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Which of the following were factors that contributed to the decline of the Mughal Empire?
1. Aurangzeb‟s arduous campaign against the Marathas.
2. A fixed rule of succession to determine the political heir.
3. Paucity of jagirs with the nobles and the reduced income of the existing jagirs.
4. A series of peasant uprisings as a result of discontent among the peasantry.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
  • a)
    1 and 2 only
  • b)
    1, 3 and 4 only
  • c)
    2 and 4 only
  • d)
    1, 2, 3 and 4
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?
Verified Answer
Which of the following were factors that contributed to the decline of...
  • The beginnings of the decline of the Mughal Empire are to be traced to the strong rule of Aurangzeb.
  • Aurangzeb too would have been well-advised to win over the Maratha sardars. Instead, he chose to suppress them. His futile but arduous campaign against the Marathas extended over many years; it drained the resources of his Empire and ruined the trade and industry of the Deccan. His absence from the north for over 25 years and his failure to subdue the Marathas led to the deterioration in administration; this undermined the prestige of the Empire and its army, led to the neglect of the vital north-west frontier, and encouraged provincial and local officials to defy central authority and to dream of independence. Later, in the 18th century, Maratha expansion in the north weakened central authority still further.
  • If Aurangzeb left the Empire with many problems unsolved, the situation was further worsened by the ruinous wars of succession which followed his death. In the absence of any fixed rule of succession, the Mughal dynasty was always plagued after the death of a king by a civil war between the princes. Moreover, these civil wars loosened the administrative fabric of the Empire. The nobility, the backbone of the Empire, was transformed into warring factions. Many of the local chiefs and officials utilised the conditions of uncertainty, and political chaos at the centre to consolidate their own position.
  • Apart from the personalities of the Mughal rulers, the strength of the Mughal Empire lay in the organisation and character of its nobility. The weakness of the king could have been successfully overcome and covered up by an alert, efficient, and loyal nobility. But the character of the nobility had also deteriorated. 
  • One of the major causes of the growing selfishness of the nobles was the paucity of jagirs and the reduced income of the existing jagirs at a time when the number of nobles and their expenditure was going up. So there ensued intense mutual rivalry among them for the possession of the existing jagirs. The heart of the matter perhaps was that no arrangement could have been made which would satisfy all the nobles, for there were just not enough offices and jagirs for all. The paucity of jagirs had some other consequences. The nobles tried to get the maximum income from their jagirs at the cost of the peasantry. They tried to transform their existing jagirs and offices into hereditary ones To balance their own budgets they tended to appropriate khalisah (crown) lands, thus intensifying the financial crisis of the central Government. They invariably reduced their expenditure by not maintaining their full quota of troops and thus weakened the armed strength of the Empire.
  • A basic cause of the downfall of the Mughal Empire was that it could no longer satisfy the minimum needs of its population The condition of the Indian peasant gradually worsened during the 17th and 18th centuries. While at no time perhaps was this lot happy, in the 18th century his life, was "poor, nasty, miserable and uncertain'". The burden of land revenue went on increasing from Akbar's time. Moreover, constant transfer of nobles from their jagirs also led to great evil. All these factors led to stagnation and deterioration in agriculture and the impoverishment of the peasant. Peasant discontent increased and came to the surface. There are some instances of the peasants leaving the land to avoid paying taxes. Peasant discontent also found an outlet in a series of uprisings (the Satnamies, the Jats, the Sikhs, etc.) which eroded the stability and strength of the Empire.
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Which of the following were factors that contributed to the decline of the Mughal Empire?1. Aurangzebs arduous campaign against the Marathas.2. A fixed rule of succession to determine the political heir.3. Paucity of jagirs with the nobles and the reduced income of the existing jagirs.4. A series of peasant uprisings as a result of discontent among the peasantry.Select the correct answer using the code given below.a)1 and 2 onlyb)1, 3 and 4 onlyc)2 and 4 onlyd)1, 2, 3 and 4Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?
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Which of the following were factors that contributed to the decline of the Mughal Empire?1. Aurangzebs arduous campaign against the Marathas.2. A fixed rule of succession to determine the political heir.3. Paucity of jagirs with the nobles and the reduced income of the existing jagirs.4. A series of peasant uprisings as a result of discontent among the peasantry.Select the correct answer using the code given below.a)1 and 2 onlyb)1, 3 and 4 onlyc)2 and 4 onlyd)1, 2, 3 and 4Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer? for UPSC 2025 is part of UPSC preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the UPSC exam syllabus. Information about Which of the following were factors that contributed to the decline of the Mughal Empire?1. Aurangzebs arduous campaign against the Marathas.2. A fixed rule of succession to determine the political heir.3. Paucity of jagirs with the nobles and the reduced income of the existing jagirs.4. A series of peasant uprisings as a result of discontent among the peasantry.Select the correct answer using the code given below.a)1 and 2 onlyb)1, 3 and 4 onlyc)2 and 4 onlyd)1, 2, 3 and 4Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for UPSC 2025 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Which of the following were factors that contributed to the decline of the Mughal Empire?1. Aurangzebs arduous campaign against the Marathas.2. A fixed rule of succession to determine the political heir.3. Paucity of jagirs with the nobles and the reduced income of the existing jagirs.4. A series of peasant uprisings as a result of discontent among the peasantry.Select the correct answer using the code given below.a)1 and 2 onlyb)1, 3 and 4 onlyc)2 and 4 onlyd)1, 2, 3 and 4Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?.
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