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Mughal Decline and Regional Kingdoms | ICSE 8

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History & CivicsICSE Class 8 · India in the 18th Century

Decline of the Mughal Empire and the Rise of Regional Kingdoms (ICSE Class 8 History)

Updated 17 October 2026 · Fact-checked

After Aurangzeb died in 1707 the Mughal Empire declined because of weak successors, wars of succession, long Deccan campaigns, noble factions, a jagir crisis, revolts and invasions by Nadir Shah (1739) and Ahmad Shah Abdali. Hyderabad, Awadh and Bengal became independent in practice; Rajputs, Sikhs, Mysore and the Marathas under the Peshwas grew in power, but disunity let the English Company defeat them one by one.

Understand Decline of the Mughal Empire and the Rise of Regional Kingdoms

1. Causes of decline. (1) Weak successors after Aurangzeb (died 1707), dependent on powerful nobles. (2) Wars of succession for lack of a fixed rule. (3) Aurangzeb's policies: over 25 years of Deccan campaigns drained men and money; many historians argue that measures like reimposing the jizya (1679) alienated sections of subjects, including Rajput allies. (4) Factions among nobles; the Sayyid brothers made and unmade emperors. (5) Jagir crisis: too little revenue-yielding land for all nobles, so harsh pressure on peasants. (6) Revolts by Marathas, Sikhs, Jats and some Rajputs. (7) Invasions: Nadir Shah sacked Delhi in 1739 and took immense wealth including the Peacock Throne; Ahmad Shah Abdali invaded several times between 1748 and 1767. (8) The rise of the European companies.

2. Hyderabad, Awadh, Bengal. Founded by Mughal governors (subadars) who never formally broke with the emperor but became independent in practice and passed power to their families. Hyderabad: Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah ruled the Deccan as his own state from 1724. Awadh: Saadat Khan became governor in 1722; the fertile Ganga plain made it rich. Bengal: Murshid Quli Khan managed Bengal's revenue, became ruler and moved the capital to Murshidabad; Alivardi Khan seized power in 1740; the nawabs tried to control European traders, leading to conflict with the English.

3. Rajputs and Sikhs. Rajputs: Sawai Jai Singh of Amber founded Jaipur (1727) and built observatories (Jantar Mantar) at Delhi, Jaipur, Ujjain, Mathura and Varanasi; rivalries weakened the Rajput states and Maratha pressure grew. Sikhs: Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa in 1699; Banda Bahadur led a revolt and was executed in 1716; fighting bands called misls (about twelve) formed the Dal Khalsa, met at Amritsar and collected a protection tax called rakhi; Ranjit Singh united the misls and captured Lahore in 1799.

4. Mysore. Under the Wodeyars, but real power passed to Haidar Ali (1761), who modernised the army with European-style training and artillery. His son Tipu Sultan (ruled 1782-1799), the 'Tiger of Mysore', reformed administration, introduced new coins, a calendar and weights and measures, encouraged trade, used rockets in war, and restricted export of sandalwood, pepper and cardamom through private traders, which hurt the Company's trade. Four Anglo-Mysore wars were fought; Tipu was killed defending Seringapatam in 1799.

5. Marathas. Shivaji was crowned in 1674. The Peshwas (chief ministers) became real rulers from Pune: Balaji Vishwanath (from 1713), Baji Rao I (1720-1740, expanded into Malwa, Gujarat and Bundelkhand and raided Delhi in 1737) and Balaji Baji Rao (Nana Saheb, 1740-1761). They collected chauth (one-fourth of land revenue) and sardeshmukhi (one-tenth). The confederacy of chiefs: Sindhias (Gwalior), Holkars (Indore), Gaikwads (Baroda), Bhonsles (Nagpur). They lost the Third Battle of Panipat (1761) to Ahmad Shah Abdali, though they recovered under Mahadji Sindhia and Nana Phadnavis.

6. Why the regional powers could not replace the Mughals. Constant wars among themselves; no unity even against Abdali or the English; short-term alliances with Europeans gave the companies influence; a military gap in European-trained armies and artillery; financial strain that burdened peasants. The Company defeated them one by one, beginning with Bengal.

Decline of the Mughal Empire and the Rise of Regional Kingdoms: key facts

Mughal decline
  • Aurangzeb died 1707
  • Nadir Shah sacked Delhi 1739
  • Abdali invasions 1748-1767
Successor states
HyderabadAsaf Jah 1724
AwadhSaadat Khan 1722
BengalMurshid Quli Khan, Alivardi Khan 1740
Others
  • Khalsa 1699
  • Jaipur 1727
  • Haidar Ali 1761
  • Tipu died 1799
  • Lahore 1799
Marathas
  • Shivaji crowned 1674
  • Chauth one-fourth
  • Sardeshmukhi one-tenth
  • Panipat 1761

How to answer Decline of the Mughal Empire and the Rise of Regional Kingdoms questions

For decline, group causes as political, military, economic and external.

