Impact of Nadir shah invasion
- Huge loss of prestige for the Mughals.
- Muhammad Shah lost the respect of Mansabdars as did not stand up for his dignity despite insults by Nadir Shah.
- Lost prestige among people as Nadir Shah massacred 2 lakh, civilians in Delhi, therefore people realized that the Mughals cannot protect them.
- Loss of military prestige as it was a huge military defeat, Soon after a defeat by Marathas in 1738.
- Huge economic loss and now the Mughals could not maintain a strong army.
- Nadir shah took away Peacock's throne that had Kohinoor in it, a huge loot of elephants and workers, and a huge wealth worth 100 crores.
- Therefore Mansabdars were also drained of wealth as they had to contribute to the loot.
- It is not a coincidence that Nizam left Delhi permanently for Hyderabad in 1740 (also fear of Marathas west of Hyderabad).
- Now chances of foreign invasion increased (1748-1st Afghan invasion by Abdali, 1756- 2nd Afghan invasion by Abdali, 1799-3rd Afgan invasion by Zaman Shah).
More Proofs of the decline of the Mughals
- 1st Afghan invasion failed, however, the fear of future invasion remained, therefore in 1752 Mughals came under the protection of Marathas, who were now the top power in India.
- Shahu recognized the authority of the Mughal emperor, accepted a Mansab, and promised to maintain the army as Mansabdars.
- Alamgir-II was a puppet brought to power by Marathas by interfering in succession disputes.
- Therefore by the mid-18th century Marathas were top power along with strong autonomous states, that is successor states of Bengal, Hyderabad, and Awadh, Rebel states like Marathas, Sikhs, Jats, and Afghans, and Already autonomous states like Rajput, Mysore, and Travancore.
- While the Mughal emperor's authority was limited to Delhi and Agra.
Successor States
- They included Bengal(Murshid Quli Khan), Hyderabad(Nizam-Ul-Mulk), and Awadh(Sadat Ali Khan).
- Within the Mughal empire, certain powerful nobles established themself as autonomous power centres by carving out successor states within the Mughal empire, that is they ruled autonomously but never formally broke ties with the Mughal empire.
- This was because of personal ambitions in Delhi politics, that is the desire for greater influence outside their principalities by holding positions like Wazir, Mir Bakshi, etc.
- They also wanted the legitimacy of the Mughal empire for better trade with the rest of the Mughal empire and the potential of military help from the rest of the Mughal empire.
- These nobles after getting appointed as governors consolidated power by ending the system of checks and balances, therefore leading to over-concentration of power.
- They ensured they ensured that their relatives and loyalists were appointed to important positions/Mansabs like Dewan, Deputy-Subadar, War commander, and other important positions
- For example, Sadat Ali Khan got his son-in-law Safdarjung appointed as Deputy-Subadar and Murshid Quli Khan was already Dewan when he was appointed as Subadar/Nawab/Governor of Bengal Subha.
- They gathered the support of economically powerful sections like intermediary Zamindars, Ijaradars/revenue farmers, merchants, moneylenders, and bankers by:
- Not harassing them.
- Not applying arbitrary taxes.
- By proving law and order stability that was good for trade.
- By Providing security of property.
- Distributing Mansabs which was a new feature as traditionally men of money were not made Msabdars and nobles based on lineage dominated the Mansabdari system traditionally.
- Therefore there was a rise of men of money in successor states, for example:
- By 1727, 15 intermediary Zamindars were responsible for 50% of land revenue collection.
- The House of Jagat Seth became a strong financial power and the Dutch describe Jagat Seth as the richest banker in the world.
- Jagat Seth controlled the royal mint, acted as a banker for the nawab(loaned money to nawab), and financed trade all across India(loaned money to merchants).
- In Hyderabad, the core feature of the Mansabdari system changed as men of money now dominated the Mansabdari system.
- They converted Tankha Jagir into Vatan Jagir to get the support of pre-existing Mansabdars, example in Hyderabad core feature of Tankha Jagir vanished as many were converted into Vatan Jagir.
