The Gujarat Subah () was a province (subah) of the Mughal Empire, encompassing the Gujarat region. The region first fell under Mughal control in 1573, when the Mughal emperor Akbar (r. 1556–1605) defeated the Gujarat Sultanate under Muzaffar Shah III.
Muzaffar tried to regain the Sultanate in 1584 but failed. Gujarat remained the Mughal province governed by the viceroys and officers appointed by the Mughal emperors from Delhi. Akbar's foster brother Mirza Aziz Kokaltash was appointed as the subahdar (viceroy) who strengthened Mughal hold over the region. The nobles of former Sultanate continued to resist and rebel during the reign of the next emperor Jahangir (1605–1627) but Kokaltash and his successor subahdars subdued them. Jehangir also permitted the British East India Company to establish factories in Surat and elsewhere in Gujarat. The next emperor Shah Jahan (1627–1658) expanded his territories in south and his subahdars made hold over Kathiawar peninsula including Nawanagar. Shah Jahan had also appointed his prince Aurangzeb, who was involved in religious disputes, prince Dara Shikoh and later prince Murad Bakhsh as subahdars. Following battle of succession, Aurangzeb (1658–1707) came to the Mughal throne and his policies resulted in revolts and discontent. During his reign, the Maratha Kingdom under Shivaji raided Surat (1666) and their incursions in Gujarat started. Till then Gujarat prospered due to political stability, peace and growing international trade.
During the next three emperors (1707–1719) who had brief reigns, the nobles became more and more powerful due to instability in the Delhi. The royals of Marwar were appointed viceroys frequently. During the reign of the emperor Muhammad Shah (1719–1748), the struggle between the Mughal and Maratha nobles were heightened with frequent battles and incursions. The south Gujarat was lost to the Marathas and the towns in north and central Gujarat was attacked on several occasions with frequent demand of tributes. The Marathas continued to grow their hold and the frequent change of viceroys did not reverse the trend. The competing houses of Marathas, Gaekwads and Peshwas engaged between themselves which slow down their progress for a while. They later made peace between themselves. During the reign of the next emperor Ahmad Shah Bahadur (1748–1754), there was nominal control over the nobles who acted on their own. There were frequent fights between themselves and with Marathas. Ahmedabad, the capital of province, finally fell to the Marathas in 1752. It was regained by noble Momin Khan for a short time but again lost to the Marathas in 1756 after a long siege. Finding opportunity, the British captured Surat in 1759. After a setback at Panipat in 1761, the Marathas strengthened their hold on Gujarat. During this fifty years, the power struggle between the Mughal nobles and Marathas caused disorder and the decline in prosperity.
History
Under Humayun (1535–1536) In 1532–1533, Gujarat Sultan Bahadur Shah provoked a war with Humayun, the Mughal Emperor of Delhi.Commissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 346. The immediate cause of the hostility is understood to be Bahadur Shah's protection of Muhammad Zaman Mirza, a Timurid prince and brother-in-law of Humayun, who had previous plotted against Humayun and his government and had subsequently been held in confinement.Commissariat 1938, Vol. I, pp. 346–347. This antagonism was furthered by Bahadur Shah's favorable reception of the Afghan princes of the Lodi dynasty (rules of the Delhi Sultanate) who had offended the Mughal Empire. As Bahadur Shah failed to extradite Muhammad Zaman Mirza, Humayun marched from Agra towards Chittor; he waited idly by Gwalior while Bahadur Shah laid siege to Chittor.Commissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 347.
Bahadur Shah listened to the advice of Rumi Khan—who was considered to have secretly allied with Humayun after Bahadur Shah refused to uphold the promise of putting him in command of Chittor—over that of Taj Khan and Sadr Khan and established a fortified camp near Mandasor.Commissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 350. While Bahadur Shah had significant artillery, Humayun took Rumi Khan's advice and cut Bahadur Shah's supplies.Commissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 351. The highly effective blockade and the realization of Rumi Khan's betrayal forced Bahadur Shah to flee from the camp in April 1535. After fleeing Mandasor, Bahadur Shah took refuge in the hill-fortress of Mandu, which was summarily stormed by Humayun's troops.Commissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 353. As a result, Malwa was annexed under the Mughal Empire and Bahadur Shah escaped first to Champaner via Songarh,Commissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 354. next to Khambhat,Commissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 355. and finally to Diu.Commissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 356.
Humayun kept pursuit of Bahadur Shah until he found out that the latter had successfully retreated to Diu. Having abandoned his pursuit, Humayun encamped at Khambhat where an old aboriginal woman warned him of an upcoming night attack by 5,000–6,000 members of the Koli and Gowar tribes.Commissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 356–357. Humayun was able to route the attack on account of the warning; however, given the perceived insult, he ordered the town of Khambhat to be set on fire and plundered.Commissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 357. After being convinced to postpone the attack on Diu, Humayun returned to successfully lay siege to ChampanerCommissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 358. in August 1535.Commissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 360.
