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Summary
Modern Indian History Class 07

Last class revision (5:00 PM)

Jat Kingdom of Bharatpur (5:09 PM)

  • Jats were Anti-Mughal since the time of Jhangir and they set up the jat kingdom of Bharatpur under Churaman Jat(1695-1721).
  • This was done with help of revolts by peasants against the oppression due to the over-extraction of Land revenue by the Mughals, especially in the context of the Jagirdari crisis of the 18th century 
  • Maharaja Surajmal consolidated power and forced the Mughals to recognize him.
  • He supported Marathas temporarily in the 3rd battle of Panipat in 1761.
  • He tried to implement military reforms by recruiting Europeans into the army, a Mughal-like revenue system, and removing family members from the courts.
  • However, his death lead to the decline of the Jat kingdom which at 1 point extended from Delhi in the north to Agra in the west, Chambal in the south, and Ganga in the east.
  • However, it was no Eutopia for peasants as land revenue demand was higher than during the time of the Mughals.

Afghans kingdom (5:25 PM)

  • Afghan kingdom in the north (Rohilkhand and Farrukhabad).
  • Afghans were wandering warlords in north India.
  • They migrated from Afghanistan to India to India due to political instability but were unorganized politically until the arrival of Shershah Suri in 1540.
  • But again got disorganized after the 2nd battle of Panipat in 1556 which ended the Suri dynasty's rule.
  • The opportunity came with the weakening of Mughal post-Aurangzeb 
  • Farrukhabad was set up as a kingdom in the east of Delhi by Bangash Pathans in 1713 making use of political instability in the Mughal polity.
  • They named this kingdom after Farruksiyar as a gesture of accepting the symbolic authority of the Mughals.
  • The next opportunity came during the invasion of Nadir Shah in 1738-40 which weakened the Mughal empire(also defeated by Marathas in 1738).
  • Therefore the kingdom of Rohilkhand was set up by Ali Mohammad Khan in 1737-38 in the Himalayan foothills.
  • In 1740 Ali Muhammad Khan was officially recognized as governor(therefore not legally independent).
  • In 1774 Suja-Ud-Dula (Nawab of Awadh) annexed Rohilkhand with the help of EIC.
  •  The rest of Rohilkhand became a princely state.
  • Farrukhabad was a weak kingdom and neighbours attacked it frequently.
  • Both supported Abdali in the 3rd battle of Panipat 1761 and Rohilla controlled from 1761-1771 when they were defeated by Mahadji Scindia
  • After Abdali returned to Afghanistan, the Afghan kingdom's power decreased.

Already autonomous state (6:00 PM)

  • Rajputs:
  • These were warrior groups who participated in the military labour market of north India.
  • Around the 16th-17h century, Rajputs emerged as a consolidated group of 20 major clans, therefore there existed a horizontal structure of polity.
  • Local Rajput chief of each clan ruled their respective territory.
  • During Akbar, the powerful Rajput chiefs were co-opted:
  • Akbar recognized the authority of those Rajput chiefs who were extra-powerful, therefore giving them legitimacy over and above small Rajput chiefs.
  • With the military help of the Mughals, these Rajput chiefs consolidated power by defeating smaller Rajput chiefs.
  • They maintained the military for the Mughal emperor as they were recognized as Mansabdars, also their lands were recognized as Watan Jagirs, they now played important role in Delhi politics.
  • Therefore unable to defeat the Rajputs, the Mughals coopted them and increased the military strength of the Mughal empire.
  • Also now the horizontal structure of polity was replaced by a more vertical structure in the Rajput polity.
  • Tension in relationships during Aurangzeb:
  • Not because of religion-based rivalry rather than expansion by Mewar under Raj Singh against other Rajput chiefs.
  • Aurangzeb didn't want 1 supreme power in Rajputana and wanted to maintain the balance of power among Rajput chiefs.
  • In 1680-81 Mewar and Marwar revolted against Aurangzeb but failed.
  • Reasons for revolt:
  • Due to the death of an existing ruler, a child ruler came to power in Marwar that lay along the important trade route between Delhi, Agra, and Ahmedabad.
  • Since Marwad was strategically important, Aurangzeb didn't want a child ruler and interfered in succession.
  • This provided an opportunity for Mewar to ally with Marwar against Aurengzeb.
  • The revolt failed as other Rajput chiefs didn't support it as they feared the loss of power to Mewar.
  • In the 18th century with the weakening of the Mughals, Rajput chiefs acted more independently, especially under Swai Jai Singh of Amber who ruled Jaipur and was a powerful entity in Delhi politics.
  • 1751 onwards Rajputs were regularly attacked by Marathas who extracted annual tributes and interfered in succession but could not conclusively defeat Rajputs.

Mysore (7:26 PM)

  • In the 16th century, Mysore was part of the Vijayanagar empire(1336-1646) and gradually became autonomous under the Wodeyar dynasty.
  • In 1673, Mysore became a military powerful and centralized Chikadevraja Wodeyar.
  • However, by 1761, Wodeyars were reduced to puppets by corrupt PM Nanjaraj.
  • Hyder Ali:
  • Hyder Ali(1761-82) was a man of humble origin who began as a junior officer in the army and later became a senior military general.
  • In 1761, he overthrow PM Najaraj to establish his rule.
  • Hyder Ali worked with the french to improve his military by importing technology and taking the help of french trainers.
  • The army was designed on European models.
  • The army was to be a summation of Risalas(regiments).
  • Each Risala had a commander personally appointed by the king.
  • Each Risala had a clear chain of Command and hierarchy leading up to the king.
  • Each Risala was a self-sufficient unit as it had its weaponry, transport, and own supplies.
  • Therefore a very efficient military organization capable of swift action was built.
  • Hyder Ali consolidated power by subjugating local chiefs, Deshmukh,  poligars (big landlords with their private army who acted independently since the time Vijayanagara empire ), etc.
  • Poligars and Deshmukhs till now were effective rulers of the countryside as they controlled land, land revenue, and the wealth of the temples.

The topic for the next class: Tipu sultan and the land revenue model of Hyder Ali & Tipu.