The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c20.79

v4.c20.79

Rājā Rām gained some striking victories; he killed near Dholpur the renowned Turānī warrior Uighur Khān when on his way from Kābul to the Deccan (1687), and next year plundered Mīr Ibrāhīm (a former Qutb Shāhī general, now created Mahābat Khān), who was marching to join his viceroyalty in the Punjab. Shortly afterwards, he looted Akbar’s tomb at Sikandra, doing great damage to the building and, according to one account, digging out and burning that great emperor’s bones. This sudden development of the Jāt power alarmed Aurangzīb, and he sent his favourite grandson Bīdār Bakht to assume the supreme command in the Jāt war (1688). Bishan Singh Kachhwāha, the new Rājā of Amber (Jaipur), was appointed as commandant of Muttra with a special charge to root out the Jāts. Bīdār Bakht infused greater vigour into the Mughal operations. In an internecine war raging between two Rājput clans, Rājā Rām who was fighting for one party was shot dead (14 July, 1688). Bīdār Bakht laid siege to Sinsanī; his troops underwent great hardship from the scarcity of provisions and water; at last they fired a mine, stormed the breach and captured the fort after three hours of obstinate fighting, the Mughals losing 900 men and the Jāts 1500. Next year Bishan Singh surprised Soghor.