Question

What were the reasons for the decline of the Mughal Empire?

Accepted Answer

The Mughal empire became to crumble during the reign of Aurangzeb. The reasons for the decline of the Mughals can be described as follows:

Weak successors: Aurangzeb did not possess the political skills and statesmanship of his predecessors. On the other hand, the Mughal empire had become incompetent to manage such a vast empire. The successors of Aurangzeb were weak, Bahadur Shah and Jahandar Shah had short tenures.

Powerful Nobiilty: The Nobles during the Mughal period were divided into Turanis and Iranis. During this time, Sayyid brothers Abdullah Khan and Hussain Ali held the posts of the wazir and the mir bakshi in the Mughal court and took active part in the Mughal administration. The Mughal kings were considered as puppets in the hands of the nobility.

The invasion of Nadir Shah: The invasion of Nadir Shah during the reign of Muhammad Shah weakened the powers of the Mughals. Nadir Shah invaded sacked and plundered Delhi.

Arrival of the European powers: The arrival of the European powers, like French, Dutch and Portuguese. The East India Company began to construct forts in cities like Bombay, Calcutta and Madras. The Mughal ruler Shah Alam II decided to check the power of the British. However, the Indian territories fell in the hands of the British after the Battle of Buzar.

Loss of royal treasury: The policy of annexation followed by the Mughals created pressure on the administration of the empire. For instance, Mansabdari system lost its efficiency. The powers of the subedar increased during this period. Hence, the system of revenue collection became inefficient during the Mughal period. The invasions in Deccan drained the royal treasury.

Rebellion of Jats, Sikhs and Marathas: The rigid policies and actions made the Rajputs, Jats, Sikhs, and the Marathas revolt against the Mughals. The constant rebellions by these groups disturbed the stability of the Mughal empire in India.

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