Editing Jat people (section)

=== The rise of Jat People power ===

{{main|Expansion of the Jat power (1680-1707)}}

The rise of Jat power has always taken place against tyranny, injustice, economic and social exploitations and was never overawed by claims of racial or tribal superiority. They have always stood in ancient as well as medieval times like rock in the face of invaders seeking to ravage the motherland. Whenever the occasion arose they beat their ploughshares into swords and taking advantage of decrepit political structure, they laid the foundations of political power under several tribal chiefs. <ref>Preface by Ram Niwas Mirdha in G.C. Dwivedi’s, The Jats, Their role in the Mughal Empire, Ed. Dr Vir Singh, Delhi, 2003</ref>

They have shown in all times – whether against Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni, or against Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali – the same propensity to fall upon the rear of a retreating army undeterred by the heaviest odds, or the terror-inspiring fame of great conquerors. When encountered they showed the same obstinate and steady courage unmindful of the carnage on the field or of the miseries that were in store for them after defeat. <ref>Qanungo, Jats,30], [G.C.Dwivedi, The Jatts, Their role in the Mughal Empire, Ed. Dr Vir Singh, Delhi, 2003, p.11-12</ref>

In 1669 this race of warrior-agriculturists, the Jats, rose against the narrow and over-centralised despotic regime of Aurangzeb. The Jat power under the leadership of [[Churaman]] took a big leap forward during the rule of the imbecile successors of Aurangzeb.<ref>G.C.Dwivedi, The Jats, Their role in the Mughal Empire, Ed. Dr Vir Singh, Delhi, 2003, p.55-56</ref>

==== The Jat People Uprising of 1669 ====
{{main|The Jat Uprising of 1669}}

'''The Jat uprising of 1669''' under [[Gokula]] in region around Mathura occurred at a time when the Mughal government was by no means weak or imbecile. <ref>Girish Chandra Dwivedi, The Jats – Their role in the Mughal empire, Ed by Dr Vir Singh. Delhi, 2003, p. 15</ref> In fact this period of Aurangzeb’s reign witnessed the climax of the Mughal Empire.<ref>J.N.Sarkar, History of Auranzeb (Calcutta): 1912, I, Introduction, XI-XIII</ref>, <ref>F.X. Wendel, Memoires des Jats, 10</ref> during the early medieval period frequent breakdown of law and order often induced the Jats to adopt a refractory course. <ref>J.N. Sarkar, History of Auranzeb (Calcutta): 1912, I, Introduction, XXVIII f.</ref> But, with the establishment of the Mughal rule, law and order was effectively established and we do not come across any major Jat revolt during the century and a half proceeding the reign of Aurangzeb. <ref>Girish Chandra Dwivedi, The Jats – Their role in the Mughal empire, Ed by Dr Vir Singh. Delhi, 2003, p. 15</ref>

Historians have generally ascribed the said Jat rebellion to Aurangzab’s religious discrimination and the oppression of local officers. <ref>K.R. Qanungo, History of Jats (Calcutta: 1925), p. 34</ref>, <ref>U.N.Sharma, Itihas, p.88</ref>. <ref>[[Thakur Deshraj]], Jat Itihas, p. 629</ref> These, however seem to have been the contributory causes but neither the sole nor the dominant factors which precipitated the revolt. The real cause of the Jat rebellion of 1669 lay deeper than have been assigned to it so far. <ref>Girish Chandra Dwivedi, The Jats – Their role in the Mughal empire, Ed by Dr Vir Singh. Delhi, 2003, p. 15</ref>

The Jat rebellion of 1669 was essentially the result of the political provocation aggravated by the economic discontent and set ablaze by the religious persecution. <ref>Girish Chandra Dwivedi, The Jats – Their role in the Mughal empire, Ed by Dr Vir Singh. Delhi, 2003, p. 25</ref>

Once their combined efforts proved fruitful under later leaders and bright future prospects appeared ahead. Their circumstantial union assumed a little fixed character. Consideration of common benefit might also have been instrumental in leading the tribal and democratic Jats to prefer, accept and finally adopt the institution of kingship. To such circumstances may be traced the genesis of the Jat state of Bharatpur and the eventual emergence of the principalities of [[Patiala]], [[Nabha]] and [[Jind]] which   were the Jat republicans until India's independence. <ref>Bingley, Sikhs, p. 12</ref>