Aurangzeb

Muhi al-Din Muhammad (), better known as Aurangzeb () was the sixth emperor of the Mughal Empire. He ruled over most of the Indian subcontinent and imposed Islamic Sharia law. His reign lasted for 49 years, from 1658 until he died in 1707. During this time, Aurangzeb greatly expanded the territory of the Mughal Empire with victories in South India. He was the last of the most powerful rulers of the Mughal dynasty. After his death, the power of the Mughal Empire declined quickly due to ineffective successors and the rise of the British Empire whose conquests eventually led to British Raj.

His rule saw the spread of Islam in the Indian subcontinent and Islamic law was strictly imposed on all subjects of the empire, which led to dissatisfaction among the non-Muslim population towards the Mughal rule. Aurangzeb is often considered the most controversial Mughal ruler in India, as his rule involved the imposition of a discriminatory jizya tax on non-Muslims and the demolition of many Hindu temples.

Trade & Commerce
His administration of the Mughal Empire led to its apex in terms of territory and wealth. Emperor Aurangzeb's exchequer raised a record £100 million in annual revenue through various sources like taxes, customs, and land revenue. He had annual yearly revenue of $450 million, more than ten times that of his contemporary {Louis XIV of France}. He was popular with traders as he abolished many local taxes levied by the previous rulers 

 Islamic Laws 
He reintroduced the practice of Jaziya, an additional tax on non-Muslim subjects. He also banned the consumption of alcohol and singing in court. Under his rule, Islamic scholars compiled the Fatawa Alamgiri, which served as the Islamic law of India for several centuries.

Conflicts with the Rajputs & Sikhs
Aurangzeb had to deal with the Rajput rulers of Marwar, Mewar, and Jaipur states. Raja Jaswant Singh of Marwar, an ally of the Mughals, was deputed to the north-western frontier, where he died fighting the Afghan rebels in 1678. With no apparent successor to the throne of Marwar, it was occupied by Aurangzeb. Meanwhile, a son of Jaswant Singh, Ajit Singh, was born and claimed the throne, which Aurangzeb refused. This began a Rajput struggle against the Mughals until Aurangzeb's successor recognized Ajit Singh as the ruler of Marwar.

Guru Tegh Bahadur, who was the ninth Sikh guru, was executed in 1675 under the orders of Aurangzeb in Delhi, India. ;;;

Destruction of Hindu Temples
Contemporary court chronicles mention that hundreds of Hindu temples were demolished by Aurangzeb or his chieftains upon his orders, including temples of Khandela, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Chittor; and in September 1669, he ordered the destruction of one of the major Hindu temples, Kashi Vishvanath Temple at Varanasi.

 References 

 Other websites 

 Aurangzeb, as he was according to Mughal Records

Category:Islamic religious leaders
Category:Hanafis
Category:Mughal emperors
Category:1618 births
Category:1707 deaths
Category:Indian generals
Category:18th century in India
Category:17th century in India