AURANGZEB (1618-1707 ), one of the greatest of the Mogul emperors of Hindustan, was the third son of Shah Jahan, and was born in Nov. 1618. His original name, Mohammed, was changed by his father, with whom he was a favourite, into Aurangzeb, meaning ornament of the throne, and at a later time he assumed the additional titles of Mohi-eddin, reviver of religion, and Alam-gir, conqueror of the world. At a very early age, and throughout his whole life, he manifested profound religious feeling, perhaps instilled into him in the course of his education under some of the strictest Mohammedan doctors. He was early employed in the campaigns in Afghanistan where the Persians were fighting to recover Kandahar from the Uzbeg chief who had acknowledged the Mogul authority. The city surren dered to the Shah Abbas in 1648, and Aurangzeb's attempts to dislodge the Persians failed. The prince was then transferred to the army fighting on the southern frontier, where he had better success. In conjunction with the famous general, Mir Jumla, who had deserted from the king of Golconda, he seized and plundered the town of Hyderabad. His father's express orders prevented Aurangzeb from following up this success, and, not long after, the sudden and alarming illness of Shah Jahan turned his thoughts to the succession. Shah Jahan's eldest son, Dara, a brave and honourable prince, but disliked by the Mussulmans on account of his liberality of thought, at once seized the reins of govern ment and established himself at Delhi. The second son, Shuja, governor of Bengal, a dissolute and sensual prince, raised an army to dispute the throne with Dara. Aurangzeb was too politic to put forward his claims openly. He made overtures to his younger brother Murad, governor of Gujarat, representing that he himself had no temporal ambition, and desired only to place a fit monarch on the throne, and then to devote himself to relig ious exercises and make the pilgrimage to Mecca. He therefore proposed to join Murad, who would thus have no difficulty in making himself master of the empire while the two elder brothers were divided. Murad at once accepted the offer. Their united armies then moved northward. Meanwhile Shah Jahan had recovered, and though Dara resigned the crown he had seized the other brothers pressed on. Shuja was defeated by Dara's son, but the imperial forces under Jaswant Singh were completely routed by the united armies of Aurangzeb and Murad. Dara in person took the field against his brothers, but was defeated. Aurangzeb then placed his father in confinement, in which he was kept for the remaining eight years of his life. Murad was assassinated, and Aurangzeb, with affected reluctance, ascended the throne in Aug. 1658. Dara, who again invaded Gujarat, was defeated and closely pursued, and was given up by the native chief with whom he had taken refuge. He was brought to Delhi and executed. Shuja was defeated and fled to Arakan, where he perished; Mohammed, Aurangzeb's eldest son, who had joined his uncle, was captured, thrown into the fortress of Gwalior, and died after seven years' confinement.
No similar contest disturbed Aurangzeb's long reign of 46 years which has been celebrated, though with doubtful justice, as the most brilliant period of the history of Hindustan. The empire certainly was wealthy, and extended from the Himalayas over the whole of northern and central India, for there were succes sively added to it the rich kingdoms of Bijapur and Golconda, but it was internally decaying and ready to crumble away before the first vigorous assault. Two causes principally had tended to weaken the Mogul power. The one was the intense bigotry and intolerant policy of Aurangzeb. which had alienated the Hindus and roused the fierce animosity of the haughty Rajputs. The other was the rise and rapid growth of the Mahratta power. Under their able leader, Sivaji, these daring freebooters plundered in every direction, nor could all Aurangzeb's efforts avail to sub due them. For the last 26 years of his life Aurangzeb was engaged in wars in the Deccan, and never set foot in his own capital. At the close of the long contest the Mogul power was weaker, the Mahratta stronger than at first. Still the personal ability and influence of the emperor were sufficient to keep his realms intact during his own life. His last years were embittered by remorse, by gloomy forebodings, and by constant suspicion, for he had always been in the habit of ,using espionage, and now only experi enced its evil effects. He died March 3 1707, at Ahmadnagar, while engaged on an extensive but unfortunate expedition against the Mahrattas.
See S. Lane-Poole, Aurangzib, "Rulers of India" series (1893), and History of the Moghul Emperors illustrated by their coins (1892) ; Hosain Khan, Letters of Aurangzeb (Bombay, 1889) .