Jahangir was the 4th Mughal Emperor. He was the eldest surviving son of Mughal Emperor Akbar.
After getting the throne, Jahangir undertook to reverse the religious policy of his father and uphold the cause of Islam. This declaration had its reaction in the Hindu circles, who incited Khusrow, the eldest son of Jahangir to revolt against him.
PRINCE SALIM’S REBELLION
Prince Salim, the long-awaited heir to the Mughal throne, was born in 1569 AD, due to the blessings of Sheikh Salim Chisti, after whom the infant was named. His mother was a Kachhwaha princess. But when prince Salim rebelled in Allahabad in 1601 AD, Akbar asked Abu’l Fazl to help him deal with the rebellion. Abu’l Fazl rushed to the North, but Salim had him killed by the Bundela Chief, Bir Singh, near Gwalior on his way to Agra. Salim had ignored his duties from 1591 AD, refusing to lead an expedition. either to the Deccan or to Transoxiana. The real threat to Salim’s accession came from his own son Khusrow, born to Man Singh’s sister. Akbar did not want to pass over Salim in favour of Khusrow, but saw in him a weapon to use against Salim and thus declared Khusrow as his successor to the throne. When Akbar fell seriously ill, court intrigues grew to a different level. Finally, with the death of Akbar in 1605 AD, the conspiracy to set Salim aside petered out.
CONQUESTS BY JAHANGIR
AGAINST RAJPUTS OF MEWAR
Most noteworthy military success of Jahangir was his triumph over the Rajputs of Mewar. Jahangir used both military force and diplomacy in trying to secure the surrender of Maharana Pratap’s successor, Rana Amar Singh. In 1613 AD, Jahangir personally proceeded to Ajmer to guide the expedition. After a long war, both the rulers ultimately concluded peace (1615 AD). The emperor installed two life size marble statues of Rana Amar Singh and his son Karan in the garden of his palace at Agra.
CAMPAIGNS IN DECCAN
Jahangir followed the policy of his father with regards to the Deccan. Ahmednagar, which had been partly conquered by Akbar, declared its independence in 1611, under Malik Ambar (an Abyssinian slave). Jahangir sent his son Khurram against him. In 1617 AD, Ahmednagar fell and Khurram was rewarded with the title Shah Jahan. But the Mughals could not establish their rule. Malik Ambar pursued his Guerrilla tactics with greater vigour and Mughal invasions were repeatedly beaten back.
CAPTURE OF KANGRA FORT
Subjugation of the Kangra fort was another military achievement of Jahangir. The fort surrendered to the Mughal rule on 16th November, 1620. Jahangir visited the fort next year and ordered the construction of mosque within the fort.
CAMPAIGN OF KANDAHAR
In 1622 AD, the Mughals lost Kandahar to the Iranian king, Shah Abbas. Khurram was given the command to repeal the Persians, but Khurram procrastinated. Shahryar was then commissioned to lead the campaign against Kandahar.
COMING OF EUROPEANS
European traders had started coming to India during Jahangir’s reign. Captain William Hawkins, a representative of East India Company came to Jahangir’s court in 1608 AD. The English were able to find favour with Jahangir. Their first ambassador to the Mughal Court was Sir Thomas Roe, who came to his court in 1615 AD.
Commercial treaty was signed with the British. where trade concessions were allowed to the British traders. The first English trading post was established at Surat. These concessions led to fatal consequences and culminated in the overthrow of the Mughal rule by the British in 1858 AD.
MEASURES TAKEN BY JAHANGIR
He repealed a number of cases like Tamgha or Mir Bahri and announced measures for development of trade and commerce. He forbade the manufacture and sale of wine and intoxicating drugs throughout the empire. He also banned the use of tobacco. He banned the slaughter of animals on two days a week i.e. Sunday, the day of Akbar’s birth and Thursday, the day of his own coronation. He ordered the preparation of a Zanjir-i-Adl, a chain of justice made of pure gold, installed to hear public grievances against the high-handedness and oppression of the government officers.
NUR JAHAN OR MEHR-UN-NISAA
Jahangir married Nur Jahan, the widow of a Persian Faujdar, Sher Afghan in 1611 AD. Having an excellent educational background, she was an active participant in the decisions made by Jahangir. She became the actual power behind the throne. Coins began to be struck containing her name, alongwith Jahangir’s name. Her relatives acquired important positions in the Mughal Court which has been termed as Nur Jahan Junta.
REBELLION OF PRINCE KHURRAM AND MAHABAT KHAN
Towards the end of Jahangir’s reign, a struggle for power took place between prince Khurram and prince Shahryar, Jahanfir’s power youngest son and the son-in-law of Nur Jahan
Prince Khurran captured Bihar and Bengal. Asaf Khan supported Khurram in the civil war which lasted for more than three years. The royal forces recaptured Bengal and Bihar and Khurram had to seek shelter in deccan. Khusrow was imprisoned and blinded in order to disqualify him, on of Khusrow was imprisoned and blinded in order to disqualify him. One of Khusraow’s well-wishers, Guru Arjan Dev (5th Guru of the sikhs), was beheaded.
Finally Khusrow died at Burhanpur in 1621 AD in the custody of Prince Khusrow. Another revolt was led by Mahabat Khan who had been deprived of his office. Mahabat Khan attacked Jahangir and his royal party in 1626 AD, when the latter was crossing Jhelum, on the way to Kabul. However, the diplomacy of Nur Jahan saved the situation
END OF JAHANGIR ERA
Jahangir died in 1627 AD and was buried at Lahore. He wrote his biography Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri, which is a testimony of his scholarship. He was particularly known for his justice and Adl-i-Jahangiri became a proverb.