Decline of Mughal Empire
Period of Transition:
transition from medieval to modern began with decline in 18th cent
mughal emprors decayed and disintegrated, lost theur ower and reduced to few miles around delhi
stability and unity was shaken during aurangzebs rule of 50 years, death followed by war of succession
Bahadur shah at 65 in 1707 till bahadur shah zafar = later mughals
Politics in court: 4 nobles groups: Iranis (Persia), Turanis (Transoxiana), Afghans (across Indus), Mughals. struggle for power. undermined prestige authority
Lasted for over 3 centuries
Aurangzeb's Policies: A did not realize that stability depended as religious unity - Results of ignorance: costly Deccan campaign, sikh Jatt Maratha Rajput war, lost support of Rajput's
Foreign Invasions: Nadir shah (Persia) + ahmad shah abdali ( Afghanistan) looted Delhi took Kohinoor and Peacock throne, ASH plundered northern India repeatedly
Wars of succession: death of rules followed by civil wars rivalry, destructive, costly, drained resources, made empire weak.
Economic Bankruptcy: shah Jahan spent money on Taj mahal & drained royal treasuries and Aurangzeb's Deccan campaign = financial disaster.
Weak Success: Aurangzeb pleasure loving, inefficient puppets nobles, provinces took advantage + became independent to led to collapse of the empire, British took advantage, Bahadur Shan Zafar leader of revolt of 1857 exiled to Rangoon and died.
Jagirdari crisis:
Weak Military organization
competition for political power influence
Scrabble for best jagirs among nobles
End of 17th CE = very few jagirs, Mughal officers given jagirs as payment
loss of revenue and decline of power, to satisfy needs, coin lands turned to jagirs given to nobles.
Mansabdari system by Akbar broke down by 17th ce in which mansabdars were to maintain troops and given jagirs as payment
Increase in mansabs and decrease in jagirs led to: led to corruption and inefficiency in the systems
quota was not maintained, decline in military strength
no navy obsolete and ineffective equipment and technology