Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb 1618-1707

In The Blade of Safavid, his lost treasure and a daring kidnapping ignite a sweeping tale of pirates, treasure, and adventure across the seas.
Discover the man whose iron rule set the stage for the fall of a dynasty. ⚔️🌊

Though Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb (1618–1707), the sixth Mughal Emperor, didn’t get a single line in The Blade of Safavid he is a vital character, for it is his treasure ship attacked by Henry Avery’s pirate armada and his granddaughter Esther who was allegedly kidnapped by my fictional character Rudy during the pirates’ attack. Aurangzeb ruled India from 1658 to 1707. Aurangzeb is known for his piety and strict adherence to Islamic law, he was a polarizing figure whose reign marked both the zenith and the beginning of the decline of the Mughal Empire.

Born Muhi-ud-Din Muhammad, Aurangzeb was the third son of Emperor Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. Of Taj Mahal fame. He was a skilled military leader and administrator, he was deeply religious, earning the title Alamgir ("Conqueror of the World"). Unlike his predecessors, he embraced a more orthodox Islamic stance, which shaped his policies.

Aurangzeb married several times, with his first wife who we call his chief consort being Dilras Banu Begum a Persian Princess. Along with other notable wives, he fathered numerous children, including:

• Zeb-un-Nissa, his eldest daughter, a poetess. Who he imprisoned for twenty years.

• Muhammad Azam Shah, a son who briefly succeeded him.

• Mehr-un-Nissa, another daughter.

Aurangzeb seized the throne in a brutal succession war against his brothers. In 1657, three hundred years before I was born, Shah Jahan fell ill, triggering a power struggle. Aurangzeb defeated his brother Dara Shikoh at the Battle of Samugarh (1658), executed him, and imprisoned his father Shah Jahan in Agra Fort. He declared himself emperor, consolidating power through military might and political maneuvering, if you call fratricide political maneuvering.

Under Aurangzeb, the Mughal Empire reached its territorial peak, stretching from Afghanistan to southern India. His administration was highly centralized, with a vast bureaucracy and a powerful army. However, his relentless military campaigns, heavy taxation, and religious policies—like reimposing the jizya tax on non-Muslims—strained the empire’s resources and alienated many his subjects.

Aurangzeb faced fierce resistance from the Marathas. The Marathas employed guerrilla tactics, challenging Mughal dominance. Santaji Ghorpade, a brilliant Maratha general, was a key figure in this struggle. His lightning raids and strategic brilliance, humiliated Mughal forces. Aurangzeb’s prolonged war campaigns drained the empire’s treasury and weakened its grip, as Santaji and other Maratha leaders continued their relentless assaults.

Aurangzeb’s eldest daughter, Zeb-un-Nissa, was a talented poet and scholar. However, her liberal views and alleged involvement in political intrigues led to her imprisonment in 1681. She was confined in Delhi’s Salimgarh Fort for nearly 20 years until her death in 1702. It is her daughter who I feature in the Blade of Safavid. There is no historical evidence Zeb-un-Nissa had a daughter nor that Aurangzeb had a granddaughter kidnapped by the pirates, but one scholar hinted there was an important relative of the emperor kidnapped. I couldn’t let that alone so, Esther, Zeb-un-Nissa’s probably fictional daughter is a star in my book. Zeb-un-Nissa’s imprisonment reflected Aurangzeb’s uncompromising stance on loyalty and his distrust of even his closest kin.

Aurangzeb’s 49-year reign was marked by military triumphs and territorial expansion but also by internal dissent and economic strain. His conflicts with the Marathas, including Santaji’s campaigns, and his rigid policies sowed seeds of the Mughal Empire’s eventual decline. His complex legacy—devout yet ruthless, capable yet divisive—continues to spark debate.