👑 Aurangzeb (1658–1707)

Aurangzeb (Alamgir) was the last great Mughal emperor. He ruled for 49 years — the longest reign of any Mughal emperor. He expanded the empire to its greatest territorial extent but his policies sowed the seeds of Mughal decline.

🕌 Religious Policies

• Reimposed Jizya (tax on non-Muslims) in 1679 CE — reversing Akbar’s policy
• Banned music, dance, and painting at court
• Destroyed some Hindu temples — Kashi Vishwanath (Varanasi), Mathura Keshav Dev
• Built mosques on temple sites
• Enforced Islamic law (Sharia) more strictly
• Compiled Fatawa-i-Alamgiri — comprehensive Islamic legal code

⚔️ Deccan Campaigns (1681–1707)

• Aurangzeb spent the last 27 years of his reign in the Deccan
• Conquered Bijapur (1686) and Golconda (1687) — ended Deccan Sultanates
• Faced constant Maratha guerrilla warfare
• Captured Shivaji’s son Sambhaji (1689) and executed him
• Despite military successes, could not crush Maratha resistance
• Deccan campaigns drained the treasury and exhausted the army

⚔️ Maratha Resistance

• Shivaji (1627–1680) — founded Maratha Empire; constant thorn in Aurangzeb’s side
• Shivaji escaped from Aurangzeb’s captivity in Agra (1666) in a basket of sweets
• Crowned Chhatrapati (sovereign) in 1674 CE
• After Shivaji’s death, Maratha confederacy continued resistance
• Marathas used guerrilla warfare — impossible to defeat in open battle

📉 Causes of Mughal Decline

• Aurangzeb’s religious policies: Alienated Hindus, Rajputs, Sikhs, Marathas
• Deccan campaigns: 27 years; drained treasury; exhausted army
• Weak successors: After Aurangzeb, 12 emperors in 50 years
• Nadir Shah’s invasion (1739): Looted Delhi; took Peacock Throne and Koh-i-Noor
• Ahmad Shah Abdali’s invasions: Third Battle of Panipat (1761) — Marathas defeated
• Rise of regional powers: Marathas, Sikhs, Hyderabad, Awadh, Bengal
• British expansion: Battle of Plassey (1757) — British became dominant