India in 1750 – Decline of the Mughal Empire, Rule of Later Mughals, and Emergence of Successor States
India in 1750 – Decline of the Mughal Empire, Rule of Later Mughals, and Emergence of Successor States
India in the 1750s saw the decline of the Mughal Empire and the emergence of Successor States.
Until 1707, almost the whole of India was under the direct control of the Mughals.
The Mughal rulers who came to power after the death of Aurangzeb (1707), are known as the later Mughals.
Later Mughals were weak and couldn’t hold the vast Mughal empire together. The decline of the Mughal Empire led to the rise of many autonomous states or kingdoms.
Decline of Mughal Empire
Read all about Decline of Mughal Empire. The Successor States emerged in its stead after the Mughal Empire disintegrated in the 1750s. The Mughals enjoyed direct rule over nearly all of India until 1707. When Aurangzeb passed away in 1707 CE, the Mughal Empire swiftly started to disintegrate.
The Great Mughals’ rule, also known as the Later Mughals, began in this year, which is typically used to set them apart from the smaller Mughals. You can use this page to learn more about the decline of the Mughal Empire as you study modern Indian history for the UPSC Civil Service Exam.
Decline of Mughal Empire History
Early modern South Asian Empire the Mughal Empire, also referred to as the Mughal Empire. The empire lasted for two centuries, extending from Kashmir in the north to the highlands of modern-day Assam and Bangladesh in the east, and from the western margins of the Indus basin to the Deccan plateau uplands in south India.
Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the first battle of Panipat, and he later established the Mughal Empire. Thus, a new era and empire began in India, lasting for more than three centuries, from 1526 to 1857. Six famous kings of this dynasty known as the “Great Mughals,” Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb, left their imprint on Indian history.
As the European presence in the Indian Ocean increased and the demand for raw and finished Indian goods increased, the Mughal courts became increasingly wealthier. The Mughal nobles spent more extravagantly, which led to increased support for art, literature, textiles, and architecture, especially under Shah Jahan’s administration. Following Aurangzeb’s passing in 1707, the empire started to fall apart.
Decline of Mughal Empire Cause
1. Aurangzeb’s Religious Regulations
The Deccan and religious policies of Aurangzeb contributed to the fall of the empire. The Mughal administration was pushed to its breaking point by the attempt to extend its control over Golconda, Bijapur, and Karnataka.
Additionally, it made Mughal nobility in the region unable to collect their debts from the jagirs given to them, pushing them to enter into covert agreements with the Marathas. It also left Mughal lines of communication open to Maratha attacks. His repeated disregard for the religious sensibilities of his non-Muslim people, the declaration of a policy that led to the destruction of several temples and the reinstatement of jizya.
This alienated Hindus and increased the position of those who opposed the Mughal Empire for political or other reasons, alienating Hindus and strengthening the position of those who opposed the Mughal Empire for political or other reasons. The successors to Aurangzeb were ineffective and unable to adequately maintain the government.
2. Influence of Nobles
The majority of them served as pawns for powerful aristocrats. The empire ultimately suffered harm from the Delhi-based succession conflict that lasted from 1707 to 1719 CE. After Aurangzeb’s death, the nobility assumed a significant amount of power, and their personal interests determined the course of politics and administrative activity.
The four aristocratic groups that made up the Mughal court were the Turanis, Iranis, Afghans, and Muslims who were natives of India. These factions were always squabbling for jagirs, high positions, and power, which ultimately led to the fall of the empire. The creation of multiple independent countries decreased tax revenue, and continued conflicts severely depleted the budget.
3. Ineffective Army
The royal budget also suffered as a result of Ahmad Shah Abdali’s and Nadir Shah’s foreign incursions. The Mughal army gradually got demoralised and ineffective after losing numerous battles. The Mughals paid a heavy price for their contempt for naval supremacy.
The Mughal Empire’s chances of existence were put to death by the arrival of the British and other European colonial forces in India. Western colonial powers were politically aware of Indian realities and had greater military and financial resources.
4. Rise of Regional Aspirations
Under Aurangzeb’s dominion, ethnic groups including the Jats, Sikhs, and Marathas rose up in resistance. They contested the Mughal state’s dominance in an effort to found their own kingdoms. Despite their failure, they had an impact on how political events would develop in the future in their respective regions. Their ongoing struggle for political supremacy with the subsequent mughals seriously hurt the empire.
