Page 58 - Journeys Through Society-7
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• The mansabdars system had lost its importance The Later Mughals
since the powers of the mansabdars and subedars Aurangzeb’s successors, called the later Mughals,
went unchecked. ruled for 150 years (1707-1857). Important among
• The collection of revenue from the provinces them were: Bahadur Shah I, Jahandar Shah,
became uneven as the centre was unable to Farrukhsiyar and Muhammad Shah. The later mughals
control the regularity of the process. were weak and could not hold the empire together.
• Aurangzeb’s strict pollitical policies also angered During their reign, independent kingdoms rose in
the Sikhs, the Rajputs, the Jats and the Marathas every part of India and the Mughal Empire was
who rose in revolt and shattered the stablity of the reduced to the area around Delhi.
Mughal empire. After the death of Aurangzeb, his son Bahadur Shah I
• Inefficient successors of Aurangzeb, stagnation in ascended the throne after defeating his two brothers
intellectual and military spheres and lack of in 1707. He took the title of Shah Alam. His reign saw
advancement in military equipment further the rise of the Marathas, the Rajputs and the Sikhs. He
contributed to the decline of the empire. was succeeded by Jahandar Shah.
In 1739, Nadir Shah, the Shah of Persia, invaded India. The most important event of the reign of Jahandar
He fought Muhammad Shah, the Mughal Emperor of Shah was the rise of a group of nobles headed by the
India, at Karnal. The Mughals suffered a decisive Sayyid brothers, Abdullah Khan Baraha and Husain Ali
defeat. Nadir marched to Delhi and massacred its Khan. They became so powerful that they could
inhabitants. He plundered Delhi and took with him the depose or install anyone on the Mughal throne at their
famous Peacock Throne of Shah Jahan and the will. Hence, the Sayyid brothers are also referred to as
Kohinoor Diamond. The Mughal Empire never kingmakers.
recovered from this hard blow. Within a year, Jahandar Shah was deposed and Farruk.
Siyar was installed on the throne of the Mughal
Empire in 1713. A series of other rulers ruled the
mighty throne once occupied by Babur. In 1719,
Muhammad Shah ascended the throne and ruled till
his death in 1748. He was given to pleasure and is
often referred to as rangeela, meaning fun-loving. He
managed to curtail the power of the Sayyid brothers.
On the break-up of the Mughal Empire, many
independent states were established during
Muhammad Shah’s reign. Some of these, such as
Bengal, Awadh and Hyderabad, were old Mughal
provinces which did not break formal ties with the
Mughal empire. Some, like Rajput states of Amber
(Jaipur) and Jodhpur were watan jagirs under the
The Peacock Throne of Shah Jahan
Mughals but now asserted their independece. The
Wow Fact others were states formed by groups such as the Sikhs,
Jats and Marathas who had rebelled against the
It is believed that the name Kohinoor was Mughal and won independence.
first used by Nadir Shah, who took
possession of the diamond in 1739. Before
this date, the name Kohinoor wasn’t used. An The Former Mughal Provinces
alleged curse on the Kohinoor affects males Awadh
who wear it (but females are immune). Since
in possession of Queen Victoria, only women It was that period when Burhan-ul-Mulk Saadat Khan
wore the diamond. was appointed by the Mughal emperor Muhammad
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