Decline of Mughals and British Expansion - Grade VIII

• Grade VIII History notes on the decline of the Mughals and British expansion in India are the foundation for these notes.

Causes for the Decline of the Mughals

• Mughal decline factors included religious policies, wars, love for luxury, succession issues, and weak leadership.

Aurangzeb's Religious Reforms

• Aurangzeb reinstituted the Jizya tax on non-Muslims and destroyed Hindu temples, causing widespread unrest.
• Strict Islamic laws were enforced, and Hindu practices such as Sati were banned, alienating Hindus.
• Religious policies created divisions in society and contributed to long-term instability.

Aurangzeb's Wars

• Aurangzeb fought against the Rajputs and launched campaigns in NWFP against Pathans.
• Multiple rebellions arose by Sikhs, Satnamis, and Jatts.
• The Maratha war was the costliest and most draining, burdening the population with heavy taxes.
• Continuous wars depleted the treasury and weakened the empire, causing economic misery and diminishing military control.

Aurangzeb's Love for Luxury

• Aurangzeb spent large sums on personal projects like building palaces and the Pearl Mosque in Delhi.
• Excessive spending contributed to the financial decline of the empire and misused resources
• Aurangzeb's lifestyle alienated the public and drained resources.

Indefinite Law of Succession

• Emperors' sons fought for power, leading to chaos.
• Aurangzeb's attempt to divide the empire among his sons failed.
• Succession wars after Muezzin's death led to instability, with 12 claimants contesting the throne in 10 years.
• Succession struggles fragmented the empire and drained resources, weakening leadership.

Lazy Successors

• Later Mughal emperors were lazy and incompetent, handing governance to corrupt nobles.
• Corrupt nobles grew powerful, assassinating rulers, creating an imbalance of power and weakening the central government.
• No emperor could effectively rule amidst internal strife.
• Power shifted to corrupt nobles, collapsing central authority and making the empire vulnerable.

Military Inefficiency

• Mughal armies became complacent, lacking modern warfare advancements, discipline, cohesion, and innovation.
• The army, composed of diverse groups like Persians and Afghans, had internal divisions.
• Despite numerous ports, the empire lacked a naval fleet.
• The military could no longer defend the empire effectively, leaving it open to external invasions.

Vast Empire

• The empire stretched thousands of miles, making communication and control difficult.
• Rebellion news took months to reach the emperor, delaying responses.
• The mansabdari system was weak and corrupt, failing to counter decentralization.
• Regions like Bihar, Bengal, and Deccan declared independence, eroding central control.
• Vastness and poor administration caused decentralization, allowing regional rulers to gain independence.

Invaders

• Nadir Shah invaded in 1739, defeated Muhammad Shah at Karnal, and sacked Delhi, taking immense wealth, including the Peacock Throne.
• Ahmed Shah Durrani attacked in 1747, capturing key territories and by 1756, controlled Punjab, Kashmir, and Multan.
• Invasions drained resources, humiliated the empire, weakened the Mughal hold, and accelerated its decline.

British

• The British, better equipped and trained, exploited Mughal weaknesses, employing local sepoys.
• Decisive victories at Plassey and Buxar marked their dominance, aided by betrayals like Mir Jafar's.
• Captured lands were exploited for profits, leading to Mughal decline.
• The British effectively ended Mughal rule and established themselves as colonial masters of India.

British Expansion in India: Battle of Plassey - 1757

• Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah attacked Calcutta, leading to British reinforcements.
• Colonel Robert Clive recaptured Calcutta.
• Mir Jafar, Siraj-ud-Daulah's army chief, conspired with the British, leading to Siraj-ud-Daulah's defeat by 3,000 British soldiers.
• The British gained control of Bengal, using the wealth to strengthen their military and push out other European colonial powers

British Expansion in India: Battle of Buxar - 1764

• Mir Qasim allied with Shuja-ud-Daulah and Shah Alam II, leading to a battle with the British at Buxar.
• British general Hector Munro led the forces to victory.
• The British took the fortresses of Chunar and Allahabad, with Shah Alam II joining their camp.
• The British secured trading rights in Oudh and increased influence in Bengal, further expanding British control.

British Expansion in India: Mysore Wars - 1799

• The British allied with Nizam of Hyderabad and the Marathas against Haider Ali.
• Tipu Sultan continued resistance after Haider Ali's death in 1781, but was betrayed by Mir Sadiq and killed in the 4th Mysore War at Seringapatam.
• Mysore came under British control, making South India a key region under British domination.

British Expansion in India: British Enter Delhi - 1803

• The British feared French influence through Marathas and Shah Alam II.
• British forces defeated Maratha troops near Delhi, entered Delhi, and placed Shah Alam II under protection.
• Mughal emperor had no real power, with the British overseeing Delhi's administration.
• The British controlled Delhi but avoided declaring full rule due to fear of rebellions, gradually managing India's affairs.

