Welcome dear students! Today we are going to learn about The Mughals and the Marathas from Class 6 Social Science.
In this chapter, we will explore how Babur invaded India in 1526 C.E and established the Mughal Empire by overthrowing the Delhi Sultanate. We will learn about the reign of Akbar and Aurangzeb, along with the administration and cultural contributions of the Mughals. We will also understand the factors that led to the downfall of their empire, which flourished as an important political power for two centuries and made special contributions to art and literature. Finally, we will read about Shivaji’s childhood, his ideals, his heroic story of defeating the Mughal Empire and the Vijayanagar kingdom, the establishment of the Maratha kingdom, his administrative system, and his extraordinary personality. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to understand Akbar’s liberal policies, how Aurangzeb’s narrow-minded policies led to riots and decline, how Mughal emperors enriched literature and art, and locate historical places on a map. You will also appreciate the life, adventures, character, and achievements of Shivaji.
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Let us begin with the founder of the Mughal dynasty, Babur. Earlier, he was ruling a small region in Afghanistan called Kabul. He was waiting for an opportunity to attack India, which was rich and prosperous. Babur belonged to the Mongol race, and the word Mughal actually comes from Mongol. Did you know that Babur introduced the Rose to India? Taking advantage of the growing weakness of the Delhi sultans, Babur invaded Delhi and ended their reign. However, he was not completely satisfied because the Rajputs and the Afghans resisted him strongly. But Babur, the brave warrior with his powerful weapons, forced the opposing armies to retreat. Soon, Babur conquered Delhi, Agra, and the surrounding areas within three wars and established his kingdom. Sadly, he died soon after. Later, his son, Humayun, ascended the throne. Though Humayun managed to overpower his enemies in the beginning, he had to face defeat at the hands of the Afghan chieftain, Sher Shah Suri. Having lost his kingdom, he fled to Persia and stayed there for fifteen years. When the Afghan rule in India weakened, Humayun invaded India again and conquered Delhi. However, he died within a short period.
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Now let us move on to Humayun’s son, Akbar. He always aspired to build a vast empire in India. In this regard, he tried to persuade the Rajput kings who were known for their might. Some of them sided with Akbar, but Rana Pratap Simha of Mewad did not yield to him. He was a proud and brave warrior. Later, a fierce battle took place between them at Haldighat in Rajasthan. Although Rana Pratap Simha was defeated in the battle, he fought bravely till the end. A huge bronze statue of Rana Pratap Simha riding on his favorite horse named Chetak, and fighting in the battlefield, was erected at Haldighat after the country’s Independence. An ardent patriot, Rana Pratap has become the apple of the eyes of the Indians. Thereafter, Akbar engaged himself actively in military campaigns for many years. As a result, he conquered Gujarat, Bengal, Kashmir, Kabul, and other areas, and built a vast empire.
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Let us look at Akbar’s achievements. In administration, Akbar was an able administrator and a broad-minded ruler. He possessed many qualities needed for a great king. He was not a despotic ruler. He realized that it was necessary to win the trust of his Hindu subjects who formed the majority. He appointed Hindus to high posts in his court. He withdrew the personal tax called jiziya, which was imposed by earlier Muslim kings on Hindus, and also the tax levied at pilgrimage centres. Akbar banned the slaughter of cows and the sati practice. He also opposed child marriage. His land revenue policy was well received by the people. This policy was framed by his revenue minister, Raja Todarmal. In religious policy, Akbar was tolerant to other religions. He constructed a prayer hall called Ibadat Khana in his new capital, Fatehpur Sikri. Here he discussed religious matters with leaders of various Islamic sects. He invited Hindu, Jaina, Buddhist, Parsi, and Christian religious leaders to discuss their views on religious issues. As a result of such discussions, he evolved a new sect called the Din-e-Ilahi. It incorporated the best principles of all religions. But only a handful of people became its followers.
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Here is an activity for you to think about. Din-e-Ilahi did not take off and become popular as a religion. You can organise a symposium and collect reasons for its failure. Moving on to his patronage of arts, Akbar patronised literature and art. Faizi, Abul Fazl, and Birbal were the distinguished poets in his court. The immortal singer, Tansen, adorned his court. Akbar’s contributions to architecture and painting are also appreciable. Jahangir and Shah Jahan, who succeeded Akbar to the throne, continued his policies to a great extent. Shah Jahan achieved fame by building the famous Taj Mahal at Agra, the mammoth Red Fort at Delhi, and other beautiful palaces. The textbook shows a picture of the Taj Mahal in Agra. As noted in the caption, this architectural wonder in marble is a great contribution of the Mughals.
