LEGAL HISTORY

PROJECT ON:

DECLINE AND FALL

OF
MUGHAL EMPIRE

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF:

DR. KUMAR KARTIKEYA
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF LAW
NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY, ODISHA

SUBMITTED BY:-
1. ABHISHEK RAI {2014/B.ALL.B/003}
2. NIDHI MISHRA{2014/B.ALL.B/029}
 Table of Content

Research questions .............................................................................................................................................1

Brief on Mughal Empire .....................................................................................................................................2

Reason for Fall Of Mughal Empire ....................................................................................................................3

1. Policies Of Aurangzeb.....................................................................................................................................3

1.1 Religious Policy..........................................................................................................................................3

1.2 Deccan Policy .............................................................................................................................................4

2. Revolt In Provinces .........................................................................................................................................5

3. Unwieldy Size of Mughal Empire ...................................................................................................................6

4. Weak Successors .............................................................................................................................................7

5. Absence of Law of Primogeniture ...................................................................................................................7

6. Bankruptcy ......................................................................................................................................................8

1.2 Intellectual Bankruptcy...............................................................................................................................4

1.2 Financial Bankruptcy ..................................................................................................................................4

7. Deteriorating Character of Mughal Emperor ................................................................................................. 10

8. Demoralization And Deterioration in Mughal Army .................................................................................... 10

9. Degeneration of Mughal Nobility ................................................................................................................. 11

10. The Mughal Rule was Alien to Indian Soil ................................................................................................... 12

11. Widespread Coruption in Administation ....................................................................................................... 13

12. The Manabdari System Degenerated............................................................................................................. 14

13. The Stoppage of Adventure fom Persia......................................................................................................... 16

14. Inner Malaise ................................................................................................................................................. 16

15. Invasion of Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali.......................................................................................... 16

16. Neglected the Devlopment of Navy .............................................................................................................. 17

17. Unable to Satisfy the Minimum Need of People ........................................................................................... 18

18. Rise of Marathas ............................................................................................................................................ 19

Bibliography ..................................................................................................................................................... 21
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

My sincere gratitude and profound regards to Professor Dr. Kumar Kartikeya for his
exemplary guidance and constant encouragement throughout the course of this
project. The help, blessing and guidance given by him from time to time helped us to
arrive at a better understanding of the project topic.

We feel pleased to have been asked to make our project on Fall and Decline of
Mughal Empire. In this project we will cover brief introduction of Mughal Empire
and various cause for its downfall.

With this project, we aim to provide you with the most comprehensive information
covering the broad fields within fall and decline of Mughal Empire.

Abhishek Rai
{2014/B.A.LL.B/003}

Nidhi Mishra
{2014/B.A.LL.B/029}
 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1) Did the absence of a clear Law of Primogeniture debilitated the stability of the
administration, and cultivated partisanship at the expense of patriotism?

2) "Aurangzeb's religious policy was largely responsible, causing revolts by the

Rajputs, the Sikhs, the Jats and the Marathas."1 Discusss.

3) Is this true, "The degeneration of the rulers led to the degeneration of the
nobility, with factious quarrels and intrigues costing the empire heavily."2If yes,
then to what extent was it responsible for downfall of Mughal Empire?

4) "The deterioration of the army also proved disastrous for the empire."3Discuss.

5) Was Aurangzeb's Deccan Policy a sheer disappointment and to a significant

degree led to decline and downfall of the Mughal Empire?

6) “Foreign invasions gave a death blow to the Mughal Empire”4 – Discuss.

7) The Mughal Empire had gotten to be excessively vast and clumsy to be

proficiently legislated from a focal power under powerless rulers, particularly in
the medieval states of transport and correspondence. Discuss.

1
H.Q. Naqvi, 'Aurangzeb's Policies and the Decline of the Mughal Empire' [1977] JAS 191, 192.
2
M.A. Ali, 'The Mughal Polity — A Critique of Revisionist Approaches' [1993] MAS 699, 710.
3
P. Hardy, 'Commentary and Critique' [1976] JAS 257, 263.
4
M.A. Ali, 'Towards an Interpretation of the Mughal Empire' [1978] JRAS 38, 49.

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 BRIEF ON MUGHAL EMPIRE

he “Empire established in the year 1526, lasted incredibly for well over two

T centuries. They improved the government, energized creativity, and

attempted to unite their subjects.”5 The realm was established when Babur,
attacked India vanquished the sultan of Delhi.