- They established effective revenue administration and this increased their monetary power.
- For example, Murshid Quli Khan was known for its effective revenue administration and did detailed surveys for land revenue assessment(that is identify the soil productivity, irrigation available, crops sown, past trends of land revenue collection, and area under production) before demanding land revenue.
- Then they began ruling autonomously as distributed Mansabs and Jagirs without permission or reference to the Mughal emperor, and behaved autonomously in important matters like matters of war and peace, signing treaties with neighbours, domestic policies, etc.
- They gradually reduced financial reporting of revenue collected to Delhi, that is books of account were not sent.
- They also stopped sending revenue regularly to Delhi and later also reduced the amount of revenue and finally stop it.
- Finally, these nobles established their dynastic rule, and therefore Mughal emperor lost power in the successor state, and the appointment of Mansabdars is important.
- The Mughal emperor lost power to act as a patron and therefore even the Parton-client relationship that led to personal loyalty instead of impersonal loyalty also ended as the client itself became Parton.
- However, power was not centralized and was shared between different segments, Nawab/subadar and men of money, and traditional Masabdars.
Rebel states
- Marathas, Sikhs, Jats, and Afghans.
- Marathas:
- Maratha kingdom was founded by Chhatrapati Shivaji in 1674( declared himself Chhatrapati, legally independent from Mughal unlike successor states In 2nd half of the 17th century by fighting against Bijapur and Aurangzeb).
- Periods in Maratha Polity:
- 1680-1719- period of instability after the death of Shivaji in 1680.
- 1719-1761- period of stability and growth.
- 1761 onwards- period of decline with a temporary revival in the 1770s.
- 1774 onwards- British influence in Maratha polity begins.
- 1680 onwards there was turmoil due to the death of Shivaji and the continuous warfare of Aurangzeb.
- After the release of Shahu in 1707, there was a civil war.
- During the civil war, Deshmukh and Maratha Sardars frequently switched sides between Tarabahi, Shahu, and Mughals.
- The important role of 6th Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath was a very able leader and helped Shahu gather the support of powerful sections, support of a strong Brahmin banking family.
- Support of new independent Maratha Sardars, therefore by 1719 Shahu emerged victorious leading to a period of stability and growth.
- The dispute with Shivaji-II was settled via the treaty of Warna, in 1731 where he was given Kolhapur.
- Peshwa was PM/Wazir and was one of the 8 ministers in the council of Chhatrapati.
- Maratha sardars:
- Scindia of Gwalior.
- Bhonsle of Nagpur.
- Holkar of Indore.
- Gaekwad of Baroda.
The topic of the next class: The family tree of Marathas.
Here are 40 multiple-choice questions based on the class notes you provided, along with the corresponding answers:
