Aurangzeb: The Man and the Myth


Aurangzeb: The Man and the Myth is a 2017 biography of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb by historian Audrey Truschke. The book was published by Penguin Random House in India and later by Stanford University Press in the United States under the title Aurangzeb: The Life and Legacy of India's Most Controversial King. It aims to deconstruct popular myths about Aurangzeb and place his rule within a nuanced historical framework.

Overview

The book challenges the Hindutva narrative of Aurangzeb as a fanatical and intolerant ruler by examining Persian chronicles, royal firmans, and Mughal court histories. Truschke argues that Aurangzeb’s actions were often driven by political pragmatism rather than religious dogma, and that he continued many policies of his predecessors, including temple grants and employing Hindu officials. Among the key issues the book reconsiders are the reimposition of the jizya tax, temple demolitions, and conflicts with other religious communities. Truschke presents these within a broader Mughal imperial context, contending that Aurangzeb’s reign was more about statecraft than ideology. It was named a Choice Outstanding Academic Title in 2017.

Reception

Munis D. Faruqui, a historian of Mughal India, found the book to be an excellent work aimed at non-specialists, and praised Truschke's willingness to tackle the topic despite being aware about the inevitability of "vicious personal attacks from mostly nonacademic critics".

Academic reviews

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