Key facts

  • Shahzada Muazzam was Aurangzeb's eldest surviving son and defeated his brother Azam at the battle of Jajau in 1707.
  • After defeating Azam at Jajau, Muazzam ascended the Mughal throne as Bahadur Shah I.
  • Mewar's Maharana Amar Singh II backed Muazzam in the Mughal succession contest and gained a quick political dividend.
  • Amar Singh II recovered Pur, Mandal and Badnor from Mughal control in 1709 by agreeing to an annual payment of one lakh rupees.
  • Kota's Rao Ramsingh I fought on Azam's side at Jajau and was killed there.

Key Points at a Glance

  1. 1

    Shahzada Muazzam was Aurangzeb's eldest surviving son and defeated his brother Azam at the battle of Jajau in 1707.

  2. 2

    After defeating Azam at Jajau, Muazzam ascended the Mughal throne as Bahadur Shah I.

  3. 3

    Mewar's Maharana Amar Singh II backed Muazzam in the Mughal succession contest and gained a quick political dividend.

  4. 4

    Amar Singh II recovered Pur, Mandal and Badnor from Mughal control in 1709 by agreeing to an annual payment of one lakh rupees.

  5. 5

    Kota's Rao Ramsingh I fought on Azam's side at Jajau and was killed there.

  6. 6

    After his coronation, Muazzam encouraged Bundi's Buddhsingh to attack Kota, but Bundi's troops were beaten back.

Who was Shahzada Muazzam, and how did Mewar gain from backing him in the 1707 Mughal succession war?

Shahzada Muazzam was Aurangzeb's eldest surviving son, and Mewar gained from backing him because his victory over Azam at Jajau helped Maharana Amar Singh II recover Pur, Mandal and Badnor from Mughal control in 1709 by accepting an annual payment of one lakh rupees.

Muazzam defeated his brother Azam at the battle of Jajau in 1707 and ascended the Mughal throne as Bahadur Shah I. According to the RPSC Preliminary Examination syllabus, this medieval Rajasthan material sits inside the General Knowledge and General Science paper, which carries 200 marks.

Succession War and Alliances

Figure Side / role Key fact
Shahzada Muazzam Aurangzeb's eldest surviving son Defeated his brother Azam at the battle of Jajau in 1707 and ascended the Mughal throne as Bahadur Shah I.
Azam Muazzam's brother and rival claimant Was defeated at the battle of Jajau in 1707.
Mewar's Maharana Amar Singh II Backed Muazzam during this succession contest The choice yielded a quick dividend when Amar Singh recovered Pur, Mandal and Badnor from Mughal control in 1709 by agreeing to an annual payment of one lakh rupees.
Kota's Rao Ramsingh I Fought on Azam's side at Jajau Was killed there.

Mewar Dividend

  • Recovery from Mughal control: Amar Singh recovered Pur, Mandal and Badnor from Mughal control in 1709.
  • Payment condition: The recovery came by agreeing to an annual payment of one lakh rupees.
  • Exam linkage: For RAS preparation, the point is not only the Mughal succession result but also the way a Rajput ruler used that result to renegotiate territory and payment terms with the imperial centre.

Kota-Bundi Episode

  • Reason: Kota's Rao Ramsingh I had fought on Azam's side at Jajau and was killed there.
  • Muazzam's action after coronation: After his coronation, Muazzam encouraged Bundi's Buddhsingh to attack Kota.
  • Outcome: Bundi's troops were beaten back.
  • Political reading: The episode shows how the new emperor rewarded allies, punished the losing side's associates, and used regional rivalries after the succession contest.

Maratha Calculation Before the Campaign

  • Zulfikar Khan's persuasion: Just before the campaign opened, Azam had been persuaded by Zulfikar Khan to free the Maratha prince Shahu from the Mughal camp.
  • Strategic calculation: The calculation was that a Maratha civil war would relieve pressure on Azam's northward march.
  • Why it mattered: Azam's camp was trying to manage two theatres at once: the immediate race for the Mughal throne in north India and the risk that Maratha pressure could slow his movement towards the decisive confrontation.