Later Mughals and the Rise of Regional Powers

After Aurangzeb’s death (1707), a series of weak emperors occupied the throne while real power shifted to regional governors and invading forces.

Succession and Court Politics

Bahadur Shah I (1707–1712) attempted conciliation but died soon. A bloody war of succession ensued, and Jahandar Shah (1712–13) proved incompetent. Farrukhsiyar (1713–19) was a puppet of the Sayyid Brothers (Hussain Ali and Abdullah Khan), who became kingmakers. They were later killed, and Muhammad Shah ‘Rangeela’ (1719–48) presided over a pleasure-seeking court as the empire crumbled.

Rise of Regional Powers

• Hyderabad: Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah I founded the Asaf Jahi dynasty (1724), becoming virtually independent.
• Bengal: Murshid Quli Khan and his successors Alivardi Khan ruled Bengal independent of Delhi.
• Awadh: Saadat Khan Burhan-ul-Mulk established an autonomous state in Awadh (1722).
• Marathas: Under the Peshwas, the Maratha Confederacy expanded across central and western India, becoming the dominant power by the 1740s.
• Sikhs: The Sikhs formed misls (confederacies) and eventually unified under Ranjit Singh.
• Jats: Built a state centered on Bharatpur (Suraj Mal).
• Mysore: Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan created a powerful state in the south.

External Invasions

Nadir Shah’s sack of Delhi (1739) and Ahmad Shah Abdali’s invasions exposed the total weakness of the empire. The Third Battle of Panipat (1761) between Abdali and the Marathas left a massive power vacuum that the British East India Company would fill.

The Twilight Years

From Shah Alam II (1759–1806) to Bahadur Shah Zafar (1837–1857), the Mughal emperor was a titular figure first under Maratha influence, then under British protectorate. The Revolt of 1857 extinguished the dynasty.