OxfordAQA International GCSE Pakistan Studies: The Mughal Empire, c1526–c1850s (9236)

The Mughal Empire (c1526–c1850s) is topic 3.1.4 of OxfordAQA International GCSE Pakistan Studies 9236, one of two optional topics in Paper 1, Section C. It covers the founding of the empire by Babur, its growth under Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan, the reign of Aurangzeb, and the decline that followed, ending with British expansion. Section C is worth 21 marks of short and extended answers, so be ready to describe each ruler’s achievements and to explain causes of growth and decline.

Syllabus coverage

OXFORDAQA INTERNATIONAL GCSE PAKISTAN STUDIES (9236), VERSION 1.9 — 3.1.4

3.1.4.1 Earlier Mughal emperors (c1526–1658)

• The political, social, cultural and religious context of India and Central Asia in the early 16th century
• Babur’s background and character and his founding of the empire; expansion under Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan
• Political, military and economic developments to 1658, including trade and commerce
• Social and cultural developments to 1658: religion, literature, education, music, architecture

3.1.4.2 Aurangzeb’s Mughal Empire (c1658–1707)

• Aurangzeb’s background, character and rise to power
• His administration and social, cultural and religious reforms; the establishment of Sharia and Islamic economics across the subcontinent
• The expansion of the empire under Aurangzeb
• The condition of the empire at his death: strengths and weaknesses

3.1.4.3 The decline and downfall of the Mughal Empire (1707–c1850s)

• Problems under Aurangzeb’s successors: weak leadership, Nadir Shah’s invasion, the Battle of Karnal and the sack of Delhi (1739)
• The East India Company and the importance of Plassey (1757)
• The expansion of the Sikh and Maratha powers and their impact
• Further British expansion from the 1750s to the 1850s

What was the context in 1526?

North India was ruled by the Lodi Sultanate of Delhi, weakened by quarrels among Afghan nobles, while Rajput kingdoms such as Mewar were powerful. In Central Asia, Timurid princes competed with the Uzbeks and with Safavid Persia. Religiously, India had a Hindu majority, Muslim rulers and a strong Sufi tradition, together with the bhakti devotional movements.

How did Babur found the empire?

Babur (ruled in India 1526–30) descended from Timur on his father’s side and from Genghis Khan on his mother’s. He lost his homeland of Fergana, took Kabul in 1504 and then turned to India. At the First Battle of Panipat (1526) his smaller army, using field artillery and cavalry tactics, defeated Sultan Ibrahim Lodi. He then defeated the Rajput confederacy under Rana Sanga at Khanwa (1527). His memoir, the Baburnama, shows a ruler who was a skilled soldier, poet and lover of gardens.

How did the empire grow to 1658?

• Humayun (1530–40, 1555–56): lost the empire to the Afghan Sher Shah Suri and spent years in exile in Persia before regaining Delhi shortly before his death.
• Akbar (1556–1605): won the Second Battle of Panipat (1556); expanded the empire across north India, Gujarat, Bengal and Kashmir; built alliances with Rajput rulers; organised nobles through the mansabdari system; reformed land revenue with his finance minister Raja Todar Mal; abolished the jizya; held religious debates in the Ibadat Khana; built Fatehpur Sikri.
• Jahangir (1605–27): continued Akbar’s system; his wife Nur Jahan was influential; Mughal painting flourished; he received the English ambassador Sir Thomas Roe, who won trading rights for the East India Company.
• Shah Jahan (1628–58): the high point of Mughal architecture, including the Taj Mahal at Agra, the Red Fort and Jama Masjid in Delhi, and the Shalimar Gardens in Lahore.

Economy and trade: a unified empire, good roads, a stable silver currency and secure trade routes supported agriculture, textile production and overseas trade with Persia, Central Asia and European companies.

Culture: Persian was the language of government and literature; Mughal painting, music and architecture blended Persian, Central Asian and Indian styles; madrasas and libraries spread learning.

How did Aurangzeb rule, and what state did he leave the empire in?

Aurangzeb (1658–1707) was Shah Jahan’s third son, known for his piety, discipline and simple lifestyle. He defeated his brothers, including Dara Shikoh, in the war of succession and confined his father in Agra fort.

Reforms: he governed according to the Sharia, sponsored the compilation of the legal code Fatawa-e-Alamgiri, appointed muhtasibs to supervise public morality, reimposed the jizya in 1679, removed taxes he regarded as un-Islamic, and reduced court spending on music and display. He also built the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore.

Expansion: he conquered the Deccan sultanates of Bijapur (1686) and Golconda (1687), taking the empire to its greatest size, but fought the Marathas, first under Shivaji, for more than twenty years.

At his death (1707): strengths: the largest territory of any Mughal ruler, a functioning administration and army. Weaknesses: the long Deccan wars had drained the treasury; Rajput, Jat, Sikh and Maratha revolts continued; there were too few jagirs (land grants) for the growing number of nobles; and no clear rule of succession.

Why did the Mughal Empire decline after 1707?

• Weak leadership: frequent wars of succession and short reigns; powerful nobles, such as the Sayyid brothers, controlled emperors.
• Nadir Shah’s invasion: the Persian ruler defeated Emperor Muhammad Shah at the Battle of Karnal (1739) and sacked Delhi, carrying off vast treasure, including the Peacock Throne. Mughal prestige never recovered.
• Marathas and Sikhs: the Marathas expanded across central and western India, and Sikh chiefs took control of Punjab, where Ranjit Singh later built a kingdom with its capital at Lahore.
• The East India Company: at Plassey (1757), Robert Clive defeated Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula of Bengal after securing the defection of Mir Jafar. The Company gained control of Bengal’s wealth and in 1765 the right to collect its revenue.
• British expansion to the 1850s: wars against Mysore and the Marathas, the annexation of Sindh (1843) and Punjab (1849), and of Awadh (1856). After the War of Independence of 1857, the last emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, was exiled in 1858.

Frequently asked questions

What was the mansabdari system? Akbar’s system of ranking nobles and officials by a mansab (rank) that set their pay and the number of troops they had to provide.

Why was Plassey so important? It gave the East India Company control of Bengal, India’s richest province, and the money to expand further.

Was Aurangzeb responsible for the decline? Partly: his long wars and costly campaigns weakened the empire, but weak successors, invasions and the rise of other powers after 1707 were also decisive.

Related pages

• Mughal Empire revision notes
• Islam in the Subcontinent study guide
• Paper 1 overview study guide

Source: OxfordAQA, International GCSE Pakistan Studies (9236) specification, Version 1.9, topic 3.1.4.