Fear or deceit... Why did Aurangzeb kill the son who gave him power?

Foreign doctor François Bernier writes in his memoirs that if Sultan had accepted the advice of the emperor, he would have become the Mughal emperor in place of his father. Aurangzeb's courage would have been broken and his brother Murad would have left him for conspiring against his father, but fate had something else in store.

To get the Mughal Sultanate, Aurangzeb killed his brothers and kept his father Shah Jahan in prison. But very few know that he did not even spare his son Sultan. When Aurangzeb felt that his son could also prove to be a threat to him, he did not hesitate to eliminate him. This story begins when Aurangzeb himself was in the process of capturing the Sultanate by removing Dara Shikoh from the way.

Foreign doctor François Bernier recorded this whole story in his memoirs. Bernier reached India in 1658 and became a close friend of Dara Shikoh. During this, he wrote many interesting things about the Mughal Empire in his memoirs.

Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb had become enemies

Bernier wrote, the year was 1658, Aurangzeb defeated Dara in the battle of Samugarh. Taking his brother Murad Bakhsh, who was involved in the conspiracy of power with him, he moved towards Agra. After reaching the palace, he sent a message to Shahjahan. Referring to the oaths of loyalty, he wrote that he had come to Agra to listen to the orders of Emperor Shah Jahan.

This was the time when the trust between father and son was badly broken. Shahjahan used to know very well that there is a world of difference between what Aurangzeb says and does. Shah Jahan sent a fake reply that I know that Dara's behavior is not good. That's why he came to his father without any delay. Aurangzeb did not dare to go to the palace after reading this message.

Aurangzeb also suspected that this message might not have been sent by his sister Jahanara because she wanted Dara to become the emperor at any cost. If this happens and he goes inside the palace, then he is bound to die for taking a rebellious stand. Shah Jahan used to blindly trust the words of his daughter.

That's why Aurangzeb did not muster the courage to go inside the palace for many days. Meanwhile, Aurangzeb's elder son Sultan took possession of the palace.

Aurangzeb's suspicion proved to be true

Just before the capture, the Sultan entered the fort of Agra and said that he had brought Aurangzeb's message. On hearing this, the guards overpowered him. Seeing this happening, the companions of the Sultan surrounded the guards and captured the palace.

Shahjahan was surprised that his own got trapped in the noose he had made for the enemy. As soon as he got information about this, Shahjahan sent a message to the Sultan that he would make him the emperor, but for the time being he would have to support me. Bernier writes that if Sultan had accepted the advice of the emperor, he would have become the Mughal emperor in place of his father. Aurangzeb's courage would have been broken and his brother Murad would have left him for conspiring against his father, but fate had something else in store.

Sultan neither listened to Shah Jahan nor did he go to meet him. Sultan asked Shahjahan for the keys of every gate so that he could bring Aurangzeb to the palace with full security. That's what happened after all. Aurangzeb's entry took place in full security, but still he was afraid that someone else might capture Agra.

There was danger from loved ones, that's why hatched a conspiracy

The biggest threat to Aurangzeb was from his close ones. In this, the eldest son was from Sultan Mohammad and Mir Jumla. Mir Jumla was the person who helped Aurangzeb to attack Golconda and loot the treasury. The danger from Sultan was also because the palace in which he himself was unable to enter was captured by his son Sultan without asking him. At the same time, Mir was afraid of Jumla because he was intelligent as well as being courageous and passionate. Was very ambitious.

Aurangzeb planned to send both the Sultan and Mir Jumla away from Agra. After weakening Dara, an army was formed to arrest the second brother Shah Shuja. The command of this army was given to Mir Jumla. Said, you capture Bengal and prepare to become the governor.

Now he made the Sultan a part of the conspiracy to keep him away from Agra. Said- Until Shah Shuja is not defeated, it will be difficult to say that you have created any history. In this way Aurangzeb sent both of them away and started ruling Agra completely.

Rhetoric became the cause of death

Both were sent together in the mission to get Shah Shuja out of the way. There was tension between the two during the mission. Sultan wanted that the command of the army should not be with Mir, but with him. He used to tell the story of his success. He used to say that it was because of him that Aurangzeb got the Agra fort.

These things reached Aurangzeb. Sultan also got information about this. He felt that father Aurangzeb could get him arrested, to avoid this he went to Shah Shuja. Shah Shuja felt that Aurangzeb had some trick in this, so he too did not help the Sultan. Ultimately, the Sultan lost hope on both sides.

Ultimately what was feared happened. After the order of Aurangzeb, he was arrested and taken to the fort of Gwalior. After some time, the prince was kept in the fort of Salimgarh built on the banks of the Yamuna in Delhi. After being kept in captivity for about a year, he was poisoned to death in 1676.