He was followed by Humayun, who in turn was followed by Akbar. He made the
Mughal throne more secure and incredibly extended the realm. “By the latter half of
Akbar's reign, the empire had become increasingly well rooted and by then had come
to be presented as sacred. Another related development in the process of imperial
construction was the emphasis on its disciplinary aspect, which in turn had deep
implications on the domestic world of the divine monarch.”6 Akbar's son Jahangir
ruled after him (1605-27), and his grandson Shah Jahan (1628-58) followed him.
Shah Jahan's son Aurangzeb (1658-1707) ruled after him.

Aurangzeb was narrow minded of different religions which prompted uprisings, and
the expense of smothering these uprisings purged the royal treasury. When he died,
the rulers that took after couldn't effectively control the vast empire.

The last Mughal was Bahadur Shah II (whose rule started in 1837) was dislodged
from India for joining in a rebellion against the British in 1857 known as the “Sepoy
Revolt”7. Subsequently, the Mughal Empire reached an end, and India went under
British control.

5
J.F. Richard, 'The New Cambridge History of India' [1995] MAS 441, 447.
6
R. Lal, 'Settled, Sacred and All-Powerful: Making of New Genealogies and Traditions of Empire
under Akbar' [2001] EPW 941
7
See, R.C.Majumdar, The Sepoy Mutiny and the Revolt of 1857 (1st, Oriental Press Private Limited,
Calcutta 1957) 403.

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 REASON FOR FALL OF MUGHAL EMPIRE

1. POLICIES OF AURANGZEB

1.1 RELIGIOUS POLICY

The most vital reason for the downfall of the Mughal Empire was the religious
approach and the policies of Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb committed all sort of atrocities
on the Hindus and thus alienated their support and sympathy. 'Jajiya'8 was being
imposed on all the Hindus in the country and even the Brahmans and Rajputs were
not spared. The Hindu Officials were dismissed from state service and the only
exception being the Hindus, who were prepared to embrace Islam. An order was also
promulgated which ordered the banning of building of new Hindu Temples in the
areas directly under Mughal control.

Aurangzeb religious approach incited a general discontent in the nation and the
empire was confronted with uprisings of the Jats, the Sikhs, the Rajputs, and above
all the Marathas.

Rajputs: In 1679, when Marwar was under direct imperial control and
administration, both old and new temples were demolished in various parts of the
Empire. The Rajputs then prepared themselves to oppose the Mughal Authority. In
spite of the fact that peace was made, Aurangzeb couldn't rely on the Rajputs which
eventually turned out to be a significant impairment when he was occupied in the
Deccan Wars.

8
Jajiya was a per-capita tax levied on non-muslim subjects in the Islamic state. Lisan Al
Arab(Dictionary) define it as ”What is taken from the dhimmis, which is the amount of money agreed
upon in the contract that gives the non-Muslim the Dhimmah status; and it's derived from the act of
the verb "reward"; as if it (jizya) is a requital for not being killed.”

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Sikhs: The execution of Guru Teg Bahadur proved to be a blunder for Mughal
Empire. That prompted the estrangement of the Sikhs who turned into a solid
military power under Guru Gobind Singh. Later on, these very Sikhs offered
inconvenience to the Mughal Emperors and eventually the Sikhs were successful in
driving the Mughal force out from the Punjab.

Marathas: Similar poicy of religious oppression prompted the ascent of the

Marathas under Shivaji. The mistreatment of the Hindus solidified their character and
they turned into the severe foes of the Mughals. To quote Lane- Poole, "His mixed
up approach towards Shivaji gave the establishment of a power that was to
demonstrate an effective opponent to his Empire."9

1.2 DECCAN POLICY

The Deccan policy of Aurangzeb also owe to the downfall of the Mughal Empire.
Aurangzeb in his attempt to crush the power of the Marathas realized that the States
of Golconda and Bijapur were a source of assistance to the Marathas. Marathas were
employed in large number in those states, from where not only they got money but
also military training. Aurangzeb thought that if those states were conquered, the
strength of the Marathas will be crippled and consequentially stopped.

In view of that question, Aurangzeb himself went to the Deccan and conquered
Bijapur and Golconda in 1686 and 1687.10 He may have asserted credit for the
demolition of the Shia States, but actually he did a blunder in doing so. After Bijapur
and Golconda were annexed, Aurangzeb attempted to suppress the power of the
Marathas. Sambhaji, the child of Shivaji, was caught and put to death under the
direction of Aurangzeb. His child, Sahu, was likewise caught and made a prisoner.

