Prelude to MH

1. Age of Rajputs and the Islamic Invasions in India

a. Ancient History (2500 BC – 647 AD)
b. 647 AD = Harsha/Harshavardhana died in 647 AD and Vardhana dynasty in North India start disintegrating into
smaller kingdoms. Most of the rulers were the Rajputs.
c. Age of Rajputs = 647 AD – 1206 AD
Paged.| 1 A new religion called Islam religion, founder of which is prophet muhammad, originated in 7th centuray AD in
Mecca (Middle East).
e. The Muslim rulers’s aim: To spread Islam religion (2) establish Islamic empire by conquering new territories.
f. Some of the Muslim rulers started invading India and thus began Islamic invasions in India.
2. Muhammad bin Qasim (712 AD/CE)
a. He was the first Muslim (in 8th century AD) to invade India successfullly and he captured Sindh and Multan.
b. Arab Commander
3. Mahmud of Ghazni (1000-1027 AD)
a. He invaded 21 times including 17 major invasions. [not defeated single time in India]
b. His main aim of invasion was not to establish Islamic Empire in India but was to loot wealth of India.
c. The Rajputs were not strong enough to prevent the loot and didn’t took significant steps to prevent future
invasions.
4. Muhammad of Ghori (1175 – 1206 AD)
a. Number of major invasions = 7
b. Aim of invasion: to establish Islamic empire.
c. He had many trustworthy slave generals and one of slave general was Qutb-ud-din Aibak. Whaever territory was
captured by Ghori he placed under the control of slave general (fuedal lord) specially under Qutub-ud-din Aibak.
d. Ghori died in 1206 AD and Qutb-ud-din Aibak went to establish a Islamic empire in India, called Delhi Sultanate.
5. Delhi Sultanate (1206 AD – 1526 AD)
a. 320 years
b. The Delhi Sultanate was an Islamic empire based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent
for 320 years (1206–1526).
c. Five dynasties ruled over the Delhi Sultanate sequentially (34 different rulers, only one was women Raziya Sultan):
i. the Mamluk/Slave dynasty (1206–1290),
ii. the Khilji dynasty (1290–1320),
iii. the Tughlaq dynasty (1320–1414),
iv. the Sayyid dynasty (1414–1451), and
v. the Lodi dynasty (1451–1526).
d. Qutb-ud-Din Aibak, a former Turkic Mamluk slave of Muhammad Ghori, was the founder of the Delhi Sultnate,
and his Mamluk dynasty conquered large areas of northern India.
e. First ruler = Qutb-ud-din Aibak
f. Last ruler = Ibrahim Lodi
g. Muhammad bin tughlaq (1325 – 1351)
i. He was scholar far ahead of his times.
ii. Token currency
iii. Capital: Delhi to Daulatabad
iv. Planned invasion of Persia
v. Attacked China
vi. Delhi Sultanate started disintegrating from his period (because of his actions)
1. He lost Rajputana to the Rajputs after getting defeated from a rajput ruler
2. He lost control over Deccan to Harihara and Bukka who established Vijaynagar empire in
Deccan (South India) in 1336.
South India (1336 – 1618)

Vijaynagar Empire (1336- 1672)

1. Harihara and Bukka is the founder the Vijayanagar Empire in 1336 A.D. on the southern banks of Tungabhadra
2. They made Hampi as the capital city.
3. They served under Vira Ballala III, the Hoysala King
4. 4 different dynasties ruled over Vijaynagar empire.
a. Sangama Dynasty
b. Saluva
 c. Tuluva
d. Aravidu

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5. Krishnadevraya (1509 – 1529)

a. Tuluva Dynasty
b. Greatest ruler of Vijayanagar empire was Krishnadevraya (1509 – 1529). He was contemporary to Babur and Guru
Nanak.
c. He find mention in Babur’s autobiography.
d. He was friend of Portugues.
e. He ruled all territoy below river Krishan river and one such territory was Mysore (Mysore was part of Vijayanagr
empire)
Bahmani Kingdom

1. Around the same time when Vijaynagar empire was established, one more empire established was Bahmani Kingdom.
2. Hasan Gangu Bahmani was the founder of the Bahmani Kingdom. Bahmani Kingdom was established in 1347 by Hasan
Gangu.
3. He was a Turkish officer of Devagiri.
4. His kingdom stretched from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal, included the whole of Deccan up to the river Krishna with
its capital at Gulbarga.
5. Krishna-Tungabhadra doab was separating the two empires and often leading to clashes for claims on this land.
6. Arch rivals of Vijaynagar rulers. (they wanted to see destruction of each other; frequent fights)
7. Since KDR was a great ruler and efficient military commander as well, during the period of KDR, the Bahmani Kingdom
disintegrated into 5 small kingdoms namely:
a. Ahmand Nagar (Nizam Shahis)
b. Bijapur (Adil Shahis)
c. Golkonda ((Qutb Shahis)
d. Berar (Imad Shahis)
e. Bidar (Barid Shahis)
8. Rulers of these kingdoms were called by different names as given above.
9. Even after disintegration, animity was continued between Vijayanagr empire and above 5 kingdoms.
10. Battle of Talikota/Rakshasa Tangadi (1565 AD)
a. The successors of Krishnadeva Raya were weak
b. Rulers of 4 - Ahmad Nagar, Bijapur, Golconda and Bidar together defeated Vijaynagar empire. Ramaraya was
controlling affairs of Vijaynagar while Sadasivaraya was the king.
c. Berar did not participate.
d. It was a death blow to Vijaynagar and after that defeat Vijayanagar divided into smaller kingdoms.
i. One kingdom was Mysore.
ii. After disintegration of Vijaynagar empire, Mysore was ruled by Wadiyar Dynasty.
11. After the victory in war, 5 kingdoms became ambitious and started fighting among themselves to capture the other’s
territory.
a. Ahmad nagar -> annexed Berar in 1574
b. Bijapur -> annexed Bidar in 1618
c. Golconda
What happened to North India between 1336 to 1618
1. Last ruler of Lodhi dynasty was Ibrahim Lodhi.
2. He was hated by his own people, ministers and fuedal lords.
3. Rana Sanga, was a rajput who was a Fuedal lord of Irbrahim Lodhi.
4. He invited Babur to defeat Lodhi.
5. Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the first battle of Panipat, 1526.
6. Babur established Mughal empire in India in 1526 and hence became founder of Mughal empire in India.
Greater Mughals (1526 – 1707 AD)
First 6 Mughal Emperors were called Great Mughals
Page | 3
1. Mughal Empire was established by Babur
2. Followed by Humayun (son of Babur). Sher Shah Suri Attacked Humayun replacing him from Delhi. Sher Shah Death.
Then Again Humayun in Delhi.
3. Akbar (son of Humayun) ruled long time. [Rule 1556-1605] [Akbar – I]
4. Jahangir (Son of Akbar) ruled.
5. Shah Jahan (Son of Jahangir) [Shah Jahan I]
6. Aurangzeb (son of Shah Jahan); largest Mughal territory during his time. [Alamgir I -> Aurangzeb]
First six Mughals were called Great Mughals.
Babur (1526 – 1530)

1. He was a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan through his father and mother respectively.
2. Babur autobiography- Tuzak-i Babari
Humayun (1530 – 1540 & 1555 – 1556)

1. He got defeated by Sher Shah Suri in the year 1540.

2. Sher Shah Suri and his successors rules North India for 15 years but Humayun regained them 15 years later with Safavid aid.
[Sur Interregnum 1540 -1555]
Akbar I (1556 – 1605)

1. Akbar became the ruler of India at the age of 15.5 years.

2. There are only 3 rulers in India who got the title great.
a. Great Ashoka (268 – 232 BC)
b. Great Raja raja I (985 AD – 1014 AD)
c. Great Akbar
3. Akbar ruled for longer duration than Aurangzeb.
4. Akbar was the Mughal ruler ruling for longest time.
Jahangir (1605 -1627)

1. It was during the times of Jahangir during the British came to India in 1608. [James Lekenster/John Mildenhall/William
Hawkins??]
2. He executted 5th Sikh Guru – Arjan Dev
Shah Jahan I (1627 – 1658)

Aurangzeb (1658 – 1707)

He executed 9th Sikh Guru – Guru Tegh Bahadur.

Conquests of Great Mughals
1. Ahmad Nagar -> Captured by Shah Jahan I
a. Ahmad Nagar -> Captured by Shah Jahan I in 1632. During this attack, Shah Jahan was accompanied by his wife
Mumtaz as well as his son Aurangzeb.
2. Bijapur -> Captured by Aurangzeb in 1687
3. Golconda -> Captured by Aurangzeb in 1688.
4. Thus, Aurangzeb established a pan – India empire (i.e. entire India except far south Areas)
 Page | 4

(Aurangzeb established)
Assignment
1. Jagirdar
2. Zamindar
3. Mansabdar
4. Subhadar
5. Wazir - wazir or the prime minister
6. Mir Bakshi
7. Dahsala System
8. Jizyah
9. Diwan
10. Nizam/Nazim
11. Fuedal system
Q.

Weak successors of Aurangzeb/weak later Mughals/Later Mughals (1707-1857)

 Page | 5

Weak Later Mughals : Bahadur Shah I to Bahadur Shah II (Also called Bahadur Shah Jafar) (1707 - 1857).

The Marathas

Shahji Bhonsle

1. Marathas originally were agricultural peasants in the territory around modern day Maharashtra, particularly around Bijapur.

2. Shahji Bhonsle – Noble in Ahmad Nagar Sultanate

3. Shahji Bhonsle and Jijabai (one of wives) -> son Shivaji: birth in 1627 at Shivneri/Junnar near Poona.
4. Shah Jahan I along with his wife Mumtaz and Aurangzeb captured Ahmad Nagar in 1632.
a. Shah Jahan along with Mumtaz and Aurangzeb came to Deccan and captured.
5. Mumtaz’s death in 1632 and construction of Taj Mahal (1633 – 1655)
 a. Mumtaz died in 1632 in Deccan while giving birth to 14 th children. Shah Jahan heart broken and Shah Jahan went to
North India and started construction of Taj Mahal.
6. Aurangzeb was appointed as the Subhadar/Governor of Deccan.
7. Shahji Bhonsle moved to Bijapur sultanate. Jijabai and Shivaji choosen to remain in Poona under the protection of Dadaji
Kondadev.
8. Shahji moved on to area lying currently in modern day Karnataka. (He was tasked to control this area). His death in 1664. His
descendents
Page |6 ruled over Tanjore (TN), modern day it is called Thanjavur. Descedents who rules over Tanjore were called
Marathas of Tanjore.
Early days of Shivaji

1. Dadaji kondadev was tutor and mentor of Shivaji. He taught (1) art of breaking into forts (2) Guerrilla warfare.
2. Goals of Shivaji
a. Shivaji gradually started nurturing the two goals:
i. To defeat ruler of Bijapur (Muslim ruler)
ii. To establish a Hindu Empire
3. Aurangzeb in Deccan
a. Shivaji was not able to complete these goals for now as because of presence of Aurangzeb in Deccan (He was still
governor of Deccan from (1632 to 1657). By that time (1657), Aurangzeb captured Bijapur also.
4. Dadaji kondadev died in 1647.
5. Shah Jahan I was emperor (from 1627 to 1658). He died in 1658 at Agra (by that time completition of Taj Mahal)
a. Rule of primogeniture: The eldest son of the dying emperor would succeed. The Mughals did not follow
promigeniture.
b. Because the Mughal did not follow the law of primogeniture among the Mughals, a war of succession used to take
place among the sons of the dying Emperor in which the military leaders/nobles of the time took sides.
c. Battle of Samugarh, 1658: A war of succession took place among the two sons of Shah Jahan I: Dara Sikoh and
Aurangzeb. Auranzeb became victorious. Aurangzeb imprisoned Shah Jahan I.
6. Aurangzeb became emperor (from 1658 to 1707) and absence of Auranzeb in Deccan provided an opportunity to Shivaji.
Shivaji grows in Power

