Rulers of India - Ranjit Singh

Griffin, Lepel Sir; Hunter, William Wils · 1892 · Public domain (published pre-1930) · archive.org ↗

1THE STATE OF THE PUNZAB 71

2larger population. Fortunately for the Sikhs they

3had an ally in the ferocious bigotry of the Empe-

4ror which created enemies to his throne in every

5Feudatory Hindu State, and eventually brought

6the magnificent fabric of Empire to the ground.

7Despotisms that have no other foundation than

8the personal qualities, of individuals can never be

9secure. Sagacity, unselfishness and benevolence are

10not the fruits which grow on the thorns and

11brambles of tyranny. Ignorant, debauched, cruel, and

12fanatical despots are far more likely to turn up

13when a cynical Fortune deals the cards. Had it

14been possible to produce a succession of princes like

15Akbar the magnificent, who, take him all in all, was

16perhaps the man most brilliant and complete, in his

17intellectual ascendency, of all historical autocrats,

18the Mughal Empire might have been flourishing

19to-day, and English traders would still be humbly

20soliciting imperial favour at Delhi, before the pea-

21cock throne. But the bigoted intolerance of the

22Emperor Aurangzeb, who, apart from his religion,

23was of blameless life and possessed of many accom-

24plishments, did more to ruin the Empire than the

25extravagances of his predecessors and successors.

26As to the Sikhs, his persecutions strengthened their

27obstinate attachment to their faith, and the threat of

28death and torture never won Isl4m a single convert.

29The blood of the martyrs was, as ever, the seed of

30the Church. Impotent to crush it entirely, Aurangzeb

31only succeeded in infusing its spirit into fresh votaries,