9
R.S Chaurasia, 'Fall of The Mughal Empire' in (eds), History of Modern India, 1707 A. D. to 2000 A.
D (1st, Atlantic Publishers And Distributors, New Delhi 2002).
10
See, J. Richard, 'The Imperial Crisis in the Deccan' [1976] JAS 237, 256.

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Nonetheless, the Marathas carried on their battle against the Mughals under the
authority of Raja Ram and Tara Bai.

At the point when Aurangzeb passed on in 1707, the force of the Marathas was still
not pulverized and they were stronger than any other time in the recent past.

Aurangzeb erroneous policy of war in Deccan which proceeded for twenty seven
years emptied the assets and drained the resources of realm. V. A. Smith expounds
on Aurangzeb and his Deccan Policy in these words, "The Deccan was the grave of
his reputation as well as of his body."11 Dr. Radhey Shyam Chaurasia was of view
that “Deccan war can rightly be called the ‘ulcer’ which destroyed the Mughal
Empire.”12

2. REVOLT IN PROVINCES

Aurangzeb needed to stay far from the North for a quarter of a century which
resulted in sheer perplexity all over the Mughal Empire and the entire administration
seemed to be thrown out of gear. As the Emperor was occupied in the Deccan,
Provincial Governors did not send land income to the Central Government. During
the period when more cash was needed for the Deccan war, almost no was
originating from the provinces.13 Thus, when Bahadur Shah succeeded to the throne,
the treasury was almost empty.

The Mughal Government was a concentrated despotism, thus, the absence of the
Emperor from the North for a prolonged period supported outward propensities
among the Governors. After the demise of Aurangzeb, those inclinations kept on
growing and the result was that eventually different provinces became independent

11
A. Eraly, The Mughal Throne: The Saga of India's Great Emperors (1st, Phoenix, London 2004)
508.
12
Id fn. 9.
13
Id fn. 10.

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of the central authority. Hence, Bengal, Awadh, the Deccan and the Punjab became
independent.

Awadh became independent, with Nawab being Saadat Khan. Bengal, Orissa and
Bihar also became independent under Alivardi Khan. Nizam-Ul-Mulk assumed the
title of Nizam of Hyderabad.14 Rohillas got to be autonomous in Rohilkhand. The
Rajputs likewise asserted their freedom. In this way, step by step the Mughal Empire
broke up.

3. UNWIELDY SIZE OF MUGHAL EMPIRE

During Aurangzeb reign, the Mughal Empire reached its territorial climax and its
control became unwieldy. It was physically incomprehensible for any man to oversee
the same from one point when the method for correspondence and means of transport
were not developed. The Mughal lines of correspondence were open to Maratha that
raised the force and glory of the Maratha. It was a huge setback to imperial prestige
of the Mughal Empire and thus led to the dispiriting of the nobility.

Dr. Satish Chandra is of view that "Perhaps Aurangzeb might have been better
advised to accept the suggestion……….for a settlement with Bijapur and Golconda
………let them rule over Karnataka which was away from and difficult to
manage.”15

14
See, M.D. Faruqui, 'At Empire's End: The Nizam, Hyderabad and Eighteenth-Century India' [2009]
MAS 5, 43.
15
S. Chandra, History Of Medieval India (1st, Orient Blackswan Private Limited, New Delhi 2007)
315.

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 4. WEAK SUCCESSORS

Another reason for the downfall of Mughal Empire was the weak and feeble
successors of Aurangzeb. The Mughal system of government being despotic in
nature depended highly on the personality of the emperor. While everything went
well under a strong emperor on the other hand each and every field of administration
was affected when being ruled by weak successor. Shockingly all the mughal rulers
after Aurangzeb were weakling and quite inadequate to meet challenges from inside.

Bahadur Shah I was 63 years old when he claimed the throne in 1707 and did not
have the vitality to perform the grave obligations of the state. Bahadur Shah I was
followed by rulers like Jahandar Shah (1712-13), Farrukh Siyar (1713-79), Muhamad
Shah (1719-48), Ahmad Shah (1748-54), and Bahadur Shah II (1837-57) who also
were no better. Some of them were simply puppets in the hands of their Wazirs.

