DECLINE OF MUSLIM RULE IN
Aurangzeb died in 1707 A.D. leaving behind an empire that was unstable and threatened by various elements that were striving hard to overthrow Mughals. Aurangzeb’s death helped their cause and there was nobody as strong, capable, and determined as Aurangzeb had been. The Mughal downfall set in as soon as Aurangzeb was laid to rest. He was blamed for being strict and harsh with Hindus for demolishing their temples and throwing them out of the government. The re-imposition of Jizya is also said to have turned Hindus and other non-Muslim communities against the Mughal rule.
The Mughal Empire, area wise, had reached its peak under Aurangzeb. There was no proper communication system available to hold such a vast empire together. There was rebellion in the south if the court was in the north and vice versa. Both Bijapur and Golkanda, two big states in the south, had surrendered to the Mughal emperor by 1687. The last 26 years of Aurangzeb’s rule were devoted to his haughty wars in the
Another blunder that he had committed was by keeping his sons away from the royal court. None of his sons was trained in the art of government; a fact that was to prove death knell for the Mughals. The eldest living son, Muazzam, was 63 when Aurangzeb died. He proclaimed himself emperor but so did his brothers, Azam and Kam Baksh. Thus Muazzam, who had ascended the throne as Bahadur Shah, was to be kept busy for the first three years of his brief five-year rule in fighting off his brothers. He did his best to keep peace with the Hindus but proved unsuccessful. The Sikhs, who had risen as a potent military force during Aurangzeb’s rule, continued to make trouble for the Mughals. Banda Bahadur very successfully detached
The royal court had become a hotbed of intrigues by the time of Muhammad Shah Rangila who was known for his devotion to just music and dancing. The condition of the empire went from bad to worse. Usurpers and rebels increased, adventurers rose to gain momentary control and disappeared having made their temporary marks.
A powerful Persian general, Nadir Shah, ascended the Persian throne in 1736. He asked Muhammad Shah to join him in crushing
The Europeans, who had come to
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The empire had reached such vastness that it had become impossible for one emperor to control the whole area. It extended from
The Mughals had no navy worth mentioning. The small ships that patrolled the coasts were not part of a regular naval force and were no match to the well-equipped ships of the foreign invaders. The Dutch, the Portuguese, the British, and the French took advantage of this deficiency of the Mughals and established themselves through their naval presence. The Dutch and the Portuguese did not really pose a threat to the Mughal Empire, being satisfied with their smallholdings. On the other hand, the French and the British who had come to trade in
No one can deny the development of art, music, culture and architecture under the Mughals. But the intellectual stagnation that marred the empire is a reality in its own. Indians failed to keep pace with the changing times as far as development of sciences and technology is concerned. There was no interaction with other nations of the world and as a result Indians were found wanting as far as science and technology are concerned. No industrialization took place.
Absence of a law of succession appears to be the most lethal of the causes for the decline of Mughal rule in
Another very important reason was the rise of non-Muslim communities in different parts of
(Shamsul Arifin)
0300 5555-338
Was the in fighting between Aurangzeb’s successors the most important reason for the collapse of the Mughal Empire? Explain your answer. (14)
(October/November 2001)
Briefly explain THREE reasons for the decline of the Mughal Empire. (7)
(May/June 2002)
“Aurangzeb’s successors failed to live up to his courageous and determined personality.” Was this the most important reason for the decline of the Mughal Empire? Give reasons for your answer. (14)
(October/November 2003)
Were the weak and greedy characteristics of Aurangzeb’s successors the most important reason for the collapse of the Mughal Empire? Explain your answer. (14)
(October/ November 2005)
Explain why the Mughal Empire declined following the reign of Aurangzeb. (7)
(May/ June 2006)
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