Page 105 - SST Class 07
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Political Formations
in the Eighteenth Century
The decay of the Mughal empire started during Bengal
the last 25 years of Aurangzeb’s reign. Aurangzeb Murshid Quli Khan was the Governor of the
died in 1707. His successors were known as the Bengal from AD 1717 to 1727 AD. He shifted his
Later Mughals. capital from Dacca to Mushidabad and became
There were serious revolts of the Jats, the independent of Delhi. He was succeeded by
Satnamis and the Sikhs. The rise of the Marathas Shuja-ud-Daula (1727-1739 AD) and Ali Vardi
in the Deccan also shook the very foundations of Khan (1739-1756 AD).
the Mughal empire. Thus, though Aurangzeb was The province of Bengal prospered under these
a great Mughal emperor, he failed to leave rulers who reorganised the administration by
behind a strong and secure empire as he had removing the corrupt and inefficient Jagirdars.
inherited. They raised a new class of Zamindars who were
INDEPENDENT KINGDOMS mostly Bengali, Hindus, for collection of land
On the ruins of the Mughal empire, there arose revenue, etc. These Zamindars were loyal to the
regional kingdoms. Some of these kingdoms Nawabs. Trade and industry were also encour-
were former Mughal provinces carved out by aged. The Nawabs of Bengal gave the province
governors serving the Mughal rulers. Three of the complete peace and prosperity. Ali Vardi Khan
largest provinces to become independent were also concluded a treaty with the Marathas and
Awadh, Bengal and Hyderabad. agreed to pay them tribute in order to keep them
Awadh away from Bengal.
In 1722, Muhammad Shah appointed Saadat But, these Nawabs could not realise the danger
Khan the governor of Awadh. Zamindars of that the European trading companies posed to
Awadh often refused to pay taxes on time. their authority. After the death of Ali Vardi Khan,
Saadat khan suppressed the rebellious Zamindars the English East India Company captured the
and reformed the revenue system. He held the entire territory of Bengal, Bihar and Odisha.
combined office of the ‘subadar’ (political head),
‘faujdar’ (military head) and the ‘diwan’ (head of
revenue). He was succeeded in 1739 by Safdar
Jung.
Saadat Khan and his successors virtually ruled
Awadh as independent rulers. They provided
good administration to the people. Lucknow,
their capital, was a major centre of art and
culture.
Nadir Shah Ahmad Shah Abdali
Social Science-7 105
