The Decline of the Mughal Empire | 1707CE - 1761CE | Mughal Empire Ep. 09
Summary
TLDRThe video script recounts the decline of the Mughal Empire following the death of Aurangzeb Alamgir in 1707. His sons' power struggles and reliance on nobles weakened the empire, leading to internal strife and external threats. The script details the rise of regional powers, the Marathas' resurgence, and the eventual fragmentation of the empire into successor states. It also touches on the Marathas' attempt to preserve the Mughal state and the empire's reduced influence until the Great Indian Mutiny in 1857.
Takeaways
- 🏰 The Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir, who expanded the empire to its peak, died in 1707 after a 52-year reign, leading to a power struggle among his sons.
- 🗡 Aurangzeb's sons were old and untrained, and their war for succession was smaller in scale compared to Aurangzeb's own struggle against his brothers.
- 👑 Prince Mu’azzam emerged victorious and became Shahanshah Bahadur Shah, also known as Shah Alam, but he was not as powerful as Aurangzeb and relied heavily on nobles.
- 📜 Bahadur Shah attempted to legitimize his rule by claiming descent from the Prophet and started calling himself Sayyid, but his reign was short-lived, ending in 1712.
- 👶 Zulfiqar Khan installed Bahadur Shah's inexperienced son Jahandar as emperor to make him a controllable puppet, marking a shift in power dynamics.
- 🛡 The Sayyid brothers, Indian Muslims and governors, played a significant role in the ascension of Farrukhsiyar, illustrating a change in the composition of the Mughal court.
- 🔄 A power struggle arose between Muslims of Turkic, Iranian, or Mongol descent and Indian Muslims within the Mughal court, leading to instability.
- 🛑 The empire faced numerous rebellions, loss of control over rich provinces, and bankruptcy by 1730, with external forces waiting to claim its territories.
- 🦁 The Marathas, once a threat subdued by Aurangzeb, regained power and expanded their influence, eventually controlling most of North India.
- 🏙️ Delhi was sacked by Nader Shah in 1739, symbolizing the end of Mughal authority and the beginning of its decline to a figurehead role.
- 🤴 The last Mughal emperor was a figurehead during the Great Indian Mutiny in 1857, showing that the Mughal name still held respect despite the loss of real power.
Q & A
Who was Shahanshah Muhi ad-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir?
-Shahanshah Muhi ad-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir was the sixth Mughal Emperor who ruled for 52 years until his death in 1707. His reign marked the peak of the Mughal Empire.
What significant change occurred in the Mughal Empire after Aurangzeb's death?
-After Aurangzeb's death, his sons, who were old and untrained, had to fight for the throne. This marked the beginning of the decline of the Mughal Empire as the sons lacked the power and military support that Aurangzeb had.
What was the role of Magellan TV in the script?
-Magellan TV is a streaming service mentioned in the script as a sponsor. They offer a wide range of documentaries and shows across various genres, including history, science, travel, and art.
What historical documentaries are recommended in the script?
-The script recommends 'The Story of Egypt', a four-part docuseries about ancient Egyptian civilization, and 'Meet the Romans', a three-part series about daily life in the Roman Empire.
Who were the three sons of Aurangzeb Alamgir who contested for the throne?
-The three sons of Aurangzeb Alamgir who contested for the throne were Prince Mu’azzam, Azam, and Kam Bakhsh.
What was unique about the war of succession among Aurangzeb's sons compared to Aurangzeb's own war against his brothers?
-The war of succession among Aurangzeb's sons was smaller in scale than the one Aurangzeb had fought against his brothers, primarily because his sons did not have the same level of influence and military support.
Who emerged as the emperor after Aurangzeb's sons fought for the throne?
-Prince Mu’azzam emerged victorious and became the emperor, taking the title of Shahanshah Bahadur Shah and later known as Shah Alam.
Why was Bahadur Shah not as powerful as Aurangzeb?
-Bahadur Shah was not as powerful as Aurangzeb because Aurangzeb had ensured that none of his sons had powerful households like he did. They relied more on the nobles, which led to a shift in power dynamics.