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Now we come to Shah Jahan’s son, Aurangzeb, who is the last Mughal emperor. He ruled for a long period of fifty years. During this period, the empire expanded further, but at the end it declined rapidly. Let us examine his religious policy. Aurangzeb was an orthodox Muslim. He stayed away from drinking wine, gambling, entertainment, and music. Aurangzeb gave up the liberal policy of Akbar. He reimposed the jiziya. He banned Hindu religious fairs, religious teaching, and celebrations. He ordered to destroy many temples. These actions led to political conflicts. This brings us to the Sikh rebellion. The Sikhs, the Marathas, and Jats were provoked by Aurangzeb’s religious policy. The Sikh Guru, Tegh Bahadur, was publicly executed in Delhi. His son Guru Govindasimha initiated the whole Sikh community into a militant sect. The members were designated as Singh, which means lion. They had to possess the five k’s at all times. These were Kesh, meaning long hair; Kanga, meaning comb; Kirpan, meaning sword; Kachcha, meaning a pair of knicker-bockers; and Kankan, meaning steel bracelet. This custom is prevalent among Sikhs even today.
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Rebellions broke out across the empire. The Sikhs and the Rajputs strongly opposed Aurangzeb in north India. Shivaji rose in revolt in the Deccan. The revolts continued for a long time and as a result Aurangzeb lost enormous wealth, a large part of his army, and worst of all, his prestige. Many provinces of his empire became independent. The Deccan wars sapped Aurangzeb’s economic power as well as military strength. Being exhausted, he died in the Deccan. With this, the supremacy of Mughals declined drastically. The chapter also includes a picture of the Golden Temple in Amritsar, which is closely associated with the Sikh community during this era. Now let us learn about the Mughal Administration. The emperor possessed all civil and military powers. His judicial decision was final in all matters. The empire was divided into provinces called subas, districts called sarkars, and taluks called paraganas. The kotwal looked after law and order in the cities. Under the revenue system, Akbar’s minister, Raja Todarmal, framed the land revenue system. Under this system, the land revenue was fixed on the basis of the fertility of the soil.
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Let us explore the cultural contributions. In literature, the Mughals patronized Persian literature in a special way. There were famous historians like Abul Fazl, Nizamuddin, and Badauni in Akbar’s court. Akbar-nama is an important literary work of Abul Fazl. Darashukoh, the Mughal prince, was an extraordinary scholar. He translated the Bhagavadgita. Though Hindi literature did not receive royal patronage, it flourished on account of the efforts of the Bhakti saints. Ramacharitamanas, the well-known work of Tulsidas, is of this period. In architecture, Humayun’s tomb in Delhi was constructed during the early period of Akbar’s reign. He built a new capital, Fatehpur Sikri, near Agra. The magnificent palaces, mosques, and pavilions of this place attract tourists from all over the world. The entrance to the Jami Masjid, known as Bulund Darwaza, is the tallest in India. It is 40 meters tall. Moti Mahal, the palace that Shah Jahan built in Agra fort, is magnificent. The Taj Mahal he built at Agra shows Mughal architecture at its best, which was built in the memory of his beloved queen, Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan also built the famous Red Fort at Delhi.
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In painting, a new school of painting known as Chikani painting emerged during the period of the Mughals. There were more than a hundred painters in Akbar’s court. The art of painting reached its peak under the patronage of Jahangir. Aurangzeb, who was orthodox, did not encourage painting. In music, the art received special patronage during Akbar's reign. The large number of musicians in his court were divided into seven groups. Each day a particular group gave a music concert. Tansen was the most remarkable musician of Akbar’s court. Jahangir and Shah Jahan also extended patronage to music. But Aurangzeb banned music. However, music did not decline from the hearts of people. The empire began to decline towards the end of Aurangzeb’s reign. These are the reasons for the decline. The chieftains became corrupt. Intense fighting took place among the claimants to the throne. The provincial governors took advantage of this situation and declared their independence. Above all, Aurangzeb’s desire to convert India into an Islamic state met with opposition everywhere. The prolonged warfare with the Sikhs, the Rajputs, and the Marathas fully exhausted the resources of the empire. In the meanwhile, Nadir Shah, a Persian invader, raided Delhi. He looted the wealth amassed by the Mughals over a period of two centuries. He carried away the world-famous Kohinoor Diamond and the Peacock Throne of Shah Jahan. The treasury of the Mughals became empty.
