Explore the regional independence movements and popular revolts led by the Jats, Satnamis, Afghans, and Sikhs during the Mughal era. Analyze the impact of these revolts on the disintegration of the Mughal Empire, succession crises, and Aurangzeb’s policies. Discover political developments in Northeast, East, and North India during Aurangzeb's rule.
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Jats and Satnamis
Conflict with the Mughal Government
The first section to come into conflict with the Mughal government were the Jats of the Agra-Delhi region, living on both sides of the river Yamuna.
The Jats were mostly peasant cultivators, with only a few being zamindars.
They often came into conflict with the government over land revenue and took advantage of their difficult terrain for rebellion.
Rebellion under Gokla (1669)
In 1669, the Jats of the Mathura region rebelled under the leadership of a local zamindar, Gokla.
The rebellion spread rapidly among the peasants, leading Aurangzeb to march from Delhi to quell it.
Despite their numbers swelling to 20,000, the Jats were no match for the organized imperial army and were defeated. Gokla was captured and executed.
The movement was not completely crushed, and discontent continued to simmer.
Conflict with the Satnamis (1672)
In 1672, there was another armed conflict between the peasants and the Mughal state at Narnaul, not far from Mathura.
The conflict was with a religious body called the Satnamis, who were mostly peasants, artisans, and low-caste people.
The Satnamis did not observe distinctions of caste and rank and followed a strict code of conduct.
Starting from a clash with a local official, it soon became an open rebellion, leading the emperor to march in person to crush it.
Local Hindu zamindars, many of whom were Rajputs, sided with the Mughals in this conflict.
Second Uprising of the Jats (1685)
In 1685, there was a second uprising of the Jats under the leadership of Rajaram.
The Jats were better organized this time and adopted guerrilla warfare combined with plunder.
Aurangzeb appointed Raja Bishan Singh, the Kachhwaha ruler, to crush the uprising. Bishan Singh was appointed faujdar of Mathura, and the entire area was granted to him in zamindari.
Conflict between the Jats and the Rajputs over zamindari rights complicated the issue, with primary zamindars being Jats and intermediary zamindars being Rajputs.
By 1691, Rajaram and his successor, Churaman, were compelled to submit, but unrest among the Jat peasants continued.
In the eighteenth century, taking advantage of Mughal civil wars and weakness in the central government, Churaman carved out a separate Jat principality and ousted the Rajput zamindars.
The peasants’ uprising eventually changed its character, culminating in a state where Jat chiefs formed the ruling class.
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