  1. 1For regional states, give founder, region, year and a feature.
  2. 2Use dates and names accurately: they are the marks.
  3. 3Connect the rise of regional states to the weakness of Delhi.
  4. 4End with the reason why they failed to unite against the English.

Decline of the Mughal Empire and the Rise of Regional Kingdoms in real life

The idea, met in an everyday situation. Answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

A tax on the road

Suppose a chief on a trade route demands one-fourth of a village's land revenue from a neighbouring kingdom in return for not raiding it, and a further one-tenth as a special charge.

Which Maratha levies does this resemble? Calculate the total share if the revenue is Rs 1,00,000.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. One-fourth is chauth: 1,00,000 / 4 = Rs 25,000.
  2. A further one-tenth is sardeshmukhi: 1,00,000 / 10 = Rs 10,000.
  3. Total = 25,000 + 10,000 = Rs 35,000.

Answer: Chauth and sardeshmukhi; Rs 35,000.

Memory hook: A quarter plus a tenth.

Tricks to remember Decline of the Mughal Empire and the Rise of Regional Kingdoms

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

  • Seven Cs of decline

    Weak Courts, Contests for succession, Campaigns of the Deccan, Cliques of nobles, Crisis of jagirs, Counter-revolts, Conquerors from outside.

    Use it when: Causes.

  • HAB

    Hyderabad, Awadh, Bengal: the successor states founded by governors.

    Use it when: Successor states.

  • Lahore 1799

    Ranjit Singh captured Lahore in the same year that Tipu died.

    Use it when: Dates.

Decline of the Mughal Empire and the Rise of Regional Kingdoms: solved examples

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Try each one before you open the solution.

Example 1: Decline · 4 marks · Short answerBoard level

State any four causes of the decline of the Mughal Empire after 1707.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Weak successors after Aurangzeb.
  2. Wars of succession.
  3. Factions among nobles and the jagir crisis.
  4. Invasions by Nadir Shah (1739) and Ahmad Shah Abdali.

Answer: Weak successors, wars of succession, noble factions and jagir crisis, invasions.

Example 2: Successor states · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level

Who founded (a) Hyderabad (b) Awadh (c) Bengal as an independent-in-practice state? What was common to the three?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. (a) Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah (1724).
  2. (b) Saadat Khan (1722).
  3. (c) Murshid Quli Khan.
  4. Common: founded by Mughal governors who never formally broke with the emperor but ruled hereditarily and controlled revenue and army.

Answer: Asaf Jah, Saadat Khan, Murshid Quli Khan; governors turned hereditary rulers.

Example 3: Revenue sum · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

A region under Maratha influence has a land revenue of Rs 8,00,000. Find the chauth and the sardeshmukhi and the total demand.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Chauth = one-fourth = 8,00,000 / 4 = Rs 2,00,000.
  2. Sardeshmukhi = one-tenth = 8,00,000 / 10 = Rs 80,000.
  3. Total = 2,00,000 + 80,000 = Rs 2,80,000.

Answer: Chauth Rs 2,00,000; sardeshmukhi Rs 80,000; total Rs 2,80,000.

Example 4: Tipu Sultan · 4 marks · Long answerHarder board level

Describe the achievements of Tipu Sultan and explain why he became an enemy of the English Company.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. He reformed administration and introduced new coins, a calendar, weights and measures; he used rockets and encouraged trade.
  2. He restricted the export of sandalwood, pepper and cardamom through private traders, which hurt the Company's trade.
  3. He fought four Anglo-Mysore wars and was killed defending Seringapatam in 1799.

Answer: Administrative reforms and rockets; trade policy hurt the Company; died 1799.

Example 5: Why did they fail? · 4 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

The Marathas, Nizam and Mysore were all strong in the 18th century. Explain why none of them could replace the Mughals and why the English finally prevailed.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. They fought constantly among themselves and did not unite even against Abdali or the English.
  2. Rulers sought English or French help against rivals, giving the companies influence.
  3. European-trained armies with discipline and artillery had an edge, though Mysore and some Maratha chiefs modernised.
  4. Wars emptied treasuries, burdening peasants; the Company defeated them one by one.

Answer: Disunity, European alliances and military gap; the Company defeated them one by one.

Where students lose marks in Decline of the Mughal Empire and the Rise of Regional Kingdoms

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

  • Mistake: Giving Aurangzeb's policies as the only cause

    Other causes are skipped.