1. Aurangzeb’s absence in Deccan

2. Shivaji vs Bijapur:
a. Shivaji Killed Deputy Governor Afzal Khan in 1659.
b. Bijapur agreed to pay (1) tribute to Shivaji
3. Shivaji Vs Shaista
a. Shaista Khan was made Mughal Governor of Deccan in 1660.
b. Shaista Khan captured Poona and he was not hold Poona. Shivaji recovered Poona.
4. Shivaji Vs Raja Jai Singh– Treaty of Purandar, 1665 AD
a. Aurangzeb appointed Raja Jai Singh as next Mughal Governor of Deccan.
b. Raja Jai Singh defeated Shivaji and Treaty of Purandar, 1665 AD was signed.
c. Treaty of Purandar, 1665 AD
i. Shivaji agreed (1) to become Mansabdar (3) surrended 23 forts (2) agreed to give personal attendance in
Mughal court along with his son Sambhaji (first son of Shivaji)
5. As per treaty provisions, for giving personal attendance, he went to Mughal court. And he felt insult there. He was
imprisioned in Agra. Both managed to escape from prisions of Agra in 1665 and they reached Deccan in 1666.
6. From 1666 – 1674, Shivaji wanted to take revenge for insult and started to occupy more and more terriotry and by 1664 he
coronnated himself Chhatrapati (means king in Marathi).
Shivaji (1674 – 1680)

1. In 1674, he was formally crowned as the chhatrapati (emperor) of his realm at Raigad.
2. Founder of the Maratha empire.
3. Shivaji had council of 8 ministers called Astapradan. It played an advisory role i.e. final decision was taken by Chhatrapati
Shivaji. Head of Astapradan was called Peshwa or Prime Minister. First ever Peshwa was Trimbakji Maropant Pingle. But
Peshwa didn’t have major political role. Peshwa just had advisory role to play. Ever decision was made by Chhatrapati.
4. Shivaji used to collect
a. Land revenue
b. Chauth
c. Sardeshmukhi
d. Chauth: 25 per cent of the land revenue claimed by zamindars. In the Deccan this was collected by the Marathas.
e. Sardeshmukhi: 9-10 per cent of the land revenue paid to the head revenue collector in the Deccan
 f. Chauth was non-plaundering tax collected by the Marathas from Mughal particularily in Deccan and it was 1/4 th of
land revenue collect in the Mughal Deccan twrritory.
g. Sardeshmukhi was hereditary tax claimed by the Marathas from the Mughal territory in Deccan and it was 1/10 th
of land revenue collect in the Mughal Deccan twrritory.
5. Shivaji died in 1680 [death due to health issues; Mughals Aurangzeb did not killed]
Sambhaji (1680- 1689)

1. Page | 7not as powerful as was his father

He was
2. 1 son of Shivaji (Mother: Saibai)
st

3. Sambhaji was defeated by Mughals in battle of Sangameswar, 1689.

4. Tortured to death by Aurangzeb in 1689. The Maratha royal family including crown prince Shahu (son of Sambhaji) were
improsioned by Aurangzeb.
a. Shahu was in prision from 1689 to 1707
b. Shahu’s mother, wife were in prision from 1689 to 1719.
c. Shivaji was having more than wife and more than son. Rajaram I was one son.
d. Rajaram I escaped and went to south.
Rajaram I (1689 – 1700)

1. Rajaram I was half brother of Sambhaji. Common father – Shivaji; Mother: Sayarabai (Sambhaji mother – Saibai)
2. He took over the Maratha Empire as its third Chhatrapati after his brother's death at the hands of the Aurangzeb in 1689.
3. His wife named Tarabai and his son called Shivaji II
4. Escaped to Jinji (TN). He was helped by Queen Keladi Chennamma of Karanatak.
5. Mughals captured Jinji in 1698. (Jinji captured by Mughal Zulfiqar Khan)
6. Rajaram I -> Vellore -> Northward and settled in a place called Satara in MH and he established small court in Satara with
the help of nobles.
7. Rajaram I died in 1700 [death due to health issues; Mughals Aurangzeb did not killed] and he was survived by his wife
Tarabai and his son Shivaji II (he was minor at the time of death ; actually 10 years)
a. Regent: Was to be appointed when crown was minor. This regent was to be close relative. May be female and male.
8. Tarabai was appointed Regent and Shivaji II was made next king.
Shivaji II and Tarabai (1700 – 1707)

1. Tarabai – regent
2. Defeated by Shahu in the Battle of Khed, 1707.
Note
1- Bahadur Shah I/Shah Alam I (Md. Muazzam) (1707-12)
1. Mughal emperor Aurangzeb died in 1707 after a 49-year reign
2. A war of succession
a. After the death of Aurangzeb's death in 1707, a war of succession took place among his three sons: Muazzam
(Governor of Punjab and Kabul), Azam Shah (Governor of Gujarat) and Kambaksh (Governor Deccan) and
Muazzam defeated and killed other two brothers, and hence became Mughal Emperor at the age of 63 years.
Page | 8 i. Battle of Jajau, 1707: Muazzam Vs Azam: Muazzam defeated and killed Azam. => Muazzam became
emperor. [Muazzam assumed the title of Bahadur Shah I]
ii. In a battle near Hyderabad, 1709: Muazzam Vs Kambaksh: Muazzam defeated and killed Kambaksh.
3. He died in 1712. (No one killed)
4. He is also known as Shah Alam – I.
Q. Efforst/Actions/Policies to protect Mughal empire from declining
1. Learned, dignified and religiously tolerant ruler.
2. Policy of conciliation and compromise (or Pacific policy)- Whether out of statesmanship or weakness, he adopted a
policy of conciliation and compromise/pacific policy with various regional powers which was further advanced by
subsequent Mughal rulers.
a. Rajput Policy/ policy of conciliation and compromise (pacific policy) with the Rajputs
i. The Rajputs: Two Rajput states - Amber and Marwar
ii. Jaisingh was chief of Amber/Jaipur -> Malwa
iii. Ajit Singh was chief of Marwar/Jodhpur -> Gujarat
iv. He attempted to bring 2 these Rajput states under its authority
1. Attempted to replace Jai Singh, chief of Amber, with Vijai Singh विजय]
v. However, attempt got failed because of firm resistence with chiefs of these two states.
vi. Mughal reached settelement with chiefs of these states.
1. recognised these chiefs as rulers of these states.
2. Their demand of Governorship/Subhadari of important provinces such as Malwa (Jai Singh/
Amber) and Gujarat (Ajit Singh/Marwar) was not accepted.
b. Sikh Policy/Policy of Oppression against Sikhs
i. Jahangir killed 5th Sikh Guru Arjan Dev (in 1606) and Aurangzeb killed 9th Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur
Singh (in 1675).
ii. Bahadur wanted to mend relationship with Sikh. He offered high mansab to 10th Sikh Guru Gobind
Singh.
1. Bahadur Shah I invited Guru for talk. He has gone to Deccan for fighting battle with Kambaksh.
Guru reached to South India in 1608 to meet. But Guru Gobind Singh was assassinated by
assissins sent by Wazir khan, Mughal Governor of Province Sir Hind.
iii. Bandha Bahadur, disciple of Guru Gobind Singh, started rebel against the Mughals.
iv. However, Bahadur Shah was forced to action against the Sikhs whose new leader Bandha had become a
terror for the Muslims in the Punjab. Banda was defeated at Lohgarh and the Mughal forces reoccupied
Sirhind in January 1711; however, the Sikhs were neither conciliated nor crushed.
v. However, policy of oppression (as was during Aurangzeb) against Sikhs largely continued. Led attack
against Banda Bahadur.
c. Maratha Policy/ policy of conciliation and compromise (pacific policy) with the Maratha
i. Freed the Maratha prince Shahu.
1. Note:- Shivaji founded Maratha kingdom. Sambhaji ruled after death of Shivaji; thus second
ruler of Maratha kingdom; Aurangjeb get killed him and he kept his son Shahu under custody
(1689-1707).
2. Raja Ram I (was chhatrapati from 1689 – 1700) -> Prince Shahu _ Maratha royal familiy (Sahu
mother wife brother etc) in prision (1689 – 1707) -> Shivaji II and Tarabai (was chhatrapati 1700 –
1707).
ii. Shahu Vs Shivaji II: Shahu became Chhatrapati of the Maratha Kingdom.
iii. He granted indirect sardeshmukhi of Deccan to Maratha (Shahu) but he didn't give chauth of Deccan
(Shahu). Shahu/Marathas was not completely happy.
3. Policy of Religious tolerance:-
a. Bahadur Shah I (Muazzam) was a religiously tolerant person as during the reign of Auranzeb, Aurangzeb has
asked governor Muazzam to converts the Rajputs into Islam but he refused to do so.
b. He also initiated a policy of Religious tolerance which was further advanced by subsequent Mughal rulers.
There was no destruction of Hindu temples in his reign.
 4. Following (1) Pacific Policy/Policy of Conciliation with regional kings/chiefs (2) Policy of Religious Tolerance - were reversal
of policies of adopted by Aurangzeb.
5. However, policy of oppression (as was during Aurangzeb) against Sikhs largely continued. Led attack against Banda
Bahadur.

Shahu, Chhatrapati (1708-1749)

1. Page
Mughal| 9 prisioner (1689 – 1707 AD)
2. Battle of Khed, 1707 AD
a. Shahu Vs Shivaji II & Tarabai: Shahu became victorious and became chhtrapati. Shahu captured Satara. Shivaji II and
Tarabai -> Kolhapur.
3. He was chhtrapati (1708 to 1749)
4. Capital of Maratha Chhtrapati: Satara. Shivaji II and Tarabai ruling from Kolhapur. Both of them in MH. Infact, there were two
branches of the Maratha in MH.
5. Another Maratha Branch ruling from Tanjore (TN).
6. Shahu appointed Balaji Viswanath as peshwa and delegated some of his powers to this Peshwa (Why delegated: He
wanted some peace in his life).
7. Real authority was now in the hands of Peshwa and Chhatrapati was now a nominal ruler and era of pwerful peshwa began.
Capital of Peshwa was Poona.
a. Other powerful peshwas:
i. Baji Rao I
ii. Balaji Baji Rao
8. List of Peshwas

a.
2- Jahandar Shah (1712-13) (किस मुगल शाशक को लम्पट मूर्ख कहा जाता था।?)
1. Jahandar Shah (1712-13) was a profligate fool
2. Usual war of succession took place among 4 sons of Bahadur Shah I after his death. Jahandar Shah became victorious
with the help of Zulfiqar Khan despite of being one of less able sons of Bahadur Shah I. Zulfiqar Khan, a noble of the
Irani party in the Mughal courts, was the most powerful noble of the time. He gave post of "wazir (Pradhan Mantri)"
to Zulfiqar Khan
3. Jahandar Shah was a puppet of Zulfiqar Khan.
4. The 4 sons were in such indecent haste about deciding the question of succession that the dead body of Bahadur Shah
was not buried far about a month.
5. Jahandar Shah was defeated in a battle (at Agra) in 1713 by his nephew Farrukhsiyar with the support of the Sayyid
Brothers. He fled to Delhi where he was captured and confined by new emperor Farrukhsiyar. It is said that he was killed
in that confinement in 1713 on the orders of the Sayyid Brothers.
Q. Efforst/Actions/Policies to protect Mughal empire from declining
1. Furthing the "Policy of Conciliation and compromise/pacific policy with kings and chiefs of other states" as initiated by
Bahadur Shah I.
a. The Rajputs
i. Jai Singh of Amber was given Subhadari of Malwa + title of Mirza Raja (मिर्ज़ा राजा)
ii. Ajit Singh of Marwar was given Subhadari of Gujarat + title of Maharaja
 iii. Abolition of Jizyah tax in the Rajputs territory.
b. The Marathas
i. Maratha was allowed to collect Chauth of Deccan as well as Sardeshmukhi indirectly. (Not happy was
collection was indirect they wanted direct collection)
ii. In return, the Marathas agreed to protect the Mughal territory in Deccan.
iii. Maratha Royal family (Shuhu mother and wife, etc.) was still in prision of the Mughals (whu Shahu was
Page | 10 left but family kept in prision: bec to exercise control over Shahu)
c. The Sikhs
i. However, old policy of oppression against Sikhs continued.
2. Furthering Policy of Religeous Tolerance:- Abolition of Jizyah tax in the territory of the Rajputs.
3. Zulfiqar Khan, a Irani Party noble, became too powerful and Jahandar Shah was merely puppet. This was not liked by the
nobles of other parties in the Mughal’s court including Sayyid brothers of Hindustani Party.
4. Introduction of Ijarah/ Revenue Farming
5. Conflicts between Irani, Turani (central Asia), Afghan & Hindustani nobles started during the reign of Jahandar Shah.
Example, conflict between Zulfiqar Khan and Sayyid brothers.
6. Jahandar Shah was defeated in a battle of Agra in 1713 by his nephew Farrukhsiyar with the support of the Sayyid
Brothers (Abdullah Khan and Hussian Ali Khan सैय्यद बंधओ
ु हुसैन अली खाँ एवं अब्दल्
ु ला खाँ). He fled to Delhi
where he was captured and confined by new emperor Farrukhsiyar. It is said that he was killed in that confinement in
1713 on the orders of the Sayyid Brothers.