1. What was one of the major impacts of Nadir Shah's invasion?
a) Loss of military prestige
b) Economic gain
c) Strengthening of the Mughal empire
d) Increase in foreign alliances
Answer: a) Loss of military prestige
2. How did Muhammad Shah's response to Nadir Shah's insults affect his reputation?
a) It earned him the respect of his people
b) It caused him to lose the respect of Mansabdars
c) It strengthened his position as emperor
d) It had no impact on his reputation
Answer: b) It caused him to lose the respect of Mansabdars
3. What led to the loss of prestige among the people after Nadir Shah's invasion?
a) Massive economic growth
b) Mughals' ability to protect the people
c) Nadir Shah's massacre of civilians in Delhi
d) Establishment of strong autonomous states
Answer: c) Nadir Shah's massacre of civilians in Delhi
4. What contributed to the decline of the Mughals' military strength?
a) Victories over the Marathas
b) Massive economic growth
c) Defeat by Nadir Shah and Marathas
d) Formation of strong alliances
Answer: c) Defeat by Nadir Shah and Marathas
5. What valuable items did Nadir Shah loot from Delhi?
a) Peacock's throne with Kohinoor
b) Paintings and sculptures
c) Precious manuscripts
d) Textiles and spices
Answer: a) Peacock's throne with Kohinoor
6. How did Nadir Shah's invasion affect the wealth of Mansabdars?
a) They gained more wealth through the loot
b) They were drained of wealth as they had to contribute to the loot
c) Their wealth remained unaffected
d) They lost their positions of power
Answer: b) They were drained of wealth as they had to contribute to the loot
7. Why did Nizam leave Delhi permanently for Hyderabad?
a) Fear of Marathas west of Hyderabad
b) Desire for a change of scenery
c) Offered a better position in Hyderabad
d) Personal reasons unrelated to the invasion
Answer: a) Fear of Marathas west of Hyderabad
8. What were the chances of foreign invasions following Nadir Shah's invasion?
a) Decreased significantly
b) Remained unchanged
c) Increased
d) Became non-existent
Answer: c) Increased
9. What was the first Afghan invasion following Nadir Shah's invasion?
a) 1748-1st Afghan invasion by Abdali
b) 1756-2nd Afghan invasion by Abdali
c) 1799-3rd Afghan invasion by Zaman Shah
d) 1761-4th Afghan invasion by Ahmad Shah
Answer: a) 1748-1st Afghan invasion by Abdali
10. How did the Mughals come under the protection of the Marathas?
a) They voluntarily surrendered to Maratha rule
b) Marathas conquered the Mughal Empire
c) They sought Maratha assistance against future invasions
d) Marathas offered protection as a gesture of goodwill
Answer: c) They sought Maratha assistance against future invasions
11. Who recognized the authority of the Mughal emperor and accepted a Mansab?
a) Shahu
b) Nizam
c) Sadat Ali Khan
d) Murshid Quli Khan
Answer: a) Shahu
12. How was Alamgir-II brought to power?
a) Through a democratic election
b) By the Marathas interfering in succession disputes
c) Through a successful military campaign
d) By popular uprising against the previous emperor
Answer: b) By the Marathas interfering in succession disputes
13. Which of the following were autonomous successor states within the Mughal empire?
a) Bengal
b) Hyderabad
c) Awadh
d) Rajput
e) Mysore
Answer: a) Bengal, b) Hyderabad, c) Awadh
14. Why did certain powerful nobles establish autonomous successor states within the Mughal empire?
a) To break ties completely with the Mughal empire
b) To gain personal influence in Delhi politics
c) To establish independent kingdoms
d) To protect themselves from foreign invasions
Answer: b) To gain personal influence in Delhi politics
15. How did the nobles consolidate power in their successor states?
a) By distributing Mansabs to the common people
b) By establishing effective revenue administration
c) By appointing Mughal officials to important positions
d) By maintaining a strong military force
Answer: b) By establishing effective revenue administration
16. How did the nobles gain the support of economically powerful sections?
a) By harassing them for taxes
b) By applying arbitrary taxes
c) By maintaining law and order stability
d) By confiscating their properties
Answer: c) By maintaining law and order stability
17. What was the new feature of the Mansabdari system in successor states?
a) Men of money were appointed as Mansabdars
b) Lineage-based nobles dominated the Mansabdari system
c) Common people were appointed as Mansabdars
d) Mughal officials were removed from the Mansabdari system
Answer: a) Men of money were appointed as Mansabdars
18. Who became a strong financial power in the successor states?