To quote Garret and Edwards, "The chronicles of the court of Delhi after the Heath
of Aurangzeb offer an unbroken tale of plots and counter-plots……culminating at
intervals in fighting……. serving as the sport and plaything of contending groups."16

5. ABSENCE OF LAW OF PRIMOGENITURE

There was no law of Primogeniture when it came to succession among the heirs of
dying mughal emperor to the throne. To quote William Erskine, “The sword was the
grand arbiter of right and every son was prepared to try his fortune against his
brothers.”17 Under the later mughals an evil component entered the mughal
governmental issues of the realm bringing out the most noticeably awful gimmicks of
law of succession.

16
D. Preston, Passion and Genius at the Heart of the Moghul Empire (1st, Walker & Company, New
Jersey 2008) 220.
17
Id fn. 5.

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Particularly, after the demise of Bahadur Shah, the various claimants to the throne
were just utilized as tools by the pioneers of opponent factions to push their own
particular individual interests. After the demise of Bahdaur Shah, Zulfkar Khan acted
as the ‘King-Maker’ followed by Sayyid brothers (1713-1720) who raised four
princes to the throne. The Sayyid brothers were resolute to “rule through imperial
puppets.”18 Subsequently, the deficient law of succession debilitated the body politic
and crippled it monetarily and militarily, Ahmad Shah ruled with the assistance of
Safdar Jung, and Gazziuddin who blinded him along with his successor Alamgir - II.

6. BANKRUPTCY

6.1 INTELLECTUAL

The Mughals experienced intellectual Bankruptcy. It was partly because of the

absence of a proficient system of education in the nation which alone could create
pioneers of thought. The result was that the Mughals neglected to create any political
virtuoso or pioneer who could "teach the country a new philosophy of life and to
kindle aspirations after a new heaven on earth."19 They all dozed and drifted in
profound respect of the astuteness of their predecessors and negated degeneration of
the moderns.

Dr. Jadunath Sarcar was of view that, “There was no good education and no practical
training ……. patted by eunuchs and ……. brow-beaten by eunuchs, disobeyed by
the lads ……Not much could be expected from such teachers and their wards."20

18
W. Darlympale, The Last Mughal (1st, Bloomsbury Publishing, United Kingdom 2006) 410.
19
J. Richard, The Mughal Empire (1st, Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom 1996) 286.
20
J. Sarcar, A Short History Of Aurangzeb (1st, Orient Blackswan Private Limited, New Delhi 2009)
382.

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 6.2 FINANCIAL

After the death of Aurangzeb, Mughal Empire faced financial bankruptcy. Finances
of the empire were ruined by deccan wars. Imperial Army damaged all the crops and
greenery. Whatever left was damaged by Marathas, financial conditions of Mughal
started detiorating in front of Aurangzeb only, and after him the farming of taxes was
started. Though government was not much benefitted by this but it ruined peasants.
The rate of taxation was so high that they were not left with any incentives to
produce.

Under the later Mughals Emperors, the money related conditions further crumbled
while the distant territories attested their autonomy one after the other and stopped
the installment of income to the centre. Shah Jahan had increased the state demands
to one half of the produce. The over-weening expenditure by Shah Jahan on
buildings was a crushing burden upon the resources of the country. The various wars
of progression and political writing coupled with the extravagant living with the
Emperor exhausted the imperial treasury to a degree that pay rates of the officers
couldn’t be paid regularly. Jagirs were conceded in instalment of liquidation of
unpaid debts of pay. Compositions of the time of Alamgir-II, Sir Jadunath Sarkar
says “that at one time the Emperor was reduced to such hard straits that for three
days no fire was kindled in the harem kitchen and the princess in frantic disregard of
purdah rashed out of the palace to the city. The financial collapse came in time of
Alamgir-II, who was practically starved by his wazir Imad-ul-Mulk. It is stated that
the emperor had no conveyance to take him to the Idgah and he had to walk on foot.
21

21
Jadunath Sarkar,The Fall Of Mughal Empire,1(1st, Orient Blackswan Private Limited, New Delhi
2009) 325.

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 7. DETERIORATING CHARACTER OF MUGHAL EMPEROR

Another prominent reason for Mughal downfall was the continuous weakening in the
character of the Mughal Kings. It is said that when Babur assaulted India, he swam
all the waterways on the way. He was strong and powerful that he was able to carry
men in his arms while climbing wall of forts. Heedless of the troubles standing up to
him, Humayun had the capacity win back his throne after the lapse of numerous
years. The same solid character empowered Akbar to vanquish the entire of the
Northern India and a piece of the Deccan. He was never exhausted of riding horse
and covered miles and miles on foot. He could slaughter a lion with one stroke of his
sword.