In an effort to keep the Rajputs under control, Bahadur Shah I and later Aurangzeb encouraged them to rebel against the Mughals. Later Mughals tried to pursue a policy of reconciliation with the Rajputs, but it was too late; the Rajputs had lost faith in the Mughals and were unwilling to work with them for the benefit of the empire.
The Marathas were proving to be a difficult opponent as well. Their initial objective was to retake control of the Maharashtra region, but it swiftly grew to include securing the Mughal Emperor’s legal consent to gather sardeshmukhi and chauth throughout India.
By 1740, they had taken control of the provinces of Gujarat, Malwa, and Bundelkhand after pushing further north. The Marathas’ rising ambition and might, along with the Rajputs’ war against the empire, diminished Mughal power.
5. Economic and Administrative Problems
Over time, the number of amirs and their ranks, or mansabs, had increased significantly, and there was little more land left to be divided among them as jagirs. By showing higher revenue from the jagirs on record, Aurangzeb aimed to ameliorate the severe shortage of jagirs or bejagiri.
This was a hasty solution because the amirs tried to use the peasantry as leverage to get back the reported money from their jagirs. The result was conflict between the amirs and the peasants. Battles, the opulent lifestyles of the emperors and amirs, and the defeat in Khalisa Land were further factors that had a negative impact on the state.
The state’s expenses therefore far surpassed its income. Furthermore, there were no significant advances in science or technology that may have boosted a weak economy. The once-vibrant trade did not increase the empire’s finances, even when European traders advanced alongside coastal India. These administrative and financial problems only got worse after Aurangzeb’s passing.
The empire had grown too enormous to be efficiently managed by a centralised government while the emperors were weak and incompetent.
6. The Advent of the British
The Mughal Empire had no chance of surviving with the establishment of the British and other European colonial powers and their arrival in India. Western colonial powers were more powerful militarily, financially, and politically than their Indian counterparts.
Decline of Mughal Empire UPSC
Around 1707 CE, when Aurangzeb passed away, the Mughal Empire started to fall apart swiftly. Typically, this year is used to set the Great Mughal Empire apart from the lesser Mughal Empire, sometimes known as the Later Mughals. Issues in society, the economy, politics, and institutions all played a part in the fall of the Mughal Empire.
The East India Company started to serve the British government in 1813 after the government had divested it of its monopolistic power. The last king, Bahadur Shah II, was exiled after the Indian Rebellion in 1857, which led the British colonial government to gain power and take over the Indian subcontinent. The Decline of the Mughal Empire is fully explained in this article for the UPSC Exam.
The Later Mughals
Though the Mughals were still the unquestioned masters of the land, their power was waning, especially after Aurangazeb. This is why historians call the Mughals after him the ‘Later Mughals’.
(1) Bahadur Shah (1707-1712):
After Aurangazeb died in 1707, his eldest son Bahadur Shah became the emperor following a succession war with his brothers. He was 65 when he ascended the throne.
In the beginning, he tried to exercise more control over Amber and Marwar, but in the end, ended up giving them high mansabs.
He also granted the Marathas the sardeshmukhi of Deccan but failed to give them the chauth. Thus, the Marathas were not fully satisfied.
He also tried to pacify the Sikhs by giving Guru Gobind Singh high mansabs. But later, he also crushed a rebellion by Banda Bahadur, who was Gobind Singh’s successor.
He died in 1712, and the empire plunged into rebellion once again.
(2) Jahandar Shah (1712-1713):
It was now that the era of kingmakers in the history of India started.
One of Bahadur Shah’s less able sons, Jahandar Shah won the throne with the help and support of Zulfiqar Khan, the most powerful noble of the time. The prince was the least interested in administration and it passed into the hands of Zulfiqar. His policies, however, were, clever and progressive.
He knew that he had to establish friendly relations with the Rajput rajas and Maratha sardars, and other local clans. Thus, he took the necessary steps towards it. The demands of Marwar and Amber which were not satisfied by Bahadur Shah were addressed. He abolished jizyah. He also granted the Marathas the chauth and sardeshmukhi of Deccan. One of his hated policies was the introduction of irjarah or revenue farming.
