Editing Mathura (section)

====Late Middle Ages====

The [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]], Father Antonio Monserrate (1536 CE-1600 CE), who was on a Jesuit mission at the Mughal Court during the times of [[Akbar]], visited Mathura in 1580–82, and noted that all temples built at sites associated with the deeds of [[Krishna]] were in ruins:-

{{Blockquote|It (Mathura) used to be a great and well populated city, with splendid buildings and a great circuit of walls. The ruins plainly indicate how imposing its buildings were. For out of these forgotten ruins are dug up columns and very ancient statues, of skilful and cunning workmanship. Only one Hindu temple is left out of many; for the Musalmans have completely destroyed all except the pyramids. Huge crowds of pilgrims come from all over India to this temple, which is situated on the high bank of the Jomanis ([[Yamuna]])...<ref>{{cite book |author= J. S. Hoyland (trans.), S. N. Banerjee (annotator) |title=Commentary of Father Monserrate |date=1922 |publisher=Oxford University Press |page=93 |url=https://archive.org/details/commentaryoffath00mons/page/92/mode/2up}}</ref>}}

The [[Krishna Janmasthan Temple Complex|Keshavadeva temple]] was rebuilt by the [[Bundela]] Rajput Rajah [[Vir Singh Deo]] at a cost of thirty-three lakh rupees when the gold was priced at around ₹ 10/- per [[Tola (unit)|''tola'']].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sdbullion.com/gold-price-history |title=Historical Gold Prices |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=sdbullion.com |access-date=2 February 2021}}</ref> And the grand structure of the temple in Mathura was regarded a "wonder of the age".<ref>{{cite book |author=Jadunath Sarkar |date=1928 |title=History Of Aurangzib Vol.3 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.111047/page/n279/mode/2up |page=266}}</ref>

The [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] [[Aurangzeb|Emperor Aurangzeb]], built the Shahi-Eidgah Mosque during his rule, which is adjacent to [[Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi]] believed to be over a [[Hindu temple]].<ref>{{Cite book | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=3ctLNvx68hIC&q=akbar%27s+tomb+desecrated+by+jats&pg=PA108 | title = Architecture of Mughal India | isbn = 9780521267281 | last1 = Asher | first1 = Catherine B | date = 24 September 1992 | publisher = Cambridge University Press }}</ref> He also changed the city's name to Islamabad.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Fisher |first1=Michael H. |title=An Environmental History of India: From Earliest Times to the Twenty-First Century |date=2018 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-107-11162-2 |page=109 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kZVuDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA109 |language=en}}</ref> In 1669, Aurangzeb issued a general order for the demolition of Hindu schools and temples, in 1670, specifically ordered the destruction of the Keshavadeva temple. Saqi Mustaid Khan recorded:

{{Blockquote|On Thursday, 27th January/15 Ramzan (27 January 1670)... the Emperor as the promoter of justice and overthrower of mischief, as a knower of truth and destroyer of oppression as the zephyr of the garden of victory and the reviver of the faith of the Prophet, issued orders for the demolition of the temple situated in Mathura, famous as the Dehra of Kesho Rai. In a short time by the great exertions of his officers, the destruction of this strong foundation of infidelity was accomplished and on its site a lofty mosque was built by the expenditure of a large sum... Praised be the august God of the faith of Islam, that in the auspicious reign of this destroyer of infidelity and turbulence, such a wonderful and seemingly impossible work was successfully accomplished.}}

{{Blockquote|On seeing this instance of the strength of the emperor's faith and the grandeur of his devotion to God, the proud Rajas were stifled, and in amazement they stood like images facing the wall. The idols, large and small, set with costly jewels, which had been set up in the temple, were brought to Agra, and buried under the step of the mosque of the Begum Shahib in order to be continuously trodden upon. The name of Mathura was changed to Islamabad.<ref>{{cite book |author=Jadunath Sarkar |date=1947 |title=Maasir-i-Alamgiri, A History Of Emperor Aurangzeb by Saqi Mustaid Khan |url=https://archive.org/details/ahistoryofemporeraurangzebalamgirmaasirialamgirijadunathsarkar_64_c/page/n67/mode/2up |page=60}}</ref>}}