Assignment: Ijarah System/Revenue Farming

Refer Copy Notes

Balaji Vishwanath (1713 – 1720)

1. Post of Peshwa was introduced by Shivaji, founder of the Maratha kingdom.
2. Brahmin – Konkan Coast – Military commandar and Strategist
3. Chhtrapati Shahu = from 1708 to 1749
4. 1st Powerful Peshwa (Shahu wanted peaceful life and delegated administrative powers, for the first time, to Peshwa Balaji
Vishwanath and hence became 1st Powerful Peshwa.
5. Peshwa – the real ruler of the Maratha Empire. Peshwa was the de-factor real.
6. 3 Peshwa during the reign of Shahu:
 a. Balaji Vishwanath
b. Baji rao I
c. Balaji Baji Rao
7. During the reign of Peshwa, Peshwaship still not hereditary here. But it became hereditary after the death of Shahu.
8. Capital – Poona.
9. Deal with Sayyid brothers in 1718
Pagea.| 11Maratha wanted: direct collection of Chauth and Sardeshmukhi from Deccan and release of Maratha royal family
b. In return, Balaji promised military help to Mughals with 15000 cavalry men (horse mounted soldiers)
3- Farrukhsiyar (1713-19) घणि
ृ त कायर
1. a contemptible coward घणि
ृ त कायर
2. Farrukhsiyar became emperor with the help of Sayyid brothers. In return, Farrukhsiyar appointed Abdullah Khan as Wajir
and Hussian Ali Khan as Mir Bakshi
3. Farrukhsiyar was a puppet of Sayyid brothers.
4. The Saiyid brothers
a. The Sayyid Brothers had monopolised state power and reduced the Emperor Farrukhsiyar to a figurehead.
b. The Sayyid brothers conspired to send Nizam-ul-Mulk to Deccan, away from the Mughal Court, to reduce his
influence.
c. The Saiyid brothers blinded and murdered Farrukhsiyar in 1719 when he ceased to serve their interests.
5. Sayyid brothers deal with Maratha (Balaji Vishwanath) in 1718.
6. In 1719, Balaji vishwanath along with Maratha Cavalry went to Delhi. Farrukhsiyar which was puppet of Sayyid brothers till
now, refused to sign the farman to give effect signed deal much against wishes of Sayyid brothers. Sayyid brothers
imprisioned and later killed. The Saiyid brothers blinded and murdered Farrukhsiyar, with the help of Peshwa Balaji
Vishwanath, in 1719.
7. First Mughal emperor killed by his nobles
Q. Efforst/Actions/Policies to protect Mughal empire from declining
1. Abolition of Jizyah (in all Mughal terrorities) and Pilgrim Tax
2. Rajput States
i. Furthering the "Policy of Conciliation with kings and chiefs of states" as initiated by Bahadur Shah I
ii. Jai Singh, King of Amber, को 'सवाई' की उपाधि
3. Oppression against the Sikhs
a. Sikhs defeated – Banda Bahadur executed, 1716 AD
b. After defeat, Sikhs got divided into 12 groups (Misls). Each group is called ‘Misl’. Initially, there was cooepration
and later started fighting among themselves (i.e. unity started gradually declining). It was only in 1790s, unity was
established by Ranjit Singh (Sukerchakia Misl) who went to become Maharaja.
Q. Actions/Policies of Bahadur Shah I which aided in decline of Mughal Empire

 Old policy of suppression against Sikhs continued- Banda Bahadur was hanged
 1717- Royal Firman was issued to BEIC

4- Rafi ud-Darajat (रफी उद - दरजात) (Feb - June 1719)

1. Released Maratha royal family and granted rights of direct collection of Chauth and Sardeshmukhi of Deccan.
o He signed the Royal farman making agreed deal between the Sayyid brothers and Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath. As a
result, Maratha royal family was released and direct collection of Chauth and Sardeshmukhi of Deccan effective.
2. Sayyid Brothers made him next Mughal Emperor.
3. He ruled for the shortest period (Approx 3 months)/shortest reign.
4. Died due to tuberculosis.

5- Rafi ud-Daulah (रफ़ी-उद-दौला) (June - Sept 1719) {Also called Shah Jahan -II }

1. Sayyid Brothers made him king

2. Also called Shah Jahan -II
3. He was an opium addict and died of dysentery.

6- Muhammad Shah (1719-48) (मुहम्मद शाह )

1. Sayyid Brothers made Muhammad Shah next Mughal Emperor.
2. With the help of a powerful Mughal Noble Nizam-ul-Mulk, he killed Sayyid Brothers (Why killing of Sayyid Brothers?)
a. A powerful group led by Nizm-ul-Mulk and Muhammad Amin Khan didn’t like growing powers of the Sayyid
brothers.
b. Moreover, the murder of Farrukhsiar frightened many nobles. For, if the emperor could be killed, what safety
was there for mere nobles?
Page | 12 Muhammad Shah hated the controls by Sayyid brothers.
c.
d. Hussain Ali Khan killed in 1720 and Abdulla Khan was defeated in a battle in 1720 and later killed in 1722.
3. Since wazir (Abdullah Khan) was killed, Nizam-ul-Mulk was made next wazir. Nizam-ul-Mulk tried his best to revivie Mughal
Empires but he could not due to followings:
a. He was corrupt Mughal.
b. He was influenced by Koki Jiu (A dancing girl) and Hafiz Khan (a eunuch).
4. Nizam-ul-Mulk resigned from the post of Wazir in 1724 and went to Deccan to establish an independent state of
Hyderabad.
5. With the departure of Asaf Jah from Delhi, physical integration of Mughal empire is said to began.
6. Baji Rao (Son of Balaji Vishwanath) raided Delhi in 1737.
7. Mughal empire had become very weak which was evident from the fact that emergence of many independent states (semi
independent states), which were earlier part of Mughal empire completely, took place during his reign.
a. Murshid Quli Khan मर्शि
ु द कुली खान , Mughal Subahdar of Bengal, made Bengal an independent from
Mughal Empire in 1717.
b. Saadat Ali Khan सआदत अली खान (Burhan-ul-Mulk), Mughal Subahdar of Awadh, made Awadh an
independent state from Mughal Empire in 1722.
c. Nizam-ul-Mulk founded an independent state of Hyderabad in Deccan in 1724. Before founding he was wazir of
Maughal empire.
8. Invasion of Nadir Shah - Battle of Karnal (24th February 1739)
a. Nadir Shah invaded in 1738. Initially, He captured Afghanistan. Muhammad Shah took the development seriously
only when he reached quite nearer to Delhi.
b. Muhammad Shah got badly defeated in Battle of Karnal (24 th Feb 1739). He was imprisoned. Nadir Shah took
away wealth worth 70 cr (Approx equaal to US$ 800 billion) including Kohinoor diamond.
c. While leaving for Persia, Nadir Shah appointed Ahmad Shah Abdali/Durrani as Governor of Afghanistan.
9. Nadir Shah died in 1747 and there was not legitimate son for succeding to thone. In 1747, Abdali became Indepdent ruler.
10. Like Ahmad Shah Abdali started attacking India repeatedly from 1748 – 1767 for wealth and territorial expansion.
11. 1748 – Ahmad Shah Abdali’s first attack in India
12. Maratha by this time had become powerful and clash bw Abdali and Maratah was envitable.

b.
c.
Baji Rao I (1720 – 1740)

1. Muhammad Shah (1719 – 48); Naturally died

a. Peshwa Baji Rao I (1720 – 40)
b. Balaji Baji Rao (1740- 1761)
2. Son of Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath. Peshwaship was not yet hereditary.
3. The greatest Peshwa.
4. Page
Most|inefficient
13 peshwa: Baji Rao II
5. Second best exponent of guerilla warfare (first Shivaji).
6. Defeated Asaj Jah twice in battles.
a. Battle of Palkhed 1728
b. Battle of Bhopal
7. Conquered GJ, Malwa and Bundelkhand
8. Treaty of Warna, 1731.
a. Satara Branch of Maratha and Kolhapur Branch of Maratha – peace treaty
9. Raided Delhi in 1737.
7- Ahmad Shah (1748-54)
1. Udham Bai and Javid Khan
a. He was son of Muhammad Shah and Udham Bai, a public dancing girl. He was weak and left the state affairs in
the hands of his mother. Udham Bai, the Queen Mother was of poor intellect and ruled with the help of his
paramour, Javid Khan a notoriuos eunuch.
2. During his reign, Ahmad Shah Abdali attacked two times – 1749 & 1752.
a. Royal treasury was already exhausted. Given 70 cr worth wealth to Nadir Shah. He had nothing to give except
some territory.
b. Surrendered two territory – Punjab and Multan.
c. Mughal empire was shrinking as Territorial expansion for Abdali from North – West and Maratha’s territorial
expasion from South to North.

3. Imad-ul-Mulk (इमादल
ु मल्
ु क) was made Wajir in 1752.
4. This increased influence of Abdali was not liked by nboles particularily Imad – ud-Mulk and Sadasiva Rao Bahu. Imad-ul-
Mulk made friendhsip with sadashiv Rao (cousin of Balaji Baji Rao). With help of Maratah, he tried to counter Abdali.
5. Imad-ul-Mulk soon emerged powerful and started intimidating the emperor himself who now wished to have him
removed from the court.
a. Before this could be done, Imad-ul-Mulk blinded Ahmad Shah with the help of Maratha Chief Sadashiv Rao
Bhau and deposed him from throne, and raised a puppet ruler (Alamgir – II) to the throne.
b. Influence of Maratah over Mughal rising
6. Maratha entered into a Ahmadiya Treaty 1752 with Mughal
7. Battle of Plassey

8- Alamgir II आलमगीर द्वितीय (1754 - 59), Also called Aziz-ud-Din [Note Alamgir I was not Mughal emperor]
1. Imad-ul-Mulk made Alamgir II as next emperor and he was puppet of Amagir II.
2. Battle of Plassey (1757)
o Siraj-ud-Daula, Nawab of Bengal was defeated.
3. During his reign, Ahmad Shah Abdali invaded India in 1757
o Matrimonial Alliance – Mughals and Afghans – Daughter (Gauhar) of Alamgir II was married to son of Abdali
(Taimur Shah Durrani)
o While returning to Persia (?), he did two things:
 Recognised Imad as Wazir
 Nazib ud Daulah as Mir Bakshi (he was from Rohilkhand and was of Afghan Origin; both Afghan) to
maintain control over Mughals.
  Taimur Shah was appointed as Governor of Punjab.
4. Imad did not like Afghans and now Taimur was relative and Nazib of Afghan origin was Mir Bakshi.
5. Nazib ud Daula/Afgans in Delhi was defeated by Raghunath Rao (was brother of Balaji Baji Rao; jaolus of BBR and wanted
to become Peshwa) in 1758.
o Was Nazib was still Mir Bakshi?
6. 3 sons of Balaji Baji Rao – Vishwas Rao, Madhav Rao and Narayan Rao. Cousin of BBR = Sadasshiv Rao.
7. Maratha
Page | 14 defeated Taimur Shah. He ran away. A governor Adina Beg was appointed by Maratha. Maratah occupied
Lahore.
8. Imad-ul-Mulk (wajir) feared that Alamgir – II may call Abdali for help and so Abdali killed killed him. Ali Gauhar , son of
Alamgir II escaped Delhi.(His father killed and hence did not trust Imad and Maratha. He escaped to Awadh. Hence,
Aligauhar could not be made next king. Shah Jahan III was made next puppet emperor by Imad-ud-Mulk.
9. Abdali return in 1759. He made two friends as Maratha was too powerful to defeat them alone.
o Nazib ud Daulah, (ruler of Rohilkhand/Mir Bakshi?)
o Shuja ud Daulah, Nawab of Awadh

9 - Shah Jahan III (1759-60) [Note: Shah Jahan I, II and III all were the Mughal emperors]
1. Imad ul Mulk made Shah Jahan III next Puppet Mughal Emperor. But this was not accepted by Maratha
o Maratha wanted help of Shah Jahan III for defeating Afghans but he denied (probably due to lack of money)
o Maratha announced Aligauhar (Shah Alam II) as emperor. But he was not in Delhi. Shah Alam did not enter
delhi for 12 years (1760-1772) – initially he feared his wazir Imad ul Mulk may kill, fear from Nazib ud Daula, he
entered treaty of Allahabad that he would not leave Allahabad.
2. He was later deposed by the Maratha chief Sadashivrao Bhau.
3. Even Maratha did not have sufficient resources to fight against Afghans and hence he came to Delhi and had to melt silver
roof of Diwan -i-am (Hall of Public Audience) into coins to finance war.

