Mughal Successor States: 1719-1760s

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Mughal Successor States 1719-1760s

• Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah and Hyderabad

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The Nawabs and the their states

• nawab comes from the Persian naib, which means
  deputy.
• Although the Nawbas of Bengal, Awadh, and
  Hyderabad were independent from the Mughal
  Emperor by the mid-18th c. the fiction of Mughal
  supremacy was preserved
• The khutba continued to be read in the Mughal
  Emperors name, and coins struck in his name as
  well.

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Hyderabada singular case?

• Unlike the Northern Nawabi states Hyderabad had a
  more contentious relationship with the Mughal
  court
• This was based on the tensions b/w the founder of
  the state Nizam-ul Mulk and the nobles at
  courtparticularly Zulfikar Khan and the Sayyid
  Brothers.
• As the head of the powerful Turani (Central
  Asian) faction the Nizam was free to oppose these
  groups from an independent base

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Nizam-ul Mulks Family Background

• Part of the new nobility formed under Aurangzeb
• Grandfather came from Bukhara during the 1658
  succession crisis, hired by Aurangzeb
• Father moved from Bukhara as well to join family
  in 1660s.
• Nizam-ul Mulk the first generation to be born on
  Indian soil

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Family background Cont.

• Family from an orthodox Sunni background with
  very close connections to Aurangzebs reforms
• Grandfather held positions in army and
  administration, including subedaris and as sadr
  (head of religious donations)
• Father a high-level commander before being
  blinded by smallpox
• All three generations had extensive experience in
  deccan under Aurangzeb, and their beliefs were
  shaped in that environment

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Asaf Jah, Nizam-ul Mulk
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Succession Struggles, 1708-1719

• When Bahadur Shah came to the throne Nizam-ul
  Mulk was given the subedari of Awadh, but also
  kept distant from politics
• Zulfikar Khan and the Nizam did not get along,
  however Azim-us-Shan cultivated him
• During the 1712 succession struggle Nizam-ul Mulk
  and Turanis stay aloof from the battle causing
  the defeat of Zulfikar Khan and Jahandar Shah

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After 1713

• Sayyid Brothers anxious to have Nizam-ul Mulk
  kept away from capital, but also suspicious of
  letting him create a base in the deccan
• Given the subedari of the Deccan province three
  time, recalled twice
• 1713-1715
• 1720-22
• 1722-1748 (becomes independent)

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Break Discuss reading
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• Why did Nizam-ul-Mulk disapprove of the Emperors
  two favoritesHaider Quli Khan and Kuki Jiu?
• What were Nizam-ul-Mulks relationship with the
  Marathas like during this period?
• Why did the Mughals fail to curb rebellion in
  Rajasthan?
• For Chandra, what does the failure of
  Nizam-ul-Mulk to guide imperial policy indicate?

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Areas of tensions b/w Nizam-ul Mulk and Sayyid
Bros.

• Dont see eye-to-eye on negotiating with Marathas
  and RajputsSayyid bros. want to reconcile,
  Nizam-ul Mulk favors suppression
• Disagree about jizya
• Have different power basesthe Sayyids with local
  gentry and Khanzads, the Nizam with newer Sunni
  aristocracy and Turanis

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Pattern of recall and engagement

• In 1713 Nizam-ul Mulk had gone to the Deccan with
  the intention of removing the Marathas, who were
  internally divided
• Repudiated their claims to sardeshmukhi and
  chauth
• Orders a new assessment of revenue, more soliders
• Is recalled when Marathas complain, retreats to
  his jagirs in north and announces his retirement

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Reign of Muhammad Shah

• Nizam sent back to the Deccan where things are
  deteriorating in 1720.
• This time creates a series of secret accords with
  Marathas.
• Is called back to court in 1722 to become Wazir,
  a position that he had long coveted.
• Muhammad Shah was hoping to regain control by
  playing with strong group of nobles against the
  other

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New Strategy and Independence

• In 1723 meets the Peshwa in Malwa and concludes a
  secret treaty to keep Marathas from expanding
  north
• Attempts to clean up the politics of Delhi, but
  finds resistance on multiple levels
• Returns to Deccan and begins a new phase of
  consolidating power in the Deccan.

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Consolidating Power

• Creates agreements with local zamindars and
  deshmukhs to bring in revenue
• Relies on contracts with revenue farmers in areas
  that were further away from capital of Aurangabad
• Negotiates with Marathas an agreement to use his
  own revenue collectors for Chauth rather than
  allowing a parallel system of revenue collection
  to exist
• Until death in 1748, system functions smoothly
• After 1748 French and English become embroiled in
  succession struggle at Hyderabad, henceforth
  English have a resident at the court and the
  Nizams of Hyderabad become dependent on English
  protection.

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English possession after 1757
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Questions for Grewal Reading

• According to Grewal why were the Mughals unable
  to stop the Sikh rebels from becoming powerful
  after they successfully put down Bandas
  rebellion in 1715?
• In what ways were the Sikhs rise to power
  different from that of the Mughal successor
  states such as Hyderabad?
• Compare and contrast the Sikhs with the Marathas
  (particularly from Gordons text). In what ways
  are they similar or different?
• How egalitarian was Sikh rule?