On the other hand, after the demise of Aurangzeb, the Mughal Emperors became
cowardly and ease-loving. They went about in palanquins and were barely fit to
control a nation where the mass of the individuals hated the Mughal rule and
administration. Dr. S.R Sharma was of view that, “"Kam Baksh, as a captive on his
death-bed, regretted that a descendant of Timur was captured alive. But Jahandar
Shah and Ahmed Shah were not ashamed to be caught up in the tresses of their
concubines ....... the face of male."22

8. DEMORALIZATION AND DETERIORATION IN MUGHAL ARMY

Another reason for Mughal downfall was the demoralization and deterioration in the
Mughal Army. Sir Wolseley Haig is of view that "The demoralization of the army
was one of the principal factors in the disintegration of the Mughal Empire." 23 The
use of comforts and wine, and the abundance of riches in India, had their foul effects
on the Mughal Army. Also, nothing was done to prevent this deterioration.

22
S.R Sharma, Mughal Empire in India 1526-1761 - Part I (1st, Read Books, Calcutta 2007) 288.
23
T. Wolseley, The Mughal Period (1st, Chand, 1971) 756.

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Irvine was of view that, "Excepting want of personal courage ……….. indiscipline,
want of cohesion, luxurious habits…. ……cumbrous equipment."24

The weakness of the Mughal Annies got evident to the world when the Mughals were
unable to recover Qandhar despite three decided endeavors made by them.
Additionally, in 1739, Nadir Shah ravaged the entire of Delhi as well as requested
wholesale slaughter.

There source of weakness was:

1. The general laxity of control and discipline tuned the armed force into a mob.
There was no general discipline for military wrongdoings.
2. It is asserted that their weapons and strategies for war were old fashioned.
They put a lot of dependence on artillery and shielded cavalry.
3. Aurangzeb himself constantly disregarded the usual matters of cowardice,
treason, and purposeful disregard of obligation before the adversary.

9. DEGENERATION OF MUGHAL NOBILITY

Degeneration of the Mughal nobility was also one of the reasons for downfall of the
Mughal Empire. The Mughals possessed a hardy character when they came to India.
Too much of luxury, leisure and wealth softened their character. Such nobles were
inadequate to fight against the Rajputs, the Sikhs and the Marathas.

24
W. Irvine, Later Mughals (1st, M. C. Sarkar & sons, Calcutta 1921) 46.

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The major reasons leading to disintegration of nobility are:

1. The state's office got to be hereditary and thus was preserved to individual of
few families only.
2. Hopeless propensities of extravagant living and grandiose display of wealth
debilitated Emperor Assurance and emptied their constrained money related
assets.
3. The Mughal Nobility was venal and corrupt. By giving bribes, any sort of
Government guideline could be dodged or any support secured.

Sir Jadunath Sarkar writes. "All the surplus produce ……..was swept into the coffers
of the Mughal Nobility and pampered them in a degree of luxury…….. immense
number of women of an infinite variety of races, intellect and character.”25

10. THE MUGHAL RULE WAS ALIEN TO INDIAN SOIL

The Mughals had originated from the nations of Central Asia. They brought their
own particular society and traditions to Indo-Pakistan. The requests of their religion
conflicted with the fundamentals of Hinduism. Consequently, the outsider Mughal
guideline stayed distinctive all through and couldn't give homogeneous nature to all
the stations, ideologies and religious of the Sub-Continent. The Mughal government
was completely focused on internal and external order and collection of revenue was
their prime motto. They failed to effect a fusion between Hindus and Muslims.
Though some efforts were made by Akbar in this regard but were doomed to
extinction by the dogmatism of Aurangzeb and later Mughals. Instead of maintaining
friendly relations with the Rajputs, the Sikhs, the Marathas, the Mughal policies were
against them.

25
Id. fn. 13.

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The universal Muslims felt that they were in India however they didn't fit in with this
nation. They were not permitted to take to their souls the conventions, dialect and
social results of nation. They had no foreign made them from Persia and Arabia.
Indeed the common and criminal laws must be acquired from the compositions of
legal advisers and choices of judges in Baghdad and Cairo. This not just captured the
mental and social advancement of the Indian Muslims additionally made their hearts
a ripe soil for toxic weeds.26

11. WIDESPREAD CORRUPTION IN THE ADMINISTRATION

Mughal rulers involved a position of force and renown till the time of Aurangzeb.
European voyagers have lauded the inside and out advancement amid the time of
Akbar, yet after his death, it offered approach to degradation on a scale obscure or
unbelievable in the recent past. Things arrived at a disturbing state amid the rule of
Shahjahan and Aurangzeb, and prepared for the last obliteration of the Mughal
guideline. The loss of force and distinction was expected in addition to different
reasons, to the essential character of the leaders of this period, the greater part of
whom had not the will or the capability to guide the fates of the state at this
discriminating crossroads of history.

