Aurangzeb's Succession — War Setup
Aurangzeb died — March 1707 CE
- 3 sons in dispute:
-
Mauzzam — Governor of Kabul
-
Muhammad Azam — Governor of Gujarat
-
Muhammad Kam Bakhsh — Governor of Bijapur
- Battle of Jajau (1707 CE) → Mauzzam victorious → became Bahadur Shah I
Selected Later Mughal Emperors — Timeline
| Emperor |
Reign |
Nickname / Key Tag |
| Bahadur Shah I |
1707–1712 CE |
Shah-e-Bekhbar (The Unaware King) |
| Jahandar Shah |
1712–1713 CE |
Supported by Zulfiqar Khan |
| Farrukhsiyar |
1713–1719 CE |
Farman of 1717 |
| Muhammad Shah |
1719–1748 CE |
Rangila Badshah |
| Ahmad Shah Bahadur |
1748–1754 CE |
— |
| Alamgir II |
1754–1759 CE |
— |
| Shah Alam II |
1759–1806 CE |
Battle of Buxar; Treaty of Allahabad |
| Akbar II |
1806–1837 CE |
— |
| Bahadur Shah II (Zafar) |
1837–1857 CE |
Last Mughal Emperor; poet |
Jizya Tax — On/Off Tracker
Jahandar Shah — Jizya?
Abolished Jizya
Farrukhsiyar — Jizya?
Restored Jizya
Muhammad Shah — Jizya?
Abolished after Farrukhsiyar’s fall, under Sayyid-dominated administration (1719–20)
Key Rulers — Detailed
Bahadur Shah I1707–1712
CE
- Became emperor at about 63
- Followed conciliatory policy with Marathas and Rajputs
- Dutch representative: Joshua Ketelaar arrived in Mughal court
- Disparaging epithet in some accounts: Shah-i-Bekhabar; not a formal title
- Won Battle of Jajau (1707) to ascend throne
Jahandar Shah1712–1713
CE
- Came to power with help of Zulfiqar Khan
- Recognized Jai Singh II of Amer; Jai Singh I had died in 1667
- Gave title Maharaja to Raja Ajit Singh (Marwar)
-
Abolished Jizya tax on Hindus
- Influential Wazir: Zulfiqar Khan
Farrukhsiyar1713–1719
CE
- Came to power with help of Sayyid Brothers
- Issued royal Farman in 1717 CE in favour of East India Company
- Restored Jizya tax
- Deposed by the Sayyid Brothers in 1719
Sayyid Brothers
- Controlled administration: 1713–1720 CE
- Known as Kingmakers — Abdullah Khan and Husain Ali Khan
- Followed tolerance and reconciliation with Rajputs, Marathas, Jats
Muhammad Shah1719–1748
CE
- Nickname: Rangila Badshah
- Jizya was abolished after Farrukhsiyar’s fall, during the Sayyid-dominated transition of 1719–20
- Patronage of Urdu poetry, painting and music
-
Nadir Shah's invasion (1739 CE):
→ Battle of Karnal
→ Muhammad Shah defeated
→ Nadir Shah took Peacock Throne (Takht-e-Taus) + Kohinoor diamond
Shah Alam II1759–1806
CE
-
Battle of Buxar (1764 CE):
→ British Commander: Hector Munro
→ Defeated Alliance: Mughal Army + Nawab of Awadh (Shuja-ud-Daula) + Bengal Nawab
(Mir Qasim)
-
Treaty of Allahabad (1765 CE):
→ EIC represented by Robert Clive
→ EIC granted Diwani rights of Bengal, Bihar & Orissa
→ Shah Alam II received pension from the English
⭐ Bahadur Shah II (Zafar)1837–1857 CE · LAST MUGHAL
- Nickname: Zafar
- Wrote Shayari (Urdu poetry)
- Symbolic leader of the uprising in Delhi in 1857
- Arrested by British soldiers
- Died 1862 CE in Rangoon (present-day Myanmar)
Most Important Events
⚔️ Nadir Shah's Invasion1739
CE
- Nadir Shah = Persian ruler
- Battle of Karnal — Muhammad Shah defeated
- Nadir Shah looted Delhi
- Took away: Peacock Throne (Takht-e-Taus)
- Took away: Kohinoor diamond
⚔️ Battle of Buxar1764
CE
- British Commander: Hector Munro
- British won against 3-party alliance:
| Alliance Member |
Who |
| Mughal Emperor |
Shah Alam II |
| Nawab of Awadh |
Shuja-ud-Daula |
| Deposed Bengal Nawab |
Mir Qasim |
📜 Treaty of Allahabad1765
CE
- EIC represented by Robert Clive
- EIC got Diwani rights of Bengal, Bihar & Orissa
- Shah Alam II received pension from English
- Significance: legal recognition of Company revenue authority in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa
🔥 Revolt of 1857Last
Act
- Bahadur Shah II (Zafar) became symbolic leader of soldiers
- Arrested by British
- Exiled to Rangoon (Myanmar)
- Died there in 1862 CE
- End of Mughal dynasty
📜 Farman of 1717 CEFarrukhsiyar
- Issued by Farrukhsiyar
- Favoured East India Company
- Gave EIC major trading privileges — key step toward British dominance
Reasons for Decline of Mughal Empire
⚠️ Costly wars and policy conflicts under Aurangzeb
👑 Succession conflicts and weakened central authority
⚔️ Foreign invasions (Nadir Shah, etc.)
