Aurangzeb (r. 1658–1707) was a Mughal emperor who reigned from 1658 to 1707.
The last of the Moghul dynasty's great emperors, whose reign saw the empire, which at its peak spanned much of the Indian subcontinent, disintegrate into tiny kingdoms.
- Aurangzeb was a stern and religious Muslim who is often depicted as a Hindu foe.
- In contrast to his great-grandfather Akbar, the "good" Moghul emperor, he is the "evil" Moghul emperor.
Aurangzeb undoubtedly ordered many significant acts of iconoclasm, the most famous of which being the demolition of the Vishvanath temple at Benares.
- Documents from his reign also contain instructions that the Hindus of that city be allowed to practice their faith without hindrance.
- One explanation for these inconsistencies is that the demolition of the Vishvanath temple and other acts of iconoclasm were carried out for political rather than religious reasons, in order to punish local people for rebellion and noncooperation.
- One piece of evidence supporting this idea is that the Mahanirvani akhara in Benares fought Aurangzeb's troops the year before the Vishvanath temple was destroyed.
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