THE MUGHALS (1707–1857) - PART 2

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The Mughals - Part 2 

Designed only for UPSC IAS Aspirants - EXAM ORIENTED 

SOCIETY AND CULTURE DURING MUGHAL DECLINE (1707–1857)

The Mughal Empire’s cultural legacy remained vibrant even as its political and economic structures collapsed. This period saw:

• Transformation of social hierarchies
• Rise of regional cultural identities
• Decline of imperial patronage for art and literature
• Emergence of new religious movements

🔍 UPSC HACK: UPSC often tests your ability to link cultural shifts with political decline. Don’t treat society as separate—integrate it with governance and economy.

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  ✨ Also Read :  

• 🔗 THE MUGHALS (1707–1857) - PART 1
   
• 🔗  Know All about IAS EXAM 

👥 1 SOCIAL STRUCTURE

Society during the Mughal decline was deeply stratified:

• Nobility became fragmented and regionally aligned
• Zamindars gained power and became semi-autonomous
• Peasants faced exploitation and displacement
• Artisans lost patronage and migrated to British-controlled cities

🔍 UPSC TIP: Know the difference between mansabdars (imperial officers) and zamindars (local landholders). UPSC loves to test this nuance.

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🕌 2 RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE

Religious tolerance varied under post-Aurangzeb rulers:

• Bahadur Shah I tried to reconcile with Sikhs and Rajputs
• Rise of Sikh militarization under Banda Bahadur
• Bhakti and Sufi movements continued to flourish
• British missionaries began spreading Christianity in Bengal and Madras

🔍 UPSC HACK: Link religious movements to social reform. Bhakti and Sufi saints often challenged caste and orthodoxy.

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🎨 3 ART, ARCHITECTURE & LITERATURE

Imperial patronage declined, but regional styles flourished:

• Mughal miniature painting lost royal support
• Rajput and Maratha courts became new cultural hubs
• Urdu poetry flourished—Mir Taqi Mir, Ghalib
• Architecture shifted from grandeur to functionality

📌 Cultural Shifts Table

Aspect	Before Decline	After Decline
Painting	Mughal miniatures	Rajput, Pahari styles
Literature	Persian court poetry	Urdu ghazals and satire
Architecture	Red Fort, Taj Mahal	Regional forts, temples

🔍 UPSC TIP: Know key figures like Mir Taqi Mir and Ghalib. UPSC may ask about their literary contributions.

Mir Taqi Mir Urdu poetry UPSC Ghalib Mughal decline literature IAS Rajput architecture 18th century India

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📚 4 EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS

Education during this period saw a shift:

• Madrasa and Maktab systems continued but stagnated
• British introduced English education in Bengal Presidency
• Traditional scholars resisted Western curricula
• Raja Ram Mohan Roy advocated modern learning

🔍 UPSC HACK: Link education reforms to social awakening. Raja Ram Mohan Roy is a bridge between Mughal decline and modern India.

🧠 5 UPSC PRELIMS POINTERS

• Match Mir Taqi Mir and Ghalib with their literary genres
• Know the Bhakti-Sufi similarities and differences
• Understand the decline of Mughal patronage and rise of regional courts
• Link education reforms to early nationalism

🧠 IAS HACK: Practice interdisciplinary linking. UPSC rewards answers that connect society, politics, and economy holistically.

⚔️  EXTERNAL THREATS AND BRITISH EXPANSION (1707–1857)

While the Mughal Empire crumbled from within, external forces accelerated its collapse. Foreign invasions devastated the imperial capital, and European powers—especially the British—used trade privileges to gain political control.

🔍 UPSC HACK: Always link external threats to internal weaknesses. UPSC often asks how invasions exposed Mughal military and administrative decay.

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🗡️ 1 FOREIGN INVASIONS

🔸 Nadir Shah (1739)

• Invaded during Muhammad Shah’s reign
• Massacred Delhi; over 30,000 killed
• Took the Kohinoor diamond and Peacock Throne

Impact: Psychological blow to Mughal prestige; exposed military vulnerability.

🔸 Ahmad Shah Abdali (1748–1767)

• Repeated invasions across Punjab and Delhi
• Third Battle of Panipat (1761): Defeated Marathas
• Looted and destabilized northern India

🔍 UPSC TRAP: Don’t confuse Nadir Shah (Persian) with Abdali (Afghan). Nadir came first and looted Delhi; Abdali fought Panipat III.

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🏴 2 BRITISH ECONOMIC PENETRATION

The British East India Company began as a trading entity but gradually became a political power.

📌 Key Milestones

Year	Event	Impact
1717	Farman by Farrukhsiyar	Duty-free trade in Bengal for British
1757	Battle of Plassey	British defeated Nawab of Bengal; gained control
1764	Battle of Buxar	British defeated Mughal + Awadh + Bengal alliance
1765	Treaty of Allahabad	Shah Alam II gave Diwani rights to British

🔍 UPSC TIP: Understand the shift from trade to governance. The 1717 Farman was economic; Plassey and Buxar were political.

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📜 3 TREATY OF ALLAHABAD (1765)

• Signed between Shah Alam II and Robert Clive
• Granted Diwani rights (revenue collection) in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa
• Shah Alam II became a British pensioner

Impact: Mughal emperor retained title but lost all real power. British became de facto rulers of eastern India.

🔍 UPSC HACK: Diwani rights = fiscal control. This treaty marked the beginning of British administrative rule.

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🧠 4 UPSC PRELIMS POINTERS

• Match Nadir Shah with Delhi massacre; Abdali with Panipat III
• Know the 1717 Farman and its economic implications
• Understand the sequence of battles: Plassey → Buxar → Treaty of Allahabad
• Link Diwani rights to British revenue control

🧠 IAS HACK: Practice chronological linking. UPSC often asks questions in timeline format—know what came before and after.

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