In settling the government of Gujarat, Humayun nominated Mirza Askari, his brother, as the viceroy.Commissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 368. Before he could resume his pursuit of Bahadur Shah, he received news that the eastern provinces of the Mughal Empire were revolting under Sher Khan Afghan and that the imperial garrisons in Malwa were being challenged by the local chieftains. No sooner had Humayun turned to attend to these matters, a counter was launched with Bahadur Shah's officers reclaiming the towns of Surat, Bharuch, and Khambhat.Commissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 369. Bahadur Shah marched towards Ahmedabad while amassing an army but Mirza Askari and his army retreated without engaging in battle.Commissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 369–370. Bahadur Shah continued to pursue the retreating forces defeating them in battle at Kanij near Mahemdavad.Commissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 370. Under instruction from Humayun, Tardi Beg is said to have abandoned Champaner finally marking the end of the Mughal occupation of Gujarat under Humayun.Commissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 371.
Having to deal with Humayun's march on the one side and the Portuguese attack at Diu on the other side, Bahadur Shah entered into the Treaty of Bassein in December 1534.Commissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 349. The treaty granted the Portuguese Empire control of the town of Bassein (Vasai), required vessels bound for the Red Sea to call at Bassein to procure passes and pay customary dues on their return trip, and prohibited the building of warships at any of the Gujarat ports. At a later time, following his retreat to Diu, Bahadur Shah turned to the Portuguese Empire for assistanceCommissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 362. and entered into a second treaty with them in October 1535 granting them permission to build a fort at Diu in exchange for military assistance.Commissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 363.
Under Akbar (1573–1605)
In 1572–1573, Mughal Emperor Akbar conquered Gujarat Sultanate (now Gujarat, India) taking advantage of the puppet-rulerCommissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 492. Sultan Muzaffar Shah III and his quarreling nobles.Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 17. Muzaffar was held captive at Agra. Akbar appointed his foster brother Mirza Aziz Koka, the Khan-i-Azam, as the first viceroyCommissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 518. who faced an insurrection by the rebel nobles of the former Sultanate.Commissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 508–509. Akbar quickly came to aid, arrested the Gujarati nobles, and ended the insurrection.Commissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 510. Raja Todar Mal was tasked to survey the land and fix the assessment in order to settle the land revenues.Commissariat 1938, Vol. I, p. 526. The viceroy Shihab-ud-din Ahmad KhanCommissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 11. strengthened the cavalry and decreased crime.Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 15. Sultan Muzaffar III escaped in 1578, returned with dissident troops that previously worked for ex-viceroy Shihab-ud-dín Ahmad Khan in 1583,Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, pp. 17–18. and led an attack on Ahmedabad and recaptured it when the then viceroy Itimad Khan mistakenly left the city.Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 18. Upon hearing of the events in Gujarat, Akbar reappointed Mirza Abdurrahim Khan (commonly known as Mirza Khan) as the viceroy who defeated Muzaffar III in the battle of Fateh Bagh in January 1584.Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 22. Mirza Aziz Koka was appointed as the viceroy for a second time and defeated the combined forces of Sultan Muzaffar III, Jam of Navanagar, Daulat Khan Ghori of Junagadh, and the Kathi Loma Khuman in the battle of Bhuchar Mori.Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 24–25. Muzaffar III was captured in Bhuj but he committed suicide, putting an end to the Gujarat Sultanate.Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 26. Mirza Aziz Koka conquered Junagadh and established Mughal authority over Saurashtra in 1592Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, pp. 27–28. before leaving for Mecca on pilgrimage in 1593.Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 32. Subsequently, Prince Murad Bakhsh was appointed as the viceroyCommissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 34. on whose death, Mirza Aziz Koka returned a third time as the viceroy serving through his sons .Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 36. Akbar was succeeded by Jahangir.Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 43.
Under Jahangir (1605–1627)
Jahangir appointed Qulij Khan was as the viceroy of Gujarat in the first year of his reign.Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 44. However, on account of Qulij Khan being called to Punjab and Sultan Muzaffar Shah III's son, Prince Bahadur, leading an insurrection around Ahmedabad, Jahangir sent Raja Vikramajit to Gujarat as his next viceroy. He was succeeded by Shaikh Farid-i-Bukhari (honored with the title of Murtaza Khan), a scholar and a military commander, who was responsible for constructing the fort of Kadi, a town in the Mehsana district.Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 46. Mirza Aziz Koka was appointed as the viceroy for a fourth time but was asked to rule through his son Jahangir Quli Khan as his deputy; they subdued the rebellions and protests of the nobles of the former Sultanate and of the Hindu chiefsCommissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 48. and successfully averted an invasion by Malik Ambar from Daulatabad in the south.Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, pp. 47–48. The next viceroy Abdulla Khan Bahadur Firuz Jang undertook expeditions against the Nizam Shahi kingdom of Ahmednagar.Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 49. Under Jahangir, the British East India Company was permitted to establish factories in Surat in 1612.Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 52. During reign of the next viceroy Muqarrab Khan,Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 53. Jahangir arrived at Ahmedabad for an extended visit to Gujarat.Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 54. In January 1618, he appointed his son Prince Shah Jahan as the next viceroy.Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 63. Shah Jahan rebelled against his father, Jahangir, in 1622–1623Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 85. and he was replaced by Prince Dawar Bakhsh (also known as Sultan Bulaqi)Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 91. whose imperial forces recovered Bharuch and Surat.Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 92. Upon the death of Dawar Bakhsh's guardian (Mirza Aziz Koka), Khan Jahan was briefly appointed as the viceroy.Commissariat 1957, Vol. II, p. 93. Subsequently, Saif Khan served as the viceroy of Gujarat until the end of Jahangir's reign and Shah Jahan's ascension in 1627.