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Now let us turn our attention to the Marathas. During the Mughal era in Northern India, the Marathas rose to power in the Deccan Region in opposition to the Mughals. Shivaji was the founder of the Maratha dynasty. Let us learn about Shivaji's childhood. Shivaji was born in the fort of Shivner near Pune. His father was Shahaji Bhosle. He was serving in a high position under the Sultan of Vijayapura, so his mother Jijabhai shaped his future. She infused his mind with the ideals of protection of Dharma and patriotism by narrating the gallant heroes from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Puranas, and kavyas. Shivaji’s master Dadaji Kondadev and Tanaji Malasure taught him the art of weaponry and awakened the mind of this young hero. Initially, Shivaji assembled an army composed of young men including Maratha leaders and the strong tribal men of the Western Ghats called the Mahali. Let us look at the early adventures of Shivaji. At the age of 19, Shivaji captured the fort of Torana which was under the Adil Shahis of Vijayapura. Soon he conquered one by one Raigad, Simhagad, Pratapgad, and other forts. Enraged by this, the Vijayapura sultan sent a large army under his commander Afzal Khan in order to crush Shivaji. Afzal Khan invited Shivaji to negotiate the terms of treaty and plotted to kill him. But Shivaji got an upper hand on Afzal Khan and killed him. Shivaji and Afzal Khan met while they were embracing. Afzal Khan tried to stab Shivaji on his back with his dagger. Before that, Shivaji slashed his body with tiger claws, known as Vyaghranakha, and killed him.
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Aurangazeb came to know that Shivaji’s growth strengthened day by day. Aurangazeb sent Shayista Khan, his officer in the Deccan region, to suppress Shivaji. But Shivaji defeated Shayista Khan trickily. Shayista Khan encamped in the palace of Pune. Even after two years he was unable to capture Shivaji. Shivaji disguised himself, entered Khan’s residence with his soldiers at dark night, and attacked him suddenly. Khan somehow escaped the attack but lost his thumb. Shayista Khan fled to Pune in terror. A year after, Shivaji besieged the rich city of Surat which was under the Mughals and captured huge wealth. Angered and determined, Aurangazeb sent Raja Jayasimha, a powerful soldier, to somehow defeat Shivaji. A war broke out between them. Shivaji was defeated and had to surrender many forts to the Mughals. Shivaji was brought to Delhi to conclude a treaty. Aurangazeb arrested and kept him in Agra prison. But Shivaji managed to escape from captivity and returned to his capital. During the next two years, Shivaji strengthened his position further. He recovered the forts surrendered to the Mughals and besieged Surat and amassed huge wealth. Within a short span, Shivaji crowned himself as king at Raigad with great pomp and splendour. He assumed the title Chhatrapati. He called his kingdom Hindavi Swaraj. Later he conquered Jinji, Vellore, and parts of Mysuru kingdom. He collected enormous wealth from these vast territories. But Shivaji did not live long to see the glory of the Maratha.
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Now let us study Shivaji's administrative system. For the smooth functioning of the administration, Shivaji was assisted by a team of eight ministers known as Ashtapradhans. The prime minister was called the Peshwa. Under revenue administration, the government gave loans to the farmers to purchase seeds for sowing and cattle. Irrigational facilities were provided to the agricultural lands. The state collected one-third of the produce as land revenue. In military administration, Shivaji paid special attention to the military. His army composed of infantry, cavalry, navy, and artillery. Shivaji's army was known for its discipline. The citizens and animals were not allowed to loot. Regarding forts, Shivaji employed the guerilla method of warfare. The forts were the excellent places of shelter for the guerillas. Out of 240 forts under his command, 111 forts were built by him. Guerilla warfare means a small group of soldiers fighting against regular army by means of surprise attacks. Women captured in the war had to be handed over to their guardians. During the course of the war, the soldiers were not to attack mosques. Copy of the Holy Quran when found was required to be respectfully returned to the concerned. Let us appreciate Shivaji's personality and achievements. Shivaji's life was marked by a high standard of morality. His religious tolerance was worthy of being imitated. Shivaji was a great leader even from his childhood. He fought force with force and deceit with deceit and he had the acumen to deal with fraud. Shivaji's military system was remarkable. His guerilla warfare was a proof of his expertise in warfare. In brief, Shivaji was an ideal ruler. The textbook shows an image of the Tiger Claws, which were the weapons he used, and a picture of the Fort of Shivaji at Raigad, which served as his capital. Shivaji's guru Samartha Ramdas once begged for alms from him. Shivaji, without a second thought, offered the kingdom to the guru. Ramdas, after accepting the offer and then returning it, blessed Shivaji and said, Rule the kingdom on my behalf. With the motivation of saint Ramdas, about 1200 gymnasiums had been established in Maharashtra.
