The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c19.2

v4.c19.2

AURANGZĪB’S conduct during the war of succession was marked by rapidity of movement, wise distribution and exact co-ordination of forces, and quick-eyed generalship in the field. When to these factors we add the previous war-experience of his troops and their training in concerted action under his eyes, as well as his royal gift of judging the character of men at sight and choosing worthy and faithful agents, we can easily understand his unbroken success in this war against three rivals of equal rank and resources, none of whom was a coward or imbecile. He had opened the campaign on 30 March, 1658, when he set out for Delhi from Burhānpur. In less than three months from that day, he had crossed two large rivers, won two severely contested battles, captured the capital, and imprisoned the sovereign (18 June). The administration of the empire now naturally passed into his strong and capable hands, and his supreme position was freed from all rivalry after his treacherous arrest of his discontented and jealous partner Murād Bakhsh (5 July). The cloak of legality was thrown over his usurped authority when he crowned himself emperor at Delhi on 31 July, 1658, with the title of Abu-’l-Muzaffar Muhiy-ud-dīn Muhammad Aurangzīb Bahādur ‘Ālamgīr Pādishāh Ghāzī.