[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Storia do Mogor](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci) › [Storia do Mogor (Irvine)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine) › 93 # Storia do Mogor 93: Aurangzeb remits Tribute. Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 93 - **Language:** English ### Aurangzeb remits Tribute. ### [93.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.93.1) When other Mogul kings fell ill, there always arose some trouble with the viceroys and governors, but during Aurangzeb's illness there was no such rising. For, in spite of rumours becoming current that the king was dead, the nobles put no trust in them, fearing that Aurangzeb himself, out of policy, and in order to discover which way each of them was inclined, had set these stories in motion. They knew before this that he was a very acute manoeuvrer, and he benefited now by being so considered. Otherwise there might have happened some great disaster or rebellion in the kingdom, the liberty of Shahjahan being dependent on Aurangzeb's death and the coronation of another king. Thus it is with trickishness; more often the deceivers suffer, but sometimes the habit is of profit to them \[41 bis\]. ### [93.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.93.2) Aurangzeb now found himself restored to perfect health, with the exception of his tongue. This might be called a proof that the illness was a warning sent by God to make him kind to His people. It was as if an angel had come from heaven to speak with him. He now began to announce to those who came to give him congratulations on his restoration to health, that God had first sent this illness and then given him back his health to let him see that, although He had raised him to authority, He could take away his life whenever He pleased, or give him health at will. Through this illness he had come to the knowledge that the followers of Muhammad were the beloved of God. He held it as certain that this illness fell upon him, so that at the beginning of his reign he should not demand the same great revenues that his predecessors had imposed upon Mahomedans. This is the reason why he decided to relieve true believers from the payment of revenue, and by this incentive open a door for all Hindus to embrace the faith of the prophet Muhammad, the beloved of God. To this intent he sent forth an order to all the kingdoms, provinces and cities, that the Mahomedans were freed from taxation and under no obligation to pay anything to the crown, except the duty on tobacco, which he afterwards remitted owing to a case which happened, as I shall relate (II. 133). ### [93.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.93.3) He also said that the other cause of his illness was the collection of taxes from pagodas, which are (be it said with due respect and without offence to our Christian religion) churches to which the Hindus resort to pray in front of some idol or other. For, every pagoda paid to the king every year a considerable sum. It was very undesirable, he said, to levy such a tax, for thereby it looked as if he approved of idolatry. He therefore directed that such a tax should never more be collected. It should suffice for every Hindu to pay five per cent. Afterwards he repented of such liberality, and, indeed, he wished some years afterwards to rescind what he had done; but for the sake of his credit, and also through his hypocrisy, he was prevented from carrying out this change. Therefore he invented a new device for getting money. He continuously reduced the pay of his generals and officers, and ordained \[42 bis\] that the rupees or coined money of silver, not worth more than fourteen sols (sous) of France, or thereabouts, should pass as worth twenty-eight sols. In carrying out this matter Aurangzeb did a thing which forms a lesson to princes as to the mode of making themselves obeyed. For the sarrāfs, who are the money-changers, resisted the royal orders, giving various excuses for disobedience, in spite of their being sent for several times by the king to explain that reasons of state required the alteration. ### [93.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.93.4) Nevertheless, these men, always contumacious, ignored the order until the king in anger sent for all the money-changers in the city of Dihli. Taking his place on his royal seat upon a bastion \[of the palace\], when the sarrdfs arrived he sent them word, quite quietly, that their resistance must come to an end and the rupee must be passed at twice its former value. The sarrdfs were firm in their contention, and replied that they could not comply, as the loss caused would be beyond calculation. Aurangzeb, quite quietly, and without any movement of his body, issued an order to throw down from the bastion one of the oldest of the sarrdfs. Upon the carrying out of this order, the rest, terrorized, said they would obey; and never another word was heard on the subject. Until this time rupees are worth double what they were in the days of Shahjahan, and thus the people obtained relief. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.93](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.93) · Pramāṇa