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Let us quickly review the important dates. Babur ruled from 1526 to 1530 C.E. Akbar ruled from 1556 to 1605 C.E. Aurangzeb ruled from 1659 to 1707 C.E. Shivaji lived from 1627 to 1680 C.E. Now, let us learn some new words from this chapter. Statue means idol. Kotwal means the person who guards the fort. Jiziya means the tax that the Muslim kings levied on every Hindu. Sardar means the main officer. Haindavi Swaraj means Hindu Swaraj. Chhatrapati means emperor. Now it is time to practice with the exercises. I will read each question and provide the complete answer. Question one: Fill in the blanks with appropriate words. A famous Raja of Mewad who opposed Akbar was Rana Pratap Simha. Question two: Fatehpur Sikri was built by the Emperor Akbar. Question three: Ramacharitamanas was written by Tulsidas. Question four: Shivaji was born in the fort of Shivner near Pune. Question five: Shah Jahan’s son was Aurangzeb. Question six: What were the cultural contributions of the Mughal period? The cultural contributions of the Mughal period include patronage to Persian literature with famous historians like Abul Fazl, Nizamuddin, and Badauni. The translation of the Bhagavadgita by Darashukoh, and the flourishing of Hindi literature through Bhakti saints like Tulsidas who wrote Ramacharitamanas. In architecture, they built Humayun’s tomb, Fatehpur Sikri, the Bulund Darwaza which is 40 meters tall, Moti Mahal, the Taj Mahal, and the Red Fort. In painting, the Chikani painting school emerged with over a hundred painters in Akbar’s court, reaching its peak under Jahangir. In music, musicians were divided into seven groups, with Tansen as the most remarkable, and patronage continued under Jahangir and Shah Jahan despite Aurangzeb's ban.
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Question seven: Explain the administration of Akbar. Akbar was an able administrator and a broad-minded ruler. He was not despotic. He appointed Hindus to high posts to win their trust. He withdrew the jiziya tax and the pilgrimage tax. He banned cow slaughter and the sati practice, and opposed child marriage. His land revenue policy, framed by Raja Todarmal, was well received. He built a vast empire through military campaigns and promoted religious tolerance through the Ibadat Khana and the Din-e-Ilahi. Question eight: Mention one of the causes for the decline of the Mughal empire. One cause for the decline was that the chieftains became corrupt. Other causes include intense fighting among throne claimants, provincial governors declaring independence, Aurangzeb’s desire to convert India into an Islamic state facing opposition, prolonged warfare exhausting resources, and Nadir Shah raiding Delhi and looting the Kohinoor Diamond and Peacock Throne. Question nine: How did Mother Jija Bai mould the future of Shivaji? Mother Jija Bai shaped his future by infusing his mind with the ideals of protection of Dharma and patriotism. She did this by narrating the gallant heroes from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Puranas, and kavyas. Question ten: Why did the Bijapur sultan oppose Shivaji? The Bijapur sultan opposed Shivaji because at the age of 19, Shivaji captured the fort of Torana which was under the Adil Shahis of Vijayapura, and soon conquered Raigad, Simhagad, Pratapgad, and other forts, which enraged the sultan. Question eleven: Who was Shayista Khan? What was the result of his conflict with Shivaji? Shayista Khan was Aurangzeb's officer in the Deccan region sent to suppress Shivaji. The result was that Shivaji defeated him trickily by disguising himself, entering Khan’s residence at night, and attacking suddenly. Khan escaped but lost his thumb and fled to Pune in terror. Question twelve: Where was the coronation of Shivaji held? What was the title he assumed on the occasion? The coronation was held at Raigad with great pomp and splendour. He assumed the title Chhatrapati. Question thirteen: What are the qualities you appreciate in Shivaji? Why? I appreciate his high standard of morality, religious tolerance, leadership from childhood, acumen to deal with fraud, remarkable military system, and expertise in guerilla warfare. These qualities show he was an ideal ruler who protected his people, respected all religions, and fought strategically for his kingdom.
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Now let us look at the activities. First, collect pictures of the Mughal architecture with details. Second, locate on the map the historical places of the Mughal period, such as Delhi, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Haldighat, and Kabul. Third, discuss the contradictions in the policies of Akbar and Aurangzeb, and prepare a report on it. You can note how Akbar promoted tolerance, abolished jiziya, and patronized arts, while Aurangzeb was orthodox, reimposed jiziya, banned music and fairs, and destroyed temples. Fourth, locate on the map historical places associated with Shivaji, such as Shivner, Torana, Raigad, Simhagad, Pratapgad, Pune, Surat, Jinji, Vellore, and parts of Mysuru. Thank you for listening! Keep revising and practicing. Goodbye! [CHAPTER_COMPLETE]