What significant title did Bahadur Shah claim to legitimize his rule?
-To legitimize his rule, Bahadur Shah claimed descent from the Prophet and started calling himself Sayyid, also having the name of Ali, the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, announced in the Friday sermon.
What major shift occurred in the Mughal Empire when Farrukhsiyar was crowned emperor?
-Farrukhsiyar's coronation marked a significant shift in the Mughal Empire as it led to the rise of Indian Muslims in the court, specifically the Sayyid brothers, who were given high positions, changing the power dynamics within the empire.
What was the role of Nizam ul-Mulk in the decline of the Mughal Empire?
-Nizam ul-Mulk, a loyal member of Aurangzeb's court, became the Vizier after the downfall of the Sayyid brothers. Although he proposed reforms to fix the empire's problems, his efforts were thwarted by other forces at the court. He eventually left the capital and established his own power base in the Deccan, founding the Asaf Jahi dynasty.
What was the impact of the Marathas on the Mughal Empire after Aurangzeb's death?
-After Aurangzeb's death, the Marathas, led by Balaji Vishvanath and later his son Bajirao, regained strength and began raiding North India. By 1739, they controlled almost the entirety of North India, significantly weakening the Mughal Empire.
What event in 1739 demonstrated the Mughal Empire's weakness to the world?
-In 1739, the Mughal capital, Delhi, was sacked by the Iranian warlord Nader Shah. He looted the city and even took the Peacock Throne, demonstrating the empire's vulnerability.
How did the Marathas use the Mughal administrative machinery to their advantage?
-The Marathas used the Mughal administrative machinery to collect taxes in former Mughal territories. This allowed them to maintain a nominal Mughal presence in North India, which helped them avoid the hassle of governing the region directly.
Outlines
🏰 The Fall of the Mughal Empire and Succession Wars
The script begins with the death of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir in 1707, marking the end of a 52-year reign and the peak of the Mughal Empire. His sons, unprepared and lacking Aurangzeb's military support, engage in a succession war. The empire's fate is sealed by Aurangzeb's policies, leading to its decline. The video is sponsored by Magellan TV, offering a variety of documentaries. The script then discusses the ascension of Aurangzeb's son, Mu’azzam, who becomes Shahanshah Bahadur Shah, also known as Shah Alam, in 1707. However, he is unable to command the same authority as Aurangzeb, due to a reliance on nobles and a lack of powerful households. His rule is further weakened by his age and the refusal of his sons to be appointed to distant provinces. Shah Alam attempts to legitimize his rule by claiming descent from the Prophet and dies in 1712 after a short reign, characterized by his withdrawal from governance in the last six months.
🤝 Power Shifts and the Rise of New Rulers
The narrative continues with the rise of Zulfiqar Khan, who places Jahandar, an inexperienced prince, on the throne to serve as a controllable puppet. However, Jahandar's brother Azim ul-Shan challenges this arrangement, leading to a conflict where Zulfiqar Khan eliminates his rivals to secure Jahandar's rule. The script then describes the first execution of nobles who supported other claimants, marking a departure from the previous practice of reintegration. The power dynamics shift as inexperienced princes from the Harem replace the traditional princes who were involved in governance and military affairs. The script also details the ascension and overthrow of Farrukhsiyar, installed by the Sayyid brothers, and the subsequent instability and power struggles within the empire. This period sees a change in the composition of the Mughal court, with Indian Muslims gaining more influence. The power vacuum leads to the rise of regional powers, such as the Nizam ul-Mulk, who eventually establishes the Asaf Jahi dynasty, and the formation of other successor states in Bengal, Awadh, and Punjab.
