Give 2 examples to show how the later
Mughals were too weak to control the
empire established by their forefathers.
Answers
Answer:
The fall of Mughal empire is attributed to the death of Aurangzeb circa 1707. After ruling for more than 50 years, last 25 years were full of struggle for him and from this period the fall of mughal empire ensued.
This was due to the rise of regional powers in the south and mainly Marathas.
Marathas were fierce warriors united into a formidable force by Chatrapati Shivaji. He waged war against the oppressive rule of Aurangzeb and annexed scores of his forts. Their unconventional way of fighting (Guerrilla fight) had become a menace for Aurangzeb. After Shivaji, his son Shambhaji Maharaj gave stiff resistance to Aurangzeb. Due to which during the last years of his regime. He was engrossed with the daunting and seemingly insuperable task of annexing Maratha and deccan heartlands. Which led to slipping away of some of his strangleholds too.
After his death. His successors were weak and incapable. Starting from Bahadur shah. Almost everyone ruled for a short period of time and thus couldn't consolidate its position. From Faruksiyar to Mohammad shah Rangeela. Everyone was weak and incapable as compared to the earlier Mughals.
Meanwhile Marathas under successive Peshwas were now a force to reckon with. And due to incapable mughals on the helm. The Mughal Empire began to break. Dominions like Awadh, Bengal which were Mughal Fiefdoms revolted and separated under their successive rulers.
On the other front. Foreign invaders from Iran and Afghans gained momentum owing to their marauding military. They laid attacks and pillaged and plundered the mughal dominion. Nadirshah, hailed as “Napoleon of Iran” attacked India in 1739AD and wrecked carnage leaving behind hundreds of thousands of dead bodies and temples ransacked and razed to the ground. Ahmad Shah Abdali, in 1761 attacked India and followed the same suit. Mughal emperors where helpless at that time as their power has subsided to a significant extent.
At one point Mughals became so weak that they accepted Maratha's sovereignity .
Infact, later Mughals became so weak and helpless that their dominion was protected by Marathas. For which Mughals would pay hefty tax to Marathas for guarding their teritory.
Compounded effect of these factors left mughal power decapitated and in moribund state. And ultimately it crumbled into innumerable dominions.