a) Scindia of Gwalior
b) Bhonsle of Nagpur
c) Holkar of Indore
d) Jagat Seth
Answer: d) Jagat Seth
19. What role did Jagat Seth play in the successor states?
a) Controlled the royal mint
b) Acted as a banker for the nawab
c) Financed trade across India
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
20. What changes occurred in the Mansabdari system in Hyderabad?
a) Men of money dominated the system
b) Traditional Masabdars held power
c) Tankha Jagirs were converted into Vatan Jagirs
d) Zamindars were appointed as Mansabdars
Answer: c) Tankha Jagirs were converted into Vatan Jagirs
21. How did the nobles rule in the successor states?
a) With absolute power
b) With the permission of the Mughal emperor
c) In consultation with the common people
d) Autonomously in important matters
Answer: d) Autonomously in important matters
22. What happened to the Mughal emperor's power in the successor states?
a) It remained centralized
b) It was shared between different segments
c) It increased significantly
d) It became irrelevant
Answer: b) It
was shared between different segments
23. Which states were considered rebel states during this period?
a) Marathas
b) Sikhs
c) Jats
d) Afghans
e) All of the above
Answer: e) All of the above
24. Who founded the Maratha kingdom?
a) Aurangzeb
b) Chhatrapati Shivaji
c) Nizam-Ul-Mulk
d) Safdarjung
Answer: b) Chhatrapati Shivaji
25. During which period did the Maratha kingdom experience stability and growth?
a) 1680-1719
b) 1719-1761
c) 1761 onwards
d) 1774 onwards
Answer: b) 1719-1761
26. Who played an important role in establishing stability for the Marathas?
a) Tarabai
b) Shahu
c) Balaji Vishwanath
d) Ahmad Shah
Answer: c) Balaji Vishwanath
27. Which Maratha Sardars were prominent during this period?
a) Scindia of Gwalior
b) Bhonsle of Nagpur
c) Holkar of Indore
d) Gaekwad of Baroda
e) All of the above
Answer: e) All of the above
28. Which state became a powerful financial force during this period?
a) Gwalior
b) Nagpur
c) Indore
d) Baroda
Answer: d) Baroda
29. What was the period of decline for the Marathas?
a) 1680-1719
b) 1719-1761
c) 1761 onwards
d) 1774 onwards
Answer: c) 1761 onwards
30. When did British influence in Maratha polity begin?
a) 1680 onwards
b) 1719 onwards
c) 1761 onwards
d) 1774 onwards
Answer: d) 1774 onwards
31. Which period was characterized by turmoil and warfare in the Maratha kingdom?
a) 1680-1719
b) 1719-1761
c) 1761 onwards
d) 1774 onwards
Answer: a) 1680-1719
32. What was the role of the 6th Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath?
a) He was the ruler of the Maratha kingdom
b) He supported the Mughal emperor against the Marathas
c) He helped Shahu gather support and stabilized the kingdom
d) He led the civil war against Tarabai
Answer: c) He helped Shahu gather support and stabilized the kingdom
33. Who were the rebel states during this period?
a) Marathas
b) Sikhs
c) Jats
d) Afghans
e) All of the above
Answer: e) All of the above
34. Which of the following rebel states were a significant power?
a) Marathas
b) Sikhs
c) Jats
d) Afghans
Answer: a) Marathas
35. Who established their dynastic rule in the successor states?
a) Mughal emperor
b) Common people
c) Powerful nobles
d) British colonial authorities
Answer: c) Powerful nobles
36. What was the role of the Marathas in the successor states?
a) They established autonomous kingdoms
b) They supported the Mughal emperor
c) They rebelled against the Mughal emperor
d) They had no role in the successor states
Answer: a) They established autonomous kingdoms
37. What was the role of the Sikhs in the successor states?
a) They established autonomous kingdoms
b) They supported the Mughal emperor
c) They rebelled against the Mughal emperor
d) They had no role in the successor states
Answer: a) They established autonomous kingdoms
38. What was the role of the Jats in the successor states?
a) They established autonomous kingdoms
b) They supported the Mughal emperor
c) They rebelled against the Mughal emperor
d) They had no role in the successor states
Answer: c) They rebelled against the Mughal emperor
39. What was the role of the Afghans in the successor states?
a) They established autonomous kingdoms
b) They supported the Mughal emperor
c) They rebelled against the Mughal emperor
d) They had no role in the successor states
Answer: c) They rebelled against the Mughal emperor
40. Which of the following states did not become a part of the successor states?
a) Bengal
b) Hyderabad
c) Awadh
d) Mysore
Answer: d) Mysore
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