DECCAN POLICY

DECCAN POLICY

Babur and Humayun had no time to think of the Deccan. Akbar was the first Mughal ruler who turned his attention towards the Deccan. He wanted to expand his empire and also limit the growing power of the Portuguese. Thus the motive behind his policy was political. The motive of Jahangir and Shah Jahan also remained the same. However, Aurangzeb added religious motive as well to it. He desired to destroy not only the newly risen power of the Marathas but also the Shia states of Bijapur and Golconda. Besides, the Mughal emperors, till the reign of Shah Jahan, remained satisfied with forcing the sates of the south to accept their suzerainty and did not insist on annexing them. Aurangzeb, however, attempted to annex them to the Mughal empire. Though he succeeded in his designs, his success was short-lived. Very soon the Deccan was to become his graveyard. His period thus witnessed not only the successful completion of the Deccan policy but also its failure, for the economy suffered and the centralised administration could not control such a vast area effectively.