Akbar and his successor’s were not in favour of ending Rajput ruling families. They aimed at converting them into subordinate allies. They opposed if ever individuals rather than ruling houses and in case of rebellion or intransigence on the part of a Rajput family. They seemed to have decided to retain Rajput ruling families as an integral part of their political system. But the Afghans were treated differently. Towards them the Mughals were more stiff and unrelenting. Under stress of circumstances an Afghan prince might be temporarily tolerated as vassal but this was never a part of their general policy. In Malwa Bihar, Bengal and Orissa a uniform policy was followed – deposition of the ruling Afghan family occupation of as much of their territory as possible and securing the submission of subordinate Afghan nobles by the lure of office and jagir but insisting on the imperial right to transfer them to other jagirs or fresh jobs. The difference in the policy was due to the fact that the Rajputs were true to their word and once they had submitted they regarded rebellion or treachery unworthy of their honour and family pride. But the Afghans being essentially selfish could not always be relied upon. Secondly the Rajputs might have kept the possibility of the establishment of an all –India Empire as a cherished goal in the realm of thought but in practice they were satisfied with mere local autonomy. The Afghans on the other hand had been the masters of an extensive north-Indian empire and could not wholly divest their political ambition of it. Consequently it was far more difficult for them to become sincerely loyal to their dispossessors. Akbar was conscious of the fact that he had seized sovereignty from the Afghans towards whom strong sections of the people had some tenderness of feeling. Hence continuance of their ruling dynasties was fraught with serious danger to the security of the empire. Akbar never accorded to any non-Rajput ruling family whether Hindu or Muslim the generous treatment reserved exclusively for the Rajputs. Destruction of their ruling families was as essential for the expansion and security of the empire as the continuance of subordinate Rajput states had been fruitful in building up an buttressing the newly rising empire. It was thus an inevitable necessity that the Afghan policy of Akbar had to be different and distinct from his policy towards the Rajputs. Mughals Rajput policy, Rajput Policy of Akbar, History of Mughal Empire
Re: Mughal’s Rajput policy vs Afghan policy
why was Khushal Khan Khatak against Aurangzeb? Is it due to these policies?
Re: Mughal’s Rajput policy vs Afghan policy
why was Khushal Khan Khatak against Aurangzeb? Is it due to these policies?
The article is talking about Afghans in the india, even after fall of suri dynasty, there was considerable strength of afghans present in bihar, orissa, bengal etc. Indian Afghans were source of continuous trouble for mughals for a century. Khushal khan rebellion against Aurangzeb is of different nature. Yousfazai tribe was at war with mughals since akbar times while khattaks and some other tribes were loyal to mughals and used to fight against yousfazais on behalf of mughals. In Aurangzaib period a yousafzai lashkar crossed river indus and destroyed an unaware mughal army. Mughal army was sent by aurangzaib to crush that yousafzai lashkar, khushal khan fought for mughals against yousafzais in that battle.......yousafzais were defeated. To punish yousfazis, mughal forces enterded into yousafzai country, destroying villages and massacring people. The news of penetration of mughals deep into yousafzai territory spread like a wild fire among pashtun tribes. Aimal khan mohamand and dariya khan afridi announced war against mughals and called all pashtun tribes to unite under one banner. at this occasion khushal khan khattak had change of heart and decided to support mohmands and afridis......the general uprising and warfare in north west was so intense that Aurangzeb himself had to come from Deccan to present day khyber pakhtunkhwa to lead the war against afghans...... let me skip the details, at the end khushal khan khattak was betrayed by his own sons and tribe, he was imprisoned by mughals and khattak tribe once again began to loyally serve mughals in the army. He was severely disappointed by his own tribe and he expresses it in his poetry.
Re: Mughal’s Rajput policy vs Afghan policy
some how my post is posted as single paragraph.....
Re: Mughal’s Rajput policy vs Afghan policy
Rajputs were joru ke bhai of Mughal emperor and you all know that is very prime position :D
Re: Mughal’s Rajput policy vs Afghan policy
ek taraf joru k abhi, doosri taraf poori khudai.
Re: Mughal’s Rajput policy vs Afghan policy
I guess we cant blame Mughals for trusting or having different policies towards Rajputs and Afghans, Rajput due to their ego and stupidity cannot challenge Mughals, as a matter of fact, Mughals were getting soldiers from Rajputs and if any of the Rajput go against the Mughals, other Rajputs take good care of him (leg pulling kind of stuff). Whereas, Afghans were totally a different ball game, they were cause of Major pain during Kabul rule of Babar and they had ability and sources to replace Mughal dynasty in Delhi.
That is the prime reason Mughal had different set of rules for the two.
Re: Mughal’s Rajput policy vs Afghan policy
back hanibal