The relationship between the Mughals and Iran (Persia) was friendly, but the Qandhar served as a point of contention because it was claimed by both. Qandhar was a strategic location that could serve as a better defence against any future North-West onslaught. Prior to 1507, when Uzbeks ousted Babur's cousins from Qandhar, it was ruled by Timurid princes. Qandhar was not a strategic fort for the Persians, but it was vital to the Mughals. In this article, we will discuss Mughal-Persian Relations - The Last Phase which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.

During the Reign of Babur

• Following the disruption caused by Uzbeks in Khurasan, Babur captured Qandhar in 1522.
• However, following Humayun's death, Shah Tahmasp, the ruler of Persia at whose court Humayun had sought refuge after being ousted by Sher Shah Sur, captured it.
• When Abdullah Khan Uzbeg captured Balkh and Badkhshan in 1595, the area ruled by Timurids until 1585, Akbar was forced to capture Qandhar in 1595 in order to establish a defensible border against the Uzbeks.
• Since then, the relationship between Mughals and Persians has remained cordial, with embassies being frequently exchanged between the two until the reign of Jahangir.

During the Reign of Jahangir

• During Jahangir's reign, Nur Jahan served as a bridge between the Mughals and the Persians, and the relationship remained cordial as a result of her connections with Persia.
• In 1620, Shah Abbas I, the ruler of Persia, sent Jahangir a friendly request to return the Qandhar and subsequently prepare for the expedition.
• Jahangir was taken aback and decided to dispatch Prince Khurram to Qandhar, but the prince made many impossible demands and was hesitant to embark on the campaign.
• This was the period of conflict between Nur Jahan and Prince Khurram, who had the support of his father-in-law, Asaf Khan. By 1622, Qandhar had passed into Persian hands.
• Shah Abbas I sent lavish embassies and costly gifts to soothe Jahangir's resentment of his failure at Qandhar, but the cordiality in the Mughal-Iranian relationship ended.

Reign of Shah Jahan

• Following the death of Shah Abbas I in 1629, Shah Jahan, who succeeded Jahangir, appointed the Persian governor Ali Mardan Khan to his side, and Qandhar was formally retained by the Mughals in 1638.
• The Mughals' defeat at Balkh in 1647, despite having won the war against the Uzbeks, emboldened the Persians to attack and conquer Qandhar (1649).
• The victory of Aurangzeb over the Uzbeks convinced Shah Jahan to send him to Qandhar with a 50,000-men army.
• Mughals led by Aurangzeb defeated the Persians but were unable to capture the fort.

Campaigns Launched by Shah Jahan

• The defeat in Balkh rekindled Uzbek hostility in Kabul and Afghan tribal unrest in Khyber-Ghazni, and emboldened the Persians to attack and conquer Qandahar (1649).
• This was a huge blow to Shah Jahan's pride, and he launched three major campaigns to reclaim Qandhar, one after the other, under princes of blood.
• Aurangzeb, the hero of Balkh, launched the first attack with a 50,000-men army. Despite defeating the Persians outside the fort, the Mughals were unable to conquer it due to determined Persian opposition.
• Three years later, a second attempt led by Aurangzeb also failed. The most grandiloquent effort was made the following year (1653) under Dara, Shah Jahan's favourite son.
• Dara had made many boastful claims, but his large army was unable to starve the fort into surrender, and an attempt to capture it with the help of two of the empire's largest guns, which had been towed to Qandhar, was also futile.

Mughals Failure at Qandahar

• Some historians argue that the Mughals' failure at Qandhar did not reflect a weakness in Mughal artillery.
• It demonstrated the inherent strength of Qandhar fort in the hands of a determined commander, as well as the ineffectiveness of medieval artillery against strong forts.
• It could be argued, however, that Shah Jahan's attachment to Qandhar was more sentimental than realistic.
• With the enfeeblement of both the Uzbeks and the Safavids, Qandhar no longer held the same strategic importance it once did.
• It was not so much the loss of Qandhar as it was the failure of repeated Mughal efforts that harmed Mughal prestige.
• However, even this should not be overstated because the Mughal empire remained at the pinnacle of its power and prestige during Aurangzeb's reign.
• In 1680, the Ottoman sultan sent an embassy to Aurangzeb to seek his support.

Aurangzeb’s Diplomatic Relations with Iran

• Aurangzeb decided to end the futile battle for Qandhar and resumed diplomatic relations with Iran quietly.
• In 1668, however, Iran's ruler, Shah Abbas II, insulted the Mughal envoy, made disparaging remarks about Aurangzeb, and even threatened an invasion.
• Mughal activity was brisk in Punjab and Kabul. But Shah Abbas II died before any action could be taken.
• His successors were non-entities, and all Persian threat to the Indian border vanished until a new ruler, Nadir Shah, took power more than fifty years later.
• As a result, the Mughals were able to maintain a scientific frontier in the northwest, based on the Hindukush, with Qandhar as its outer bastion.
• As a result, their foreign policy was primarily focused on India's defence. Diplomatic means were used to reinforce the defence of this borderline.
• Despite temporary setbacks over the question of Qandhar, its main theme was friendship with Persia.
• The oft-stated desire to reclaim the Mughal homelands was merely a diplomatic ploy, as it was never seriously pursued.
• For a long time, the Mughals' military and diplomatic strategies were remarkably effective in protecting India from foreign invasions.
• Second, the Mughals insisted on equal relations with the leading Asian nations of the time, including the Safavids, who claimed a special position due to their relationship with the Prophet, and the Ottoman sultans, who had assumed the title of Padshah-i-Islam and claimed to be the successors of the caliph of Baghdad.
• Third, the Mughals promoted India's commercial interests through their foreign policy. Kabul and Qandhar were India's trade gateways to Central Asia.

Conclusion

Mughal attempted three times, twice under Aurangzeb and once under Dara Shikoh, Shah Jahan's elder son. However, an able Persian commander and tenacious resistance rendered all efforts futile. After ascending to the throne, Aurangzeb, Shah Jahan's successor, decided not to get involved in the Qandhar affair because it had lost strategic significance due to the weakness of both Persians and Uzbeks. In 1668, Shah Abbas II, the new ruler of Persia, insulted the Mughal envoy and made disparaging remarks about Aurangzeb. But, before any conflict could occur, Shah Abbas II died, and the Persian threat to India faded until Nadir Shah ascended to the throne of Persia.