The Mughal Empire The History and Fall of the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire has been one of the strongest and the most influential empires in the history of India. It not only influenced the political set up of the Indian subcontinent, but also had profound effects on art, culture, administration, and society. The Mughal Empire grew exceptionally and collapsed dramatically within a short period of time starting with its simple origins in the early sixteenth century to its slow deterioration in the eighteenth century. Hence, the explanation of how it emerged and collapses is useful in explaining the historical base of South Asia as it is today.
The Mughal Empire was established on a religious basis
Firstly, the Mughal Empire was formed in 1526 as a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan, Babur, defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat. In spite of the fact that Babur ruled a rather narrow land in the Central Asia, he had good military capabilities and evident political intention. He therefore applied gunpowder weaponry, trained armies and new strategies to be able to defeat a far superior Indian army.
Besides, Babur was not only a conqueror of the land but he also established a new ruling dynasty. Although his reign was short lived (four years), he brought about effective military organization and Persian cultural heritage. Consequently, Babur created the fundamental structure that the subsequent leaders of the Mughal dynasty built and reinforced.
Humayun and the Battle of Survival
Humayun became the king after Babur died in the year 1530. Nonetheless, Humayun, contrary to his father, failed to hold on to the control of the empire. On the one hand, he was unstable politically; on the other hand, he received a stiff resistance of the Afghan ruler Sher Shah Suri. Humayun therefore lost his empire and went on to escape to Persia.
This exiled time was an important one. Humayun embraced the Persian administration, art and court culture during his stay in Persia. Thus, it was upon his return to power in 1555 with the help of Persians, that he brought fresh ideas which filled the Mughal administration later. However, unfortunately, Humayun did not live long after his return and left the empire to his young son, Akbar.
Akbar and the Golden Age of Expansion
Without a doubt, the Akbar the Great was the real ascension of the Mughal Empire. Coming to power at the tender age of thirteen, Akbar slowly changed the empire into a large, stable and centralized state. He started with the help of his regent Bairam Khan; but shortly he took the entire power in his hands and started making radical reforms.
To begin with, Akbar had expanded the empire by constant war exercises. He conquered places like Gujarat, Bengal, Rajasthan and Deccan. Meanwhile, he adhered to the policy of tolerance and diplomacy. As an example, rather than oppress Hindu kings, he entered into a marriage relationship and mutual respect between himself and the Rajput kings. This made him win over people and minimize rebellion.
Secondly, Akbar reorganized the administration system. He also came up with the mansabdari system of organizing the officials according to rank and army duty. Moreover, he standardised the land revenues by the zabt system which was efficient and just. As a result, the empire had financial stability and order in the administration.
Above all, Akbar advocated religious tolerance. He had eliminated the jizya on non-Muslims and promoted discussions between scholars of other religions. Thus, his non-discriminatory policies contributed to the integrity of the empire and gained a lot of popularity.
Cultures and Architectural Glory Jahangir and Shah Jahan
The empire prospered after the death of Akbar in 1605 by his son Jahangir. Despite the fact that Jahangir was not oriented to military development, he paid attention to justice and culture. As an illustration, he established the well-known “Chain of Justice when subjects were to address the king directly.
The Mughal painting also thrived under his rule and incorporated both the Persian and Indian styles. Jahangir was replaced by Jahan Jahan in 1628. His reign marked the best of the Mughal architecture. Most notably, he constructed the Taj Mahal which was a masterpiece of the marble architecture and a work of everlasting love. Besides, he built massive forts, mosques and palaces throughout the empire.
Meanwhile, Shah Jahan kept the kingdom stable politically and economically prosperous. Trading was increased, urban centers were developed and art flourished. Nevertheless, even with these successes, lavish expenditure on architecture and luxury started wearing down the treasures of the empire.
Aurangzeb and the Dawn of Decadence
In 1658, the son of Shah Jahan took over the throne after putting his father in prison. The first was the expansion of the empire to its maximum limits by Aurangzeb.
To begin with, Aurangzeb had lost the Mughal culture of religious tolerance. He returned the taxes of jizya and strict Muslim laws. As a result, most Hindu topics and local leaders became estranged. This led to uprisings on the empire.
Second, decades of expensive warfare against Deccan, which Aurangzeb waged. These campaigns even though they were successful in the expansion of territory, wasted resources and exhausted the army. In the meantime, the administration was stricken by the ongoing war and increasing corruption.
Aurangzeb did not establish good relationships with local elites. Thus, the empire was not unified and did not have a powerful leader after the death of this person in 1707.
Weak Successors and Internal Disintegration
Aurangzeb was then followed by a series of weak Mughal rulers. Powerful nobles took over provinces since they were not in control, and they were not visionary. As a result, the central government was deprived of its power and the empire disintegrated.
Meanwhile regional forces, the Marathas, Sikhs and the Rajputs, took their independence. Additionally, the constant encroachment by foreigners such as Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali contributed to erosion of Mughal status even more.
The destruction of wealth and morale is an example of the sack of Delhi of 1739 by Nadir Shah. There was also more corruption in the administration, as well as, collection of revenues failed. Thus, the empire was no longer able to sustain a big army, as well as preserve order.
The Role of European Powers
As the Mughal Empire internally weakened, the European countries, especially the British East India Company, became stronger. The British initially came as merchants, but with time they got involved in politics in India.
The British used divisions to gain power since the Mughal rulers relied on allies in the region.
Besides, the British had an advantage in the superior military technology and economic power. As a result, British domination grew fast following the Battle of Plassey in 1757.
The Ultimate Fall of the Mughal Empire
The ultimate strike on the Mughal Empire was the Revolt of 1857. The rebellion was to put the Mughal rule back under the rule of Bahadur Shah Zafar, but the British quelled the rebellion. This made them send the last emperor of the Mughals into exile and officially terminated the empire.
Therefore, the Mughal Empire was ended in over three centuries. Its downfall did not occur as a result of one moment but a conglomeration of bad leadership, economic decay, in-fighting and foreign meddling.