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Babur’s ascent to the throne in 1526 A.D. marked the beginning of the Great Mughal era, which lasted until Aurangzeb’s demise in 1707 A.D.
An era in Indian history came to an end with the passing of Aurangzeb. The Mughal empire was the biggest in India at the time of Aurangzeb’s passing. Yet the Mughal Empire collapsed roughly fifty years after his passing. The institutions and processes integral to its cultural identity and governing principles clearly displayed signs of decay. The overall decay that had started to take hold under the reign of Aurangzeb could not be stopped by his weakened successors, and the ongoing succession conflict made matters worse. There were no new reforms or technology to stabilize the situation. This was further worsened when there were no military reforms introduced putting an end to the glorious Mughal Empire.
There could be numerous reasons for the tragic fall of the era such as-
1. Weak Successors
The Mughals did not believe in a orderly succession pattern. Each time a ruler in the Mughal Empire died the successive ruler was decided through warfare. This demolished the order and weakened the Empire especially after Aurangzeb.
2. Degeneration of Mughal Nobility
As there was a decline in the Mughal Empire, there also was a decline in the character of novelty. Love for poetry, adventure, nature, Litrature too declined.
3. Religious percecution of Hindus
Aurangzeb failed to recognise the huge support of Hindus which Akbar had understood. Unlike Akbar, Aurangzeb was intolerant to Hindus. He forgot that the Mughal Empire was depended on the commoners. The Rajputs acted as the pillar of strength for the Mughal Empire whom Aurangzeb turned into bitter does. Constant warfare with Rajputs, Sikhs, Jats drained the Mughal Empire.
4. Bankruptcy
High taxes pushed people to abandon lands resulting in depletion of taxes. Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb’s zeal for construction resulted in depletion of treasury. Constant warfare added to the situation.
5. Invasions
Foreign invasions and introduction of new values slowly faded the Mughal impression causing it’s subsequent depletion.
6. Vastness of the Empire
The very reason of the decline of the Mughal Empire was its growth. The Empire had become too large to be controlled by a single ruler operating from the centre.
Here’s a recommended YouTube video for further clarification👇