The reign of Aurangzeb saw extensive campaigns in the Deccan, including protracted struggles against Bijapur and Golconda, alongside evolving foreign relations and significant administrative reform.

Aurangzeb’s Southern Ambitions

Aurangzeb (r. 1658–1707) devoted much of his reign to expanding Mughal influence in the Deccan, where the sultanates of Bijapur and Golconda resisted imperial domination. His desire to secure these territories was motivated by both strategic concerns and religious conviction. The Deccan contained wealthy trade routes, productive agricultural zones, and powerful Muslim dynasties, which Aurangzeb saw as both rivals and potential sources of revenue.

Bijapur Campaigns

Aurangzeb’s attention turned first to Bijapur, a formidable sultanate.

Simplified map of the Bijapur (Adil Shahi) Sultanate in the Deccan. Use it to orient the polity targeted by Aurangzeb in 1686 and its position relative to neighbouring regions. The clean, labelled SVG keeps focus on Bijapur without unnecessary clutter. Source

• In 1686, following years of uneasy relations and attempts to reduce Bijapur’s independence, Aurangzeb launched a decisive campaign.

• Mughal forces employed siege warfare, surrounding Bijapur’s capital and cutting off supplies.

• The fall of Bijapur marked the end of the Adil Shahi dynasty, incorporating its territory into the Mughal Empire.

This campaign not only extended Mughal authority but also drained resources and intensified the logistical strain of holding distant territories.

Golconda Campaigns

Aurangzeb’s conquest of Golconda soon followed.

• In 1687, the Mughal army besieged Golconda, which had previously resisted through diplomacy and strong fortifications.

• The fall of Golconda ended the Qutb Shahi dynasty. Its diamond-rich mines and trading connections were absorbed into the empire.

• Control over Golconda enhanced Mughal wealth but further stretched administrative capacity.

The destruction of these sultanates removed significant regional powers but created a vacuum filled by new resistance movements, especially the Marathas.

Foreign Relations

Aurangzeb’s Deccan wars were influenced by and connected to broader foreign relations. His empire interacted with Persia, Central Asia, the Ottoman Empire, and European trading companies, all of whom watched Mughal campaigns closely.

Relations with Persia and the Ottomans

• Aurangzeb sought to project himself as the defender of Sunni Islam, often contrasting himself with the Shia Safavids of Persia.

• Diplomatic exchanges with Persia remained tense, though outright conflict was avoided.

• Relations with the Ottoman Empire were more symbolic, with Aurangzeb acknowledging the Ottoman Sultan’s position as Caliph while maintaining Mughal independence.

European Trading Companies

European powers, including the English East India Company, the Dutch, and the Portuguese, expanded their influence during Aurangzeb’s reign.

• The Mughals permitted European merchants to trade but maintained strict regulation.

• Conflicts occasionally erupted, such as the Child’s War (1686–1690) between the English and the Mughals, ending with the company submitting to Mughal authority.

• Aurangzeb’s focus on internal campaigns allowed Europeans to consolidate their positions on the coast, laying groundwork for later colonial influence.

Administrative Reforms

The conquest of Bijapur and Golconda required the Mughal administration to adapt to new challenges. Aurangzeb implemented administrative reforms to manage the enlarged empire.

Revenue and Land Management

• Newly conquered lands were integrated into the jagir (land grant) and zamindari (tax collection) systems.

• Aurangzeb sought to maximise revenue extraction, particularly from the fertile lands of the Deccan.

• However, the constant warfare meant local economies were disrupted, leading to discontent among peasants and zamindars.

The allocation of jagirs became increasingly strained as more officials competed for limited resources, fuelling administrative instability.

Military Organisation

• Mughal garrisons were established in key Deccan forts to secure the region.

• Soldiers and officers often faced delays in pay due to the empire’s overstretched finances.

• Aurangzeb’s reliance on prolonged sieges drained manpower and diverted resources from northern India.

Growth of Revenue

Despite the heavy costs of war, Aurangzeb’s campaigns yielded substantial short-term gains in land, trade routes, and mineral wealth.

• Control of Golconda’s diamond mines enriched the empire, giving Aurangzeb direct access to one of the most lucrative resources in the early modern world.

• Revenue systems expanded to cover Deccan territories, but inefficiencies and corruption limited long-term benefit.

• Increased taxation and military requisitions led to rural unrest and weakened loyalty to the Mughal state.

The strain of maintaining the expanded empire ultimately undermined financial stability and contributed to the empire’s decline after Aurangzeb’s death.

Consequences of the Campaigns

The annexation of Bijapur and Golconda represented the high-water mark of Mughal territorial expansion. However, the long wars and administrative reforms had profound consequences:

• Positive Outcomes:

  • Expanded territorial control.

  • Increased access to trade wealth and mineral resources.

  • Enhanced Aurangzeb’s prestige as a conqueror.

• Negative Outcomes:

  • Enormous financial strain.

  • Administrative corruption and instability.

  • Peasant revolts and resistance from groups like the Marathas.

  • European powers strengthened their footholds while Aurangzeb focused on the Deccan.

Aurangzeb’s determination to control the Deccan reshaped the Mughal Empire, but at the cost of overextension, fiscal weakness, and vulnerability to internal and external pressures.