Mughal India was polluted on a broad scale. No social or political gathering was
viewed as candid those days. Debasement was a typical peculiarity despite the fact
that there was a showy apparatus to avoid befoulment, and news journalists were
especially taught to keep the ruler and high authorities educated about the instances
of degradation.

26
Id fn. 9.

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Regardless of this, cases have been recorded of even high authorities tolerating
reward. At times even the head was paid off by exceptionally put authorities to
secure their duration in office. There are numerous cases on record of rich presents
being offered to Jahangir, Nurjahan, Khurram and Itmad-ud-Daula, father of
Nurjahan, who was infamous for taking rewards and depending on degenerate
practices. An alternate assailing sin was theft by authorities, of which various cases
might be refered to. There was no ethical code to guide the behavior of the
administration authorities in those days. The authorities when in doubt did not think
much about the general masses and headed a sumptuous life. They were obliged to
give important displays on different records — so they were constantly in need of
"cash" and the cash was created through degenerate practice.

Even Aurangzeb is said to have asked an aspirant to a title: "Your father gave to
Shahjahan one lakh of rupees for adding alif to his name and making him Amir
Khan. How much will you pay me for the title I am giving you?" Manohar Das, a
Quiledar of Sholapur, gave him Rs 50,000 for receiving the title of ‘Raja’.27

Offices were reserved for old families of clerks and accountants and outsiders were
not allowed to come in. Such a state of affairs was detrimental to the highest interests
of the state.

12. THE MANASABDARI SYSTEM DEGENERATED

The formative structure of Mughal Empire was completely like military pattern and
fidelity to the Mughal Emperors acted as the main base of this formative structure the
virtual pillar of the Mughal Empire was Mansabdari System.

27
Pramod Sangar, There was widespread corruption in Mughal Empire[2001] The Tribune.

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Mansabdari System degraded during the rule of Aurangzeb and his successors. There
were various defects in Mansabdari System which led to the downfall of Mughal
Empire.

1. In the formative structure of Mughal Empire, the Mansabdari system

acted as a military machine. But as all the administrative sections
were added with the central arrangement the efficiency of Mansabdari
System was to a great extent. The bureaucratic complexity and
procrastination weakened this system.28
2. Mughal Emperors ignored the fact that all mansabdars cannot be
equally skilled in war-fare and maneuvering an army. Mansabdars
palyed important role in both administration and military work, which
overburdened them and thus made difficult to maintain equilibrium
between two.
3. Armies in Mughal army were based on mansabs so there were was no
one national army. Moreover there was no direct communication
between soldier and emperor. Soldiers worked on the commands of
mansabdar and if mansab goes against the emperor the whole army
goes against the king.
4. Because of pan city of Jagir and competition among the Mansabdars
for best Jagir turned mansabdars deaf ear to the interest of empire and
they would think of only personal interest.

Bernier says that "There were great ministers and generals but the mass of the people
were human sheep."29

28
International Indexed and Referred Research Journal, October 2012,ISSNO975-3486,RNI-
RAJBAL2009/3009:Vol.IV, Issue-37.
29
Francois Bernier, Bernier’s Travel in the Mogul Empire (Oxford University Press), 382.

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 13. THE STOPPAGE OF ADVENTURERS FROM PERSIA

An An alternate reason for Mughal defeat was the stoppage of travelers from Persia,
Afghanistan and Turkistan. While the Mughal in India demolished themselves
through extravagances and joys, there was a passing of men who could bear the
obligations of the Government. It is the explorers, especially from Persia, a who had
given capable executives and commanders and when that source halted, the Mughal
Administrative apparatus got to be similar to a body and it was not ready to deliver
the products.

14. INNER MALAISE

An alternate reason was an inward discomfort, sort of general loss of serve on the
gathering of the Muslim Community in India. The Muslims in India overlooked that
they had a mission to satisfy in this nation. The Muslims who checked in the nation
watched over individual glorification than for the magnificence of Islam in India.
The ablest among them were quick to situate up kingdoms of their own and
accordingly propagate their names.