British Expansion in India: Defeat of Marathas - 1818

• British forces, allied with Hyderabad, attacked the Marathas in Deccan.
• The Marathas were unable to match British military strength due to superior weaponry and resources.
• The Marathas' defeat ensured British control over the region.
• Southern India, including the Deccan, came under British control, with little organized resistance afterward.

British Expansion in India: Annexation of Sindh - 1843

• The British aimed to restore pride after failure in Afghanistan.
• Sir Charles Napier took advantage of internal conflicts in Sindh and destroyed the fortress of Imamgarh, provoking war.
• At the Battle of Miani, Napier defeated a 20,000-strong Sindhi force.
• Sindh, except Khairpur, was annexed by the British, establishing strong governance in the southwestern subcontinent.

British Expansion in India: Annexation of Punjab and NWFP - 1846-1849

• Punjab's administration weakened after Maharaja Ranjit Singh's death.
• The British exploited the disorder to enter Lahore, replacing Kharak Singh with Dilip Singh.
• The British consolidated control with minimal resistance, formally annexing Punjab and NWFP by 1849.
• Western India came under British control, completing British dominance over the region.

British Expansion in India: Doctrine of Lapse - 1852

• Lord Dalhousie introduced the Doctrine of Lapse to annex states without direct heirs, targeting states like Jhansi, Nagpur, and Oudh.
• The British declared rulers incompetent to justify annexation, undermining traditional rights.
• British control expanded over many princely states, creating resentment and resistance among Indian rulers.

British Reforms/Rule

• India's wealth was heavily exploited by the British.
• The British banned Sati in 1829.
• The British replaced Persian with English as the government language, limiting job opportunities for Indians.
• Indians had to send their children to co-ed schools with westernized educations, causing resentment.
• Christian missionaries set up schools, aiming to convert the local populace, which was resented.
• The British brought in the railway system, and sold cotton in India, collapsing the Indian Textile Industry.

The Causes of the War of Independence: Political Causes

• The British introduced the Doctrine of Lapse, confiscating territories, which angered Indian landlords.
• Despite being powerless, the Mughal Emperor remained a symbolic figure, but the British moved the royal family from the Red Fort, which Indians saw as disrespectful.
• Resentment grew due to the lack of opportunities for Indians in the Civil Service.
• Indian rulers and commoners felt alienated, strengthening calls for rebellion among political leaders

The Causes of the War of Independence: Military Causes

• The Greased Cartridge Incident angered Indian sepoys, as it showed British disregard for their religious beliefs.
• The Indian army consisted mainly of sepoys, but British officers held all leadership roles, creating feelings of inequality.
• Indian troops were sent to Afghanistan, causing resentment among Hindus and Muslims.
• Military policies failed to respect Indian traditions, leading to widespread disapproval and questioning of loyalty among Indian soldiers.
• Alienation of Indian soldiers created unrest, contributing to the uprising.

The Causes of the War of Independence: Religious Causes

• Rumors of forced religious conversion to Christianity angered Muslim, Hindu, and Sikh soldiers.
• British actions, like abolishing suttee and encouraging widow remarriage, were seen as interference.
• The tradition of pardha was ridiculed, deepening cultural resentment.
• Christian missionaries established schools, incentivizing conversions, offending local traditions.
• Regular actions by the British were seen as disrespectful to Indian religions and cultures, fueling rebellion.

The Causes of the War of Independence: Social Causes

• The British considered Indians inferior, imposing their culture while neglecting Indian traditions.
• Indians were rarely given high-ranking positions, and faced judicial bias.
• Unfair treatment alienated Indian society, uniting different classes against British rule, deepening hatred and bridging social and economic divides.

The Reasons for the failure of the War: Lack of Unity Among Rebels

• The rebels lacked a common purpose, with many fighting for personal gain.
• Some princely states, like Kashmir, supported the British.
• Lord Canning offered concessions, leading many leaders to abandon the fight.
• Vandalism by rebels alienated locals, who sided with the British for law and order.
• Divisions and disapproval weakened the rebellion, leading to failure.

The Reasons for the failure of the War: Superior British Organization

• The British had already secured Punjab and Sindh, reducing support for the rebels.
• Bahadur Shah II's weak leadership left the rebels disorganized.
• The British had advanced weaponry, and well-trained troops led by experienced generals.
• Superior organization and leadership made the British force more effective.

The Reasons for the failure of the War: Technological and Strategic Advantage

• The British used advanced weapons, railways, and telegraphs, while rebels used traditional arms.
• British soldiers were motivated, while rebels were indecisive.
• British technological and logistical advantages ensured their victory, as the rebels couldn't compete with British strategies and resources.

Grade VIII history notes on the decline of the Mughal Empire and the rise of British expansion in India. This includes Aurangzeb's religious policies and wars, which were key factors. The continuous wars depleted the treasury.