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Home / IAS Preparation / Later Mughals

Later Mughals: Lists, Features, And Developments in Art, Architecture and Culture!

Last Updated on Nov 12, 2024
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The Mughal emperors following the Aurangzeb were known as the Later Mughals. The great Mughals began to fall from grace in the first half of the eighteenth century. The Mughal era in India came to an end during Aurangzeb's reign (1658–1707). It turned out to be the beginning of the end. It is said that the empire collapsed due to Aurangzeb's bad policies. It was further accelerated by the poor authority of later Mughals. The rise of regional identities during the time from around 1707 CE and approximately 1761 CE revealed a terrible situation for the formerly mighty Mughals.

In this article, we will explore the features of the Later Mughals. This forms a major part of the UPSC IAS exam, and questions related to this topic are seen in Prelims, UPSC Mains Paper I, as well as in UPSC History Optional. This topic is equally important for the UGC NET History exam, as 5-6 questions are asked every year from the political history of India.

Later Mughals List 

The later mughals were inefficient and weak. Let us look at the life of later mughal rulers.

Fig: Later Mughals

Bahadur Shah I (1709–1712)

Prince Muazzam was the eldest son of Aurangzeb. At the age of 63 he was crowned emperor. He was given the title Bahadur Shah following a nearly two-year-long war of succession. Later, he was known as Bahadur Shah I. He was the first one in the line of later mughals. In the fight of succession, he had assassinated his brothers Muhammad Azam and Kam Bakhsh. Bahadur Shah received the title Shah-i-Bekhabar from Khafi Khan.

He pursued a peaceful course of action with the Marathas, Rajputs, and Jats. The Mughal captivity of the Maratha prince Shahu was ended. The Rajput lords were recognised in their separate domains. Yet, the emperor intervened against the Sikh chieftain Banda Bahadur. In February 1712, Bahadur Shah I passed away.

Jahandar Shah (March 1712-February 1713)

After the death of Bahadur shah, succession dispute between his four sons started. Due to Zulfiqar Khan's backing, Jahandar emerged as the winner. Zulfikar Khan was chosen as prime minister. He used to help the empire's finances. He also instituted the izara system. Jaziya was outlawed by Jahandar Shah. Later, in 1713, Jahandar was overpowered by his nephew Farukh Siyar.

Farrukhsiyar (1713-1719) 

Farrukhsiyar succeeded Jahandar Shah as emperor. He was supported by the Sayyid brothers Abdulla Khan and Hussain Ali . They helped him kill Jahandar Shah and upsurp the throne. Abdulla Khan and Hussain Ali are sometimes known as "King Creators," due to their role. His ascent signalled the start of a power struggle. The emperor and the Sayyid brothers came against each other. By doing away with the Jaziya and the pilgrimage tax, he adhered to a policy of religious tolerance. He gave the British farmans in 1717. The Sayyid brothers overthrew Farrukhsiyar in 1719. They were aided by Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath.

The Sayyid brothers killed Farukh, and Rati-ud-darajat, Bahadur Shah's grandson, became monarch. An emperor was assassinated by his nobility for the first time in Mughal history.

Rafi-ud-Darajat (February 28 until June 4, 1719)

Among all the later Mughals, he had the shortest reign.

Rafi-ud-Daula (June 6 until September 17, 1719)

Rafi-ud-Daula was given the title Shah Jahan II by the Sayyid brothers. The new emperor was an opium user.

Muhammad Shah (1719-48) 

Raushan Akhtar was selected by the Sayyid Brothers as a replacement for Rafiud-Daula. Because of his opulent lifestyle, Muhammad Shah he was known by the name "Rangeela." The Sayyid brothers were assassinated by the nobles in 1720 as a result of their plot against them.

Nizam-ul-Mulk established the independent state of Hyderabad in 1724. He also assumed the position of wazir.

A small army of 500 horsemen led by Baji Rao I, the Maratha Peshwa, assaulted Delhi in 1737. Nadir Shah defeated the Mughals in the Battle of Karnal in 1739. He put Muhammad Shah in prison and conquered Iranian territory west of the Indus. The later Mughals also lost custody of the Kohinoor diamond and the peacock throne. 

Ahmad Shah (1748-1754)

Ahmad Shah, a weak leader, gave Udham Bai, the "Queen Mother," control of the government. She was a woman of low intelligence who reigned with her lover, Javid Khan (a notorious eunuch).

In 1748, during his reign, Ahmad Shah Abdali launched his first invasion of India. Imad-ul-Mulk, his Wazir, blinded him and installed Alamgir II as the new monarch.

Alamgir II (1754-1758)

Jahandar Shah's grandson Alamgir II. The Iranian conqueror Ahmed Shah Abdali arrived in Delhi in January 1757. In June 1757, the Battle of Plassey took place under his rule. In 1759, Imad-ul-Mulk, his Wazir, assassinated him.

Shah Alam II (1759-1806) 

The Third Battle of Panipat and the Battle of Buxar were two main events that occurred during his rule. He was placed under the protection of the East India Company in 1765. He now lived in Allahabad under the conditions of the Treaty of Allahabad (signed in August 1765). He provided the Company the perpetual right to collect taxes in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. The Marathas transported him to Delhi in 1772, where he resided until 1803. The English defeated Daulat Rao Scindia in 1803. The Mughal rulers afterwards became English pensioners.

