Weak Successors of Aurangzeb

After the death of Aurangzeb, his incapable and weak successors had not the stamina of holding
his vast empire. There began a war of Succession among his sons. After 1707 A.D. most of the
Mughal rulers had indulged in luxury and indolence. They were brought up in worldly comforts
and could not stand hardship. The rulers like Muhammad Shah Rangila loved singing and
dancing more than affairs of empire.
Weak Central Government
A strong central government is must for strong sultanate. When the central government becomes
weak there arises rebellions in the country. When the Muslim rulers lost their control on the
central government, Marathas of Decan, Sikhs of Punjab and Jats of Agra and Delhi exploited
the situation. They set up several independent states in their respective areas.
No Rules for Succession
Mughals had no set rules for succession. Whenever a ruler died, there appeared many royal
princes to claim for the right to succession. There was a war among them. The victorious prince
would slay his opponents and succeed to the throne. The nobles and army would, therefore,
divide into many groups. This gave a strong blow to the prestige and power of the government.
Many experienced generals were slain. The succession war that took place among the sons of the
Shah Jehan caused a great damage to the good-will of the Mughal dynasty.
Lack of Resources
Due to the weakness of the Mughal rulers, the provinces of Bengal, Gujrat, Deccan and Oudh
became autonomous and independent. As a result, the financial resources of the government
became less and the government treasure became empty. In the last days of the Mughal rule, the
emperors were the pensioners of the British administration. Due to the lack of financial
resources, it had become difficult to raise huge army for defence.
Backward in Education
During the period of Muslim rule the education system completely depended on the religious
institutions which were run by the trusts. The Britisher confiscated these trusts. As a result, the
Muslims lagged behind in the field of education. They neither cooperated with the conquerors
nor did they want to learn English language which was the fate way to modern sciences. This
backwardness boldly affected their economic and political life. As a result Hindus occupied high
positions in government offices and left the Muslims behind in every walk of life.
Luxurious Life
The wealth and prolonging of the Mughal rule made the Mughal princes fond of luxurious life.
At the royal court, the jesters and musicians were preferred to the brave and the warrior soldiers.
When the nobles saw that the flatterers enjoyed more respect and were honoured with prizes as
compared to anybody else they also got temptation to choose the same course.

Undue Liberal Policy of Akbar

Akbar was monarch marked with grandeurs. He made a number of conquests and set up an
effective administration in his vast empire. He was however, so liberal that he married Hindu
women and appointed Hindu on key posts. Thus Hindus became influential and they began to
exercise their powers in state affairs. Akbar also introduced a new religion Deen-i-Ilahi which led
him to take such measures as were against the tenets of Islamic faith. This policy caused a great
harm to his vast empire and led it on the way to decline.
Weak Military Force
The Muslim rulers could not perceive the call of the time. They did not give importance to
develop modern weapons and latest techniques of warfare. The Muslim soldiers depended on
arrows and lances which were not enough to meet the new challenges. The generals had lost
courage. They had become so easy-loving that they went in litters to the battle field, and were
accompanied by servants and women. During the sixteenth century when the European nations
reached India, they took advantage of the weakness of the Muslim army and took possession of
their territories. Decline in the military force is an important cause of the decline of the Muslim
rule in the subcontinent.
Lack of Naval Power
The Muslim rulers of the subcontinent gave no importance to navy whereas the European
countries had developed their fleets which established their supremacy over the coastal countries.
They could easily conquer the new territory by applying naval force. The Muslims had no navy
to defend their coastal territories. In the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean the circumstances had
reached the stage that the pilgrims had to seek permission from the Portuguese before proceeding
for pilgrimage. The Portuguese openly warned the Muslims that they would wreak vengeance on
them at sea if the later caused any harm to them.
Foreign Invasions
During the reign of Muhammad Shah Rangila, India was attacked by Nadir Shah of Iran. This
attack proved a severe blow to the Mughal Kingdom. The massacre carried out by the invaders in
Delhi shattered the economy of the country and the Mughal Emperor altogether lost his dignity.
Later, the Marathas paralysed even the remaining power of Mughals. Even in these critical
circumstances, the courtiers continued their conspiracies. The invasion of Ahmad Shah Abdali
destroyed even the remaining prestige of the Mughal Kingdom.
The Third Battle of Panipat though destroyed the power of Marathas, yet it only provided the
Britishers with an opportunity to make their position strong in the Subcontinent.
Internal Conspiracies
The incompetent successors of Aurangzeb made the Royal court an area of conspiracies. The

ministers and nobles were made about key posts and monopoly on state affairs. This struggle
badly upset the whole administration. Jealousy and hypocrisy ruled the country. The nobles
quarrelled among themselves for power. Such a state of affairs turned the country too weak to
survive.
Loss of the Spirit of Jehad
The spirit of Jehad has always been the main spring of Islamic Government. Akbar caused this
spirit by preferring Hindu to Muslims. After Akbar, the requirement of fresh blood to the army
from the martial races of Central Asia had been stopped. The local recruits loved life of ease. The
Mughal princes were indulged in luxuries. Life and the army had become indolent. This factor
weakened the Muslim army and was no longer able to defend the country.
Foreign Intrigues
The English who had come as traders took full advantage of the internal anarchy. They conspired
with Meer Jafar and became the masters of Bengal. The gold of Bengal made their success
possible in the Anglo-French wars in the Deccan. In Mysore, they won over Meer Sadiq to betray
Tipu Sultan. They used their advance military power as well as intriguing tricks to weaken the
Muslim government and succeeded in their imperialistic designs. After the failure of the
Independence War (1857), they put an end to the Muslim rule and brought the whole continent
under their possession.