeb hints that he needs English naval support to crush Shivaji’s successors. He thinks he can buy their loyalty with future trade concessions. Luna: Did the British actually send him anything? Lucas: They sent something, but it was far from what he wanted. They sent a modest gift, likely a silver watch or some textiles, nothing resembling a royal tribute. It was a diplomatic fumble on both sides. Lucas: What makes these letters so valuable today is that they show Aurangzeb’s genuine belief in his own divine right. He writes with a tone that is almost condescending, reminding Charles II of the greatness of his grandfather, Shah Jahan. Luna: He brought up Shah Jahan often? Lucas: Constantly. He used his father’s legacy as a benchmark for glory. When writing to Europeans, he’d mention the Taj Mahal or the Red Fort, subtly reminding them that the Mughals had built wonders they could never comprehend. Lucas: There’s also a letter to the King of France. It’s less aggressive but still firm. Aurangzeb asks for engineers and artillery experts to help fortify his positions in the Deccan. He knows European technology has an edge. Luna: So he was pragmatic about their tech despite the insults. Lucas: Precisely. He separated their utility from their status. He didn't care if they bowed down; he cared if their cannons worked. This duality is key to understanding his entire reign. Lucas: We have to talk about François Bernier, the French physician who lived at Aurangzeb’s court. His memoirs give us context for these letters because he witnessed the emperor’s daily interactions with foreign envoys. Luna: Bernier hated Aurangzeb, didn't he? Lucas: He did. Bernier described the Mughal system as despotic and cruel. But even he couldn't deny the sheer scale of Aurangzeb’s diplomatic reach. The emperor received envoys from Persia, Turkey, and Europe, all under one roof. Lucas: Bernier noted that Aurangzeb would read these letters himself, often late at night. He was personally involved in every detail of foreign policy, unlike many of his predecessors who delegated to ministers. Luna: That sounds exhausting. Lucas: It must have been. Imagine managing a continental empire while also drafting personal letters to kings across the sea. Aurangzeb was a micromanager on a global scale. Lucas: One interesting detail is the language. All these letters were in Persian, the lingua franca of diplomacy. Even when addressing Christian monarchs, he used Islamic terminology, referring to God as Allah and himself as His shadow on earth. Luna: Did the Europeans understand that? Lucas: They had interpreters, yes. And they understood the implication: submit, and you gain protection. Resist, and you face the wrath of the Mughal army. It was a clear binary choice. Lucas: But the British weren't stupid. By the time of these letters, they were already building forts in Bombay and Madras. They weren't going to just hand over their sovereignty for a few sacks of spices. Luna: So the letters failed in practice? Lucas: In the short term, yes. Aurangzeb never got his golden chains. But symbolically, he maintained the pretense that Europe was peripheral. As long as he believed that, he didn't take them seriously enough to prevent their eventual rise. Lucas: This brings us to a critical point. Aurangzeb’s failure wasn't military; it was strategic blindness. He thought he could control the Europeans through prestige. He didn't realize they were building a new kind of power—commercial and naval—that would eventually eclipse land-based empires. Luna: He was playing chess while they were changing the board. Lucas: That’s a perfect way to put it. He was focused on the traditional hierarchy of kings, while the British were focused on logistics, supply lines, and profit margins. Lucas: Let’s pause here for a moment. If you’ve been following our journey through Aurangzeb’s life, you know it’s been dense with information. We’re committed to keeping these episodes ad-free and high-quality. That work is sustained by listeners like you. If you find value in these deep dives, consider supporting us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It helps us keep the lights on and the research thorough. Luna: Yeah, it really does make a difference in the quality of the details. Lucas: Thanks for listening. Now, back to the letters. There’s one final piece I want to share, which shows just how detached Aurangzeb was from reality. Luna: Oh no. Lucas: In 1695, he sent another letter to Charles II, complaining about the behavior of British sailors in Surat. He demanded punishment for those who disrespected Muslim customs. Lucas: He wrote this while his armies were struggling in the Deccan, bogged down by guerrilla tactics. He was worried about sailors drinking wine in a port city, while his empire was fracturing. Luna: Priorities, clearly. Lucas: Extremely. It’s a poignant ending to his diplomatic story. He died in 1707, still believing that his word was law, even as the foundations of his empire crumbled around him. Lucas: The Ruqa'at i alamgiri remain a testament to his ego and his ambition. They are a record of a man trying to hold back the tide with words alone. Luna: It’s sad, really, looking back. Lucas: It is. But it’s also instructive. It reminds us that power isn't just about armies; it’s about adapting to change. Aurangzeb had neither the flexibility nor the vision to do so. Lucas: Next time, we might look at how his sons fought over these very same letters, trying to salvage fragments of the empire he left behind. What do you think? Luna: I’m ready for that one.