Akbar II (1806-37)

Rammohan Roy received the title of Raja from him. The production of coins with Mughal rulers' names was discontinued in 1835.

Bahadur Shah II (1837-1857)

The final Mughal emperor was Bahadur Shah II. He was also known as Bahadur Shah Zafar because of his last name, Zafar. He had attempted to be proclaimed the Emperor of India during the Rebellion of 1857. The English seized him and transported him to Rangoon, where he passed away in 1862.

Legally, the Mughal Empire was declared to have ended on November 1, 1858, by Queen Victoria.

Also Read Depressed Class Movements In India: Main Leaders And Movements!

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Developments in Art, Architecture and Culture Under The Later Mughals

Talented individuals rise under the Later Mughals. Asaf-ud-Daula constructed the bada Imambara in Lucknow in 1784. Sawai Jai Singh constructed the pink city of Jaipur in the first half of the 18th century. He also constructed five astronomical observatories in Delhi, Jaipur, Benares, Mathura, and Ujjain. Jij Muhammad-shahi, a collection of timetables, was also created by him. It was intended to aid in the study of astronomy. The Padmanabhapuram Palace was built in Kerala. It was renowned for its architecture and mural paintings.

There were new schools of painting that excelled. The paintings of the Kangra and Rajputana styles gained popularity. They displayed fresh vigour and taste.

The development of Urdu language and poetry was a distinctive aspect of the 18th century. It was the time of 19th-century Urdu poets like Mir, Sauda, Nazir, and Mirza Ghalib. Under the support of the Travancore kings, Malayalam literature flourished in southern India. Malayalam poet Kanchan Nambiar was well-known. Sitar poetry improved the Tamil language. One of the best writers of sittar poetry was Tayumanavar (1706–1744). He spoke out against the caste system and the injustices of temple control. Warris Shah wrote the romantic saga known as Heer Ranjha in Punjabi literature.

Risalo, a collection of poetry by Shah Abdul Latif, is a work of Sindhi literature. These are but a few illustrations of literature written in regional tongues.

Read Here Economic Nationalism In India!

Other Features of The Later Mughal Period

Under Aurangzeb, strong regional factions rebelled against the Mughals. They made an effort to find their own kingdoms. They were unsuccessful in their endeavours. But, they had an impact on how political events would develop in their respective areas in the future. 

  • Their ongoing conflict with the empire for political hegemony greatly undermined the empire. The Rajputs were motivated to oppose the Mughals by Aurangzeb and Bahadur Shah I's efforts to oppress them. The Rajputs no longer had enough faith in the Mughals to create partnerships. The situation worsened despite the later Mughals' efforts to pursue a policy of reconciliation with them.
  • India did not advance economically, socially, or culturally under the later mughals. Nor did the Later Mughals tried to improve the situation. Due to the coexistence of extremes in wealth and poverty, India evolved into a nation of opposites. The wealthy and powerful lived lives of luxury and extravagance. The general public remained poor, backward, and oppressed and barely made ends meet. It is important to remember that, life for the majority of Indians was better in the 18th century than it was after 100 years of British administration.
  • India didn't import many foreign commodities. It produced enough handicrafts and agricultural goods to sustain itself. Nonetheless, its agricultural and industrial goods were in high demand in international markets. Hence, commerce was balanced by importing silver and gold. In India, the exports were more than its imports. India was regarded as a sink for valuable metals.
  • The education system under the Later Mughals was still based on tradition. It could not keep up with the fast changes in the West. The study of sciences, technology, and philosophy were not included in the knowledge. It was restricted to literature, law, religion, philosophy, and logic.

Also Read Vikramshila Mahavihara, Taxila, Nalanda, And Other Centres Of Education in Ancient India!

Decline Of Mughal Empire Theories

There are various theories about decline of Mughal Empire, the major once are listed in table below.

Theory

Proponent

Jagirdari Crisis

Satish Chandra, M. Athar Ali

Agrarian Crisis

Irfan Habib

Bejagiri

J.F.Richards

Region-centric approach

Muzaffar Alam 

Weak Emperors and Inefficient Nobles

Jadunath Sarkar

Conclusion

The later Mughals were ineffective and weak rulers. They were unable to keep control over their empire. For example, Muhammad Shah was an ineffective leader. He did not restore the imperial fortunes. Hyderabad, Bengal, Awadh, and Punjab all became independent states during Muhammad Shah's rule. The Marathas started to launch their bid to take over the imperial throne as many regional chiefs started to declare their independence. Many other states became independent under Mughal rulers.

Read Here Left Wing Movement In India: Rise, Role Of Socialists, Communists, And Important Leaders!

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Later Mughals FAQs

Due to his inexperience, Humayun was the least capable of the early Mughal Emperors.

After the Mughals, the British governed India.

Muhammad Shah was the later mughal king who ruled for the longest.

In the Battle of Saraighat, Lachit Borphukan, a legendary Ahom warrior, destroyed Aurangzeb.
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