Balaji Baji Rao I (1740- 1761)

1. Terretorial extent reached to greatest extent

2. Poona, the cradle of Maratha Power
3. Scindias/Shindes of Gwalior, Holkars of Indore, Gaekwads of Baroda, Bhonsles of Nagpur.
4. SG, HI, GB, BN
5. They used to exists during the first Peshwa, Balaji Vishwanath. They becam epowerful in Balaji Baji Rao.
6. These Maratha sardars helped to extend territories.
7. Control over GJ, Malwa, Bundelkhand – consoldiated
8. Balaji Baji Rao also got a friend Imad ul Mulk.
9. Balaji Vishwanath and Baji Rao I – peshwaship not hereditary. Since the reign, Balaji Baji Rao I, peshwaship became
hereditary.
10. Rajaram II succeeded Shahu.
11. Bengal -repeatedly invaded.
12. Peshwa started Attackign Bengal and Awadh (Shuja ud Daula Nawab of Awadh, became angry with Maratha).
13. Duirng BBR I:
 Page | 15

d.
14. Ahmadiya Treaty, 1752: Mughals restricted to Delhi and north India whereas South India was to be controlled by Maratha
from Pune.
15. Defeat in the 3rd Battle of Panipat, 1761.
16. Shattered dreams and death.

10- Shah Alam II शाह आलम द्वितीय (1760-1806 = 1st Reign: October 1760 – 31 July 1788 + 2nd Reign: 16th October 1788 – 19
November 1806) (अलीगौहर) [Note: Shah Alam I was not a Mughal Emperor]
1. Ahmad Shah Abdali’s 6th attack in India - Third Battle of Panipat (1761)
a. Abdali came to India and made two friends – Najib ud Daula and Shuja ud Daula.
b. Abdali+ Najib+Shuja faught Marathas (Actually BBR I was actually ill and hence could participate in battle
immediately so he sent his cousin Sadashiv Rao Bahu and his son Vishwas Rao, first son; Raghunath Rao could
not aprticipate due to misunderstanding, his was brother of BBR I)
c. In this encounter, Maratha did not get help from most of Indian rulers; only got help from Imad; Maratah did not
have enough food resources for soldiers.
d. Maratha lost cream of Army; Sadashiv Rao killed ; Abdali victorious.
e. Had this battle did not took place; Maratah could have gone to establish Pan India empire;
f. BBR I dead in 1761. SS Rao dead ; his first son dead.
g. Second son of BBR I , Madhav Rao became peshwa. (Ragunath always wanted to become peshwa; but during the
BBR I peshwaship became hereditary and hence only sons of BBR I could become peshwa. Raghunath became
unhappy. Waiting for opportunity for elimination of sons)
h. Abdali could not capture Punjab. (local rulers fighting). He had pressing problems in Afghan. He had to go back.
i. Shah Alam II was not in Delhi.
j. So there was power vaccum. This was filled BEIC.
k. The Third Battle of Panipat took place on 14 January 1761 at Panipat, about 97 km north of Delhi.
l. between forces of the Maratha Empire (who?) and forces of the King of Afghanistan Ahmad Shah Abdali
(Ahmad Shah Durrani) supported by two Indian allies—(1) Najib-ud-daulah (the Rohillas) and (2) Shuja-ud-
Daulah the Nawab of Awadh
m. [Victorious - Abdali]
n. In 1761, after the battle of Panipat and before leaving Delhi, Ahmed Shah Abdali named Shah Alam II as emperor
and Najib-ud-Daulah as Mir Bakshi. Abdali last (7 th times) in 1767. Ahmed Shah Abdali’s invasions hastened the
 downfall/decline of the Mughal empire.
o. Note: Whenever there was attack by foreigners in India, the Mughal used to participate. But in this case Mughal
didn't go for fight.
2. Raised to throne by Sadasiva Rao Bahu
3. Fugitive Mughal emperor
4. 3rd Battle of Panipat, 1761 AD.
5. Page
Battle of Buxar and Treaty of Allahabad, 1765.
| 16
6. Battle of Buxar (1764)
a. Battle of Buxar (1764) – Combined armies of Shah Alam II, Mir Qasim (Ex Bengal Nawab) and Shuja-ud-Daula
(Awadh Nawab) Vs army of BEIC led by …….
b. Shah Alam II got defeated.
c. Treaty of Allahabad (1765) - (a) EIC got Diwani rights of Bengal (which included Bihar and Odisha) (b) An annual
tribute of 2.6 million rupees to be paid by the EIC from the collected revenue to Mughal emperor. Districts –
Kora and Allahadbad were to be given to the Mughal emperor. (c) Duty free trade rights to EIC in Bengal (d) He
was kept at Allahabad under EIC's protection from 1765 to 1772 (So Shah Alam II was kept as a virtual prisoner of
the the English from 1765 to 1772).
7. Rohillas in Delhi
a. Marathas had to come back to South India after deafeat in 3rd Battle of panipat.
b. Maratah peshwa was Madhav Rao (1761 – 1772).
c. Afghans had gone back to Afghanistan
d. Britishers were victorious in Battleof Plassey and Battle of uxar
e. Shah Alam II had to stay in Allahadb bec he had to sign treaty. In total from 1760 -1772, he was not in Delhi.
f. So Delhi was ruled by rohillas: Nazib ud Daula -> Zabita Khan -> Ghulam Qadir.
8. Nazib ud Daulah died in 1770; succeeded by Zabita Khan.
9. Madhava Rao asked Schindias to defeat Rohillas. Madhav deputed Mahadji Shinde and he defeated Zabita Khan/Rohillas
in Delhi in 1771. Rohillas ran away to home land Rohilkhand.
10. Seeing this Shal Alam II asked Marathas for rescue.
11. After victory, Mahadji escorted Shah Alam II back to Delhi.
12. Reinstated in 1772 AD and Maratha Puppet.
13. Maratha could have killed Shah Alam II and became emperor itsels. But did not do:
a. Maratah had declared him as emperro
b. HE was empeoror but empire was small: Delhi to Palam. What is use of killing such Emperor.
14. He was Maratha Puppet from 1772 – 1803.
15. Ghulam Qadir invaded Delhi in 1788 and controlled Delhi for few weeks and Shah Alam II was Blinded by Ghulam Qadir in
1788 AD.
16. During the course of second Anglo Maratah war, British captured Delhi in 1803 and from now onward, Shah Alam II was
British Puppet. Shah Alam II , Akbar II and Bahadur Shah II were mere puppets of BEIC.
17. He died in 1806.
18. Shah Alam II was also poet. His pet name Aftab.
19. In 1771, the Maratha under Mahadji Shinde (or Scindia) returned to northern India, captured Delhi and reinstated Shah
Alam II at the Delhi throne (Jan 1772) under the Maratha suzerainty. Shah Alam II appointed Scindia in charge of Delhi
administration (Henceforth, the Scindia remained the overlords of Delhi until Daulat Rao Scindia was defeated by Lord
Lake in 1803)
20. Battle of Delhi (1803) - British EIC captured Delhi (1803)
a. During the Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803-05), in the Battle of Delhi (1803), East India Company under
General Lake defeated the Marathas and captured Delhi and thus ending the Maratha rule on the Delhi. Shah
Alam II, then a blind old man, was brought under British protection and was given pension.
b. From here onwards, Mughal emperors became of pensioners of EIC. The Mughals (Mughal emperor) were given
some fixed pension by EIC during 1803 – 1858.
c. Shah Alam - II was the first Mughal to get Pension and Protection from English.
d. Shah Alam II, Akbar II, Bahadur Shah II (Bahadur Shah Zafar)
21. Summary:
a. During his reign, Ahmad Shah Abdali invaded India twice (1761 – Third Battle of Panipat and 1767)
b. Battle of Buxar (1764) and Treaty of Allahabad (1765)
c. Battle of Delhi (1803)
 Page | 17

11- Akbar II अकबर द्वितीय (1806-37)

1. Title of "Raja" given to Rammohan Roy ( राममोहन राय) by him. Akbar – II sent him to meeti British Monarch in England
to seek a raise in pension.
2. Rammohan contributed to charter Act of 1833.
3. 1835 – BEIC stopped calling itself a subject of Mughal Emperor and discontinued issuing coins in his name (Emperor
name) by deleting Persian lines on Company’s coins.

12- Bahadur Shah II (बहादरु शाह द्वितीय) (Also called Bahadur Shah Zafar) (1837-58)
1. He was fond of poetry and was known by the title of “Zafar” and hence surname Zafar.
2. He was proclaimed as the Emperor of India by the rebels during 1857 revolt.
a. tried and convicted for his involvement in 1857 revolt.
b. Exiled to Rangoon, Burma (Now Myanmar) by British and he died there in 1862.
3. Queen Victoria’s Proclamation - November 1, 1858.
a. On November 1, 1858, a grand Darbar was held at Allahabad. Here Lord Canning announced the royal
proclamation which announced that the queen had assumed the government of India => It ended rule of
Mughal Empire in India i.e. Mughal rule came to an end => Last Mughal Emperor.

Q.
 Page | 18

Answer – a
Q.

My Answer – d
Sir Answer – b
Q.
 Page | 19

Answer – d

Mains Question
1. Clarify how mid 18th century India was a spectre of fragmented polity.
2. Accoridng to you, what were the major factors for decline of the Mughals in 18th century.

Revision Slides
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 Page | 28

First son of BBR I got killed in 3rd battle of Panipat.

 Page | 29

When Narayan died, his wife was pregnant and his son took birth – Madhav Rao II. So Raghunath had to leave peshwaship and
became angry and signed Treaty of Surat, 1775 with BEIC. It was due to this treaty, first Anglo marath war
 Page | 30

(here Maratha got got defeated in both 2nd and 3rd)

Baji Rao II was last peshwas as peshwaship was abloshed BY BEIC.

Baji Rao II had adopted son called Nana Saheb (Dhondu Pant). Nana Saheb participtaed in revolt of 1857.

Reasons for Decline and Disintegration of Mughal Empire

Nature of the Empire

1. Vastness of empire
2. Problems of communication and troop mobilisation
3. Decentralised Administration
4. The Mughal Empire under Aurangzeb was very vast and was administred centrally inviting problems of communication and
Page | 31
troops mobilisation. Decenctralised Administration was the need of the hour.
e.
Aurangzeb’s misduided policies

1. Policy of expansion
2. Religious orthodoxy
3. Failure of Statesmanship
f.

Political causes

1. Absence of a fixed rule of succession – fracticidal wars

2. Worthless, weak -willed luxury loving rulers.
3. Degeneration of character and organisation of Nobility – short-sighted pursuit of power.
4. Rise of Regional powers (Bengal, Awadh, Hyderabad)
5. Foreign Invasions
6. Advent of Europeans

Economic Causes

1. Constant warfare – consumption of men and materials

2. Worsening conditions of peasants (war,Ijarah, Agrilcuture so scientific)
3. Stagnation of industries and trade
4. Economic bankruptcy
g.
h.
i.
Socio-cultural causes

1. No modern spirit of Nationalims

2. Promotion of regional interests
3. Discrimanatory social structure

Military Causes

1. Disloyal and corrupt Mansabdars

2. Soldiers on the verge of Mutiny
3. Medieval Army
4. Absence of a strong, modern Navy
5. Lack of S&T develoment
j.
European Challenge

1. Ambitious traders
2. Superior educational and economic systems
3. Advanced in S&T
4. Powerful modern navy
5. Modern well -organised, regulatorily paid army

Assignment
1. Crusades
2. Age of Discovery/Exploration
3. Commercial revolution
4. Agricultural revolution
5. Renaissance
6. Age of reasons/enlightment
7. Industrial revolution
Page | 32

Q.

