As part of the Ahom Chronicles, today I look at the history of the Ahom-Mughal conflict. While most are aware of the long Maratha-Mughal war, not many know about the resistance offered by Ahoms to the Mughals from 1615 to 1682, for close to 6 decades.

From 1615 when the Ahom Kingdom was attacked by Abu Bakr to 1682, when the decisive victory at Battle of Itakhuli, ended Mughal attempts to capture Assam, it was one long war. Assam in a way remained the last frontier for Mughals, from where they had to retreat.

While we celebrate #LachitDivas on November 24, in honor of Lachit Borphukan, and the epic Battle of Saraighat, it is important to know the long history of resistance by the Ahoms, and the legacy he had to live up to.

There were 18 major conflicts between the Ahoms and Mughals, out of which only one in 1663 was a major victory for the latter. In most other conflicts, the Ahoms either routed the Mughals and made them retreat, or ensured that the Mughals would not hold on to their gains.

One of the primary factors behind the Ahom-Mughal rivalry was the kingdom that lay to the West, the Cooch Behar princely state. Koch Behar was formed in 1586, following the breakup of the Kamata Kingdom, one of the older Assamese kingdoms

Earlier under the Khem dynasty, it later came under the Koch dynasty in 1515 with Vishwa Singha being their first ruler. When it’s second ruler Nara Narayan passed away, the kingdom split into two parts.

The eastern part was Koch Hajo under Raghudev, his nephew, and the Western part Koch Behar under his son Lakshmi Narayan. It was this part that allied with the Mughals, right from Jahangir’s time, which was the genesis of the conflict too.

When Lakshmi Narayan allied with the Mughals, the Ahom ruler Sukhampaa allied with Koch Hajo, by marrying his son to Raghudeva’s daughter. While Koch Hajo includes the districts of Barpeta, Kamrup, Darrang, Koch Beehar mostly covered Northern Bengal, bordering Bhutan.

Another factor was the aggressive Mughal imperialism that sought to expand its territory into the North East starting with Assam. The Mughals considered the territory east of Barnadi up to Singri as part of their empire along with the rich natural resources.

Mughals were attracted by the rich natural resources of Assam too, especially after the break up of the Kamata kingdom. Kamrup was one of the more prosperous, fertile areas, with it’s elephants, aromatic plants, and the Mughals were determined to have it.

The very first foray the Mughals made into Assam, at Kajali in 1615, was sparked off by the Ahom rulers punishing Ratan Singh, for illegal trade by expelling him. The Mughals sent an imperial army under Abu Bakr and Raja Satrajit of Bhusna

Though the Ahoms suffered an early loss, they fortified Samdhara, regrouped and managed to drive back the Mughals. It was a disaster for the Mughals, and in a way would set the pattern for future Ahom-Mughal conflicts also.

For quite some time there was a low key conflict between both of them, with the Mughals preferring to focus on the Kamrup region more. The Ahoms however continued their hostile policy, as they encouraged the rebels in Kamrup.

Pratap Singha made a rather failed attempt to install Bali Narayan, as the king of Darrang. In 1619 asylum was given to the hill chiefs of Dhanikal fleeing from the tyrannical Bengal subedar Qasim Khan Chisti.

While there was a brief lull in hostilities, the conflict again rose its head under Shahjahan’s reign. Two factors spurred this, one was the asylum given by the Ahom king to the hill chiefs of Dhanikal. The Ahoms did managed to beat back the Mughals, but later lost.

Another was the double game played by Satrajit, who egged on Bali Narayan to capture Kamrup, with Ahom assistance. The attack on Kamrup by Bali Narayan and Ahoms in December 1636, reignited the conflict.

The treaty of Asurar Ali signed in 1639, between the Ahom general Momai Tamuli Borbarua and Allah Yar Khan, saw the entire Western part of Assam, till Guwahati pass under Mughal control.

For the first time, the Ahom ruler, formally acknowledged Kamrup as a part of the Mughal Empire, marking it as the Western boundary to his kingdom. In spite of the peace treaty and acknowledgement of boundaries, regular skirmishes kept breaking out between both sides.

When Shahjahan fell ill, and his sons were caught in a bloody war of succession, the Ahom king Jayadhwaj Singha, took advantage of it, and chased out the Mughals from Assam, reoccupying the entire Western region till Guwahati.

Aurangzeb on ascending the throne, ordered his Bengal subedar Mir Jumla to recapture Cooch Behar and Assam, establishing Mughal rule in that region. With Koch Behar falling to the Mughals, Mir Jumla entered Assam in 1662.

He had a series of successes initially, occupying a whole lot of forts between Manaha and Gauhati. He was also helped by the internal dissensions in the Ahom kingdom, due to Jayadhwaja appointing a Kayastha as viceroy of Western Assam.

This decision was not accepted by the dominant Tai-Ahom nobility, who regarded the top posts as their exclusive privilege, leading to disunity among the ranks, which the Mughals took advantage of.

In spite of the Ahoms, regrouping after the Mughal attack on Kaliabor, Mir Jumla easily overran Simulgarh, Samdhara and entered Garhgaon by March 1662. Jayadhwaj Singha, abandoned the capital, taking refuge in the Eastern hills, and the Mughals got hold of a massive treasure.

However when the monsoon struck, communications were cut off with the Mughal fleet at Dhaka and Lakhau. Also an epidemic broke out at Mathurapur, causing many deaths forcing Mughals to abandon camp there, and neither they could adjust to the climate there.

Taking advantage of the Mughal misery, the Ahoms recovered most of the lost territories except Garhgaon. However with the monsoon easing out by September , communication was re established, roads were available, contact was established with the fleet at Lakhau.

Under constant attack, the Ahom ruler Jayadhwaj Singha, sued for peace, and the result was the utterly humilating Treaty of Ghilajarighat in January 1663. Western Assam was ceded to the Mughals, war indemnity of 3 lakh rupees to be paid.

However the worst part of it all, as per the Treaty, the Ahom ruler had to send his own daughter Ramani Ghabaru, as well as his niece to the Mughal harem. It was a complete humiliation for the proud Ahoms, and Jayadhwaj Singha later died heartbroken.

However Jayadhwaj’s succesor Chakradwaj Singha, swore to avenge the humiliation, and refused to pay any indemnity. “Death is preferable to a life of subordination to foreigners”, he defiantly proclaimed.

In 1665 summoning an assembly of nobles, Chakradwaj Singha made it clear that the Ahoms would no longer accept Mughal rule and ordered measures to drive them out from Western Assam.

My ancestors were never subordinate to any other people; and I for myself cannot remain under the vassalage of any foreign power. I am a descendant of the Heavenly King and how can I pay tribute to the wretched foreigners- Chakradhwaj Singha, the Ahom ruler.

When Syed Firoz Khan, the new Faujdar at Gauhati, demanded him to pay up the money, Chakradwaj made up his mind, and launched an atack. Sailing down the Brahmaputra in two divisions, in August 1667, the Ahoms encamped at Kaliabor, which would be their base.

By November 1667, Itakhuli was recaptured along with Gauhati, and the Mughals were chased down to the Manas river, that formed the boundary. They also managed to free many of the Assamese who were taken into captivity by Mir Jumla.

The Ahoms managed to recapture most of their old territory, which would make Aurangzeb send a huge army that would result in the epic battle of Saraighat, and the heroics of Lachit Borpukhan, that I wud cover in detail on #LachitDiwas.