Scholars like Shah Wali Ullah took asylum in the idea of the group of the
unwavering looking just to God as opposed to calling upon the Muslims in rally
round the throne. What were to be seen was not patriotism or dauntlessness yet
criticism, advantage and liberality. Much couldn't be normal in this sorry state of
issues.

15. INVASION OF NADIR SHAH AND AHMAD SHAH ABDALI

To intensify matters, the intrusions of Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali broke the
spine of the Mughal domain. The influence, riches and eminence of the domain were
harmed destroyed by Nadir Shah who attacked India amid the guideline of
Muhammad Shah. He seized the throne of Persia in 1736 and afterward turned his
consideration towards India. In 1739, he walked to Delhi and in the wake of
gathering the majestic armed force at Karnal close Panipath, he entered Delhi and

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sacked the city. He then came back to Persia with an immense goods including the
world well known Peacock Throne and the Koh-i-Nur precious stone, all assessed at
about seventy crores of rupees. The achievement of Nadir Shah uncovered the inside
shortcoming of the Mughal domain and totally demolished its eminence. Indeed,
Nadir Shah's intrusion managed a final knockout to the Mughal realm.

This was trailed by seven attacks headed by his lieutenant, Ahmed Shah Abdali who
had turned into the lord of Kabul after the death of Nadir Shah. Ahmad Shah Abdali
attacked the Punjab in 1748. In 1761, he incurred a squashing annihilation on the
Marathas at the third war of Panipath. The disintegration of the Marathas had
expansive results. The imperialistic

Strategies of the Marathas got a serious setback. Also, the annihilation of the
Marathas gave the English the opportunity they required to merge their position in
Bengal. All these occasions influenced the fortune of the Mughal domain.

The attacks of Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali took an overwhelming toll on
human lives other than emptying out incomprehensible assets of the royal treasury. It
exposed the conduits of regulatory confusion and political liquidation. It likewise left
India powerless against powers from inside and outside.

16. NEGLECTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF NAVY

The Mughals dismissed the advancement of the Navy and that demonstrated self-
destructive for them. The later Mughals did not give careful consideration to ocean
force and left their coast-line totally undefended. That was abused by the Europeans
who eventually settled their dominance over India.

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 17. UNABLE TO SATISFY THE MINIMUM NEED OF PEOPLE

An alternate reason for the destruction of the Mughal Empire was that it could no
more fulfill the base needs of the individuals. The state of the Indian Peasant bit by
bit compounded amid the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. In the eighteenth
century, his life was "poor, awful, hopeless and indeterminate". The load of area
income continued expanding from the time of Akbar.

The consistent exchange of Nobles from their Jagirs prompted incredible abhorrence.
They attempted to concentrate however much from a Jagir as could reasonably be
expected in the brief time of their residency as Jagirdars. They made overwhelming
demands on the workers and pitilessly mistreated them, regularly disregarding
official regulations. After the passing of Aurangzeb, the act of Ijarah or farming the
land revenue to the most elevated bidder got to be more normal both on Jagir and
Khalisah (Crown) Lands.

That prompted the ascent of another class of income agriculturists and Talukdars
whose blackmails from the proletariat regularly knew no limits. There was stagnation
and disintegration in agriculture and impoverishment of the worker. Worker
discontent expanded and rose up to the top. There were cases of the workers leaving
the area to maintain a strategic distance from the installment of duties.

Labourer dissatisfaction discovered an outlet in an arrangement of uprisings, for

example, the Satnamis, the Jats and the Sikhs and that debilitated the solidness and
quality of the Empire. Numerous workers structured wandering groups of thieves and
explorers and along these lines undermined peace and effectiveness of the
Government.

Bhimsen writes thus about the oppressive officers: "There is no limit to the
oppression of these men of their oppression and cruelty what May one writer? For
description can suffice." To quote Khafi Khan, "The cruelty oppression and injustice

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of the officials, who have no thought of God, has reached such a degree that if one
wishes to describe a hundredth part of it, it will still defy description."30

Professor Irfan Habib writes thus in his book entitled "The Agrarian System of
Mughal India". "But the Mughal Empire had its own grave digger and what Sadi said
of another great Empire might well serve as its epitaph: The Emperors of Persia Who
oppressed the lower classes; Gone is their glory and Empire: Gone their tyranny over
the peasant:"31

18. RISE OF MARATHAS

As rightly pointed out by Professor Irfan Habib, the Marathas "constituted the
greatest tingle force responsible for the downfall of the Mughal Empire".32

An alternate essential element which helped the decay of the Mughal Empire was the
ascent of the Marathas under the Peshwas. They solidified their position in Western
India and after that began enthralling arrangements for a Hindupad Padshahi or a
Greater Maharashtra Empire. The fantasy could be acknowledged just at the expense
of the Mughal Empire. The additions of the Marathas were the loss of the Mughals.