🔄 The Fragmentation of the Mughal Empire and Emergence of New Forces
The script outlines the fragmentation of the Mughal Empire by 1730, with its richest provinces gaining independence and various rebellions weakening its control. It discusses the resurgence of the Marathas under Shahu and the strategic appointment of Balaji Vishvanath as Peshwa, which strengthens their position. The Marathas' military campaigns lead to their dominance in North India, resulting in the Mughal Empire's recognition of Maratha control south of the Chambal river. The script also covers the sack of Delhi by Nader Shah in 1739, which exposes the Mughal's vulnerability and leads to further decline. Baji Rao attempts to form a confederation to protect the Mughal Empire, but the Marathas continue to chip away at its territories, using the Mughal administrative system for tax collection.
📜 The End of Mughal Authority and the Last Emperor's Role
The final paragraph summarizes the deterioration of Mughal authority from Aurangzeb's death in 1707 to the sack of Delhi in 1739, with the empire's control limited to the Red Fort. The script notes that even in 1857, the Mughal name held enough respect for the last emperor to be chosen as the head of the Great Indian Mutiny. For the 120 years between these events, the Mughal emperors were figureheads with little to no real power. The video concludes by inviting viewers to subscribe and support the channel, highlighting the patrons who contribute to its continuation.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Shahanshah Muhi ad-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir
💡Succession War
💡Peacock Throne
💡Mughal Successor States
💡Nizam ul-Mulk
💡Marathas
💡Peshwa
💡Great Indian Mutiny
💡Red Fort
💡Nader Shah
Highlights
Shahanshah Muhi ad-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir, who ruled for 52 years, died in 1707, marking the decline of the Mughal Empire.
Aurangzeb's death led to a power struggle among his unprepared sons for the throne.
Magellan TV, a streaming service with over 3,000 documentaries and shows, is sponsoring the video.
Magellan TV offers an extended free month-long trial for Al Muqaddimah viewers.
The Story of Egypt and Meet the Romans are recommended historical documentaries on Magellan TV.
Prince Mu’azzam emerged victorious in the war of succession, becoming Shahanshah Bahadur Shah.
The new emperor relied heavily on nobles, leading to a shift in power dynamics within the empire.
Bahadur Shah's claim to the throne included a descent from the Prophet, adopting the title Sayyid.
Zulfiqar Khan's control over the military led to the installation of inexperienced Jahandar as emperor.
The execution of nobles by Zulfiqar Khan marked a departure from the traditional Mughal practice.
Farrukhsiyar, supported by the Sayyid brothers, seized power in Delhi, leading to the execution of Jahandar and Zulfiqar Khan.
The rise of Indian Muslims in the Mughal court led to a power struggle with Turko-Iranian-Mongols.
Nizam ul-Mulk, a loyal member of Aurangzeb’s court, became Vizier and attempted reforms.
The formation of the Asaf Jahi dynasty marked the first Mughal Successor State.
The rise of Kartalab Khan in Bengal led to the second Mughal Successor State.
The Marathas, under Balaji Vishvanath and later Bajirao, expanded their influence significantly.
The sack of Delhi by Nader Shah in 1739 exposed the Mughal weakness to foreign powers.
The Marathas' control over North India and the conflict with the Sikhs and Afghans marked the end of Mughal authority.
The last Mughal emperor was chosen as the head of the Great Indian Mutiny in 1857.
Transcripts
The Great Mughal Shahanshah Muhi ad-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir had died in 1707 after a long
reign of 52 years. The empire had hit its peak under him but now, he was dead and his sons,
old and untrained, had to pick up the sword for their claims to the empire. However,
the fate of the empire had been decided. Aurangzeb himself had sealed it. The sun
was setting on the Great Timurid House, once and for all. North India was about to be up for grabs.
This video is sponsored by Magellan TV. Magellan TV is a streaming service that hosts over 3,000
documentaries and shows in various genres, from History to Science as well as travel and art.
They’re adding new shows all the time which you can enjoy on all sorts of devices. Also,
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Since you’re watching a history channel, you might also like many historical documentaries
that they have. I would recommend The Story of Egypt. It is a four-part docuseries that
tells the incredible story of one of the Ancient World’s most remarkable
civilization. Speaking of remarkable civilizations, I’d also recommend Meet
the Romans. This three-part series talks about the daily life in the Roman Empire and how the
commoners and the nobility spent their days during the zenith of the Eternal City. Again,
you can get a free month-long trial to enjoy these documentaries. Back to the video.
