CAUSES OF THE DECLINE

CAUSES OF THE DECLINE The Mughal empire reachec its greatest extent in the time of Aurangzeb, but it collapsed with dramatic suddenness within a few decades after his death. Some of the main causes for this downfall were as follows.
(i) The government of the Mughals was a personal despotism and so its success depended on the character 01 the reigning autocrat. The later Mughals were worthless and neglected the administration of the state.
(ii) With the absence of a definite law of succession there always occurred a war of succession; this weakened the stability of the government, and fostered partisanship at the cost of patriotism.
(iii) The degeneration of the rulers led to the degen. eration of the nobility, with factious quarrels and intrigue! costing the empire heavily.
(iv) The deterioration of the army also proved disas­trous for the empire.
(v) The empire had become too vast and unwieldy t~ be efficiently governed from a central authority under weal rulers, especially in the medieval conditions of transpod and communication.
(vi) Aurangzeb's religious policy was largely respon sible, causing revolts by Rajputs, Sikhs, Jats and Marathas
(vii) Aurangzeb's Deccan policy was a complete failUl'l and to a major extent caused the downfall of the Mughal empire.
(viii) Invasions of Irani and Durrani kingdoms gave I death-blow to the Mughal empire.