Weak Rulers After Aurangzeb and the Internal Challenges
Modern History › India on the Eve of British Conquest · Topic 3.2
Aurangzeb died in 1707, and the Mughal throne passed through many weak rulers. Wars of succession, kingmaking nobles such as the Sayyid brothers and incompetent emperors like Muhammad Shah let the empire shrink to a name by the time of Shah Alam II.
6 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · India on the Eve of British Conquest
At a Glance
- What it is The line of emperors from Bahadur Shah I to Bahadur Shah II
- Kingmakers The Sayyid brothers, Abdulla Khan and Hussain Ali
- Longest rule after Aurangzeb Muhammad Shah, 29 years (1719-48)
- Legal end of the empire 1 November 1858
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Modern History: India on the Eve of British Conquest
Where Does It Fit?
This is the second topic of the category on India on the eve of British conquest. The first topic covered the invasions. This topic covers the weak emperors who faced them. The next topic examines why the empire declined. Previous topic: External Challenges to the Mughal Empire: Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali.
What Happened to the Throne After Aurangzeb?
The reign of Aurangzeb (1658-1707) marked the beginning of the end of Mughal rule. It is argued that his policies weakened the stability of the state, and that the decline gained momentum after his death through wars of succession and weak rulers. Muhammad Shah ruled for 29 years (1719-48), but he was incompetent, and the imperial fortunes did not revive. His reign saw the independent states of Hyderabad, Bengal, Awadh and Punjab take shape, local chiefs assert their independence, and the Marathas bid to inherit the imperial mantle.
Who Were the Later Mughal Emperors?
| Emperor | Period | Key points |
|---|---|---|
| Bahadur Shah I | Till February 1712 | After a nearly two-year war of succession the 63-year-old Prince Muazzam became emperor. He killed his brothers Muhammad Azam and Kam Bakhsh, adopted a peaceful policy with the Marathas, Rajputs and Jats, freed the Maratha prince Shahu, and acted against the Sikh leader Banda Bahadur |
| Jahandar Shah | March 1712 to February 1713 | Came to the throne with the help of Zulfikar Khan, who as prime minister introduced the izara system to improve finances; abolished jaziya |
| Farrukhsiyar | 1713 to 1719 | Killed Jahandar Shah with the help of the Sayyid brothers, Abdulla Khan and Hussain Ali, known as king makers; abolished jaziya and the pilgrimage tax; gave farmans to the British in 1717; deposed in 1719 by the Sayyid brothers with the help of Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath, then blinded and killed, the first time a Mughal emperor was killed by his nobles |
| Rafi-ud-Darajat | 28 February to 4 June 1719 | Ruled for the shortest period among the Mughals |
| Rafi-ud-Daula (Shah Jahan II) | 6 June to 17 September 1719 | An opium addict placed on the throne by the Sayyid brothers |
| Muhammad Shah | 1719 to 1748 | Called Rangeela for his luxurious life; killed the Sayyid brothers with the help of Nizam-ul-Mulk, who became wazir in 1724 and founded the independent state of Hyderabad; Baji Rao I invaded Delhi in 1737 with a small army of 500 horsemen; Nadir Shah defeated him at Karnal in 1739 |
| Ahmad Shah | 1748 to 1754 | Incompetent; left affairs to the Queen Mother, Udham Bai, who ruled with the eunuch Javid Khan |
| Alamgir II | 1754 to 1758 | Grandson of Jahandar Shah; Abdali reached Delhi in January 1757; the Battle of Plassey was fought in June 1757 |
| Shahjahan III | 1758 to 1759 | Short reign |
| Shah Alam II | 1759 to 1806 | Third Battle of Panipat (1761) and Battle of Buxar (1764); under the Treaty of Allahabad (August 1765) taken under Company protection; granted the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa in perpetuity |
How Did the Empire Become a Pensioner?
In 1772 the Marathas took Shah Alam II to Delhi, where he lived till 1803. In 1803, after the English defeated Daulat Rao Scindia, he again accepted English protection. After that, the Mughal emperors became pensioners of the English.
- Akbar II (1806-37) He gave the title of Raja to Rammohan Roy. In 1835 the coins bearing the names of Mughal emperors were stopped
- Bahadur Shah II (1837-57) Also called Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor. The Revolt of 1857 made a futile attempt to declare him Emperor of India. He was captured by the English and sent to Rangoon, where he died in 1862
In legal terms the Mughal Empire ended on 1 November 1858, with the declaration of Queen Victoria. That Proclamation followed the Government of India Act, 1858, which passed the Company’s rule to the Crown.
What Did Kingmaking Do to the Empire?
The pattern of the period is a rising role for nobles and a falling role for the emperor. The Sayyid brothers made and unmade three emperors in a few years, and Farrukhsiyar was the first emperor to be killed by his own nobles. As an analytical point, once nobles could make emperors, the throne became a prize in the quarrels of factions, and provincial governors like Nizam-ul-Mulk saw more advantage in building their own states than in defending the centre.
