Re: Any recommended books on the Mughal empire
Sur Afghans were on the same path like Mughals. If Mughals crushed the turbulent Pashtun tribes of North-West, Sher Shah Suri and Islam Shah Suri destroyed the rebellious Ghakkar tribe of Punjab who were muslims. Lodhis were quite upright but by the times of Surs, degeneration had started among Afghans domiciled in India. In one particular incident , entire section of Sumbhal Niazis was massacred to extinction after they refused to marry their chief’s daughter to Sher Shah’s nephew who was base-born from mother side and behaved in low manners with Niazis. He attacked Sumbhal branch of Niazis for refusal of rishta, when latter retaliated , Sher Shah’s ordered his general to teach lesson to them.
Islam Shah started killing his father’s officers and nobles merely on suspicion. When he defeated the Niazi Pashtuns, he ordered their women to be paraded naked. The Pashtun women of defeated rebels were sold to prostitution/ harlots, even Mughals never stooped so low to the level of Islam Shah. After Islam Shah’s death, his 12 year old son Feroz Shah became King. But he was not fortunate like Akbar of the Mughals. His maternal uncle, Mubariz Khan (the same dude who who earlier got into conflict with Sumbhal Niazis over rishta), dragged the boy king, his sister’s son, from his tent, and slit his throat despite the cries of mercy from his sister. This wretched usurper titled himself Adil Shah and promoted a low caste hindu , hemu to the rank of Wazir and commander-in-chief. Other relatives of Sher Shah Suri, rose in rebellion and declared themselves kings. So when Humayun invaded , four Sur Sultans and Hemu were fighting for the throne. This was as much uglier as war of succession of Mughals.
Aurangzeb had his negatives but he had every right to crush the rebellions in his empire. About conquest of deccan states, it was already started during Akbar times , was accelerated by Shah Jahan and completed by Aurangzeb.
The most pious muslim ruler of India was Feroz Shah Tughlaq.