When the nobles grew jealous of the position of Zulfiqar Khan, they poisoned the ears of the emperor against him. This led to misunderstandings between them. Finally, Jahandar Shah was defeated at Agra by his nephew Farrukh Siyar.
(3) Farukh Siyar and The Saiyyids (1713-1720):
Farukh Siyar was supported by the Saiyyid brothers – Hussain Ali Khan Barahow and Abdulla Khan. They were made the mir-bakshi and wazir respectively. The fate was the same for this king too, as his ears were poisoned against the nobles. But in the end, the Saiyyid brothers themselves deposed and killed him.
After this, they brought two successive emperors to the crown and both died in quick succession, Muhammad Shah was their next choice.
The Saiyyids adopted the policy of religious tolerance. They brought Hindu chiefs into the administrative fold. They also followed conciliatory policies with other rulers and granted Shahu with swarajya. However, they were considered as namak-haram by the others nobles, who feared for their lives, seeing the fate of the king himself. They conspired against the Saiyyids and treacherously murdered them in 1720.
(4) Muhammad Shah (1719-1748):
His reign however continued even after the death of the Saiyyds. In fact, he had a hand in the conspiracy against them. Even though the conditions were favourable for the consolidation of the Mughal empire, he was not the man of the moment. The empire fell into total disarray during his time. This led to the birth of new states, which were created by the deputies of the emperors.
The successor states
In India, several successor states to the Mughals emerged.
(1) Hyderabad:
It was founded by Nizam-ul-mulk Asaf Jhah in 1724. Although he was made the wazir of the Mughal empire in 1722 itself, he didn’t believe in a return of the Mughal empire. So, right from 1720, he had strengthened his control over Deccan, though he never laid an independent claim to it.
He waged wars and concluded treaties. He followed a policy of religious tolerance in his state. He died in 1748.
(2) Bengal:
This state was founded by Murshid Khuli Khan and Alivardi Khan.
Even though MKK was the governor there since 1717, he had been its de-facto ruler since 1700. Though he was virtually independent, he regularly sent tributes to the emperor to ensure his seat. He died in 1727 and his son Shuja-ud-din ruled till 1739. In that year, Alivardi Khan killed his son and became the ruler there.
It was during MKK’s rule that land was categorised and khalisah lands were introduced. He also gave agricultural loans called taccavis to the farmers.
(3) Awadh:
It was founded by Saadat Khan Burhan-ul-mulk who was appointed as its governor in 1722.
He carried out a fresh revenue settlement in 1723. He too did not show any religious discrimination. He continued the jagir system. Before his death in 1739, he had become virtually independent and had made his position hereditary.
He was followed by his nephew Safdar Jung who was also a good administrator. Following his predecessor’s policy of religious tolerance, he also employed Hindus in important posts. He ruled till 1754.
(4) Mysore:
The first ruler of Mysore was Hyder Ali who was a petty officer in the Mysore army. He gradually rose through the wars as a leader.
Though illiterate, he was a visionary and realised the importance of western military equipment. He too was religiously tolerant. He died in 1782 and was succeeded by his son Tipu.
Tipu was everything his father was, only better. Taking a great interest in the French revolution, he planted a tree of liberty at Srirangapatanam. He also made a modern navy and incorporated various western weapons into his army.
Perhaps, he is the only Indian ruler who realised the full extent of the threat posed by the British. Though he was orthodox in religious views, he was tolerant of other religions too.
The Economic Condition of India in the 1750s
Mughal India in 1700 accounted for 25 per cent of the world Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
However, India also had 25 per cent of the world’s population.
India’s per capita GDP was only half that of Britain’s in 1600 when the Mughal Empire was at its peak. Thereafter India witnessed a steady economic decline.
The land revenue system at the time of the Mughals was exploitative in nature. The elite class held a major share of national income.
India in 1750, on the eve of the British conquest, had no scientific or technological research, no machinery, and no mechanical tools.
Indian rulers rarely invested in technology when the Europeans were rapidly making progress in science and technology. Indian trade was heavily dependent on textile exports. They were unable to compete with cheaper European cloth.
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