My Answer – a
Correct Answer - d

Q.
 Page | 33

My answer - a
Correct answer – b

My answer – c
Correct answer- c
Q.
 Page | 34

My Answer – a
Correct answer – a
Assignment

Reasons for Decline and Disintegration of Mughal Empire

Aurangzeb’s misguided policies

1. The Mughal Empire had expanded beyond the point of effective control under Aurangzeb given the then status of the
undeveloped means of communications.
2. Aurangzeb’s bigoted (intolerant) religious policy- The wanton destruction of Hindu temples and reimposition of jizya
(jizyah) etc. – are also among the reasons which antagonised the the Rajputs and the Marathas, the Jats, the Sikhs
and the Bundelas, to rebel against Mughal empire.
Page | 35
3. Aurangzeb’s mistaken policy of war in the Deccan - which continued for 27 years drained the weath of empire’s
treasury {royal treasury}.

Note:
(1) Jizya (or Jizyyah) was a per capita yearly tax historically levied by Islamic states on non-Muslim subjects.
(2) In India, Islamic ruler Qutb-ud-din Aibak imposed jizya on non-Muslims first time which was called kharaj-o-jizya.
(3) Jizya was abolished by the Mughal ruler Akbar in the 16th century but was re-introduced by Aurangzeb in the 17th
century.

(During Aurangzeb)
1. Delhi – Mughal Emperor
2. Province or Subha – Governor/Subhadar – mostly crown princes
3. Subordinate officers to Governor in Subha
a. Diwan -> Revenue Administration
b. Nazim/Nizam -> law and order
4. Almost pan India Mughal empire under Aurangzeb
a. Problem of Communication
b. Problem of Mobilisation of troops

Weak Successors of Aurangzeb (or weak later Mughals)

The Mughal system of government being despotic much depended on the personality of the Emperor. Mughal emperors till
Aurangzeb were strong monarch and so administration was efficient. Unfortunately, “all the Mughal Emperors after Aurangzeb”
(or later mughal emperors) were weaklings and therefore administration was also inefficient.
1. Bahadur Shah I (1707-12)
(1) Usual war of succession took place among 3 sons of Aurangzeb after his death. Bahadur Shah I became
victorious/emperor. Bahadur Shah I (1707-12) was 63 at the time of his succession to the throne and was too old to
maintain the prestige of the Empire. An elderly man (over 63 years of age), the new emperor was not fitted for the
role of an active leader.
Page | 36He liked to appease all parties at the court by profuse (reckless) grants of titles, promotions and rewards resulting
(2)
exhausation of royal treasury and was nicknamed Shah-i-bekhabar. Called Shah-i-Bekhabar (The Headless King) by
Khafi Khan.
(3) Reckless grant of Jagirs to Chattrasal Bundela (Bundel Khand), Churaman Jat (Rajasthan) resulting exhausation of
royal treasury and was nicknamed Shah-i-bekhabar. Called Shah-i-Bekhabar (The Headless King) by Khafi Khan.
k.
2. Jahandar Shah (1712-13)
(1) Jahandar Shah (1712-13) was a profligate fool
(2) Usual war of succession took place among 4 sons of Bahadur Shah I after his death. Jahandar Shah became
victorious/emperor with the help of Zulfiqar Khan despite of being one of less able sons of Bahadur Shah I.
Zulfiqar Khan, a prominent leader of the Irani party, was the most powerful noble of the time. He gave post of
"wazir (Pradhan Mantri)" to Zulfiqar Khan
(1) Ijarah System (इजारा प्रथा):
i. was started to improve finance condition of Mughal Empire.
ii. Instead of collecting land revenue at a fixed rate as under Todar Mal's land revenue settlement,
the government began to contract with revenue farmers and middlemen to pay the government a
fixed amount of money while they they were left free to collect whatever they could from the
peasant. They led to increased oppression of peasants.
(2) लाल कुवरि नाम की एक वेश्या पे आसक्त - gave many jagirs to her relatives
3. Farrukhsiyar (1713-19)
(1) a contemptible coward
(2) The Farrukhsiyar’s royal farman of 1717
1. In 1717, the Mughal Emperor Farrukhsiyar issued a royal farman granting the BEIC certain rights including
trade priviledges. [why? This was because William Hamilton, a surgeon in the British East India Company
had successfully cured Farrukhsiyar of a disease (swelling in the groin)]
2. The BEIC was permitted to carry out trade in Bengal, Bombay and Madras without paying regular
customs duty and for that purpose the BEIC was granted the right to issue passes or dastaks for the
movement of its goods of BEIC without paying regular custom duty.
3. The BEIC was also permitted to mint its own coins.
4. The BEIC was also permitted to further fortify Calcutta.
(3) Farrukhsiyar, Jahandar Shah’s nephew, defeated Jahandar Shah in a battle (at Agra in 1713) with the support (help)
of the Sayyid Brothers (Abdullah Khan and Hussian Ali Khan सैय्यद बंधुओ हुसैन अली खाँ एवं अब्दल्
ु ला
खाँ). Thereafter, he was placed in a confinement. It is said that he was killed while living in the same confinement in
1713 on the orders of the Sayyid Brothers. Farrukhsiyar appointed Abdullah Khan as Wajir (Prime Minister) and
Hussian Ali Khan as Mir Bakshi
(a) The Sayyid Brothers had monopolised state power and reduced the Emperor Farrukhsiyar to a
figurehead.
(b) The Sayyid brothers conspired to send Nizam-ul-Mulk to Deccan, away from the Mughal Court, to
reduce his influence.
(c) The Saiyid brothers blinded and murdered Farrukhsiyar, with the help of Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath,
in 1719 when – (i) Farrukhsiyar ceased to serve their interests (ii) Farrukhsiyar started asserting/exercising
his own authority and (iii) the Sayyid brothers came to know about conspiracy of Farrukhsiyar to get them
(Sayyid brothers) killed. It was the first time in Mughal history that an emperor was killed by his nobles.
4. Rafi-ud-Darajat (1719)
(1) Then the Sayyid Brothers made Rafi-ud-Darajat, Farrukhsiyar’s cousin in 1719.
5. Rafi-ud-Daulah (1719)
(1) After Rafi-ud-darajat died in 1719 due to a disease post serving few months, the Sayyid Brothers made Rafi-ud-
Daulah as a next Mughal emperor.
(2) After Rafi-ud-Daulah died in 1719 due to a disease post serving few months Muhammad Shah was made next
Mughal emperor by the Sayyid Brothers.
6. Muhammad Shah (1719 - 48)
(1) spent most of his life watching animal fights.
(2) For his indifference towards public affairs and addiction to wine and woman, he nicknamed ‘Rangila’.
(3) His harem extended over a full kos (an area of four square miles) wherefrom all males were excluded and the
emperor spent a week and sometimes a month in the company of women.

Note: Rafi-ud-Darajat,
Page | 37 Rafi-ud-Daulah and Muhammad Shah were merely puppets of Sayyid Brothers i.e. real authority was in
hands of Sayyid Brothers. Even liberty of these three kings to meet with persons were also restricted by these Brothers.

7. Ahmad Shah
(1) In the administrative sphere, he also did foolish things
(2) In Nov 1753, he had appointed
(a) his two-and-half years old son Mahmud as Governor of Punjab and a one year old baby,
Muhammad Amin as Deputy Governor of Punjab under him
(b) one year old Tala Shah as Governor of Kashmir with a boy of fifteen as the Deputy.
(c) These appointments were made there were threats of possible attacks from north-west frontier
(invasions by Ahamad Shah Abdali)

Degeneration of Mughal Nobility in later Mughal politics/ Degeneration of Later Mughal Nobles/ Role played by the
nobles in later Mughal politics/ Role played by the later nobles

In the later Mughal period the powerful nobles started playing the role of ‘king-makers’
 Because of the absence of the law of primogeniture among the Mughals, a war of succession used to take place among
the sons of the dying Emperor in which the military leaders/nobles of the time took sides.
 In these wars of successions, royal princes were the real contenders supported by powerful nobles. This system of war
of succession, though not commendable, was not without its advantages. It provided the Mughal Empire with the ablest
son of the dying Emperor as the ruler.
 But a sinister development that took place in the later Mughal politics and that was nobles became the real contenders
for political power and the royal princes receded in the background
 i.e. in the later Mughal period, the powerful nobles of different factions/parties started to decide which royal prince would
be the next successor to the throne of emperor to suit their interests and removed royal princes from the throne when
they stopped serving their interests
 i.e. in the later Mughal period the powerful nobles started playing the role of ‘king-makers’.
 Jahandar Shah, despite being one of less able sons of Bahadur Shah-I, became the emperor with help of Zulfiqar Khan,
a leader of the Irani party.
 Farrukhsiyar, Jahandar Shah’s nephew, defeated Jahandar Shah in a battle (at Agra) in 1713 with the support (help) of the
Sayyid Brothers (Abdullah Khan and Hussian Ali Khan सैय्यद बंधुओ हुसैन अली खाँ एवं अब्दल्
ु ला खाँ). It is said
that he was killed while he was living in a confinement in 1713 on the orders of the Sayyid Brothers. In return,
Farrukhsiyar appointed Abdullah Khan as Wajir (Prime Minister) and Hussian Ali Khan as Mir Bakshi
(1) The Sayyid Brothers had monopolised state power and reduced the Emperor Farrukhsiyar to a figurehead.
(2) The Sayyid brothers conspired to send Nizam-ul-Mulk to Deccan, away from the Mughal Court, to reduce his
influence.
(3) The Saiyid brothers blinded and murdered Farrukhsiyar in 1719 when Farrukhsiyar ceased to serve their
interests and started asserting/exercising his own authority and conspired to get Sayyid brothers killed. However,
the Sayyid brothers came to know about conspiracy. With the help of Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath, the Saiyid
brothers blinded and murdered Farrukhsiyar in 1719. It was the first time in Mughal history that an emperor was
killed by his nobles.
 Then the Sayyid Brothers made Rafi-ud-Darajat, Farrukhsiyar’s cousin in 1719.
 After Rafi-ud-darajat died in 1719 due to a disease post serving few months, the Sayyid Brothers made Rafi-ud-Daulah as
a next Mughal emperor.
 After Rafi-ud-Daulah died in 1719 due to a disease post serving few months Muhammad Shah as a next Mughal
emperor.
 Rafi-ud-Darajat, Rafi-ud-Daulah and Muhammad Shah were merely puppets of Sayyid Brothers i.e. real authority was in
hands of Sayyid Brothers. Even liberty of these three kings to meet with persons were also restricted by these Brothers.
 Contributions of Sayyid brothers
(1) In the Mughal History, Sayyid brothers - Abdullah Khan and Hussian Ali Khan, famously called as the King-
makers. They were nobles/leaders of the Hindustani Party in the Mughal court.
 (2) The Saiyid Brothers followed a tolerant religions policy, reminiscent of the days of Akbar. It was because of
their influence that jizya was abolished in 1713 (Jahandar Shah) and after reimposition again abolished in 1719.
(3) The Saiyid Brothers won over the confidence of the Hindus/Marathas/Rajputs by efforts including granting them
higher posts/titles.
(4) The history of India would have been certainly different if the enlightened religious policy of the Saiyids had been
continued by their successors in high offices.
Power
Pagestruggle
| 38 among different parties (factions) in the Mughal Court
(1) Towards the end of Aurangzeb’s reign, influential nobles at the court organised themselves into pressure groups- the
Turanis, the Iranis, the Afghans and the Hindustan [The Turani Party, the Persian Party/Irani Party, the Hindustani
Party] etc.- which were formed on the lines of clan or family relationships. Nobles or leaders from these pressure
groups held important civil and military posts.
(2) Each faction/party tried to win the Emperor to its viewpoint by poisoning his ears against the other faction/party.
(3) Even during foreign attack/invasion, these parties/factions could not forge a united front against foreign invader, and
often one party intrigued with the foreign invader against another party . Example - The personal interests of Nizam-ul-
Mulk and Burhan-ul-MuIk led them to intrigue with Nadir Shah and barter away national interests.
(4) Examples
 When Farrukhsiyar became emperor with the help of Sayyid brothers, Farrukhsiyar appointed Abdullah Khan as
Wazir and Hussain Ali Khan as Mir Bakshi. Appointment of Saiyid brothers to such high offices were not liked by
Turani and Irani nobles in the court of emperor.
 Turani and Irani nobles in the court of emperor had always wanted to remove these brothers from posts.
 By 1715, Farrukhsiyar had given Mir Jumla III the power to sign documents on his behalf.
 Mir Jumla III began approving mansabs or promotions or appointment to offices without consulting Abdullah
Khan, the prime minister (wazir) which was not liked by the Abdullah Khan.
 However, Abdulla Khan continued to maintain that no mansabs or promotions or appointment to office should
be made without consulting him.
 Mir Jumla III told Farrukhsiyar that the Sayyids should be removed from offices as they were not following his
orders (accused them of insubordination).
 To remove the Sayyid brothers from occupied posts, Farrukhsiyar began making military preparations and
increased the number of soldiers under Mir Jumla III.
 After Hussain Ali Khan came to know about Farrukhsiyar's plans. He felt that their position could be cemented by
controlling "important provinces". He asked to be appointed viceroy of the Deccan, instead of Nizam ul Mulk;
Farrukhsiyar refused, transferring him to the Deccan instead.
 Fearing attack by Farrukhsiyar, the brothers began making military preparations.
 Arriving at the Deccan, Hussain Ali Khan made a treaty with Maratha ruler Shahu I in February 1718. Shahu was
allowed to collect sardeshmukhi in Deccan, and received the lands of Berar and Gondwana to govern. In return,
Shahu agreed to pay one million rupees annually and maintain an army of 15,000 horses for the Sayyids . This
agreement was reached without Farrukhsiyar's approval, and he was angry when he learned about it.
 Sayyid brothers blinded and killed Farrukhsiyar in April 1719.
 After the death of Farrukhsiyar, the Saiyid brothers were complete masters of the situation at Delhi.

