Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c7.s1.1

v1.c7.s1.1

Within half a century of the final Mughal victory over the Pathān power of Delhi (1556), the Afghān ruling houses in different parts of Hindustan were extinguished, and that race had no independent State left to it anywhere in India. True, their brethren in the north-western frontier made many risings in defence of their tribal independence and immemorial practice of highway robbery and disputed the passes that led from India to the Mughal province of Kābul; but the imperial Government always triumphed in the end, whether by arms or by arts. No doubt, isolated bodies of Afghāns lived in many a distinct locality of India, but as subjects or servants of the all-conquering Mughals. Afghān captains and soldiers fought under the banners of the Empire throughout the reigns of Jahāngir, Shāh Jahān and Aurangzib, and Afghān camel-owners and tradesmen followed the Mughal armies for a living throughout the long Deccan wars of the 17th century. But all these were mercenaries;