/
Mughal Empire Decline
Save to my account
Sign up
Mughal Empire Decline
Mughal Empire Decline
Study
1
Question
What were the internal long-term and external short-term reasons for the decline of the Mughal Empire?
Answer
Internal long-term reasons include inefficient successors, succession disputes, and local leaders, princes and provincial governors rebelling. The document does not specify external short-term reasons.
2
Question
How far was Aurangzeb responsible for the decline of the Mughal Empire?
Answer
The provided text mentions Aurangzeb's successors became lazy, weak and corrupt, and local leaders, princes and provincial governors rebelled after his death, but does not explicitly quantify his responsibility for the decline.
3
Question
What were the consequences of having inefficient successors after Aurangzeb?
Answer
Aurangzeb's successors became lazy, weak, and corrupt and left the administration to their ministers who often put their own interests first and some of them also later rebelled.
4
Question
What is the definition of Succession Disputes?
Answer
Whenever a Mughal emperor died, his successors used to fight each other for the assumption of the throne, and these wars were known as succession wars.
5
Question
How did local leaders contribute to the decline of the Mughal Empire?
Answer
Some local landlords (zamindars) accumulated wealth and built private armies. After the death of Aurangzeb, they were unwilling to accept the rule of the Mughal emperor and rebelled.
6
Question
How did provincial governors contribute to the decline of the Mughal Empire?
Answer
These provincial governors (nawabs) became powerful and their loyalties changed. During the 1720s the nawabs of Oudh and Bengal simply broke away from Mughal rule.
7
Question
What was a major consequence of the Mughal succession wars?
Answer
The wars weakened the Mughal Empire due to wasted money, loss of skilled soldiers, and administrative neglect.
8
Question
How did declining military expertise contribute to the fall of the Mughal Empire?
Answer
The Mughal army became overconfident, neglected training and modernization, and suffered losses in rebellions and succession disputes, reducing their effectiveness.
9
Question
How did the pleasure-seeking habits of Mughal successors affect the empire?
Answer
Extravagance and self-indulgence led to financial inefficiencies, neglect of administrative matters, and a shift of power to courtiers.
10
Question
How did Maratha rebellions impact the Mughal Empire?
Answer
The rebellions drained the Mughal treasury, weakened the army, and encouraged other communities to rebel, posing a serious challenge to Mughal authority.
11
Question
What event ended the Maratha's power streak?
Answer
The defeat of the Marathas at the hands of Ahmed Shah Durrani.
12
Question
What was the administrative weakness during Aurangzeb's rule?
Answer
During Aurangzeb's rule, the Mughal empire reached its geographical peak, leading to communication problems, slow decision making, and increased rebellions.
13
Question
What was the Mansabdari system?
Answer
A system designed by Akbar that divided the empire into administrative units (tehsils), each with an administrative officer (Mansabdar) responsible for tax collection.
14
Question
How did foreign invasions contribute to the decline of the Mughal empire?
Answer
The vastness of the empire made it hard to defend, leading to foreign invasions such as those by Nadir Shah of Persia and Ahmed Shah Abdali of Afghanistan.
15
Question
Who was Nadir Shah?
Answer
Emperor Nadir Shah of Persia, who invaded Northern India and attacked Delhi in 1738-39.
16
Question
When did Nadir Shah invade India?
Answer
1738-39
17
Question
What was the Qatal-e-am?
Answer
A massacre of 20,000 to 30,000 citizens of Delhi ordered by Nadir Shah after conflict arose between Persian soldiers and citizens of Delhi and after the news of death of Nadir shah broke out.
18
Question
What was the consequence for Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah after Nadir Shah's invasion?
Answer
Muhammad Shah had to hand over the keys of his royal treasury, including the Peacock Throne and the Koh-i-Noor diamond, to Nadir Shah.
19
Question
What was the impact of Nadir Shah's invasion on the Mughal Empire?
Answer
Nadir Shah's invasion and sack of Delhi left the Mughal Empire too weak to recover and defend against future enemies.
20
Question
How many times did Ahmed Shah Durrani invade India?
Answer
Ahmed Shah Durrani invaded India five times.
21
Question
What event in 1758 prompted another invasion by Abdali?
Answer
In 1758, Marathas expelled Abdali's men from Delhi and appointed their own people, leading to another invasion.
22
Question
Which battle marked the end of Maratha glory in India?
Answer
The Third Battle of Panipat.
23
Question
What factors highlighted the weakness of the Mughal Empire?
Answer
The defeat of the Mughals by foreign invaders, the bankruptcy of the empire, and rebellions by other communities.
24
Question
When did the British start trading in India?
Answer
In 1600, Queen Elizabeth granted a charter to British merchants to trade on the east coast of Africa, which later extended to India.
25
Question
In which areas were the British superior to the Mughals?
Answer
Military might, technology, and wealth.
26
Question
What is the Jizya Tax?
Answer
A tax imposed on non-Muslims living under Muslim rule.
27
Question
What tax did Aurangzeb reimpose that caused rebellions, particularly among the Marathas?
Answer
Aurangzeb forcibly reimposed a tax that had been abolished by Akbar, leading to rebellions.
28
Question
How did Aurangzeb's policy of temple destruction contribute to rebellions?
Answer
Aurangzeb ordered the construction of mosques in place of temples, which caused rebellions, especially among the Marathas.
29
Question
How long did the Maratha rebellion last during Aurangzeb's rule?
Answer
The Maratha rebellion lasted for 18 years.
30
Question
What strategic errors did Aurangzeb make in handling the Maratha rebellion?
Answer
Aurangzeb failed to change his war strategy, seek a truce, or appoint a new commander despite prolonged conflict.