Mughal History: The most powerful army, yet why could the Mughals never enter Nepal?

Despite being the most powerful army, the Mughals could never attack Nepal, not that the Mughals ever thought of doing so, but the geographical conditions there i.e. the natural fort was the biggest obstacle in this. Even before the Mughals, the attacks on Nepal had failed.

The Mughal Empire was founded by Babur, but it expanded during the reign of Akbar. It was Akbar who increased the dominance of the Mughal Empire on the Indian subcontinent. After this, the maximum expansion took place during the reign of Aurangzeb. This was the period when the fort in front of which the Mughal army used to stand, either won the fort in the war or the concerned king had to accept the Mughal subordination by making a treaty.

From Kabul to Kaveri Valley and from Gujarat to Bengal only the Mughals had supremacy, but there was one area on which the Mughals could never muster the power to attack. This area was Nepal. It is not that the Mughals never thought of suzerainty over it, neither Akbar could muster the courage nor Aurangzeb ever looked towards it. Historians give many reasons for this, but the biggest reason was that it was naturally strong.

Nepal was a natural fort

Even in the era of Mughals, Nepal had a special place from the commercial point of view, but it was very strong geographically. The high peaks here, the hilly area. It used to make it strong as a natural fort. The strength of the Mughal army was horses, camels and elephants. Historians believe that due to the hilly terrain, only horses, camels and elephants, considered the strength of the Mughal army, could become its weakness. Apart from this, the cold there was also troubling. The rulers who tried to occupy Nepal before the Mughals. He had to face such troubles and had to be defeated in the war.

Mughal army was the most powerful

From Akbar to Aurangzeb's reign, the Mughals had the most powerful army. Manuchi has written that the Mughal army included not only Turkish, but also Indians, Iranians and Afghans, but the kingdom of Nepal and the Gorkha soldiers there were also considered very brave. The Gurkhas had proved their bravery in the attacks on Nepal before the Mughals.

Mughals used to see advantage

Mughals always looked at their own benefit. According to the book History of Mughal India, the Mughal rulers always occupied the place from where they got wealth. Of course Nepal had commercial importance. The Mughals would have benefited by capturing there, but more than that would have been spent in the war.

The attacks had already failed before the Mughals

It is not that Nepal has never been attacked, but it has never been successful. It is mentioned in history that in 1349 Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah of Bengal first attacked Nepal. Even reached Kathmandu, but after that he had to retreat. After this, another Bengali ruler Sultan Mir Qasim also attacked Nepal, but he too was repulsed by the Gorkhas.

Cold used to freeze blood

The winter of Nepal used to freeze blood, in 1349 when Sultan Shamsuddin of Bengal tried to occupy Nepal, his army was harmed the most by the cold. Seeing the poor health of the soldiers, illness and the struggle of the Gorkhas, Shamsuddin had to return.