June 10 went unnoticed though it is an important date in history, for on this day in 1707, people of Delhi were waiting with bated breath for the outcome of the battle of succession between the sons of Aurangzeb – Prince Muazzam and Prince Azam. The former had proclaimed himself emperor at Lahore, with the title of Bahadur Shah I. As the eldest son of the departed emperor he had the right to succeed his father but Azam was in no mood to relent. The battle was fought near the village of Jajau, 12 miles from Agra.
Muazzam had left Delhi on hearing that Azam was planning a sudden attack after moving from the Deccan to Gwalior and then marching on to Dholpur. His aim was to attack Delhi by surprise but Muazzam got wind of his intentions. When the rival armies met Azam was fatally wounded, his troops routed leaving Muazzam the victor. When word reached Delhi of the defeat of Azam there were celebrations galore as the local population was behind Muazzam, who though old, was the best claimant in preference to Azam and Kambaksh. The latter had proclaimed himself emperor in Bijapur with the title of Defender of the Faith but he did not get ****her than this.
According to a will said to have been drawn up by Aurangzeb, the Moghul empire was to be divided among his three sons thus: The occupant of the throne was to have Agra or Delhi and with Agra were to be given Malwa, Gujarat, Ajmer and the subas of the Deccan, with their ports. The possessor of Delhi was to get the 11 subas of the old kingdom from Punjab to Allahabad and Oudh to the east. His favourite son Kambaksh was not to be disturbed if he remained satisfied with the sultanates of Bijapur and Hyderabad.
However not only public sentiment but also the Sikhs under Guru Gobind Singh proved crucial to Muazzam. According to Trilochan Singh, who wrote a historical sketch of the gurdwaras of Delhi, Guru Gobind Singh, the last guru, left Punjab for South India on Oct 21, 1706. When he reached Bhagaur in Rajputana in March, 1707, he received the news of Aurangzeb’s death and also a request from Prince Muazzam, the heir apparent, requesting the Guru to give him moral and political support. Guru Gobind Singh reached Delhi and informed Muazzam of his arrival by shooting an arrow into the walls of the Red Fort.
The Sikhs under Guru Gobind Singh played a crucial role in the battle of succession between the sons of Aurangzeb.
When the armies of Bahadur Shah and Azam Shah met at Jajau, Guru Gobind Singh camped at a little distance ready to send reinforcements if necessary. When the battle reached a critical and decisive phase, Guru Gobind Singh entered the fray, and in his final assault on the other side Prince Azam was mortally wounded. The wounded prince exclaimed: “It is not Shah Alam who fights against me, God has abandoned me and fortune has turned against me.”
The Emperor rewarded Commandant Kuldip Singh and presented robes of honour in royal style along with bejewelled ornaments worn by kings.
Thus the friendship that already existed between Bahadur Shah and Guru Gobind Singh since 1695 became more profound. Guru Gobind Singh had a mind to visit Punjab but when the Emperor promised to punish all those officers who had destroyed Anandpur and treacherously attacked him and killed all his four sons, he decided to resume his missionary journey to the South.
While the Emperor went to Agra, Guru Gobind Singh came back to Delhi and stayed here for the whole of the rainy season. The Emperor also came to Delhi and there were a number of meetings between the Emperor and Guru Gobind Singh at the present site of Damdama Sahib near Humayun’s Tomb.
17 June 2009
Attachments - Sikh Philosophy Network
More...
Muazzam had left Delhi on hearing that Azam was planning a sudden attack after moving from the Deccan to Gwalior and then marching on to Dholpur. His aim was to attack Delhi by surprise but Muazzam got wind of his intentions. When the rival armies met Azam was fatally wounded, his troops routed leaving Muazzam the victor. When word reached Delhi of the defeat of Azam there were celebrations galore as the local population was behind Muazzam, who though old, was the best claimant in preference to Azam and Kambaksh. The latter had proclaimed himself emperor in Bijapur with the title of Defender of the Faith but he did not get ****her than this.
According to a will said to have been drawn up by Aurangzeb, the Moghul empire was to be divided among his three sons thus: The occupant of the throne was to have Agra or Delhi and with Agra were to be given Malwa, Gujarat, Ajmer and the subas of the Deccan, with their ports. The possessor of Delhi was to get the 11 subas of the old kingdom from Punjab to Allahabad and Oudh to the east. His favourite son Kambaksh was not to be disturbed if he remained satisfied with the sultanates of Bijapur and Hyderabad.
However not only public sentiment but also the Sikhs under Guru Gobind Singh proved crucial to Muazzam. According to Trilochan Singh, who wrote a historical sketch of the gurdwaras of Delhi, Guru Gobind Singh, the last guru, left Punjab for South India on Oct 21, 1706. When he reached Bhagaur in Rajputana in March, 1707, he received the news of Aurangzeb’s death and also a request from Prince Muazzam, the heir apparent, requesting the Guru to give him moral and political support. Guru Gobind Singh reached Delhi and informed Muazzam of his arrival by shooting an arrow into the walls of the Red Fort.
The Sikhs under Guru Gobind Singh played a crucial role in the battle of succession between the sons of Aurangzeb.
When the armies of Bahadur Shah and Azam Shah met at Jajau, Guru Gobind Singh camped at a little distance ready to send reinforcements if necessary. When the battle reached a critical and decisive phase, Guru Gobind Singh entered the fray, and in his final assault on the other side Prince Azam was mortally wounded. The wounded prince exclaimed: “It is not Shah Alam who fights against me, God has abandoned me and fortune has turned against me.”
The Emperor rewarded Commandant Kuldip Singh and presented robes of honour in royal style along with bejewelled ornaments worn by kings.
Thus the friendship that already existed between Bahadur Shah and Guru Gobind Singh since 1695 became more profound. Guru Gobind Singh had a mind to visit Punjab but when the Emperor promised to punish all those officers who had destroyed Anandpur and treacherously attacked him and killed all his four sons, he decided to resume his missionary journey to the South.
While the Emperor went to Agra, Guru Gobind Singh came back to Delhi and stayed here for the whole of the rainy season. The Emperor also came to Delhi and there were a number of meetings between the Emperor and Guru Gobind Singh at the present site of Damdama Sahib near Humayun’s Tomb.
17 June 2009
Attachments - Sikh Philosophy Network
More...