History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v3.c42.s2: §3. Long and desultory warfare under Ram Singh.
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v3.c42.s2
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§3. Long and desultory warfare under Ram Singh.
v3.c42.s2.1
Soon afterwards, the supreme command in Kamrup was transferred to other hands. In December 1667, the Emperor, on hearing of the loss of Gauhati, had appointed Rajah Ram Singh, the son of Mirza Rajah Jai Singh, to recover the imperial prestige in Assam. The Rajah was accompanied by 4,000 troopers in his own pay, besides 1500 gentlemen-troopers (*ahadis*) and 500 artillerymen of the imperial service. Auxiliaries from Kuch Bihar, numbering 15,000 archers, also joined him, but their fighting value was little. The Bengal viceroy was ordered to reinforce him out of his own contingent. On the way through Patna the Rajah took with himself the Sikh guru Tegh Bahadur.
v3.c42.s2.2
Ram Singh† reached Rangamati in February 1669. But from the first his task was hopeless.
v3.c42.s2.3
∗ Ahom capture of Gauhati in 1667, *Buranji Khunlung*, ii. 15-28 (preparations), 28-38 (campaign); viii. 98-101; *A.N.* 1068.
v3.c42.s2.4
† Ram Singh's campaigns in Assam, *Buranji Khunlung* ii. 38—58 (full details of desultory fighting for years), viii. 101—110, *A.N.* 1068-9 (Ram Singh's forces), *M.A.* 97 (Ram Singh promoted, Feb. 1670), 154 (Ram Singh from Assam has audience, 24 June, 1676).
v3.c42.s2.5
Service in Assam was extremely unpopular, and no soldier would go there unless compelled. Indeed, there is reason to believe that Ram Singh was sent to Assam as a punishment for his having secretly helped Shivaji to escape from captivity at Agra. He had only 8,000 troopers round his standards, and his losses were seldom replenished. The Ahoms, being a nation in arms, mustered one hundred thousand when mobilized. Unlike the time of Mir Jumla's invasion, the mastery of the water now belonged to the Ahoms, and the Mughals could do little with their 40 war-vessels on the Brahmaputra.
v3.c42.s2.6
The situation was rendered worse by the insubordination and disloyalty of Rashid Khan, the faujdar of Gauhati. Instead of obeying Ram Singh, as he had been ordered, this man foolishly set up a claim to equality of rank with him. Having lived at Gauhati with viceregal splendour and been all in all in the eyes of the Ahoms, he could not brook to take his orders from Ram Singh. He was even suspected, probably with truth, of being in secret correspondence with the enemy; at all events they found a friend in him. At last Ram Singh had to
v3.c42.s2.7
Akhbarat 12th year, 4, 11, 12, 13th year, 17, 35 (very useful); Macauliffe's Sikh Religion, iv. 348—351, 354—357, (legendary). Aurangzib's real motive in sending Ram Singh to Assam is given by Manucci (ii. 153).
v3.c42.s2.8
expel Rashid Khan from his camp after cutting his tent ropes.
v3.c42.s2.9
From his base at Rangamati, the Rajah advanced along the north Brahmaputra valley. The Ahoms fell back before him, and he reached the Bar Nadi. The Mughals gained a few victories, but no decisive success; and soon the tide of war began to turn against them and they had to fall back westwards to Hajo. Then he laid siege to Gauhati, but all his attempts to take it failed; and after wasting four months he had to retire with heavy loss. A detachment which had advanced into Darrang was cut off by the local Rani. The Ahoms bought the aid of the Nagas, and these wild warriors proved a new danger to the Mughals.
v3.c42.s2.10
In the second half of 1670 the imperial forces suffered three serious defeats. Ram Singh now begged for peace, on condition of a return to the ancient boundary. Both sides were weary of the war. But the death of Chakradhwaj and other causes greatly protracted the negotiations, during which, however, there was a lull in the fighting.
v3.c42.s2.11
The attempts at peace failed. The Ahoms renewed their attacks and the fresh troops that now joined Ram Singh (especially the Bengal *zamindar* Munawwar Khan), bore down his apathy to war. A long course of desultory fighting followed, the general result of which was the success of the Ahoms. So, in March 1671 Ram Singh retired to Rangamati, foiled in his purpose and heartily sick of the war. Here on the Assam border he stayed for some years, but was too weak to attempt an advance again. Finally in 1676 he received permission to leave Bengal, and reached the imperial Court in June. Darrang and Beltala were lost to the Mughals.