Study Materials
General Studies - Modern History
Rise of Regional Powers (18th Century)
Background
- 1707 (Death of Aurangzeb) → rapid decline of Mughal central authority
- Provincial governors, zamindars & military leaders asserted autonomy
- Result: Political fragmentation + emergence of regional states
CLASSIFICATION OF REGIONAL STATES
1. Successor States
(Emerged from Mughal provinces; nominal Mughal allegiance)
State | Founder / Key Ruler | Key Features |
Awadh | Saadat Khan (1722) | Granary of India; Shia dynasty; capital Faizabad/Lucknow |
Bengal | Murshid Quli Khan (1717) | Revenue reforms, capital Murshidabad |
Hyderabad | Nizam-ul-Mulk (Asaf Jah I) | Asaf Jahi dynasty; Deccan power |
2. Rebel / Insurgent States
(Against Mughal authority)
State | Leaders | Notes |
Sikh State (Punjab) | Maharaja Ranjit Singh | 12 Misls → Sikh Empire |
Jat State (Bharatpur) | Suraj Mal | Peasant-based power |
Marathas | Shivaji, Peshwas | Confederacy; Chauth & Sardeshmukhi |
3. Independent Kingdoms
(Took advantage of Mughal decline)
State | Key Rulers |
Mysore | Haidar Ali, Tipu Sultan |
Travancore | Marthanda Varma |
Rajput States | Jai Singh II (Jaipur) |
SUCCESSOR STATES
Awadh
- Founder: Saadat Khan (1722)
- Dynasty: Persian Shia
- Capitals: Faizabad → Lucknow
- Important Nawabs:
- Safdarjung – Mughal Wazir
- Shuja-ud-Daulah – Lost Battle of Buxar (1764)
- Culture: Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb
- Architecture: Bara Imambara (Asaf-ud-Daulah)
Bengal
- Founder: Murshid Quli Khan
- Capitals: Dhaka → Murshidabad
- Key Nawabs:
- Alivardi Khan – Defeated Marathas (Battle of Burdwan)
- Siraj-ud-Daulah – Defeated in the Battle of Plassey (1757)
- British entry:
- Plassey (1757) → Political control
- Dual Government → Direct rule (1772)
Hyderabad
- Founder: Nizam-ul-Mulk (Asaf Jah I), 1724
- Dynasty: Asaf Jahi
- Paid Chauth to Marathas
- Came under British protection after the Anglo-Maratha Wars
- Capital: Hyderabad
- Religion: Islamic state, Hindu Diwans common
REBEL / INSURGENT STATES
Sikh State
- The Khalsa Panth was founded by Guru Gobind Singh
- 12 Misls → united by Ranjit Singh
- Treaty with the British (1806): No expansion south of the Sutlej
- Secular administration
Marathas
- Founder: Shivaji (1674 coronation)
- Administration: Ashta Pradhan
- Military: Guerrilla warfare
- Zenith: Baji Rao I
- Decline: Third Battle of Panipat (1761)
Jats
- Centre: Bharatpur
- Leader: Suraj Mal
- Controlled Agra for a brief period
- Fort: Lohagarh Fort
INDEPENDENT KINGDOMS
Mysore
- Haidar Ali
- Introduced western military training
- French support
- Tipu Sultan
- Treaty of Mangalore (1784)
- Introduced a new calendar, coinage
- Admirer of the French Revolution
- Killed in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War (1799)
Travancore
- Ruler: Marthanda Varma
- Defeated the Dutch at the Battle of Colachel (1741) (the only Asian ruler to defeat a European power)
- Monopolised spice trade
- Irrigation & state-controlled army
Rajput States
- Key ruler: Jai Singh II
- Founded Jaipur
- Built observatories (Jantar Mantar) at:
- Delhi, Jaipur, Ujjain, Varanasi, Mathura
- Decline due to:
- Disunity
- Feudalism
- Outdated military tactics
MCQs
Q1. With reference to Successor States in 18th-century India, consider the following statements:
- They emerged directly from Mughal provincial administrations.
- They completely rejected Mughal sovereignty from the beginning.
- Awadh and Hyderabad are examples of such states.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3
Q2. Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched?
Regional Power | Associated Feature |
1. Bengal | Dual Government introduced |
2. Mysore | Treaty of Mangalore |
3. Travancore | Defeat of the Portuguese |
Select the correct answer using the code below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3
Q3. The Third Battle of Panipat (1761) is considered a turning point mainly because it:
(a) Established British supremacy in India
(b) Ended Mughal rule permanently
(c) Crippled Maratha expansion in North India
(d) Led to the formation of the Sikh Empire
