History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c80.s1: § 1. Desolation of the country caused by Aurangzib's wars.
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c80.s1
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§ 1. Desolation of the country caused by Aurangzib's wars.
v5.c80.s1.1
The siege of Wagingera was the last campaign of Aurangzib. He was already turned of eighty-seven, and this fort was destined to be the bourne of his lifelong warfare and ambition to extend his empire. After its capture he set out on his return to Delhi, which death was to interrupt at Ahmadnagar less than two years afterwards. This is a point where the historian can most conveniently turn away from Aurangzib's camp and take a general view of the situation all over the country.
v5.c80.s1.2
Such a survey afforded a most gloomy prospect. At the end of the 17th century the great empire founded by Akbar and raised to world-famed prosperity and splendour by Shah Jahan, was in a state of hopeless decay; administration, culture, economic life, military strength and social organisation,—all seemed to be hastening to utter ruin and dissolution.
v5.c80.s1.3
The material waste caused to the empire by this quarter century of warfare was frightful. The desolation of the Deccan was complete. As a contemporary European observer notes, "Aurangzib withdrew to Ahmadnagar leaving behind him the fields of these provinces devoid of trees and bare of crops, their place being taken by the bones of men and beasts. Instead of verdure all is blank and barren. The country is so entirely desolated and depopulated that neither fire nor light can be found in the course of a three or four days' journey...There have died in his armies over a hundred thousand souls yearly, and of animals, pack-oxen, camels, elephants, &c., over three hundred thousand......In the Deccan provinces from 1702 to 1704 plague [and famine] prevailed. In these two years there expired over two millions of souls." [Storia do Mogor, iv. 252 and 96.]