History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v3.c42.s3: §4. Gauhati recovered and lost again.
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v3.c42.s3
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§4. Gauhati recovered and lost again.
v3.c42.s3.1
After the death of Chakradhwaj (1670), the Ahom monarchy was greatly weakened by internal troubles. From 1670 to 1681 "in the short space of eleven years there were no less than seven kings, not one of whom died a natural death." The king was a mere puppet; ambitious and unscrupulous nobles usurped the supreme power, fought each other for selfish gain, made and unmade kings. "The patriotic feeling became so weakened that many deserted to the Muhammadans."* In February, 1679 the Bar Phukan, in fear of his rival the Burha Gohain, betrayed Gauhati into the hands of the Mughals. For this "conquest" the Emperor rewarded his son, Muhammad Azam, the viceroy of Bengal.†
v3.c42.s3.2
∗ Buranji viii. 112—121; Khunlung, ii. 64—121, Gait, 166 and 170 (quoted above).
v3.c42.s3.3
† Mughals recover Gauhati, M. A. 173, Buranji viii. 118, Khunlung, ii. 119—121, Gait, 164.
v3.c42.s3.4
But the Mughal triumph was shortlived. In 1681 Gadadhar Singh ascended the Ahom throne and soon retrieved the glory of his house. "The era of weak and incompetent princes, and of unscrupulous and ambitious ministers came to an end; internal corruptions and dissensions ceased, and the Ahoms were once more able to present a united face against their external foes." He easily ousted the Mughals from Gauhati, and took "a vast amount of booty, including gold and silver; elephants, horses and buffaloes; cannon of all sizes; and guns, swords and spears." "This was the last Muhammadan war. Henceforward the Monas was accepted by both sides as the boundary." Kamrup was finally lost to Bengal.∗
v3.c42.s3.5
∗ Gait, 166; Buranji viii. 122-123.