Parties and Politics at the Mughal Court: 1707-1740

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This important book provides a new perspective on the decline of the Mughal empire, departing from the existing appraisement of Aurangzeb, the functioning of the Mughal nobility and the crisis of the jagirdari system. It re-examines the first half of the eighteenth century, which was a period of growing anarchy and cultural stagnation. The post-Aurangzeb period has been presented as one in which struggle for liberal and orthodox policies was linked with the struggle to make the wazir a key player. The author studies the role of the nobility in the downfall of the Mughal empire—a subject of unresolved conflict—with special reference to the position of various ethnic and religious groups in the nobility after the death of Aurangzeb, the basis of the rise and struggle of parties at the court and its impact, the rise of the Marathas, Jats and other indigenous elements, and developments in the field of administration. In a new preface to this edition, he contends that the core of the crisis of the Mughal empire is linked to the collapse of the jagirdari system with a deepening social crisis and increased factionalism in the ruling classes leading to a breakup of a central policy. In this classic work, professor Chandra revisits the political history of this period by using for the first time valuable records, letters and a number of monographs hitherto unavailable to other researchers. First published in 1959, the present edition will continue to be an invaluable resource for historians and students of medieval and late medieval India.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Satish Chandra

Satish Chandra (b. 1922) is among a select band of historians who helped to give a new shape to Indian history after independence. He was Professor of History, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Vice Chairman and Chairman, University Grants Commission (1972-81). He taught at the Universities of Allahabad, Aligarh Muslim, Delhi and Rajasthan. He was Smuts' Visiting Professor, Cambridge University (1971) and Associated with many national and international agencies. He was secretary and later President, Indian History Congress (1973), Council Member, United Nations University, Tokyo (1980-86), Associate Director of Research, Maison des Sciences de I'Homme, Paris; Member, Executive Board, International Congress of Historical Sciences, Paris, etc. He was also Chairman of the Committee to review Civil Services Examination in Delhi. He had written and edited many books on Medieval Indian History, and the Indian Ocean History and published a large number of research articles in national and international journals. Some of these have been brought together and published in three monographs. Presently, he is Executive Chairman, Maulana Azad Institute of Asian Studies, Calcutta and Secretary-cum-Treasurer, Society for Indian Ocean Studies. He is also the Secretary of the twelve volumes comprising History of India scheme prepared by the Indian History Congress.

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Bibliographic information

Title
Parties and Politics at the Mughal Court: 1707-1740
Author
Edition
Reprint
Publisher
ISBN
0195654447
Length
xxviii+354p., Bibliography; Index; 23cm.
Subjects