Aurangzeb ‘Alamgir (1618–1707) was the last of the so-called “great” Mughal emperors and perhaps the most misunderstood. Over the past century, he has largely been portrayed as a religious bigot whose policies contributed to the decline of the Mughal Empire. In this compelling biography, Munis D. Faruqui cuts through longstanding myths and distortions to present the most balanced and definitive account of the emperor yet written. Drawing on a rich archive, particularly the multi-volume Akhbarat—newsletters detailing events within and beyond the Mughal court, a source no previous historian has examined in such depth—Faruqui vividly reconstructs Aurangzeb’s world. He explores the tensions of court life, the influence of women and eunuchs, Aurangzeb’s complex relationships with his father and brothers, his efforts to preserve the empire, the fierce loyalty he inspired among his followers, and his profound sense of personal failure in the final years of his life.

On the question that has most shaped Aurangzeb’s reputation, Faruqui offers a revelatory reassessment. In his own time, Aurangzeb was regarded as a zinda pir, or living saint, revered by both Hindus and Muslims. According to Faruqui, his faith was not a source of communal tension, and his policies toward Hindu subjects were largely pragmatic, much like those of the emperors who came before him, rather than ideologically driven as later interpretations have suggested. Magisterial yet intimate, deeply researched yet remarkably accessible, this book is a triumph of archival scholarship that brings new depth and nuance to one of history’s most controversial rulers. It is a portrait that challenges conventional narratives and permanently reshapes our understanding of the most infamous of the Mughals.

About The Author

Munis D. Faruqui Munis D. Faruqui is a historian in the Department of South and Southeast Asian Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of Princes of the Mughal Empire, 15041719 (2012) and co-editor of several in#uential volumes, including Expanding Frontiers in South Asian and World History (2013) and Religious Interactions in Mughal India (2014). He is also the co-editor-in-chief of the new Journal of Mughal Studies.