Aurangzeb
Subtitle: the life and legacy of India's most controversial king
By: Audrey Truschke
Publisher: Stanford University Press
Published: 2017
Language: eng
Number of pages: 136
ISBN-13: 9781503602038; 9781503602571
Subjects: Relations with Hindus; Kings and rulers; Biography
Description: The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir is one of the most hated men in Indian history. Widely reviled as a religious fanatic who sought to violently oppress Hindus, he is even blamed by some for setting into motion conflicts that would result in the creation of a separate Muslim state in South Asia. In her lively overview of his life and influence, Audrey Truschke offers a clear-eyed perspective on the public debate over Aurangzeb and makes the case for why his often-maligned legacy deserves to be reassessed. Aurangzeb was arguably the most powerful and wealthiest ruler of his day. His nearly 50-year reign (1658-1707) had a profound influence on the political landscape of early modern India, and his legacy-real and imagined-continues to loom large in India and Pakistan today. Truschke evaluates Aurangzeb not by modern standards but according to the traditions and values of his own time, painting a picture of Aurangzeb as a complex figure whose relationship to Islam was dynamic, strategic, and sometimes contradictory. This book invites students of South Asian history and religion into the world of the Mughal Empire, framing the contemporary debate on Aurangzeb's impact and legacy in accessible and engaging terms.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Introducing Aurangzeb; title: Early years; title: The grand arc of Aurangzeb's reign; title: Administrator of Hindustan; title: Moral man and leader; title: Overseer of Hindu religious communities; title: Later years; title: Aurangzeb's legacy.