After the death of Aurangzeb Alamgir, there were three sons who were serious contenders
for the Peacock throne. In traditional Mughal fashion, they picked up the sword and went to
war. This war of succession was much smaller in scale than the one Aurangzeb had fought
against his brothers, primarily because his sons didn’t have the same kind of clout and
military support that Aurangzeb and his brothers had had. Out of the three sons,
Prince Mu’azzam came out on top after defeating his brothers, Azam and Kam Bakhsh,
to claim the throne. He took the title of Shahanshah Bahadur Shah and ascended to
the throne in 1707. He is also known by the title of Shah Alam, the Ruler of the World.
However, immediately, it became obvious that he was no Aurangzeb, partly because Aurangzeb
made sure of it. None of the princes had powerful households like Aurangzeb and
the Mughals before him did. They relied more on the nobles than the previous Mughals. So,
the nobles negotiated the distribution of power with them. One example of this was
that Zulfiqar Khan, one of Aurangzeb’s most capable commanders, offered his military
backing to the emperor if he was appointed Mir Bakhshi or commander-in-chief. So,
the emperor was already losing the tug of war between himself and his vassals.
The emperor was around 64 or 65 years of age when he came to power and so,
he was already considerably older than the previous Mughals. So, everyone was sure that
he might die any second. As a result, his sons refused to be appointed to far away
provinces because if they did so, they’d be in a weaker position to claim the throne
than their brothers who remained at court. This further weakened the next generation.
To legitimize his rule, Bahadur Shah claimed descent from the Prophet and started calling
himself Sayyid. Apparently, his maternal grandfather was a Sayyid, according to some
sources. He also started having the name of Ali, the prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, announced in
the Friday sermon. Ali was, technically, also his ancestor so, he, by extension,
had the better right to rule. It was kind of a thin claim but it didn’t really matter because
Shahanshah Sayyid Qutb ud-din Muhammad Shah Alam Bahadur Shah died in 1712, after only five years
as emperor. His name is longer than his reign was. Due to the plethora of problems he faced, he
actually had just given up in the last six months of his reign and spent most of his time gardening.
Moving on, Zulfiqar Khan, who controlled the military, installed Bahadur Shah’s son Jahandar
on the throne. Jahandar was inexperienced and that’s exactly why he was chosen,
he would make a more controllable puppet. However, Jahandar’s more experienced brother,
Azim ul-Shan, had a problem with it. Zulfiqar Khan assembled Jahandar and his other inexperienced
brothers against Azim ul-Shan and defeated him. Then, he turned on the other inexperienced
brothers and with no one to challenge him, secured Jahandar on the Peacock Throne.
Since he was powerful and wanted more power, he executed the nobles who had supported the other
claimants. This was the first time this was done. Usually, the nobles were forgiven and reintegrated
into the imperial machinery but not this time. From this point on, the Mughal emperors would be
inexperienced princes who had spent their entire lives in the comfort of the Harem, a total break
from the older days of the empire when princes went out, led armies, governed provinces and
fought for their claims. Now, the tug of war was no longer between various princes and the vassals,
now it was merely between vassals. The princes and later, the emperors, were out of the equation.
This became obvious when in 1712, the same years as Bahadur Shah’s death and Jahandar’s ascension,
a rebel army from Bihar went up the Ganges river and attacked Agra. The army was led in the name of
Farrukhsiyar, the son of the deceased prince Azim ul-Shan. However, the real power behind
Farrukhsiyar were the Sayyid brothers, two Indian Muslims who were governors of Allahabad and Bihar.
They had initially supported Azim ul-Shan but after his death, they supported his son.
