The crisis of the empire and the later Mughals


 
 
Concept Explanation
 

The crisis of the empire and the later Mughals

The Crisis of the Empire and The Later Mughals: The Mughal Empire started facing a lot of crises towards the end of the 17th century. The following were responsible for the same. Powerful mansabdars and nobles. The later Mughal emperors found it increasingly difficult to keep a check on their powerful mansabdars.

  • The 18th century CE witnessed major political changes in the Indian subcontinent.It saw the rapid decline of the Mughal Empire ,the rise of semi -independent states , the growth of regional cultures,and the establishment of the British Empire In India .It thus also marked the end of the medieval period of Indian history.
  • The Mughal Empire reached the height of its success and started facing a variety of crises towards the closing years of the seventeenth century. These were caused by a number of factors. Emperor Aurangzeb had depleted the military and financial resources of his empire by fighting a long war in the Deccan.
  • Under his successors, the efficiency of the imperial administration broke down. It became increasingly difficult for the later Mughal emperor to keep a check on their powerful mansabdars. Nobles appointed as governors (subedars) often controlled the offices of revenue and military administration ( diwani and faujdari) as well. This gave them extraordinary political, economic and military powers over vast regions of the Mughal Empire. As the governors consolidated their control over the periodic remission of revenue to the capital declined.
  • Peasants and Zamindari rebellions in many parts of nothern and western India added to these problems. These revolts were sometimes caused by the pressures of mounting taxes.At other times they were attempts by powerful chieftains to consolidate their own positions. Mughal authority had been challenged by rebellious groups in the past as well .But these groups were now able to seize the economic resources of the Region to consolidate their positions.The Mughal emperors after Aurangzeb were unable to arrest the gradual shifting of political and economic authority into the hands of provincial governors ,local chieftains and other groups.
  • In the midst of the economic and political crisis,the ruler of Iran ,Nadir Shah ,sacked and plundered the city of Delhi in 1739 and took away immense amounts of wealth .This invasion was followed by a series of plundering raids by the Afghan ruler Ahmad Shah Abdali ,who invaded north India five times between 1748 and 1761.
  • Already under severe pressure from all sides, the empire was further weakened by competition amongst different groups of nobles. They were divided into two major or factions, the Iranis and Turanis (nobles of Turkish descent). For a long time, the later Mughal emperors were puppets in the hands of either one or the other of these two powerful groups

    Sample Questions
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    Question : 1

    What were the reasons responsible for various crises of the Mughal Empire towards the closing year of the 17th century ?

    Right Option : D
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    Question : 2

    What followed after fall of mughal dynasty ?

    A. Setting of provinces by different governors in control

    B. Nadir Shah attack in 1739

    C. Ahmed Shah invasion in north India 5 times

    D. Rise of english literature in India

    Right Option : D
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    Explanation
     
     
     


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