IGNOU HISTORY NOTES : India History From Mid 18th to Mid 19th Century - Indian Polity in the Mid 18th Century


IGNOU HISTORY Study Notes for IAS, UPSC Exams


History India From Mid 18th to Mid 19th Century


Indian Polity in the Mid 18th Century


Structure

1.0 Objectives
1.1 Introduction
1.2 18th Century : A Dark Age?
1.3 Decline of the Mughal Empire
1.3.1 Internal Weaknesses : Struggle for Power
1.3.2 External Challenge
1.3.3 Decline : Some Interpretations
1.3.4 Continuity of Mughal Traditions
1.4 The Emergence of Regional Polities
1.4.1 Successor States
1.4.2 The New Stales
1.4.3 Independent Kingdoms
1.4.4 Weakness of Regional Polities
1.5 The Rise of British Power
1.5.1 From Trading Company to Political Power
1.5.2 Anglo-French Struggle in South India
1.5.3 Conquest of B~ngal : Plassey to Buxar
1.5.4 Reorganisation of the Political System
1.6 Let Us Sum Up
1.7 Key Words
1.8 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises

1.0 OBJECTIVES

The aim of this Unit is to introduce you to the main political developments in the mid18th century. Here we will present only an outline of the political map which the
following units will fill in. After reading this Unit you will become familiar with the
following themes:

  • the declip of Mughal Empire,
  • the ernergma of Mughal provinces as regional power-Hyderabad. Bengal and Awadh,
  • the rise of new staks-Marathas, Jats, Sikhs and Afghans,
  • the history of Mysore, Rajput states and Kerala as independent principalities, and
  • the beginnings of a colonial empire.

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Our study begins around 1740 and ends in 1773. The first Carnatic war and Nadir
Shah's inv-n of India were the early landmarks. The last milestone was the .. . . reorgam#b,on of the political system during the tenure of the Warren Hastings.
The dodiw efthe Mughal empire is the first theme, This was a long-drawn out process
to which many factors contributed. Nadir Shah's invasion in 1739 and the massacre of
Delhi seriously weakened an already feeble Mughal empire. Other factors including
economic crisis contributed to the empire's decline. The Mughal empire did not
survive but its institutions and traditions continued in the regi-al stat& and British
provinces. Mu- administrative practices, especially in respect of land revenue,
were adopted. 

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