Defective Law of Succession

 Because of the absence of the law of primogeniture among the Mughals, a war of succession used to take place among the
sons of the dying Emperor in which the military leaders/nobles of the time took sides.
 In these wars of successions, royal princes were the real contenders supported by powerful nobles. This system of war of
succession, though not commendable, was not without its advantages. It provided the Mughal Empire with the ablest son of
the dying Emperor as the ruler.
 But a sinister development that took place in the later Mughal politics and that was nobles became the real contenders
for political power and the royal princes receded in the background
 i.e. in the later Mughal period, the powerful nobles of different factions/parties started to decide which royal prince would
be the next successor to the throne of emperor to suit their interests and removed royal princes from the throne when they
stopped serving their interests
 i.e. in the later Mughal period the powerful nobles started playing the role of ‘king-makers’.

The Rise of the Marathas under the Peshwas

(1) One of the most powerful factors that led to collapse/decline of the Mughal Empire was the rising power of the Marathas
under the Peshwas.
(2) The Marathas under the Peshwas wanted to establish Hindu-pad-padshahi (the idea of Hindu Empire) at the cost of the
Mughal Empire.
(3) Though the Marathas were not successlul in establishing a stable empire in India, they certainly played a great part in
bringing about the disintegration/decline/collapse of the Mughal empire.
(4) The rise of the Marathas under peshwas fastened/hastened the pace of collapse/decline of the Mughal Empire.

Note:
Page | 39
The tide of Maratha expansion continued to rise till it engulfed Northern India. At one time the Marathas seemed the most
powerful force in the politics of India, assuming the role of defenders of India against foreign invasions of Ahmad Shah Abdali
and playing the role of ‘King-makers’ at Delhi as Sadashiv Rao Bhau seems to have done in 1759 and Mahadaji Scindia in 1772.

Military Weaknesses

 There were inherent defects in the Mughal military system.

 The army was organised more or less on the feudal basis where the common soldier owed allegiance to the mansabdar
rather the Emperor. The soldier looked upon the mansabdar as his chief, not as an officer. The defects of this system
though evident enough in revolts of Bairam Khan and Mahabat Khan assumed alarming proportions under the later
Mughal kings.
 Lack of modernisation
 The chief defect of the Mughal armies of eighteenth century was their composition. The soldiers were usually drawn
from Central Asia and collected by the captains of companies who supplied men to anyone able to pay for them. These
soldiers and their leaders came to India to make fortunes not to lose them. As such the leaders of such armies changed
sides without scruples and were constantly plotting either to betray or supplant their employers. Even the Mughal
viceroys employing such troops were constantly haunted by the fear of desertion. Such hired soldiers without
coherence or loyalty were unfit custodians of the interests of the Empire.
Economic Bankruptcy

(1) Worsening economic and financial conditions were visible in the 17th century and economic and financial conditions steadly
worsened towards the end of Aurangzeb’s reign.
(2) Aurangzeb’s mistaken policy of war in the Deccan which continued for 27 years
1. drained the wealth of the empire’s treasury.
2. the trade and industry
i. almost ruined the trade and industry of the country.
3. Standing crops and greenery
i. The marches of army of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb damaged crops in the Deccan while the beasts of
burden ate away all standing crops and greenery.
ii. standing crops were also destroyed by the Maratha raiders (Maratha horses were fed on standing
crops, and Maratha soldier destroyed whatever property they found too heavy to be carried)
iii. The peasants gave up agriculture in disgust and many of them went for plundering and highway
robbery.
4. There was so much dislocation of normal life in the Decccan that the agents of the English and French
Companies found great difficulty in procuring goods for export to Europe.
(3) The financial condition further deteriorated under the later Mughal Emperors
1. In the later Mughal politics, some Mughal provinces started asserted independence and ceased/stopped
the payment of any revenue to the centre, the numerous wars of succession and political convulsions
coupled with the lavish living of the Emperors emptied the royal treasury to an extent that salaries of
soldiers was not paid regularly.
2. Jagirdari Crisis
 When the Emperors fell back to the uneconomic devise of granting jagirs in payment of liquidation of
arrears of pay.
 The process was pushed to such absurd lengths that the land in the country was insufficient for the
total number of jagirs granted.
 Many a time jagirs were granted but the recipient had to wail for long to get actual possession of land.
 An aggrieved grantee sarcastically remarked that the time gap between the grant of a jagir and its
actual possession was long enough to turn a boy into a grey-beard person.
 Jagirdars in turn were so greatly under debt to money- lenders that they farmed out their jagirs to
them.
 3. Writing of the times of Alamgir II says that at one time the Emperor was reduced to such hard straits
that for three days no fire was kindled in the harem ( हरम) kitchen and the princesses in frantic regard of
purdhah rushed out of the palace to the city.

Invasions of Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali/ Foreign Invasions from the North-West Frontier

(1) Page
Foreign
| 40 invasions from north-west (invasions of Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali) hastened the
downfall/decline/disintegration/collapse of the Mughal empire.
(2) Battle of Karnal (24 February 1739)
1. The Battle of Karnal took place near Karnal (now in Haryana), 110 kilometres north of Delhi, India on 24 February 1739
in which Nadir Shah (the king of Persia)'s forces defeated the army of Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah supported
by Deccan Nawab Nizam-ul-Mulk and Awadh Nawab Saadat Ali Khan within three hours, despite being heavily
outnumbered (six-to-one). After that, he marched towards Delhi and took possession of royal treasury. Hence, he
invaded India in 1739.
2. The peacock throne and the Kohinoor Diamond were the two most priced items of his loot. His total plunder,
estimated at 70 crore, enabled him to exempt his own kingdom from taxation for 3 years.
3. He also annexed strategically important areas west of the Indus (including Kabul) to the Persian Empire.
4. Some historians have described him as the Napoleon of Persia or Napoleon of Iran
5. Significance of Battle of Karnal (1739)
i. He annexed strategically important areas west of the Indus (including Kabul) to the Persian Empire. The loss
of area to west of the Indus (including Kabul) made the empire more vulnerable from the future attacks
from the north-west.
ii. Depleted wealth of the Mughal treasury (looted approx. 70 crore)
iii. It exposed hidden weakness of the Mughal Empire to the Maratha Sardars and the foreign trading companies
=> that gave confidence to turbulent elements in the country which were so far kept in check by the name and
prestige of the Empire to rebel against the Mughal empire, and circumscribe the authority of the Empire.
(3) Ahmad Shah Abdali (King of Afghanistan) attacked/invaded India/Mughal Empire seven times during 1748-67 and
plundered.
1. After assassination of Nadir Shah (1747), Ahmad Shah Abdali (Ahmad Shah Durrani) became king of
Afghanistan.
2. Muhammad Shah – 1, Ahmad Shah – 2, Alamgir II – 2/3, Shah Alam – II – 2.
3. Third Battle of Panipat (1761)
i. The Mughal empire had so greatly shrunk that in 1761 Abdali fought the third battle of Panipat
(1761) not against the Mughal Empire but against the Marathas who virtually controlled the whole
of Northern India.
ii. Shah Alam II (1760 – 31st July 1788 & 16th Oct 1788 – 1806)
iii. Ahmad Shah Abdali’s 6th attack in India - Third Battle of Panipat (1761)
iv. The Third Battle of Panipat took place on 14 January 1761 at Panipat, about 97 km north of Delhi.
v. between forces of the Maratha Empire (who?) and forces of the King of Afghanistan Ahmad Shah
Abdali (Ahmad Shah Durrani) supported by two Indian allies—(1) Najib-ud-daulah (the Rohillas)
and (2) Shuja {Siraj}-ud-Daulah the Nawab of Awadh
vi. [Victorious - Abdali]
The repeated invasions by Ahmed Shah Abdali, Nadir’s successor, deprived the Empire of the frontier provinces of Punjab,
Sindh, Kashmir etc.

Further Reading: Details of Ahmad Shah Abdali Attacks

S.No. Year
1 1748 His first invasion to India was in 1748 during reign of Muhammad Shah

2 1749 (3) Ahmad Shah – Emperor

(4) He again crossed the north-west frontier and defeated the Punjab Governor
Muin-ul-Mulk.
(5) However, Muin-ul-Mulk promised him an annual remittance of Rs 14,000 and
Abdali returned.
3 1752 (6) Ahmad Shah – Emperor
(7) Abdali’s third attack in India as he was not getting the promised remittance
regularily.
 (8) The emperor Ahmad Shah, with a view to save Delhi from devastation, appeased
Abdali by surrendering Punjab and Multan.
4 Nov 1756  Emperor: Alamgir – II
 When the pubjab Governor Muin-ul-Mulk passed away, wazir Imad-ul-Mulk
appointed Adina Beg as Punjab Governor to restore order (in Nov 1953). This was
seen as intereference in Punjab by Abdali.
Page | 41  Hence, Abdali invaded India for the fourth times in Nov 1756.
5 Jan 1757 (9) Emperor: Alamgir – II
(10) He entered Delhi and plundered as far as Mathura and Agra.
(11) Before returning he recognised Alamgir II as the emperor and Imad-ul-Mulk as
the wazir, the Rohilla Chief Najib-ud-Daulah as Mir Bakshi of the empire and his
son Timur Shah Durrani (wedded to the daughter of Alamgir II) as his supreme
agent to safegaurd his interests in India. In this way, Abdali returned to
Afghanistan without displacing Mughal dynasty so long it accepted
Abdali’suzerainty.
6 1758 (??) (12) Alamgir – II
(13) Najiob was expelled from Delhi by the Maratah chief Raghunath Rao who also
captured Punjab, forcing Abdali to return to India in 1759 to take revenge on the
Marathas.
7 1761 (14) Emperor: Shah Alam – II
(15) He defeated the Maraths in the third Battle of Panipat, giving a fatal blow to
their ambition of controlling the Emperor and dominating the country. True, the
Marathas escorted the Mughal Emperor to the throne of Delhi in 1772 and again
in 1789, they never again made an attempt to capture Punjab and Multan or play
the defenders of the North-West frontier of India.
(16) Third Battle of Panipat (1761)
o The Mughal authority had so greatly shrunk that in 1761 Abdali fought
the third battle of Panipat (1761) not against the Mughal Empire but
against the Marathas who virtually controlled the whole of Northern
India.
o Shah Alam II (1760 – 31st July 1788 & 16th Oct 1788 – 1806)
o Ahmad Shah Abdali’s 6th attack in India - Third Battle of Panipat (1761)
o The Third Battle of Panipat took place on 14 January 1761 at Panipat,
about 97 km north of Delhi.
o between forces of the Maratha Empire (who?) and forces of the King of
Afghanistan Ahmad Shah Abdali (Ahmad Shah Durrani) supported by
two Indian allies—(1) Najib-ud-daulah (the Rohillas) and (2) Shuja-ud-
Daulah the Nawab of Awadh
o [Victorious - Abdali]
1767 (17)

A cumulative effect of the Irani and Durrani invasions as well as internal fueds of the Indian nobility was that by 1761, the Mughal
Empire had ceased to exists in practise as an India Empire.
Najib-ud-Daulah
o He was a Rohilla Chief (Afghani) who had joined Ahmad Shah Abdali in 1757 during his attack on Delhi. For a
certain period of time, Najib-ud-Daulah and later his son Zabita Khan and grandson Ghulam Qadir exercised
undisputed power at Delhi.
o Najib was the founder of the city of Najibabad in Bijnor district.
o For about a decade (1761-72) a virtual Afghan dictatorship under Najib-ud-daula was set up at Delhi.

