UPSC Prelims 2002 Q51: Medieval History – Mughal Empire
The motive behind Shahjahan’s Balkh campaign was to
- (a) secure a friendly ruler in Balkh and Badakhshan which bordered Kabul
- (b) conquer Samarqand and Farghana, the Mughal homelands
- (c) fix the Mughal frontier on the ‘scientific line’, the Amu Daria
- (d) expand the Mughal Empire beyond the sub - continent
Answer: (b) conquer Samarqand and Farghana, the Mughal homelands
Explanation
Motive behind Shahjahan's Balkh campaign
| Possible motive | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Conquer Samarqand and Farghana, the Mughal homelands | Yes — the real aim was to recover the ancestral Timurid lands of Transoxiana |
| Secure a friendly ruler in Balkh and Badakhshan | A limited, defensive aim; Balkh was only a stepping stone |
| Fix the frontier at the Amu Daria (Oxus) | A result of the campaign, not the motive |
| Expand the Empire beyond the sub-continent | Too general; the aim was specific to the ancestral land |
After the capture of Qandahar (1638), Shahjahan wanted to regain Samarqand and Farghana, the homeland of Babur and the Timurids. He sent Prince Murad and then Aurangzeb to Balkh in 1646-47 as the first step. The campaign failed with heavy losses and Balkh was given up. The stored key (a) is wrong; the accepted answer is (b).
Answer: (b) conquer Samarqand and Farghana, the Mughal homelands.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. The stored key is wrong; a friendly ruler was not the real aim.
- (b) CORRECT. The goal was to reconquer the ancestral Transoxiana.
- (c) Incorrect. The Amu Daria frontier was a by-product, not the motive.
- (d) Incorrect. Expansion beyond the sub-continent was not the stated aim.
Key point
Shahjahan: Qandahar lost to Persia in 1649; Balkh campaign 1646-47 failed; cost about 2 crore rupees and many lives.
Remember
Balkh campaign = attempt to regain Samarqand and Farghana.
Common mistakes
- Choosing the friendly ruler reading from the stored key.
- Calling the Oxus frontier the cause rather than the outcome.
- Confusing the campaign with Akbar's Qandahar policy.
Exam tip
Link Balkh to the Timurid dream of Samarqand.
Sources
- Satish Chandra — Medieval India
- pmfias.com — Shah Jahan Balkh campaign (2002 PYQ)