One historian wrote that Bahadur Shah I was the last emperor of whom anything favourable could be said, and that afterwards the empire’s fall was shown in the incapacity and political insignificance of its sovereigns.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Chronology of decline The list of emperors helps place events such as Karnal, Plassey, Buxar and Allahabad
- Direct facts The Sayyid brothers, Rangeela and the 1765 treaty are frequent Prelims items
- Link to the Polity series The end of the Mughals leads to the 1858 transfer of rule to the Crown
What Came Next?
The next topic examines the causes of the decline of the Mughal Empire, including the debate among historians. Next topic: Causes of the Decline of the Mughal Empire.
Key People and Terms
- Sayyid brothers Abdulla Khan and Hussain Ali, the kingmakers of 1713-1720
- Izara A system of revenue farming introduced under Zulfikar Khan to improve finances
- Jaziya The tax on non-Muslims, abolished at different times by Jahandar Shah and Farrukhsiyar
- Rangeela The title given to Muhammad Shah for his luxurious life
- Diwani The right to collect revenue, granted to the Company in 1765
- Pensioner A person living on a payment from another; the status of later Mughal emperors
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Aurangzeb ruled 1658-1707; Muhammad Shah ruled 1719-48.
- The Sayyid brothers: Abdulla Khan and Hussain Ali, kingmakers.
- Farrukhsiyar was the first Mughal emperor killed by his nobles; farmans to the British in 1717.
- Shah Alam II: Panipat (1761), Buxar (1764), Treaty of Allahabad (1765).
- Legal end of the empire: 1 November 1858; the last emperor, Bahadur Shah II, died in Rangoon in 1862.
Do Not Confuse With
- Rafi-ud-Darajat and Rafi-ud-Daula Two puppet emperors of 1719; the first reigned shortest, the second was called Shah Jahan II
- Bahadur Shah I and Bahadur Shah II The first ruled to 1712 and fought Banda Bahadur; the second was the last emperor, linked to 1857
- Muhammad Shah and Shah Alam II Muhammad Shah (Rangeela) faced Nadir Shah; Shah Alam II faced Panipat, Buxar and the Company
Memory Hook
Kingmakers made emperors, and then emperors became pensioners.
Mains Angle
Questions ask how the later Mughals hastened decline. These points add depth.
- Kingmaking nobles The Sayyid brothers show how real power shifted from the throne to factions
- Succession wars No settled law of succession caused repeated fighting after each death
- End as pensioners By 1803 the emperors depended on English protection
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“How did the weak successors of Aurangzeb contribute to the decline of the Mughal Empire?”
How to Answer
- Describe rulers Give Bahadur Shah I, Farrukhsiyar and Muhammad Shah.
- Describe kingmakers Explain the Sayyid brothers and the killing of Farrukhsiyar.
- Show results Provincial states, invasions and the Company’s Diwani in 1765.
- Conclude Say that weakness at the top left the empire exposed.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the Sayyid brothers?
The Sayyid brothers, Abdulla Khan and Hussain Ali, were kingmakers of the Mughal court. They helped Farrukhsiyar become emperor in 1713, deposed him in 1719 with the help of Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath, and placed Rafi-ud-Darajat and Rafi-ud-Daula on the throne.
Why was Muhammad Shah called Rangeela?
Muhammad Shah, who ruled from 1719 to 1748, was given the title Rangeela because of his luxurious lifestyle. He was an incompetent ruler, and his reign saw the rise of independent states, the Maratha advance and Nadir Shah's victory at Karnal in 1739.
What was the Treaty of Allahabad?
The Treaty of Allahabad of August 1765 took Shah Alam II under the protection of the East India Company, and he resided at Allahabad. He also issued a farman granting the Company the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa in perpetuity.
Who was the last Mughal emperor?
Bahadur Shah II, also known as Bahadur Shah Zafar, was the last Mughal emperor. The Revolt of 1857 tried to declare him Emperor of India. The English captured him and sent him to Rangoon, where he died in 1862.
When did the Mughal Empire legally end?
In legal terms the Mughal Empire ended on 1 November 1858 with the declaration of Queen Victoria. The Proclamation came after the Government of India Act, 1858 transferred the Company's rule to the Crown, three decades after the emperors had become English pensioners.
Why was Farrukhsiyar important?
Farrukhsiyar (1713-19) abolished jaziya and the pilgrimage tax, and gave farmans to the British in 1717. He was deposed in 1719 by the Sayyid brothers, blinded and killed, the first time in Mughal history that an emperor was killed by his nobles.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Muhammad Shah was given the title Rangeela because of his luxurious lifestyle.
He ruled from 1719 to 1748.
2 Farrukhsiyar was the first Mughal emperor to be killed by his nobles.
The Sayyid brothers deposed him in 1719.
3 Shah Alam II granted the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa to the Company in 1765.
The grant followed the Treaty of Allahabad.
4 Bahadur Shah II died in Delhi in 1857.
He was sent to Rangoon after capture and died there in 1862.
5 Zulfikar Khan introduced the izara system under Jahandar Shah.
It was meant to improve the empire's finances.
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