2. The Decline of the Mughal Empire

About this Lecture

Lecture

In this module, we think about the Mughal Empire declined so dramatically after Aurangzeb's death in 1707, focusing in particular on the way he ran the Empire and the (consequent) weakness of his successors.

Course

In this course, Dr Nandini Chatterjee explores the decline and fall of the Mughal Empire, from the reign of Aurangzeb (1658-1707) to the disintegration of the Empire after his death. We begin by thinking about the reign of Aurangzeb, looking first at his personality and temperament, and then at his style of rule as Emperor. In the third module, we think about the conquest of the sultanates of Bijapur and Golconda, and the intended consequence this had for the long-term survival of the Mughal Empire, before turning in the fourth module to the rise of the Maratha Kingdom. Finally, in the fifth module, we explore the final disintegration of the Mughal Empire, focusing in particular on the range the regional states that replaced it – including the Maratha Empire, the Sikh Empire and the arrival from the west of Nader Shah.

Lecturer

Dr Nandini Chatterjee is a Senior Lecturer in History at the University of Exeter. She specialises in the history of South Asia, focusing in particular on law and cultural exchanges in the British and Mughal empires. Her recent publications include The Making of Indian Secularism: Empire, Law and Christianity, 1830-1960