After taking Agra, Farrukhsiyar and the Sayyid brothers moved on Delhi where due to instability,
the imperial treasury was empty and so, the army had not been paid in a year. The soldiers refused
to fight without being paid. To pay them, Zulfiqar Khan even ordered the gold from
the palace’s decorations to be stripped off but it was not enough. The small and
hastily assembled army was quickly defeated by Farrukhsiyar and Delhi was taken. Both Jahandar
and Zulfiqar Khan were executed. Farrukhsiyar was crowned as emperor and the Sayyid brothers
were put in two of the empire’s highest positions, Vizier and Paymaster General.
This coronation marks an important shift in the Mughal Empire. Up to this point,
a large percentage of the Mughal court was made up of Hindu Indians and Muslim Turko-Iranian-Mongols.
Indian Muslims made a small portion of the court but now, with the Sayyid brothers
being Indian Muslims, this was changing. A power struggle ensued between the Muslims of Turkic,
Iranian or Mongol descent and the Muslims of Indian descent. Things got so bad and violent
that Sayyid Abdullah Khan, the Vizier, had to travel around Delhi with an army of 4,000 guards.
At the same time, Farrukhsiyar was fully aware of his limited power and wanted to do whatever
he could to rid of the Sayyid brothers. However, while he wasn’t successful in overthrowing them,
he was more than successful in pissing them off. On one occasion, the emperor sent one of
the Sayyid brothers, Hussain Ali Khan, to fight a rebellious Rajput leader but he sent messages
to the rebels that if they kill Hussain, he would pay them. He sent similar messages to the Marathas
in the Deccan. However, all parties just ignored the emperor and went on fighting and making deals.
In 1718, the Sayyids decided that they had had enough and led an army towards Delhi made up,
in large numbers, of Marathas and Rajputs. Farrukhsiyar was deposed,
blinded and executed a few months later in 1719. Within the same year,
the empire went through two more emperors, Rafi al-Darjat and Rafi al-Daulah. Both of
whom were sick and died within a few weeks of each other. Finally, another grandson of Bahadur Shah,
Muhammad Shah was put on the Peacock Throne. He’d be the last emperor to sit on the Peacock Throne.
Although, he wasn’t completely incapable and was actually quite a decent ruler. His first
move was to find and exploit any weaknesses the Sayyid Brothers had. He got the older
Turko-Iranian-Mongol Elites to help him. The Turko-Iranian-Mongol Elites, you know what,
let’s just call them Khanazads as they were called back then. The Khanazads organized
behind a leader who came to be known as Nizam ul-Mulk. Nizam assassinated Sayyid Hussain Ali
Khan and then defeated Sayyid Abdullah Khan when he led an army against them. By 1721, the
Sayyid Brothers were dead. The next year, Nizam ul-Mulk was invited to Delhi and appointed Vizier.
Nizam ul-Mulk was a loyal member of Aurangzeb’s court and was still very
loyal to the Mughals. He understood the problems that the empire was facing and
proposed laws to fix them. He wanted to reduce corruption by increasingly powerful landholders,
he wanted to reduce the power of the vassals by moving them around but
all of it was left on the table because other forces at the court stopped him.
After trying for a year to reform the empire, Nizam ul-Mulk just left the capital in 1723 for,
what he called, a change of air, and went to the Deccan, a region he had spent a long
time in during his service for Aurangzeb. He defeated the local rebels and established power
there. For his services, he was given the title of Asaf Jah by the emperor. Although,
he never claimed to be independent, he was, in all but name. In 1763,
he moved his capital to Hyderabad where he founded the dynasty called Asaf Jahi.
His descendants would simply be known as the Nizams of Hyderabad and would
continue ruling till 1948. The Nizam Shahi can be considered the first Mughal Successor State.
The Second Mughal Successor State was being formed in Bengal. There, another one of Aurangzeb’s
trusted courtiers was building power. He was named Kartalab Khan and he actually had been a Brahmin
Slave who had risen through the ranks and been appointed governor of Bengal by Aurangzeb. There,
he performed something of an economic miracle and reformed the state into the Mughal Empire’s most
profitable province. For this, he was given the title of Murshid Quli Khan by Aurangzeb.
