Lecture No: 10

Topic: Causes of the Decline

of Mughals
 Today we shall study

Causes of the Fall of Mughal

Empire
Causes of the Fall of Mughal Empire

1) Death of Aurangzeb Alamgir 1707

2) Aurangzeb's religious policy
3) Weak successive rulers
4) The absence of any definite law of
appointment
5) Moral Degeneration
6) Battle of Plassey 1757
7) Demoralization of the Army

Cont……
Causes of the Fall of Mughal Empire

8. Wrong Policy of King Akber

9. Lack of Scientific Education
10. Lack of Naval Force
11.Huge Empire
12. Arrival of British
Death of Aurangzeb
Alamgir 1707
 The Mughal Empire reached its
greatest extent in the time of
Aurangzeb Alamgir, but it
collapsed with dramatic
suddenness within a few
decades after his death
Aurangzeb's religious
policy
 The Mughal Empire owes its decline and
ultimate downfall to a combination of factors;
firstly Aurangzeb's religious policy is regarded
as a cause for the decline of the Mughal
Empire as it led to disunity among the people.
 Although the policy did lead to weakening of
the empire but the major cause of decline
was the lack of worthy and competent
successors after him.
Weak successive rulers
 The character of Mughal kings had
deteriorated over a period of time. The
successive rulers after Aurangzeb were
weak and lacked the character,
motivation and commitment to rule the
empire strongly. They had become ease
loving and cowardly. They totally
disregarded their state duties and were
unable to detain the declining empire
from its fall.
The absence of any definite
law of appointment
 The absence of any definite law of
appointment was another important
factor. The war of successions not only
led to bitterness, bloodshed, and loss of
money and prestige of the empire over
a period of time, but to its eventual fall.
Moral Degeneration
 The collapse of the rulers had also led
to the moral degeneration of the
nobility . The nobles who had once
been talented men with integrity,
honesty, and loyalty, turned selfish and
deceitful. Growth of hostile and rival
clique in the court also undermined the
strength of the government.
Widespread corruption in the
administration started and taking bribes
became common.
Battle of Plassey (1757)
 It was important cause of the decline of
Mughals in subcontinent because with
the defeat the fortress of the Mughals
lost and British became more offensive
toward Mughal empire
Demoralization of the Army
 One of the most powerful causes of the
fall of the Mughal Empire was the
decline and demoralization of the army.
The military had not only become
inefficient but also lacked in training,
discipline and cohesion. The army was
out-dated in regard to equipment
 Wrong Policy of King Akber
 Akber introduced new religion and
adopted many Hidus-Customes that
gave back streighthen to the mughal
empire
 He appointed many Hindus General in
his Army.
 He got marriges with the Hindues
women
 Ahe also encourged the Muslims to
marry with Hindues women
Lack of Scientific Education
 When Europe was passing the journey
of inventions at that time Mughals were
busy in their luxurious life.
 They did not pay any attention on
scientific education
Lack of Naval Force
 When the fleet of ships of Europeans
were floating in the seas of world at
that time there was no Navel force of
Mughal that could stop the Europeans
to come in.
Huge Empire
 Mughal Dynasty was consist of 580
states. Its wideness of itself a cause.
Which created many other problems.
Arrival of British
 All historians are agree on this that the
arrival of British was the main cause of
the decline of Mughals.
Re-Enforcement
 Mughals were the descendants of
Taimoor and Changiz Khan. Babur was
the founder of Mughal Empire. Mughals
ruled over the India from 1526 to 1857.
Babur was the first and Bahadur Shah
Zafar was the last emperor of the
Mughal Dynasty.
Re-Enforcement
1) Death of Aurangzeb Alamgir 1707
2) Aurangzeb's religious policy
3) Weak successive rulers
4) The absence of any definite law of
appointment
5) Moral Degeneration
6) Battle of Plassey 1757
7) Demoralization of the Army
8. Wrong Policy of King Akber
9. Lack of Scientific Education
10. Lack of Naval Force
11.Huge Empire
12. Arrival of British