Many information about Mughal history is available. However, stories about Aurangzeb are also famous among all this. A story is related to the final stage of his life. It is about 1680, when Aurangzeb reached South India with his entire empire army. According to the Mughal tradition, the capital used to walk with the emperor, so his fleet looked like a city. According to historian Audrey Trushke, the journey was a lively performance of the power of the Mughal Empire, but this journey took him away from Delhi forever. He never returned to the Red Fort again and the center of his power remained limited to South India. Aurangzeb carried many siege and wars in South India. His soldier Bhimsen Saxena wrote in his autobiography date-e-Dilkusha that Aurangzeb’s desire to capture forts was unlimited, but these continuous wars weakened his power.
Aurangzeb’s personal life was filled with deep sorrows till old age. His daughters, sons -in -law and grandson died one after the other. Zeb-un-Nisa (1702), son Akbar (1704), Putravadhu Jahanzeb Bano (1705) and daughter Meher-un-Nisa (1706) made him humbled and alone. According to the historian Jadunath government, he remained surrounded by jealousy and sly courtiers till the end. His sons Mujjam, Azam and Kambakhsh were not able to handle the throne. Disappointed with all this, Aurangzeb wrote in a letter that it is better to be a daughter from an unqualified son. In addition, he eventually reprimanded his sons and wrote, “How will you show your face to your rivals and God in this world?”
Famine and epidemic in the south
From 1702 to 1704, South India was struggling with a terrible famine and epidemic. Passenger Nikolao Manuchi has written that about 2 million people were killed in two years. People started selling their children at cheap prices, but no buyer was found. The villages were deserted and the atmosphere became frightening due to the odor of the bodies.
Aurangzeb’s death and legacy
Aurangzeb died in 1707 in South India. He knew that his empire was shattering and his sons are not able to handle him. According to historian Munis Farooqui, his harsh discipline and control over his sons became his weakness. His life was spent in wars and victory campaigns, but in the end he found loneliness, sorrow and a falter empire.