Links
o http://www.preservearticles.com/articles/get-complete-information-on-the-ahmad-shah-abdalis-invasion-to-
india/27596
o Note (may be ignored)
 As a seventeen-year-old young man, Ahmed Shah had accompanied Nader Shah in the 1739 invasion of India as a
protege and loyal general of the latter: commanding 4,000 horsemen.
  He had participated in plunder, rapine and slaughter, and had observed first hand the revenue-generating potential
of this productive land watered by numerous snow-fed rivers.

Page |Foreign
Reasons: 42 Invasions from the North-West

Nadir Shah’s Invasion, 1738-39

The real causes of Nadir Shah’s invasion of India
(A) The deterioration in the field of administration including defence, corruption and carelessness during the reign of
later Mughals
 Mughal administration including defence under Aurangzeb was good in Mughal provinces (Kabul
and Ghazni) of north-western frontier.
 people regularly paid the taxes
 regular subsidies were paid to people
 a constant and brisk communication of political intelligence had been maintained between Mughal
provinces (Kabul and Ghazni) and Delhi.
 However, the deterioration in the field of administration including defence, corruption and
carelessness during the reign of later Mughals in entire Mughal empire in general and in Mughal
provinces of north-western frontier to be specific are responsible for invasion by Nadir Shah of
Persia from north-west
 Incapable viceroys in Mughal provinces of north-western frontier were appointed by favouritism
 the garrisons in Mughal provinces of north-western frontier were totally neglected
 the subsidies paid to the people were withheld due to corruption
 the later Mughal emperors and his like-minded ministers heard little, and cared less, about what was going
on in Mughal provinces of north-western frontier.
 To cite an example, when the Mughal Governor of Kabul reported the threat of a Persian invasion,
this information was described as the outcome of baseless fears.
 When the governor reported that the salary of the soldiers had been in arrears for the past five
years, evasive replies were sent to him.
(B) Territorial ambition of Nadir Shah
 Nadir Shah became the ruler of the whole of Persia in 1736
(C) Attack on of third emissary sent by Nadir Shah
 Nadir had despatched in 1737 an emissary — third of its kind — to Mughal emperor which was
attacked and cut-off at Jalalabad by the Mughal soldiers
(D) Shelter to Afghan fugitives in Kabul and Ghazni
 Nadir Shah conquered Kandhar in 1738.
 Before the attack, a common agreement/understanding has reached between Nadir Shah and
Mughal Muhammad Shah that Afghan fugitives would not be allowed to shelter in Kabul and Ghazni.
However, contrary to agreement/understanding, a number of Afghan fugitives look shelter at Kabul
and Ghazni.
(E) Insulted Nadir Shah by discontinuing the practice of exchange of ambassadors
 The Mughal emperor had insulted Nadir Shah by discontinuing the practice of exchange of
ambassadors with the Persian court when Nadir ascended the throne of Persia.
Nadir Shah captured Ghazni, Kabul, Attock and Lahore in 1738.

 The Battle of Karnal (21 February 1739)

 After capturing Ghazni, Kabul and Lahore in north -western frontier of Mughal empire, Nadir shah advanced towards
Delhi for attack.
 The Battle of Karnal lasted only three hours.
 The Mughal emperor fought with an army of 80,000 and accompanied by
o the Nizam-ul-Mulk
o Saadat Khan
 Khan-i-Dauran died in the battle.
 Nadir Shah won the battle.
 Why the Mughal lost battle?
 o No knowledge of the enemy’s whereabouts
o There was neither any general plan of action nor an agreed leader.
o The Battle of Karnal lasted only three hours.
 Nizam-ul-Mulk played the role of the peace maker.
 It was agreed that Nadir would get 50 lakhs of rupees, 20 lakhs immediately and 30 lakhs in three equal
instalments of 10 lakhs each payable at Lahore, Attock and Kabul respectively.
Page | 43 The Emperor was so pleased with the services of Nizam-ul-Mulk that he conferred on him the office of the Mir

Bakhshi.

Nadir Shah Marched again to Delhi in March 1739

 Why Nadir Shah Marched again to Delhi in March 1739

 The selfishness and mutual rivalries of the Mughal nobles in the court of Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah.
 Saadat Khan wanted the office of the Mir Bakhshi. He was very disappointed when the same post was given to
the Nizam-ul-Mulk.
 Thereafter, he met Nadir Shah and told him that he could easily secure 20 crores of rupees only if he would
proceed to Delhi.
 Nadir Shah reached Delhi in March 1739 and stayed in Delhi for about two months. At Delhi the khutba (emblem of
sovereignty) was read for Nadir and coins were issued in his name. The Mughal empire had ended for about two
months, the Persian empire rule was there for about two months.
 He collected huge wealth from Delhi
 Many Mughal nobles and even the general population gave cash and wealth
 Saadat Khan was threatened with corporal punishment if he did not collect for the invader an amount of 20
crores. Helpless, Saadat Khan took poison and ended his life. Saadat Khan’s successor, Safdar jang paid two
crore rupees as his part of the contribution.
 Nadir amounted to 30 crores of rupees in cash besides jewels, gold and silver plates, besides “100 elephants,
7,000 horses, 10,000 camels, 100 eunches, 130 writers, 200 smiths, 300 masons and builders, 100 stone-cutters
and 200 carpenters.” Above all, the invader carried with him the Peacock Throne of Shahjehan which alone had
cost a crore of rupees.
 The Mughal emperor was also compelled to give a royal princess in marriage to Nadir’s son, Nasir Allah Mirza.
 Muhammad Shah also surrendered to Nadir Shah the Mughal provinces west of the river Indus including
Kashmir and Sind. The Subah of Thatta and the ports subordinate thereto were also surrendered to the invader.
 Nadir on his part
 Declared Muhammad Shah as Emperor of the Mughal Empire once again with the right to issue coins and have
the khutba read in his name.
 Before leaving Delhi, Nadir also gave much advice to Muhammad Shah and exhorted his subjects to obey him.
 He also promised military support to the Mughal emperor in time of need.
l. Ahmad Shah Abdali’s Invasions and the Third Battle of Panipat
 After the assassination of Nadir Shah in 1747, Ahmad Shah declared himself as ruler of Kandhar.
 He also issued coins bearing his name.
 Soon after he seized Kabul and founded the modern kingdom of Afghanistan.
 He enlisted a large army of 50,000.
 As the rightful successor of Nadir, he laid claim to Western Panjab.
 He invaded India seven times and fought the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761.
 Ahmad Shah Abdali’s first invasion of India in 1748
 Ahmad Shah Abdali’s first invasion of India in 1748 ended in a fiasco.
 Ahmad Shah Abdali’s second invasion of India in 1749
 Early in 1749 he again crossed the frontier and defeated Muin-ul-Mulk, the Governor of the Panjab.
 However, he was induced to return on a promise by Muin-ul-Mulk of an annual remittance of fourteen
thousand rupees.
 Ahmad Shah Abdali’s third invasion of India in 1752
 As he did not get regularly the promised tribute, Abdali invaded India the third time in 1752.
 Ahmad Shah Abdali’s fourth invasion of India in 1756
 Fearing a repetition of Nadir’s outrages, the Mughal Emperor Ahmad Shah appeased Abdali by surrender
of the Panjab and Sindh.
 To restore order in the Panjab which had been a prey to anarchy after the death of Muin-ul-Mulk in
November 1753, Wazir Imad-ul-Mulk appointed Adina Beg Khan as Governor of the Panjab.
 This was, however, interpreted as interference in the affairs of the Panjab by Abdali who crossed into Indian
 territory for the fourth time in November 1756.
 In January 1757 the invader entered Delhi and plundered as far as Mathura and Agra. Before his return
Abdali recognised Alamgir II as the emperor, Imad-ul-Daula as the Wazir and the Rohilla chief Najib-ud-
Daula as his personal “supreme agent” and as Mir Bakhshi of the empire.
 Ahmad Shah Abdali’s fifth invasion of India in 1759 (also fought The third battle of Panipat was fought on 14 January
1761)
Page | 44  In March 1758, Raghunath Rao appeared at Delhi, expelled Najib from the capital and later overran the
Panjab, appointing Adina Beg as governor of the Panjab on behalf of the Peshwa.
 Abdali returned to India in 1759 to avenge on the Marathas.
 The third battle of Panipat was fought on 14 January 1761, resulting in the total defeat of the Marathas.
 Before leaving Delhi on 20 March 1761 Abdali named Shah Alam II as emperor. Imad-ul-Mulk as Wazir and
Najib ud-Daula as Mir Bakhshi.
 The last of Abdali’s invasion came in 1767.
 Ahmad Shah Abdali’s invasions hastened the downfall of the Mughal empire.
 The frequency of his invasions further exposed the rottenness of the Mughal empire and created anarchy and
confusion all round.
 So shallow was the reality of the Mughal empire that the new Emperor Shah Alam II was not allowed to enter Delhi
for twelve years and was escorted to his throne in 1772 only by the Marathas.
 The Rohilla leaders Najib-ud-Daula and later his son Zabita Khan and grandson Ghulam Qadir exercised undisputed
power at Delhi.
 On 30 July 1788 Ghulam Qadir took possession of the royal palace and deposed Shah Alam and later blinded him
completely (10 August 1788).
 It was the Maratha leader Mahadji Sindhia who recovered Delhi for the emperor once again in October 1788.
 In 1803 the English captured the imperial city and Shah Alam II became a pensioner of the East India Company.

Advent of the European Companies

The Rise of New Autonomous States in India

It is cause and also consequcnes for decline of the Mughal empire.

Rise of Regional Powers – class

1. Mid 18th century Independent kingdoms (Mid 18th century India was a fragmented polity)
(1) Succession states – semi autonomous states
(2) Rebellion states
(3) Other states- autonomous states
2. Succession states – They were originally ruled by agents/Governors/Shubadars of Mughal empire who started behaving as
Independent rulers with decline in the central authority.
3. Rebellion states- They were ruled by enemies of the Mughal empire who expanded their territories at the cost of the Mughal
territories.
(1) The Marathas
4. Other States – They were located at the remote corners or frontiers of Mughal Empire and were relatively outside Mughal
sphere of influence.
(1) Far South India

Succession/Semi Autonomous States

1. 1717 – Bengal - Murshid Quli Khan
2. 1722 – Awadh - Saadat Ali Khan
3. 1724 – Nizam ul Mulk - Hyderabad
4. 1725 – Carnatic - Saadatullah Khan (Saadullah Khan) – Modern day Kerala, TN, KN as well as AP – Nizam of Hyderabad
appointed Nawab of Carnatic.
5. The Rajputs – Jai Singh and Ajit Singh

Page | 45

Rebellion States

The Sikhs

1. 6th and 9th Sikh Guru executed

2. 10th Sikh Guru was assisinated
3. Banda Bahadur (1708 – 1716) – defeated and executed
4. After defeat, Sikhs were divided into 12 groups or Misls. Initially, they was cooperation and later on differences emerge.
5. In 1790s, Ranjit Singh (Sukerchakia Misl) united Sikhs and title of Maharaja.

