Decline of Mughal Empire

In the 19th century we saw the death of Mughal Empire in 1803 and subsequent burial of Mughal Empire in 1857.
Mughal empire started to decay in 1707 after the death of Auranzeb

Causes of Decline of Mughal Rule

Policies of Aurangzeb
Role of later Mughals and Nobles
Nadir Shah and Abdali's invasion
Disintegration of Empire due to emergence of semi-independent states

Policies of Aurangzeb

Intolerant attitude towards non-muslims like destruction of temples & imposition of Jizya(a tax on non-muslims) - Affected Unity
Expansionist Policies of Aurangzeb created enemies across Rajputs, Marathas, Jats, Sikhs Rulers - Affected Stability
Thus his policies of expansion and intolerance affected stability and Unity of Empire

Role of Later Mughals and Nobles

Aurangzeb Died in 1707
3 of his sons fought for the throne
65 year old Bahadur Shah emerged Victorious

Bahadur Shah

He was learned, dignified and able ruler
Reversed many policies of Aurangzeb
1. Hindu Rajas - Tolerant Attitude
2. Marathas - Half-hearted Conciliation
3. Sikhs - Peace with Guru Gobind Singh but suppressed Banda Bahadur
4. Bundelas- Peace with Bundela chief Chhatarsal
5. Jats - Jat Chief Chhatarsal joined campaign against Banda Bahadur
But
- Administration deteriorated
- State Finance worsened due to Jagirs and Promotions
- Death of Bahadur Shah in 1712 i.e within 4 years after ascending to throne
- Therefore his 4 year reign was not enough to revive the empire despite his ability.

Weak Emperors in the hands of powerful Nobles

Deteriorated administration + Worsened Finance + Weak Rulers = Rise of Nobles

After Bahadur shah two types of players entered this GAME OF THRONES, the king aspirants and kingmaker(nobles) aspirants
Common traits of these two players
1. Most of the Emperors were weak, degenerate, lacked manners, dignity and decency and wholly devoted to pleasure
2. Most of the Nobles / King Maker were powerful, clever, tolerant, cunning and able de-facto rulers
History repeated itself with every subsequent king and Kingmaker until disintegration of Mughal Empire
- Kings were weak, fickle-minded and were afraid of powerful noble yet want to become de-facto Ruler by deposing off the noble
- King Makers wielded real power and tried to revive the Empire
- Other nobles and king aspirants conspired against Kings and the Kingmakers
- This internal power struggle caused immense damage to the administration of Empire

Emperor Jahandar Shah + Noble Zulfiqar Khan

After Bahadur Shah's death one of his less able son Jahandar Shah became the King with the help of Most powerful noble Zulfiqar Khan
Zulfiqar Khan became his Wazir & defacto ruler
- He continued the policy of appeasement, conciliation and peace with Rajputs, Marathas, Jats & Bundela
- But with Banda Bahadur he continued policy of hostility
- Attempt to Improve finances
  1. Checked reckless growth of Jagirs
  2. Compelled Mansabdars (nobles) to maintain their official quota of troops
  3. Ijarah or revenue-farming instead of todar mal's land revenue settlement
    - This one evil tendency encouraged by him lead to oppression of peasants because under this system, revenue farmers or middle man pays a fixed fee to government and is free to charge whatever they could from the peasants
Many jealous nobles and unscrupulous favourites of Jahandar Shah poisoned Emperor's ears against Zufiqar Khan, so he began to intrigue against Zulfiqar Khan - This template repeated with every other subsequent Kings and Kingmakers

Emperor Farukh Siyar + Saiyid Bros

Within a year in 1713 Jahandar Shah was replaced by his nephew Farukh Siyar with the help of {Saiyid Bros = Abdulla Khan + Husain Ali Khan}
King - King Maker struggle template Repeated so Saiyid Bros killed Farukh Siyar in 1719.
Two young princes [chosen by Saiyid Bros] rose to the throne in quick succession but died due to TB.
18 year old Muhammad Shah became Emperor with Saiyid Bros support
Policies of Saiyid Brothers
- He continued the policy of appeasement, conciliation and peace with Rajputs, Marathas, Jats & Bundela
- Abolished Jizya & pilgrim tax and followed policy of religious tolerance
Challenges of Saiyid Bros
- Administration disintegrated due to constant political rivalry, quarrels and conspiracies in the court
- So state finance deteriorated as externally zamindars refused to pay revenue and internally official misappropriated
- So salaries of soldier not paid regularly, so the became indisciplined and even mutinous
Conspiracies of powerful noble group under Nizam-ul-Mulk & Muhammad Amin Khan with support of Emperor Challenged saiyid Bros
- Murder of Farrukh Syar = namal haram or not true to their salt
- Religious Tolerance = Anti-Mughal & Anti-Islamic