The Marathas turned into the strongest power in Northern India in the mid-eighteenth
century. They assumed the part of lord creators at the Delhi Court. They went about
as the guards of the nation against remote trespassers like Ahmad Shah Abdali.
Doubtlessly the Marathas did not succeeded in their extraordinary mission however
their victories in Northern India in the eighteenth century gave a final knockout to the
Mughal Empire.

30
Khafi Khan, M.Hashim, Khafi Khan's History of ʻAlamgir: being an English translation of the
relevant portions of Muntakhab al-lubab, with notes and an introduction,(Karachi: Pakistan Historical
Society,1975).
31
Irfan Habib,The Agrarian System Of Mughal India 1556-1707,(Oxford University Press,1999, 2nd)
367.
32
Id.fn. 31.

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The conflict with the Marathas not only caused the Mughals their prestige and
military glory but gave a heavy blow to the economic resources of the Mughal
Empire. In fact, the Deccan became a white elephant to the Mughal treasury. This in
turn had an adverse effect on the fortunes of the Mughal Empire, and this helped the
Mughal Empire to witness its fall.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books Referred:

1) Majumdar R.C, The Sepoy Mutiny and the Revolt of 1857 (1st, Oriental Press
Private Limited, Calcutta 1957)

2) R.S Chaurasia, 'Fall of The Mughal Empire' in (eds), History of Modern

India, 1707 A. D. to 2000 A. D (1st, Atlantic Publishers And Distributors,
New Delhi 2002).
3) Eraly A, The Mughal Throne: The Saga of India's Great Emperors (1st,
Phoenix, London 2004)
4) Chandra Satish, History Of Medieval India (1st, Orient Blackswan Private
Limited, New Delhi 2007)
5) Preston D, Passion and Genius at the Heart of the Moghul Empire (1st,
Walker & Company, New Jersey 2008)
6) Darlympale William, the Last Mughal (1st, Bloomsbury Publishing, United
Kingdom 2006)
7) Richard J, The Mughal Empire (1st, Cambridge University Press, United
Kingdom 1996)
8) Sarcar J, A Short History of Aurangzeb (1st, Orient Blackswan Private
Limited, New Delhi 2009)
9) Sharma S.R, Mughal Empire in India 1526-1761 - Part I (1st, Read Books,
Calcutta 2007)
10) Wolseley T, The Mughal Period (1st, Chand, 1971)
11) Irvine W, Later Mughals (1st, M. C. Sarkar & sons, Calcutta 1921)
12) Bernier Francois, Bernier’s Travel in the Mogul Empire (Oxford University
Press)
13) Khan Khafi, M.Hashim, Khafi Khan's History of Alamgir,(Karachi: Pakistan
Historical Society,1975)
14) Habib Irfan,The Agrarian System Of Mughal India 1556-1707,(Oxford
University Press,1999, 2nd)

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Journal Article:

1) Naqvi H.Q., 'Aurangzeb's Policies and the Decline of the Mughal Empire'
[1977] JAS 191, 192.
2) Ali M.A, 'The Mughal Polity — A Critique of Revisionist Approaches'
[1993] MAS 699, 710.
3) Hardy P, 'Commentary and Critique' [1976] JAS 257, 263.
4) Ali M.A, 'Towards an Interpretation of the Mughal Empire' [1978] JRAS 38,
49.
5) Richard J.F., 'The New Cambridge History of India' [1995] MAS 441, 447.
6) Lal R, 'Settled, Sacred and All-Powerful: Making of New Genealogies and
Traditions of Empire under Akbar' [2001] EPW 941.
7) Richard J, 'The Imperial Crisis in the Deccan' [1976] JAS 237, 256.
8) Faruqui M.D, 'At Empire's End: The Nizam, Hyderabad and Eighteenth-
Century India' [2009] MAS 5, 43.
Online Support:
1) Jstor.org
2) Goodreads.com
3) Openlibrary.org
4) Tribuneindia.com
5) Merriam-webster.com
6) Wikipedia.org

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