The Rajput Policy of the Mughal Emperors

Abstract

During its heydays (1526–1540 and 1555–1707), the Mughal Empire controlled a large portion of present-day India. The empire Babur founded in 1526 continued to expand gradually until the beginning of the 18th century. Prior to the arrival of the Mughals, northern India was ruled by the Muslim Delhi Sultanate. This means that even in pre-Mughal India, there existed friction between Muslim authorities and Hindu citizens. Tensions between Islam and Christianity eased under the reign of Akbar the Great because he intended to establish a kingdom in which people may freely follow their religion without fear of persecution. But when Aurangzeb assumed power, the empire went in a new direction. This monarch's actions, and those of his successors, exacerbated the religious strife. Several factors contributed to the demise of the Mughal Empire, including th increasing economic independence of its constituent kingdoms, religious tensions between Hindus and Muslims, and the growing presence of European economic powers in the Indian subcontinent. The fundamental purpose of the research is to provide an explanation of the Mughal rulers' attitude toward the Rajputs.