Emperor Muhammad Shah & Nizam-ul-Mulk

King-King maker struggle template repeated and Saiyid Brothers were killed in 1720 and replaced by able and powerful Nizam-ul-Mulk
Missed opportunity
- 30 long years of rule under Muhammad Shah
- Marathas were still in south and Rajputs were still loyal
- Mughal Army is still strong
- But Muhammad Shah was
  - Weak minded, frivolous
  - Neglected state affairs and even shared bribes taken by his courtiers
  - under the influence of corrupt and worthless flatterers
- Again King-King maker struggle template repeated and Nizam-ul-Mulk founded the state of Hyderabad in Deccan in 1724 leaving the empire int he hands of Muhammad Shah
- This marked the physical break-up of Mughal Empire

Nadir Shah and Abdali's invasion

Mughal Empire started to physically break-up
Maratha Sardars started expanding towards north
Hereditary Nawabs carved out semi-independent States in Bengal, Hyderabad, Awadh
Nadir Shah needed money to fund his continuous war in Persia
The above three things culminated in war at karnal on 1739 between Mughal Empire and Nadir Shah
- Muhammad Shah taken prisoner
- Plundered India carried away Koh-i-Noor diamond and peacock throne of shahjahan. This allowed three years tax break in his kingdom
Plunder of Ahmad Shah Abdali – 1748 - 1767
- Plunder continued
- Defeated Marathas – 3rd Battle of Panipat 1761
Effect of plunder
- Lost territories west of Indus
- Administration thoroughly paralyzed
- State Finance ruined
- Impoverished nobles scrambled for funds - sought rent, oppressed peasants, fought among themselves over jagirs and high office

3^rd Battle of Panipat - 1761

Revival of Mughal Empire and Ambition of Marathas came to an end
Mughal Empire ceased to exist in practice
Remained merely as Kingdom of Delhi

Shah Alam II

He was an able King ascended the throne in 1759
- But didn't have any real empire to rule
1761 Battle of Panipat - Reduced Mughal Empire to Kingdom around Delhi
1764 Battle of Buxar - Fought between EIC and Mir Qasim of Bengal + Shuja-ud-Daula of Awad+ Shah Alam II
1803- 2nd Anglo Maratha War (Battle of Delhi) – British occupied Delhi – till 1857 and reduced the Delhi Kingdom into political front

Consequence of Decline of Mughals

Enabled British to conquer India
None of the Indian power rose to claim the heritage of Mughals, for they were strong enough to destroy the Empire but not strong enough to unite it

Decline of Mughals in 250 words.

Mughal reached its peak during Aurangzeb period and started to decline after his death in 1707. All India Empire reduced to mere kingdom around Delhi after 3rd battle of Panipat in 1761. Subsequently, even the territory of Delhi was occupied by East India company after Battle of Buxar in 1764 and reduced the Emperor to a political front of various power contenders.

Aurangzeb's policy of intolerance and expansion affected the stability and unity of the Empire. After his death and despite the tolerant policies of able Bahadur Shah I, the state finances worsened due to reckless Jakirs and promotions. His early death within 4 years, plus his less able son like Jahandar Shah gave rise to new power contenders Nobles like Zulfiqar Khan. Nobles were powerful and able defacto ruler. They reversed the policies of Aurangzeb, attempted to improve finances and made Hindu, Sikh, Jat, Martha rivals their allies. But the conspiracies and political rivalry of other nobles and fickle-mindedness of later Mughals like Muhammad Shah destroyed the administration, drained state finances and turned the army rebellious. Therefore these nobles like Nizam-Ul-Mulk carved out their semi-independent states in Bengal, Hyderabad and Awadh which started the physical break-up of Empire.

The final blow came through repeated plunder of Nadir shah and Abdali which completely destroyed state finances and administrative machinery. Plunder resulted in death of Mughal empire as an all India force in 1761 after Battle of Panipat. Revolt of 1857 was the final nail in the coffin of already dead empire.