The Muslim conquest resulted in the destruction of all [[Buddhism|Buddhist]], [[Jainism|Jain]], and [[Hinduism|Hindu]] temples and monuments in and around Mathura. [[Buddhism]], already in decline, never revived, and for the next four hundred years the [[Jainism|Jains]] and [[Hindus]] were unable to erect any temples that were not sooner or later demolished.<ref name="auto">{{cite book |author=A. W. Entwistle |date=1987 |title=Braj: Centre of Krishna Pilgrimage |url=https://digital.soas.ac.uk/content/AA/00/00/03/01/00001/PDF_TXT.pdf |publisher=Egbert Forsten Publishing |pages=122–124 |isbn=978-9069800165}}</ref> Many of the sites that had been places of religious importance were abandoned and gradually sank beneath the earth. But some of them were not forgotten, owing to the persistence of oral tradition, the refashioning of a temple into a mosque, or the presence of humble shrines, some of which housed sculptural fragments of earlier buildings. Several of them have survived as places of significance in the modern pilgrimage circuit.<ref name="auto"/>

"The rebellion in Mathurá district seems to have gained ground. 'On the 14th Rajab, 1080, [28 November 1669], his Majesty left Dihlí for Akbarábád, and almost daily enjoyed the pleasures of the chase. On the 21st Rajab, whilst hunting, he received the report of a rebellion having broken out at Mauza' Rewarah, Chandarkah, and Surkhrú. Hasan 'Ali Khán was ordered to attack the rebels at night, which he did, and the firing lasted till 12 o'clock the next day. The rebels, unable longer to withstand, thinking of the honour of their families, now fought with short arms, and many imperial soldiers and companions of Hasan ’Alí were killed. Three hundred rebels were sent to perdition, and two hundred and fifty, men and women, caught. Hasan ’Alí, in the afternoon, reported personally the result of the fight, and was ordered to leave the prisoners and the cattle in charge of Sayyid Zain ul-'Abidin, the jágirdár of the place. Çaf Shikan Khán also (who after ’Abdunnabí's death had been appointed Faujdár of Mathura) waited on the emperor, and was ordered to tell off two hundred troopers to guard the fields attached to the villages, and prevent soldiers from plundering and kidnapping children. Námdár Khán, Faujdár of Murádábád, also came to pay his respects. Çafshikan Khán was removed from his office, and Hasan 'Ali Khán was appointed Faujdár of Mathura, with a command of Three Thousand and Five Hundred, 2000 troopers, and received a dress of honour, a sword, and a horse. * * * On the 18th Sha'bán [1st January, 1670), his Majesty entered Agrah. Kokilá Ját, the wicked ringleader of the rebels of District*......, who had been the cause of ’Abdunnabí's death and who had plundered Parganah Sa'dábád, was at last caught by Hasan ’Alí Khán and his zealous peshkár, Shaikh Razíuddin, and he was now sent with the Shaikh to Agrah, where by order of his Majesty he was executed. Kokila's son and daughter were given to Jawahir Khán Nazir [a eunuch]. The girl was later married to Shah Quli, the well-known Chelah; and his son, who was called Fázil, became in time so excellent a Hafiz [one who knows the Qorán by heart], that his Majesty preferred him to all others and even chaunted passages to him. Shaikh Razíuddin, who had captured Kokila, belonged to a respectable family in Bhagalpur, Bihár, and was an excellent soldier, administrator, and companion; he was at the same time so learned, that he was ordered to assist in the compilation of the Fatáwá i 'Alamgiri [the great code of Muhammadan laws]. He received a daily allowance of three rupees.'+ (Haásir i ’Alamgiri, pp. 92 to 91.) Hasan ’Alí Khán retained his office from 1080 to Sha'bán 1087 (October, 1676), when Sulțán Qulí Khán was appointed Faujdír of Mathurá.", [[Asiatic Society of Bengal]], ''Proceedings''<ref>{{cite book |author=Asiatic Society of Bengal |title=Proceedings|date=1873|publisher=Government Press, North-western Provinces and Oudh |page=14 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lX8bAQAAIAAJ&q=jawahir+ali+eunuch&pg=PA14}}</ref>