CHAPTER - 2 | DECLINE OF MUGHALS | O LEVELS PAKISTAN STUDIES | HISTORY (2059 / 1) | (CLASS NOTES FOR REVISION)

DECLINE OF THE MUGHALS

REASONS:

· AURANGZEB’S RELIGIOUS REFORMS

-   Reinstituted Jizya Tax on non-Muslims

-   Destroyed Hindu Temples

-   Enforced Islamic Laws

-   Banned Suttee (Hindu Tradition)

 

· AURANGZEB’S WARS

-   Fought a war against the Rajputs

-   Attempted to expand North (in a campaign against NWFP pathans)

-   Numerous Rebellions (Sikhs, Satnamis, Jatts)

-   The Maratha War, which was the costliest.

 

· AURANGZEB’S LOVE FOR LUXURY

-   Built palaces, spend huge sums on himself.

-   e.g., Pearl Mosque for his own private prayers in Dehli

-   Made him unpopular. Furthered economic decline.

 

· INDEFINITE LAW OF SUCCESSION

-   The dead Mughal emperor’s sons would fight for power.

-   He tried preventing this by dividing the empire between his 4 sons.

-   Muezzin was first emperor. Died. His sons fought. In 10 years, 12 claimed the throne

-   These wars cost a lot. Weakening the economy. Many capable soldiers, nobles died.

-   Left the empire divided and weak.

 

· LAZY SUCCESSORS

-   Were lazy, incompetent. Unable to control government.

-   Handed the government over to the mansabdars (Nobles put in charge, system started by Akbar. These were often corrupt, disloyal and sought their own gains)

-    These often-corrupt nobles grew in power. Some princes and rulers were assassinated by courtiers. Such as Farukhsiyar and Alamgir

-   Thus, there was an imbalance of power. Any emperor who would take control could not rule.

 

· MILITARY INEFFICIENCY 

-   Mughals used to be powerful, disciplined armies. Used to fight with clever tactics. with strong commanders.

-   They became complacent with time. Didn’t feel the need for an army

-   Army became weak. Less disciplined. No modern advancements in warfare.

-   Army was also made of different groups: Persian. Afghani etc.

-   The Mughals lacked a naval fleet as well, despite having numerous ports.

 

· VAST EMPIRE

-   Over 1000’s of miles. Communication and transport was difficult. Months before news e.g: Rebellions reached the emperor, and he couldn’t react in time.

-   The Mansabdari system was weak and corrupt, no longer countered this.

-   Bihar, Deccan, Bengal managed to declare independence at points.

 

 

· INVADERS

-   Nadir Shah, Persian leader invaded. Defeated Muhammad Shah at Karnal 1734

-   He sacked Delhi. Left after 2 months with many jewels, good and the peacock throne

-   Ahmed Shah, an Afghan came in 1747.Attacked Kabul, Peshawar and Lahore. Had control over Punjab by 1749. Kashmir, Multan by 1756.

 

· BRITISH

-   Finally took control and effectively ended Mughal Rule

-   were military better equipped. Also employed local sepoys. Had military experience from their combat against the French, Portuguese.

-   Won decisive Battles: Plassey, Buxar. Mir Jafar betrayed Indians, helped British.

-   Exploited captured lands for a lot of profit.

 

Why the British took control over the EIC?                                                                      [07 marks]

· The Volume of trade and profit to the British was extremely significant. The crown did not feel that a thing of such importance should remain in the hands of a private company. They thus took control of the EIC.

 

· The British needed to shape their foreign policy, since the Russians seemed to be trying to expand. This couldn’t be done under the EIC.

 

· British Prestige was at stake. The needed expansion to regain the image they had lost in their disgraceful loss at Kabul by the Afghans.

 

Why European nations became involved in the subcontinent?                                      [07 marks]

· India had certain raw materials that the rest of the world did not have and they desired, including spices, cotton, sugar, silk, jute etc

 

· The British had a great regard for the raw materials, since they had recently undergone the industrial revolution and wished to expand their industries.

 

· The Middle Eastern countries had a tax on Europeans, and the Byzantine Empire was now under the ottomans who sought cheaper trade routes.

 

· They avoided land routes in the middle East, since trading via sea was cheaper, more effective and gave economy of scale.

 

· British went to India since other lands (e.g: Africa) were already under Portuguese control. They also fought against the French here.

 

How did British take control of India?

SUCCESSES (of Indians in resisting)

· In 1666, EIC grew proud, refused taxes and issued coins. Aurangzeb sent a force against them, defeated them. EIC paid a fine, apologized, reduced activities.

 

· In 1756, Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud Daulah defeated EIC and managed to drive them away from and they captured Calcutta.

 

· Tipu Sultan had French support, and used his strong army against the EIC at several times. Defeating them.

 

FAILURES:

· The very next year in 1757, The British, under Robert Clive defeated Siraj ud Daulah’s forces with the help of Mir Jafar’s betrayal. Siraj died, and the Mir Jafar was placed as a puppet ruler by the British

 

· In The Battle of Buxar of 1764, the British defeated the Mir Jafar’s son, Mir Qasim and Shah Alam II and the Nawabs of Oudh. This extended their influence, gave them Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. They collected Revenue from here, managed to get a bigger army. Ended true Muslim Rule.

 

· In 1782, first GG, Warren Hastings signed a treaty with the Marathas They could now focus on other places, and Maratha take over was prevented.

 

· In 1799, GG Wellesley invaded Mysore and killed Tipu Sultan. They thus killed a strong enemy and took control of his lands in Mysore.

 

· In 1803, The British entered Delhi, forced Shah Alam II to accept rule under “British Protection” which basically meant that The Emperor no longer had any real power.

British were true rulers by this point.

· They provoked the Sindh’s Ameers into war despite a treaty signed between the two parties in an attempt to make up for their disgrace in Afghanistan.

 

· British managed this partly because of the Industrial Revolution, which made them technologically superior, giving them an edge over the Indians with their weapons, techniques.

 

British Reforms/Rule.

· India was very wealthy, but this wealth was heavily exploited by the British, with all this wealth going over to the British.

 

· In 1829, they banned Suttee (A common hindu tradition)

 

· Replaced Persian with English as the government language … Indians could no longer get government jobs.

 

· Indians had to send their children to co-ed schools with westernized Educations. They disliked this as it went against their culture and religion.

 

· Christian Missionaries came and set up schools, and seemed to try and convert the local populace to Christianity. This was resented by the Indians.

 

· British brought in the railway system, which is also annoyed the Indians as they felt that the British were trying to intervene in India too much.

 

· British sold cotton in India (thanks to Industrial Revolution) and collapsed the Indian Textile Industry, leaving millions jobless and poor.