There’s even a city named after him in West Bengal called Murshidabad. He too continued to recognize
the Emperor’s authority till his death. His successors, unlike those of Nizam ul-Mulk,
did not recognize the emperor’s authority, though. Similar situations appeared in Awadh and Punjab
where both local governors gained independence in all but name. Punjab was of special interest
because it was a scene of a vigorous war between the Mughals and the increasingly militarized Sikhs
who fought valiantly against the oppressive Mughal governors there. The region around
the former capital of Agra was taken over by rebellious Jatts who began raiding and looting
everything from towns to caravans. To summarize, by 1730, the empire’s richest provinces were out
of its control, there were various rebellions and the empire was all but bankrupt. Powers from
beyond the borders were circling to pick up the lost pieces of the Mughal Empire.
To the south, the threat Aurangzeb had failed to end had come back in a big way. The Marathas
had struggled but during Aurangzeb’s last years, they had bounced back. Aurangzeb had captured a
pretender to the Maratha throne named Shahu who had been raised in a fully Persianized Mughal
court. After Aurangzeb’s death in 1707, he was released with the hopes that he would destabilize
the Maratha state but he was able to overthrow his aunt and take the Maratha throne. Then, in 1713,
he appointed a man named Balaji Vishvanath as his Peshwa, a Persian term meaning something
close to Prime Minister. Balaji was a gifted politician and managed to make deals with the
Sayyids brothers to collect taxes in the Deccan, making them the only power, other than the Nizam,
in the Deccan. Then, after his death in 1720, his son Bajirao was appointed Peshwa. As gifted as his
father was in politics, Bajirao was as a warrior. Marathas began raiding into North India which
got more and more bold and violent, eventually reaching the gates of Delhi in 1737. By 1739,
the Mughals recognized that everything south of the Chambal river belonged to the Marathas
putting Mughal border merely 45 kilometers south of their former capital of Agra.
The same year, in 1739, Delhi was sacked by the Iranian warlord commonly known as Nader
Shah. He ravaged everything between Delhi and Afghanistan before entering and sacking
the Mughal capital. He looted everything and even took the great Peacock Throne itself.
The Mughals weren’t able to do anything. The weakness of the Mughals was now apparent to
everyone on the Indian Subcontinent, from the Marathas to the Europeans.
Baji Rao, however, it seems actually wanted to preserve the Mughal State. He tried to rally all
North Indian powers to form a confederation to protect the Mughal Empire from foreign threats.
Although, their generals slowly kept chipping away piece of the Mughal Empire. There were many
reasons behind this but most important one was probably that the Marathas weren’t an empire,
they were a confederation. The members of the confederation paid a quarter of their
revenue to the Marathas who protected them. A nominal Mughal presence in North India would,
I guess, at least save the Marathas some hassle of governing that region. A similar deal to the
rest of the confederation members, was extended to the Mughals whose administrative machinery
was used by the Marathas to collect taxes in former Mughal territories.
By 1760, the Marathas controlled almost the entirety of North India, all the way to the
borders of Afghanistan. This also brought them in conflict with Ahmad Shah Durrani,
the ruler of Afghanistan. The Durranis were raiding Punjab regularly. The Marathas fought
them in one of India’s largest battles at Panipat in 1761 which the Marathas
lost. This kept them south of Punjab which was now being controlled by tribes of the
Sikhs known as Misls. They kept things together and eventually formed a great empire in Punjab.
Whatever the case, from Aurangzeb’s death in 1707 to Nader Shah’s sack of Delhi in 1739,
Mughal authority had deteriorated and was eventually limited to the walls of the Red
Fort by the Marathas. Mughals would never be able to exercise control in India ever again. However,
even in 1857, the name of the Mughals summoned enough respect that the last Mughal emperor was
selected as the head of the Great Indian Mutiny. For roughly the one hundred & twenty years between
the sack of Delhi and the Fall of Delhi in the Great Indian Mutiny, the Mughal Emperors
were weak puppets. At this point, the story of India must be told through other perspectives.
See you next time.
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