    Do this: Give weak successors, factions, jagir crisis, revolts and invasions too.

    Usually costs: 1 to 2 marks.

  • Mistake: Confusing chauth and sardeshmukhi

    Fractions swapped.

    Wrong working

    Chauth = one-tenth

    Right working

    Chauth = one-fourth; sardeshmukhi = one-tenth

    Do this: Chauth: four; sardeshmukhi: ten.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

  • Mistake: Wrong founder for a state

    Saadat Khan given for Hyderabad.

    Do this: Hyderabad: Asaf Jah; Awadh: Saadat Khan; Bengal: Murshid Quli Khan.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

  • Mistake: Mixing the two invaders

    Nadir Shah and Abdali exchanged.

    Do this: Nadir Shah 1739 (Persia); Abdali 1748-1767 (Afghanistan).

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

Exam tips

  • Write dates beside every name.
  • Treat regional kingdoms briefly, as the syllabus says.
  • Give the Maratha taxes with fractions.
  • For essays, always finish with the English Company's gain.

Practice questions on Decline of the Mughal Empire and the Rise of Regional Kingdoms

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

  1. Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

    Who sacked Delhi in 1739 and carried away the Peacock Throne?
    (a) Ahmad Shah Abdali
    (b) Nadir Shah
    (c) Haidar Ali
    (d) Baji Rao I

    Hint

    Persian ruler.

    Answer

    (b) Nadir Shah.

  2. Q2 · 1 mark · Very short answerBoard level

    What were misls?

    Hint

    Sikh bands.

    Answer

    Fighting bands of the Sikhs, about twelve in number, which together formed the Dal Khalsa.

  3. Q3 · 2 marks · Short answerBoard level

    Name the capital of the Peshwas and two Maratha chiefs of the confederacy.

    Hint

    Pune.

    Answer

    Pune; for example the Sindhias of Gwalior and the Holkars of Indore.

  4. Q4 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    Explain the jagir crisis and how it harmed peasants.

    Hint

    Nobles and land.

    Answer

    There was not enough revenue-yielding land to pay all the nobles, leading to discontent among them and harsh pressure on peasants to pay more.

  5. Q5 · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level

    Assertion (A): The Third Battle of Panipat (1761) was a severe blow to the Marathas.
    Reason (R): They were defeated by Ahmad Shah Abdali.
    (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
    (b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
    (c) A is true but R is false.
    (d) A is false but R is true.

    Hint

    Who won?

    Answer

    (a).

  6. Q6 · 4 marks · Long answerHarder board level

    Describe the rise of the Sikhs from 1699 to 1799.

    Hint

    Khalsa to Ranjit Singh.

    Answer

    Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa in 1699; Banda Bahadur led a revolt against Mughal rule and was executed in 1716; misls formed the Dal Khalsa, met at Amritsar and collected the protection tax of rakhi; Ranjit Singh united the misls and captured Lahore in 1799.

  7. Q7 · 4 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

    Compare Hyderabad and Mysore as 18th-century states in terms of origin of the ruler, relation to the Mughals and main policy.

    Hint

    Governor against commander.

    Answer

    Hyderabad: founded by a Mughal governor, Asaf Jah, who ruled as his own state from 1724 while formally respecting Delhi. Mysore: ruled by the Wodeyars until a commander, Haidar Ali, took real power in 1761. Mysore modernised its army and fought the English; Hyderabad collected its own revenue and appointed its officials.

  8. Q8 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

    "The decline of the Mughal Empire was the English Company's opportunity." Explain with two examples.

    Hint

    Weakness of Delhi.

    Answer

    The Mughal weakness left Bengal's nawabs to deal with the English alone, leading to Plassey; regional powers sought English or French help against each other, which increased the companies' influence.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

  1. 1.When did Aurangzeb die?Show answer

    1707.

  2. 2.Who captured Lahore in 1799?Show answer

    Ranjit Singh.

  3. 3.Who was the Tiger of Mysore?Show answer

    Tipu Sultan.

  4. 4.When was the Third Battle of Panipat?Show answer

    1761.

  5. 5.Who founded Jaipur?Show answer

    Sawai Jai Singh (1727).

Decline of the Mughal Empire and the Rise of Regional Kingdoms: frequently asked questions

Were the Hyderabad, Awadh and Bengal rulers openly independent?

No, they formally respected the emperor but were independent in practice.

What were the Peshwas?

The chief ministers of the Maratha king who became the real rulers from Pune.

What was the rakhi?

A protection tax collected by the Sikh misls from cultivators.

When did Tipu Sultan die?

1799, defending Seringapatam.