Kandahar permanently slipped out of the hands of the Mughals during the reign of Shah Jahan. Despite numerous campaigns, the city was finally and conclusively seized by the Safavid Persians in 1649. The subsequent Mughal efforts under Aurangzeb to reclaim the strategic fort were expensive failures, marking a major setback. The correct answer is (D) Shah Jahan.
During whose reign did Kandahar permanently slip out of the hands of the Mughals? (A) Aurangzeb (B) Akbar (C) Jahangir (D) Shah Jahan
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Kandahar was permanently lost to the Mughal Empire during the reign of Shah Jahan when it was captured by the Persian Safavid Shah, Abbas II, in 1649. Shah Jahan launched three massive, costly and ultimately unsuccessful sieges between 1649 and 1653, led by Aurangzeb and Dara Shikoh, to recapture the fort. [Image illustrating the strategic location of Kandahar] Its permanent loss severely damaged Mughal prestige, eliminated their defense against the Northwest and ended their direct access to the important trade routes of Central Asia.