¤ Relations Turned Strain between the Mughal & Jadhpur

Proximity to the Mughal court led to art and culture flourishing in Jodhpur as well as trade and commerce with the establishment of relative peace। But relations between the Mughals and Jodhpur took a turn for the worse during Jaswant Singh’s reign when he backed the wrong prince in 1658 during the battle of succession between Shah Jahan’s sons. His loathing for Aurangzeb led him to back Dara, and despite Jaswant’s defeat at Fatehbad when he was commanding the army opposed to Aurangzeb he never really reconciled himself to his rule. For 25 years he was a thorn in the Mughal emperor’s flesh until Aurangzeb ordered him to Kabul to duel with the Afghans whence he never returned. He left Jodhpur in the hands of his son Prithvi, who in turn was put paid to by Aurangzeb by giving him a poisoned robe. James Tod says of Jaswant Singh ‘that had his ability been commensurate with his power, strength and courage he could have with the aid of Aurangzeb’s numerous other enemies have got rid of the emperor’.

¤ A Matter of Chivalry

An example of Rajput pride in their valour can be ascertained from the conduct of Jaswant’s queen when he retreated after the battle of Fatehbad। Even though he brought back his shield and it can be said his honour as well, she barred the city's gates on her fugitive lord। Though eventually wifely love forced her to relent the incident typified the Rajput attitude of preferring a heroic death to a cowardly retreat. Jaswant Singh had ascended the throne of Jodhpur in a most unusual manner. His father Gaj Singh’s mistress Angoori Bai had once been presented with a pair of pearl shoes by Jaswant Singh, after kneeling down before her in supplication. In return Angoori prevailed upon Gaj Singh to anoint Jaswant as his successor over the head of his elder brother Amar Singh, the rightful heir to the throne. It was a typical case of ‘you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours’ and Angoori Bai can be said to have changed the course of 17 th century Jodhpur history by helping to install Jaswant to the Jodhpur to the throne.

¤ An Assassination Folied

Meanwhile Aurangzeb’s religious bigotry had the impact of alienating all of the Rajputs whom Akbar had so carefully cultivated. After the imposition of the much hated jaziya or religious tax on the Hindus in 1679, he was determined to do away with Jaswant’s infant son Ajit Singh, after Jaswant’s death in 1681. However, that was prevented by one of Rajputana’s greatest heroes Durga Das who smuggled the posthumous child out of Marwar in a basket of sweetmeats. An enraged Aurangzeb retaliated by sacking Jodhpur, destroying numerous Hindu temples and demanding the conversion of the Rajput race to Islam. The attitude of the emperor led to the entire Rajput clan becoming implacable enemies of the Mughals, and from then on they were merely biding their time to throw off the Mughal imperialist yoke. The opportunity presented itself with Aurangzeb’s death in 1707 at the grand old age of 89. His successor, Bahadur Shah was 63 himself when he ascended the imperial throne and soon earned for himself the sobriquet of Shahi Bekhabar (heedless king) for his disinterest in affairs of the state.Perfect chance for Ajit Singh, now grown up who with the help of Durga Das formed a triple alliance with Udaipur and Jaipur to reclaim what was rightfully his – the gaddi (throne) of Jodhpur.