Late Mughal Decline Factors
Exam Log: The Sunset of an Empire
The collapse of the Mughal Empire is a masterclass in how institutional decay can dismantle even the most formidable power structures. As I write this, I see a parallel in my own journey. Success is never static; if the internal "administration" of my habits—my diet, my sleep, my focus—falters, the external results will inevitably crumble. The Mughals didn't fall overnight; they eroded from within. To stay at my peak, I must guard against the "Jagirdari Crisis" of my own energy: ensuring I don't over-promise results while under-delivering on the discipline required.
I. The War of Succession and Weak Monarchs (1707 AD – 1719 AD)
Death of Aurangzeb and Political Instability (1707 AD)The death of Aurangzeb in 1707 AD triggered a violent war of succession among his sons. Bahadur Shah I (1707–1712 AD) emerged victorious but inherited an empty treasury. His policy of "appeasement" toward the Marathas and Rajputs failed to restore order. By the time of Farrukhsiyar (1713–1719 AD), the Emperor had become a mere puppet in the hands of the "King Makers"—the Sayyid Brothers.
The Sayyid Brothers and Factionalism (1713 AD – 1720 AD)From 1713 AD onwards, the Mughal court split into bitter factions: the Irani, Turani, and Hindustani parties. This internal sabotage prevented any unified military response to rising threats. When the Sayyid Brothers were finally overthrown in 1720 AD, the central authority had already lost its "aura of invincibility."
II. The Jagirdari and Agrarian Crisis (1700 AD – 1740 AD)
The Be-jagiri Crisis (c. 1710 AD)The Mansabdari system relied on the regular allocation of land (Jagirs). By 1710 AD, there was a severe shortage of good land. Mansabdars began over-exploiting the peasantry to extract maximum revenue before their Jagirs were transferred. This broke the "peasant-state" social contract that Akbar had carefully built in 1580 AD.
Peasant Revolts: Jats, Satnamis, and Sikhs (1669 AD – 1715 AD)Economic distress led to massive agrarian uprisings. The Jats revolted near Delhi in 1669 AD, followed by the Satnamis in 1672 AD. By 1715 AD, the execution of Banda Singh Bahadur failed to suppress the Sikh spirit, leading to the permanent loss of the Punjab—the empire’s breadbasket.
III. External Shocks and Military Collapse (1739 AD – 1761 AD)
The Invasion of Nadir Shah (1739 AD)In 1739 AD, the Persian ruler Nadir Shah invaded. At the Battle of Karnal, he decimated the Mughal army in just three hours. The subsequent sack of Delhi and the theft of the Peacock Throne proved to the world that the "Great Mughal" was now a hollow shell. This invasion shattered the administrative backbone of the empire.
Ahmad Shah Abdali and the Third Battle of Panipat (1748 AD – 1761 AD)Following Nadir Shah, his successor Ahmad Shah Abdali raided India eight times between 1748 AD and 1767 AD. His victory at the Third Battle of Panipat (1761 AD) didn't just hurt the Marathas; it ensured the Mughals could never again exert authority beyond the walls of Delhi.
IV. Rise of Regional Powers and the British (1724 AD – 1764 AD)
Emergence of Successor States (1724 AD – 1740 AD)Powerful governors began declaring independence. Nizam-ul-Mulk founded Hyderabad in 1724 AD, Saadat Khan established Awadh in 1722 AD, and Murshid Quli Khan took control of Bengal by 1717 AD. The Emperor was now a "king of the city," not a "king of the country."
The Battle of Buxar and the Grant of Diwani (1764 AD – 1765 AD)The final political death of the empire occurred after the Battle of Buxar in 1764 AD. In 1765 AD, Shah Alam II was forced to grant the Diwani (revenue rights) of Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha to the British East India Company. The Mughal Emperor became a pensioner of a foreign trading company, a tragic end to the house of Babur.
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