Moghul governor of Joonere. He saw the lines of CHAP. VII. natural fortresses opposed to each other; he heard Fryer's visit. the shouts of the watchmen on the heights above him. He describes the Mahrattas as a ragged lot, with their hair covering their ears. The Moghuls were more decent and respectable, and carried their weapons in better fashion. The country was a desolation. The Moghuls de- Desolation. stroyed everything, drove away cattle, carried women and children into slavery, and burnt down the jungle to drive out fugitives. The Mahrattas were just as destructive. The cultivators ploughed the lands, but Sivaji carried off the harvest. The people were halfstarved wretches, living on grass, and herding in kennels. They were greedy for money, but had no provisions to sell. The people of the towns were better off, but in constant alarm.59 In 1677 Sivaji was encamped near Madras. He Sivaji at Madras. had marched an army from the neighbourhood of Bombay to the neighbourhood of Madras. He had passed through the territories of the Sultan of Golkonda. He conquered the Hindú Rajas between Golkonda and Madura. The English at Madras sent him a present of cordials and medicines. Nothing is known of his conquests beyond the fact that he respected the zenanas of the Rajas, whilst his son Sambhaji violated them by his lawless irregularities.60 Aurangzeb was at Delhi. He thought to conquer Sivaji's return. the Konkan whilst Sivaji was away in the south. But Sivaji was forewarned. He left his southern 59 Early Records of British India. Fryer stumbled on strange acquaintances: a dirty fakir, who could only be kept quiet by strong drink; and an apostate Dutchman, who had turned Mussulman in order to marry two wives. 6 Grant Duff, and Early Records of British India. CHAP. VII. kingdom in the charge of his second son, Ram Raja, and hastened back to the Konkan before the Moghul army reached the Dekhan. Last exploits of Shah Alam commanded the Moghul army of the Dekhan. He could do nothing against the Mahrattas. He could neither climb the precipices of the Western Gháts nor force his way through the defiles. If he made the attempt, his troops were cut off by ambuscades or repulsed by inferior numbers. Meanwhile Sivaji and the Mahrattas ravaged the country like Cossacks up to the very gates of Aurangabad. The Moghuls liked the Dekhan, because they could squeeze money and supplies out of the Sultans of Bíjápur and Golkonda; but they were constantly harassed by the Mahrattas. At a time when the Moghul army was beginning to mutiny for want of pay, Sivaji cut off a convoy of treasure on its way to the Moghul camp. It was Sivaji's last exploit. He died about 1680.61 Changes in THIRD PERIOD: Aurangzeb's Religious Wars. The death of Sivaji was accompanied by a marked change in the life and policy of Aurangzeb. He abandoned all show of toleration towards Hindús; he was bent on dethroning Hindú gods and suppressing Hindú worship; he resolved that faith in God and the Prophet should be the only religion of the Moghul empire. 62 61 Manouchi says that Sivaji died in 1679. Grant Duff says April 1680. Fryer says June 1680. 62 Manouchi through Catrou represents Aurangzeb as a persecutor of Christians. His reasons for thinking so are open to question. Aurangzeb allowed idols and Aurangzeb began the work of persecution with the CHAP. VII. destruction of idols and pagodas. A great pagoda Destruction of near Delhi was burnt to the ground. The magnifi- pagodas. cent temple at Mathura, whose gilded domes could be seen from Agra, was converted into a mosque. Viceroys and governors were commanded to destroy idols and pagodas in like manner throughout the empire. Large numbers of Yogis, Saniasis, and other Hindú penitents, were driven out of Hindustan. The great Hindú festivals were strictly forbidden. All servants of the Moghul government who refused to become Muhammadans were deprived of their posts. So far the people of India seem to have submitted to their fate. Aurangzeb issued another edict, which Jezya levied. nearly drove them to revolt. He ordered the Jezya to be levied, the old poll-tax on infidels. This tribute had been exacted from all who refused to accept the Koran since the days of the Prophet, and the Arab Khalifs who succeeded him. It had been exacted from Hindús by the early Muhammadan conquerors of Hindustan. Akbar abolished it as being inconsistent with his