Question

What were the major factors that led to the decline of the Mughal Empire?

Answer 1

The decline of the Mughals was gradual and there were reasons behind that. Some of them are as follows:

1. The degeneration of the rulers led to the degeneration of the nobility, with factious quarrels and intrigues costing the empire heavily.
2. The empire had become too vast and unwieldy to be efficiently governed by the central authority under weak rulers, especially in the conditions of mediaeval transport and communication.
3. Aurangzeb's radical religious policy was largely responsible. It caused revolts by the Rajputs, the Sikhs, the Jats and the Marathas.
4. Aurangzeb's aggressive Deccan policy was a complete failure and, to a major extent, caused the downfall of the Mughal Empire.