PAPER ID: Vol. III Issue II (July-September 2025 ) /12-15/3
AUTHOR : Aayushi Sharma[I] Dr. Hawaldar Bharti[II]
TITLE: JAGIRDARI SYSTEM AND REVENUE CRISES IN THE SUBAH OF DELHI UNDER THE LATER MUGHALS (1707-1757)
ABSTRACT: In the early eighteenth century, the Mughal Empire gradually faced a crisis in its political power and economic structure. The death of Aurangzeb in 1707 not only marked the end of a single ruler but also initiated a long-term instability within the empire. In particular, the Subah of Delhi, which was the political, economic, and cultural center of the Mughal Empire, was particularly hard-hit by this crisis. The economic structure of the Subah of Delhi was primarily based on the Jagirdari system, which began to weaken due to factors such as the growing political ambitions of jagir holders, irregularities in revenue collection, administrative corruption, and a lack of government control. Between 1707 and 1757, the Jagirdari system in the Subah of Delhi faced not only administrative disruptions but also profoundly affected the revenue collection process. The centralization of power and wealth by jagir holders for their own benefit, irregularities in revenue payment, and excessive pressure on peasants became the root causes of economic instability. This directly impacted agricultural production, urban industry, crafts, and trade. Consequently, the economic stability of the Subah of Delhi began to weaken and the social fabric began to disintegrate. This paper analyzes how these weaknesses in the Jagirdari system were not merely an administrative crisis but also became one of the primary causes of the decline of Mughal power. In this study, we will also attempt to understand how changes in the jagir system, revenue crisis, political instability, and social influences intersected to accelerate the decline of Mughal rule in the Subah of Delhi.
KEYWORDS: Mughal, Delhi, Subah, Jagirdari, System, Revenue, Crisis, Instability, Aurangzeb, War, Rebellions, Agriculture
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