policy of toleration. It was revived by Aurangzeb as the crowning act of the Sunní revival.63 Christians to make wine and drink it; he only prohibited them from selling wine to Muhammadans. Again, he allowed the Christian fathers to show a bare crucifix, but would not allow them to exhibit pictures and images in their churches. This was tolerably accommodating, seeing that wine and idolworship are an abomination to Muhammadans: it could scarcely be called persecution. There is one story of martyrdom. A certain Father Hyacinth ran away from Goa, turned Muhammadan, and married several wives. Subsequently he wanted to turn back to Christianity. Probably his wives informed against him. At any rate, he was arrested by the Muhammadan authorities. He was deaf to all threats and blind to all temptations. Apostasy is punished by death according to Muhammadan law. After a reference to the Emperor, Father Hyacinth was beheaded at Aurangabad. 63 Manouchi through Catrou. CHAP. VII. The Hindús detested the Jezya; they appealed to Hindú appeal Aurangzeb in vain. One Friday they blocked quashed. Submission to the Jezya. Jaipur pays Jodhpur redeems up the way to the mosque. Aurangzeb ordered the elephants to trample down the mob. Many were killed, but still the Hindús complained. At last they yielded to their destiny and paid the Jezya.* The collection of Jezya by Aurangzeb is one of the most remarkable phenomena in Indian history. It was a property-tax of the most offensive kind, exacted from all who refused to become Mussulmans. It was even levied on the English and Dutch inmates of the factories at Hughli; but they were allowed to commute the demand by making a yearly present of Persian horses to the Nawab.65 Aurangzeb was resolved that the subjects of Rajpút Rajas should pay the Jezya. Jai Singh of Jaipur was dead; he had been deceived by the sham rebellion of Shah Alam, and was said to have been poisoned. His eldest son was a hostage at Delhi. The kingdom of Jaipur was thus open to the Moghul officers, and the Jezya was paid. Jaswant Singh of Jodhpur was also dead. His widow was regent of Marwar. She was the daughter of Shah Jehan by a Rajpút princess. She had been brought up in the palace, and taught by her mother to worship Hindú gods. She refused to allow the Moghul officers to levy the Jezya within her dominions. She was threatened with war; her heart misgave her; she was 64 Khafi Khan, translated by Dowson. 65 Stewart, in his History of Bengal, says that the Jezya was 61 per thousand on all property. The sick, lame, and blind were excused. Christians paid an additional duty of 13 per cent. on their trade. Manouchi through Catrou says that merchants paid 13 rupees; artisans, 6 rupees; and poor people, 3 rupees. allowed to redeem the Jezya by the concession of the CHAP. VII. district of Mirta. threatens There was no one left to resist the Jezya but the Aurangzeb Rana of Udaipur. He alone bore the brunt of the Udaipur. storm. Aurangzeb sent him the most arrogant demands. The Rana was to allow cows to be killed within his dominions; to throw down the pagodas or suffer them to be turned into mosques; to administer justice according to the Koran; and above all, to require his subjects to pay Jezya or turn Muhammadans. defiance. tions. The Rana was at bay. He had no alternative but The Rana's to renounce his religion or fight on until the bitter end. He resolved to abandon his cities and territories in the plains; to retire with all his subjects into the Aravulli mountains; to defend their lives and liberties behind the precipices and defiles of the Aravulli range against the whole might of the Moghul. Aurangzeb was exceedingly angry. He resolved Moghul preparato wreak his vengeance on the Rana; to crush the petty Rajpút who dared defy his power. His preparations were on a stupendous scale. It was the old story of Moghuls against Greeks; the hordes of High Asia against the Hellas of India. It seemed as if Aurangzeb projected the subjugation of a potent sovereign rather than of a refractory Raja, whose territory was a mere speck on the surface of the empire. His sons were summoned from their governments at the extremities of his dominions. Shah Alam commanded the army of the Dekhan; Azam Shah the army of Bengal; Akbar the army of Múltan. The fourth son was too young to command an army, but still he accompanied his father in the war against Udaipur. |