Throughout history, several tyrants have left behind legacies of destruction and cruelty in the name of conquest. Two of the most infamous figures in this regard are Aurangzeb, the Mughal emperor of India, and Genghis Khan, the Mongol warlord who built the largest contiguous empire in history. While both were ruthless rulers responsible for mass killings and oppression, their methods, motivations, and sheer scale of brutality differ. This article compares their tyranny to determine who was the bigger oppressor.
Aurangzeb: The Religious Zealot and Oppressor
Aurangzeb (1618–1707) was the sixth Mughal emperor who is infamous for his religious intolerance, oppressive rule, and prolonged wars that drained the Mughal Empire. His not just brought back the jizya tax on non-Muslims, but his rule saw the forced imposition of Islamic laws, religious persecution, and brutal executions of those who resisted his rule.
Religious Persecution and Executions
Aurangzeb’s bigotry was evident in his treatment of non-Muslims, particularly Hindus and Sikhs. He ordered the execution of many such as Guru Tegh Bahadur, the 9th Sikh Guru, for refusing to convert to Islam. He captured and brutally tortured Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of Shivaji Maharaj, before executing him for resisting Mughal expansion.
He destroyed thousands of Hindu temples, including the Kashi Vishwanath temple, and replaced them with mosques. He also reimposed the jizya tax on non-Muslims, which his predecessors had abolished.
Military Campaigns and Civilian Deaths
Aurangzeb’s Deccan campaigns, fought against the Marathas, Golconda, and Bijapur, lasted for decades and drained Mughal resources. His continuous wars led to:
- The deaths of millions of soldiers and civilians due to war, famine, and disease.
- The economic collapse of the empire, leaving regions devastated and impoverished.
- Brutal crackdowns on revolts by Rajputs, Marathas, and Sikhs, leading to mass executions.
Historians estimate that Aurangzeb’s actions led to the deaths of approximately 4–5 million people over his reign. While he was a religious fanatic and an oppressive ruler, his death toll pales in comparison to that of Genghis Khan.
Genghis Khan: The Conqueror and Mass Exterminator
Genghis Khan (1162–1227) was the founder of the Mongol Empire and led some of the most devastating military campaigns in history. Unlike Aurangzeb, whose tyranny was largely religious and political, Genghis Khan’s brutality was driven by his goal for absolute conquest. His empire expanded across China, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe, and wherever he went, he left a trail of destruction.
Mass Killings and Genocide
Genghis Khan’s conquests led to the deaths of an estimated 40–60 million people, wiping out entire civilizations. His methods included:
- Total annihilation of cities: After conquering the Khwarezmian Empire, he ordered the mass execution of entire populations, with cities like Nishapur and Urgench witnessing 1–1.7 million deaths each.
- Early biological warfare: The Mongols catapulted plague-infected bodies into besieged cities, spreading deadly diseases like the Black Death.
- Systematic massacres: In Baghdad alone (conquered later by his grandson Hulagu Khan), nearly 1 million people were slaughtered in a single week.
- Skull Pyramids: One of the most terrifying tactics used by Genghis Khan and his Mongol armies was the construction of skull pyramids after their massacres. When the Mongols captured a city, they would often kill every inhabitant—men, women, and children—then behead them and stack their skulls into enormous pyramids. These structures were meant to instill fear in future enemies and serve as a warning of what would happen if they resisted Mongol rule.
- Enforced population reduction: Some estimates suggest that the Mongol invasions reduced the global population by 11% at the time.
Unlike Aurangzeb, who targeted specific groups, and at least offered a choice to convert, Genghis Khan’s brutality was indiscriminate, affecting Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, and Hindus alike.
Who Was the Bigger Tyrant?
If we compare death tolls, the numbers speak for themselves:
- Aurangzeb: 4–5 million deaths through religious persecution, wars, and executions.
- Genghis Khan: 40–60 million deaths through mass extermination and war.
Genghis Khan’s scale of destruction was far greater, and his methods—wiping out entire cities and engaging in early biological warfare—make him the deadlier tyrant. However, Aurangzeb’s systematic religious persecution, long-term suppression, and the way he betrayed his own family members still make him one of the most despised rulers in Indian history.
Conclusion
While Aurangzeb was a brutal and oppressive ruler, especially in terms of religious persecution, he was not in the same league as Genghis Khan in terms of sheer numbers. Genghis Khan’s total destruction of civilizations, genocidal campaigns, and staggering death tolls make a bigger tyrant in world history. However, Aurangzeb’s tyranny had a lasting impact on India, leading to the decline of the Mughal Empire and creating deep religious divisions that persist to this day. In their respective ways, both left behind legacies of cruelty, but on an international scale, Genghis Khan was undoubtedly the more monstrous figure.
