Shah Jahan : The War of Succession

Aurangzeb was summoned to North in 1657. The emperor Shah Jahan was believed to be dying. Since there was no rule of succession, each of the 4 princes prepared for the fight to the throne. Each of the princes were ruling like independent sovereign Kings, having command of the large revenues which they used to muster their own large armies.

First in the field was Shah Shuja. He proclaimed himself as emperor at Bengal, engraved his coins and marched towards Agra. At the same time, Murad Baksh, struck his own coins at Gujarat and ordered that Khutba should be read in his name. Aurangzeb was in Deccan with some unknown designs.

Dara, who was governor of Multan and Kabul was in Delhi and he lost no time to send the imperial armies to repulse Shuja & Murad.

Shuja’s army was beaten by the imperial army commanded by Raja Jaisingh of Amber at Banaras. He was repulsed and thrown back to Bengal.

Meanwhile Aurangzeb had made his mind and joined the forces of Murad. These combined forces attacked the Royal army under the command of Maharaja Jaswant Singh on the banks of river Narmada. This crucial battle is called the Battle of Dhramatpur