The Maratha

Farrukhabad

1714 – Mohammad Khan Bangash

Afghan origin
 Page | 46

Rohilkhand

1721 -Ali Mohammad Khan

The Jats

Badan Singh
Churaman Jat
Suraj Mal
Name of Jat State – Bharatpur (Rajasthan)
 Page | 47

Other States

Travancore

Raja Marthanda Verma (1729 – 1758) – Like Europeans, this had modern army – defeated the Dutch in Battle of Kolachal 1741.
Mysore

1. Broken from Vijaynagar empire.

2. Ruled by Wodeyar dynasties
3. Haider Ali (1761 – 1782) and Tipu Sultan (1782 – 1799)
Page | 48

NE Tribal rulers

3rd Battle of Panipat 1761

Nature of Independet Kingdoms

1. They were behaving like independent rulers but they acknowledged nominal supremacy of the Mughals.
2. It led to decentralisation of authority (regional powers became strong and central authority decline)
3. Secular polity
4. No anarchy
5. Aped Mughal administrative structure
6. Medieval nature of the army and no powerful navy
7. Rent - extracting states – backward looking economic structure
a. British Government had established debt market.
b. Britain- - first central bank -
8. Declining agriculture, stagnation of industries
9. Declining foreign trade
10. Supersitious ideas and social structure based on inequalities
11. Lack of modern nationalistic ideas
 Page | 49

The Rise of New Autonomous States in India

The Rise of New Autonomous States in India

Reasons for the Rise of New Autonomous States in India

1. Weak successors of Aurangzeb
2. Weakening of central political structure of the Mughal Empire
3. Erosion of military strength
4. (1)+(2)+(3) => creates some sort of a political vaccum which tempted ambitious subahdars/Nawabs/Governors of Mughal
provinces to start asserting/exercising independence from Mughal Emperor’s authority which led to rise of autonomus
states in India.
Types of autonomus states in India
 There were 3 types of autonomus states in India –
 Successor States –
 (1) Bengal – 1717 (2) Awadh – 1722 (3) Hyderabad- 1724 (4) Carnatic -
 These states had been fully a part of Mughal empire as Mughal Provinces (subah).
 In 18th century, Nawabs (Subahdars) of these provinces started asserting (exercising) independence/autonomy
without formal declaration of renunciation of their allegiance to Mughal Emperor.
 New States –
 (1) The Marathas (2) The Sikhs (3) The Jats (4) The Afghans
 Independent States –
 (1) Mysore (2) Kerala (3) The Rajputs
 These states had been nominally a part of Mughal Empire and now in the 18 th century became completely
independent.
Hyderabad
 Qamar-ud-Din Siddiqi/Nizam-ul-Mulk:- The state of Hyderbad was founded in 1724 by the Qamar-ud-Din Siddiqi (a
powerful noble of Turani group/party at the Mughal Emperor’s court)
 Titles (3)
 Chin Qilich Khan – Conferred upon him by Aurangzeb
 Nizam-ul-Mulk – Farrukhsiyar
 Asaf Jah – Muhammad Shah
 Viceroy/Nawab of Deccan (1713-22)
 During Mughals’ days, subhadar of Deccan was appointed at Hyderabad.
 The idea of an independent state in the Deccan was first conceived by Zulfiqar Khan.
 Zulfiqar Khan was made subahadar of Mughal province Deccan.
 After his death, Chin Qilich Khan was made subahdar (Nawab/viceroy) of Deccan by emperor Farrukhsiyar
(1713-19) who had given him title of Nizam-ul-Mulk.
 Wajir of Mughal Empire
 He was appointed as wajir in Mughal’s court by Muhammad Shah.
 He was conferred the title of Asaf Jah by Muhammad Shah.
 Establishment of autonomus Hyderbad State in 1724
 He as a wajir of Mughal Empire tried to reform the corrupt Mughal administration during the reign of Mughal
Emperor Muhammad Shah which was not liked by corrupt noboles/officials of Mughal’s court. These corrupt
officials were succesful in poisoning the mind of Muhammad Shah against Niam-ul-Mulk. He resigned from the
post of wajir in 1724 and formed an independent state of Hyderabad in 1724.
 He reached Deccan and asked the sitting viceroy of Deccan Mubariz Khan to vacate the post but he denied. So,
he fought Battle of Shakr-Kheda (1724) with Mubariz Khan in 1724. He became victorious and became once
again Nawab of Deccan.
 Founded Asaf Jah Dynasty.
  He conducted wars, signed treaties, conferred mansabs and made important appointments without taking prior
approval of Mughal Emperor.
 War of succession (1748)
 After the death of Nizam-ul-Mulk, a bloody war of succession took place between Nasir Jung (his son) and
Muzaffar Jung (his grandson)
 On more than one occasion the Nizam posed as defender of the Mughal empire. He fought against Baji Rao I but
suffered
Page | 50 defeat at Bhopal (December 1739). He also accompanied the emperor to Karnal to fight against Nadir Shah.

Carnatic
 Nawabs
 Saadatullah Khan (1710-32)
 Dost Ali (1732-40)
 Saadatullah Khan (1710-32)
 Carnatic with HQs at Arcot headed by Deputy Governor was under authority of Governor of Deccan.
 Just as in practise, Governor of Deccan had started asserting autonomy/independence from the authority of
Mughal emperor in the same way the Deputy Governor of Carnatic had started asserting the
autonomy/independence from the authority of Governor of Deccan.
 Saadatullah Khan was the founder of an autonomous state of Carnatic.
 He had appointed his nephew Dost Ali as successor without prior approval of the Governor of Deccan.
 Carnatic wars (1740-63)

Bengal
 In 18th century, two main branches of Bengal provincial Administration – (1) Diwani (means revenue administration)
headed by Diwan (2) Nizamat (means civil and military administration).
 Incharge of Nizamat was Subahdar (also called Nawab, Governor or Viceroy).
 Incharge of Diwani was Diwan.
 In 17th Century, these two posts were occupied by two separate officials, direcly appointed by the Mughal
emperor and both these two officials were directly reporting to the Mughal emperor.
 Murshid Quli Khan
1. Murshid Quli Khan was the founder of the independent State of Bengal.
2. 1700 – Aurangzeb appointed Murshid Quli Khan as Diwan of Bengal.
3. 1717 – Farrukhsiyar made Murshid Quli Khan as Subahdar (Nawab) of Bengal. So, he was holding two posts –
Diwan and Nizamat – simulataneously. In earlier Mughal administration, these two posts were held by two
separate officials. With this Murshid got enormous power (say A)
4. The independent Bengal was founded by the Nawab Murshid Quli Khan (i.e. Mughal Subha or province Bengal
became independent under the Nawab Murshid Quli Khan in 1717). Reasons – (1) Reasons for rise of new
autonomus states + (2) A
5. Shifted capital from Dhaka to Murshidabad
6. He replaced Mughal jagirdari system with the system of revenue farming (or ijara or malzamini systems)

Awadh
 In 18th century, Awadh was a economic prosporous Mughal province (subah) as agriculture and trade was flourishing.
 Comprised Benaras and some districts near Allahabad
 Nawabs of Awadh
 Saadat Ali Khan (Battle of Karnal – 24 Feb 1739)
 Safdar Jung
 Shuja-ud-Daula (Third Battle of Panipat – 14 January 1761)
 Asaf-ud-Daula
 Saadat Ali Khan (1722 – 39)
1. He was made Nawab of Awadh in 1722 by the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah.
2. Awadh was made an independent state by Saadat Khan (i.e. Saadat Khan was the founder of an autonomus state
of Awadh) in 1722
3. He was given title of Burhan-ul-Mulk by the emperor Muhammad Shah as he suppressed the rebellious
Zamindars who had denied payment of land taxes.
4. Battle of Karnal (1739):- In 1739, Saadat Khan was called at Delhi to assist Mughal Emperor Muhammand Shah
in fighting against Nadir Shah at Battle of Karnal. He was taken prisoner in the battle of Karnal. He commited
suicide in 1739.
  Safdar Jung (1739-54)
1. In 1739, Nadir Shah was the emperor of India for the two months after winning Battle of Karnal in 1739. He had
recognised Safdar Jung as next Nawab of Awadh by accepting Rs 2 crore as peshkash.
2. He was appointed as wajir in 1748 in Mughal emperor’s court by the Mughal Emperor Ahmad Shah after the
death of Muhammad Shah and Nizam-ul-Mulk in 1748.
 Shuja-ud-Daula (1754 – 75)
Page |1.51 After the death of Safdar Jung in 1754, his son Shuja-ud-Daula became the next Nawab of Awadh.
2. Third Battle of Panipat (1761):-
a. He joined Afghan invador Ahmad Shah Abdali against the Marathas in the third Battle of Panipat (1761)
in which the Marathas got defeated. (The Marathas used to raid Awadh province frequently)
3. Battle of Buxar (1764):-
a. The Battle of Buxar was fought on 23 October 1764 between the forces of the British East India
Company led by Hector Munro and the combined army of Mughal rulers- The Mughal Emperor Shah
Alam – II, the Mughal Nawab of Bengal Mir Qasim and the Mughal Nawab of Awadh Shuja-ud-Daula in
which EIC defeated combined forces.
b. Battle of Buxar was ended with the sigining Treay of Allahabad (16 August 1765)
 Asaf-ud-Daula (1775- 97)
 After the death of Shuja-ud-Duala in 1775, his son Asaf-ud-Daula became next Nawab of Awadh and in 1775 itself he
shifted capital from Faizabad to Lucknow.
 He concentrated his energies in cultural persuits, giving rise to a distinct Lucknow culture.
 He also built the famous monument Bara Imambara
 Removal of Wajid Ali Shah (the last Nawab) from Nawab of Awadh in 1856 became one of reason for the 1857 revolt.

Social and Economic Conditions in 18th century

The Sikhs

Sikh Empire
Confederacy of Sikhs were united in Sikh empire by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1799 i.e. Sikh empire was founded by
Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the year 1799.
The entire Punjab region was annexed by the British East India Company from the Sikh Empire in 1849.
Capital – Lahore
Spiritual capital – Amritsar
Built an army considered to be the second biggest in Asia after the East India Company.
The Golden temple’s construction was begun by Guru Ram Das ji, the 4th Sikh Guru, and completed by his successor (5th Sikh
Guru), Guru Arjan Devji.
In the early 19th century, Maharaja Ranjit Singh covered the upper floors of the Gurdwara with gold, which gives it its
distinctive appearance and English name of "Golden Temple*".
*THE GOLDEN TEMPLE: The Harmandir Sahib informally referred to as the Golden Temple is a prominent Sikh Gurdwara
located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab, India. Construction of the Gurdwara was begun by Guru Ram Das ji, the fourth Sikh
Guru, and completed by his successor, Guru Arjan Devji.

Mysore
V. MYSORE
Mysore kingdom was founded in the year 1399 as a vassal state of Vijayanagar empire by a wodeyar dynasty ruler
(Yaduraya Wodeyar).
Mysore kingdom was continued as a vassal state of Vijayanagar empire from 1399 to the year (1565) in which fall of
vijayanagar empire took place.
Page
After fall| of
52vijayanagr empire, Mysore kingdom coninued as an independent state till the year 1799, the year in which this
state came under control of British.
When Mysore came under control of British, then wodeyar dynasty ruler was Krishnaraja Wadiyar III (1799–1868).
His successors changed the English spelling of their royal name to Wadiyar and took the title of Bahadur.
From 1760 to 1799, the wodeyar dynasty rulers were nominal rulers while Haider Ali, and after him his son Tipu Sultan
(Also called Tiger of Mysore), both were commander-in-chiefs, were de-facto rulers of Mysore kingdom.