Downfall of Mughal in India

The period of the Great Mughals, which began in 1526 with Babur’s accession to the throne, ended with the death of Aurangzeb in 1707. Aurangzeb’s death marked the end of an era in Indian history. When Aurangzeb died, the empire of the Mughals was the largest in India. Yet, within about fifty years of his death, the Mughal Empire disintegrated.

Aurangzeb’s death was followed by a war of succession among his three sons. It ended in the victory of the eldest brother, Prince Muazzam. The sixty five-year-old prince ascended the throne under the name of Bahadur Shah.

Bahadur Shah (1707 A.D.-1712 A.D.):

Bahadur Shah followed a policy of compromise and conciliation and tried to conciliate the Rajputs, the Marathas, the Bundelas, the Jats and the Sikhs. During his reign the Marathas and the Sikhs became more powerful. He had also to face revolt from the Sikhs. Bahadur Shah died in 1712.

Wars of Succession, which had been a regular feature among the Mughals, had become more acute after the death of Bahadur Shah. This was specially so because the nobles had become very powerful. Different factions of nobles supported rival claimants to the throne in order to occupy high posts.

Jahandar Shah (1712 A.D.-1713 A.D.):

Jahandar Shah who succeeded Bahadur Shah was weak and incompetent. He was controlled by nobles and could manage to rule only for one year.

Farrukhsiyar (1713 A.D.-1719 A.D.):

Farrukhsiyar ascended the throne with the help of the Sayyid brothers who were popularly called the ‘king makers’. He was controlled by the Sayyid brothers who were the real authority behind Mughal power. When he tried to free himself from their control, he was killed by them.

Mohammad Shah (1719 A.D.-1748 A.D.):

The Sayyids helped Mohammad Shah, ascend the 18-year-old grandson of Bahadur Shah, to the throne. Taking advantage of the weak rule of Mohammad Shah and the constant rivalry among the various factions of the nobility, some powerful and ambitious nobles established virtually independent states. Hyderabad, Bengal, Awadh and Rohilkhand offered but nominal loyalty to the Mughal Emperor. The Mughal Empire practically broke up.

Mohammad Shah’s long reign of nearly 30 years (1719-1748 A.D.) was the last chance of saving the empire. When his reign began, Mughal prestige among the people was still an important political force. A strong ruler could have saved the dynasty. But Mohammad Shah was not equal to the task. He neglected the affairs of the state and never gave full support to able wazirs.

Nadir Shah’s Invasion:

The condition of India with its incompetent rulers, weak administration and poor military strength attracted foreign invaders. Nadir Shah, the ruler of Persia, attacked Punjab in 1739. Mohammad Shah was easily defeated and imprisoned. Nadir Shah marched towards Delhi. Nadir Shah was a ferocious invader.

He massacred thousands of people in Delhi. Delhi looked deserted for days. Mohammad Shah, however, was reinstated on the throne. Nadir Shah carried with him the Kohinoor diamond and the Peacock throne of Shah Jahan. By plundering a big city like Delhi, he got enormous wealth.

Nadir Shah’s invasion gave a crushing blow to the already tottering Mughal Empire and hastened the process of its disintegration. Mohammad Shah’s kingdom was practically confined to Delhi and its neighbourhood. He died in 1748.

Mohammad Shah was succeeded by a number of inefficient rulers Ahmad Shah (1748-1754), Alamgir II (1754-1759), Shah Alam II (1759-1806), Akbar II (1806-1837) and Bahadur Shah II (1837-1857). During the rule of Alamgir II, the East India Company fought the Battle of Plassey in 1757 and defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah, the Nawab of Bengal. They thus got a foothold in Bengal.

In 1761, during the reign of Shah Alam II, Ahmad Shah Abdali, the independent ruler of Afghanistan, invaded India. He conquered Punjab and marched towards Delhi. By this time, the Mara­thas had extended their influence up to Delhi. Hence a war between the Marathas and Ahmad Shah Abdali was inevitable.

In the Third Battle of Panipat the Marathas were completely defeated. They lost thousands of soldiers along with their very good generals. They were forced to retreat to the Deccan. Ahmad Shah Abdali’s invasion further weakened the Mughal Empire.

Shah Alam II granted the Dewani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa to the East India Company in 1765. This allowed the Company to collect revenue from these areas. It also showed that Mughal authority was recognised by the Indian rulers.Mughal rule formally came to an end when Bahadur Shah was deposed and deported to Rangoon by the East India Company (1757).

Causes of the decline of the Mughal Empire:

1. Wars of Succession:

The Mughals did not follow any law of succession like the law of primogeniture. Consequently, each time a ruler died, a war of succession between the brothers for the throne started. This weakened the Mughal Empire, especially after Aurangzeb. The nobles, by siding with one contender or the other, increased their own power.

2. Aurangzeb’s Policies:

Aurangzeb failed to realise that the vast Mughal Empire depended on the willing support of the people. He lost the support of the Rajputs who had contributed greatly to the strength of the Empire. They had acted as pillars of support, but Aurangzeb’s policy turned them to bitter foes. The wars with the Sikhs, the Marathas, the Jats and the Rajputs had drained the resources of the Mughal Empire.

3. Weak Successors of Aurangzeb:

The successors of Aurangzeb were weak and became victims of the intrigues and conspiracies of the faction-ridden nobles. They were inefficient generals and incapable of suppressing revolts. The absence of a strong ruler, an efficient bureaucracy and a capable army had made the Mughal Empire weak.

4. Empty Treasury:

Shah Jahan’s zeal for construction had depleted the treasury. Aurangzeb’s long wars in the south had further drained the exchequer.

5. Invasions:

Foreign invasions sapped the remaining strength of the Mughals and hastened the process of disintegration. The invasions of Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali resulted in further drainage of wealth. These invasions shook the very stability of the empire.

6. Size of the Empire and Challenge from Regional Powers:

The Mughal Empire had become too large to be controlled by any ruler from one centre i.e. Delhi. The Great Mughals were efficient and exercised control over ministers and army, but the later Mughals were poor administrators. As a result, the distant provinces became independent. The rise of independent states led to the disintegration of the Mughal Empire.