Decline of the Mughal Empire

The decline of the Mughal Empire after Aurangzeb’s death in 1707 was a protracted process driven by a combination of internal weaknesses and external pressures.

Causes of Decline

1. Weak Successors: The later Mughals (Bahadur Shah I to Bahadur Shah Zafar) were mostly incompetent, puppets in the hands of nobles.
2. Jagirdari Crisis: The empire ran out of enough jagirs (revenue assignments) to satisfy the growing number of mansabdars. This led to internal strife and corruption.
3. Financial Collapse: Endless wars, especially Aurangzeb’s Deccan campaigns, drained the treasury. Revenue collection declined as provincial governors asserted autonomy.
4. Administrative Decay: The central authority weakened; provincial governors (Subahdars) like Nizam-ul-Mulk in Hyderabad, Murshid Quli Khan in Bengal, and Saadat Khan in Awadh established virtually independent dynasties.
5. Revolts: The Marathas, Sikhs, Jats, and Rajputs rebelled and carved out independent territories, shrinking the empire’s land base.
6. Invasions: Nadir Shah’s invasion (1739) sacked Delhi and carried away the Peacock Throne and immense wealth. Ahmad Shah Abdali’s repeated invasions (1748–1761) further ravaged the northwest.
7. Rise of British Power: The East India Company took advantage of the power vacuum, conquering Bengal after Plassey (1757) and expanding steadily.

The Symbolic End

By the early 19th century, the Mughal “emperor” ruled only the area around Delhi, under British protection or as a pensioner. The Revolt of 1857 led to the final end; Bahadur Shah Zafar was deposed and exiled to Rangoon.

The Mughal decline was not sudden but a slow fragmentation, creating a political vacuum that facilitated British colonial expansion.