💰 Decline in economic strength
📋 Mansabdari and jagir pressures
🏹 Weak military administration
🏛️ Growing regional autonomy
Decline — Step by Step
| Era |
Key Event |
Impact |
| 1707 CE |
Aurangzeb's death |
Succession war begins; empire weakens |
| 1713–20 |
Sayyid Brothers as Kingmakers |
Emperor becomes puppet |
| 1717 CE |
Farman to EIC (Farrukhsiyar) |
British trading power grows |
| 1739 CE |
Nadir Shah's invasion |
Peacock Throne + Kohinoor looted; prestige shattered |
| 1764 CE |
Battle of Buxar |
Shah Alam II’s alliance lost to the East India Company |
| 1765 CE |
Treaty of Allahabad |
EIC gets Diwani of Bengal, Bihar, Orissa |
| 1857 CE |
Revolt of 1857 fails |
Last Mughal (Bahadur Shah II) arrested; dynasty ends |
| 1862 CE |
Bahadur Shah II dies in Rangoon |
Death in exile; imperial rule had ended in 1857 |
⚠️ Exam Traps
Trap #1 — Jizya: On-Off-On-Off
Jahandar Shah abolished Jizya; Farrukhsiyar restored it. After his fall, it was abolished during the Sayyid-dominated transition of 1719–20; collection had already been uneven.
Trap #2 — Kingmakers = Sayyid Brothers
The Sayyid Brothers, known as kingmakers, rose to power during Farrukhsiyar’s reign between 1713 and 1720. They followed a policy of tolerance, installed Farrukhsiyar, and later removed him.
Trap #3 — What Did Nadir Shah Seize?
Nadir Shah seized both the Peacock Throne or Takht-e-Taus and the Kohinoor diamond, not just one of them. This followed the Battle of Karnal in 1739 CE.
Trap #4 — Battle of Buxar vs Plassey
Battle of Buxar (1764) = Shah Alam II, Shuja-ud-Daula and Mir Qasim versus the British under Hector Munro. Battle of Plassey (1757) = Siraj-ud-Daula versus Clive. The battles and commanders were different.
Trap #5 — Treaty of Allahabad — Diwani Rights
The Allahabad settlement of 1765 gave the Company Diwani revenue rights in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. Clive represented the Company and Shah Alam II received a pension. The grant strengthened Company power while the Nawab formally retained Nizamat.
Trap #6 — Bahadur Shah II — Died Where?
Bahadur Shah II (Zafar) was arrested after the Revolt of 1857 and exiled to Rangoon in Myanmar. He died there in 1862 CE, not in Delhi or Agra.
⚡ Quick Recall Cards
Rulers — Epithets and Key Events
Shah-e-Bekhbar (Unaware King)?
Bahadur Shah I
Which emperor ruled in 1712–13 with Zulfiqar Khan’s support?
Jahandar Shah
Which emperor issued the Company’s Farman of 1717?
Farrukhsiyar
Rangila Badshah?
Muhammad Shah
Last Mughal Emperor + poet?
Bahadur Shah II (Zafar)
Key Events
Battle of Jajau (1707)?
Mauzzam won → became Bahadur Shah I
Farman 1717 — issued by?
Farrukhsiyar — in favour of EIC
Kingmakers = ?
Sayyid Brothers — Abdullah Khan and Husain Ali Khan
Battle of Karnal (1739)?
Nadir Shah defeated Muhammad Shah → took Peacock Throne + Kohinoor
Battle of Buxar (1764) — British commander?
Hector Munro
3 members of defeated alliance (Buxar)?
Shah Alam II + Shuja-ud-Daula + Mir Qasim
Treaty of Allahabad (1765) — EIC rep?
Robert Clive
Diwani rights of which states?
Bengal, Bihar & Orissa → EIC
Jizya Timeline (Easy Order)
Jahandar Shah → ?
ABOLISHED Jizya
Farrukhsiyar → ?
RESTORED Jizya
After Farrukhsiyar’s fall (1719–20) → ?
Jizya abolished under Sayyid-dominated administration
Bahadur Shah II (Last Mughal)
Role in 1857?
Symbolic leader of soldiers in Revolt of 1857
Died when & where?
1862 CE — Rangoon (present-day Myanmar)
Achievement of Muhammad Shah?
Patronage of Urdu poetry, painting and music
Decline Reasons — 7 Points
What factors contributed to Mughal decline?
1. Costly wars/policy conflicts 2. Succession conflicts 3. Foreign invasions 4. Fiscal pressures 5. Mansab/jagir stresses 6. Military pressures 7. Regional autonomy — interacting factors, not a fixed exhaustive count