Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813In the present volume, the author gives an analytical and critical account of the political history of early modern India from A D 1707 to 1813. The study begins with the death of Aurangzeb, the last imperial ruler of the Mughal Dynasty, and carries the story of political and military developments through the eighteenth century, which comprises `an epoch of transition' from the medieval to the modern period of Indian history. The narrative shatters the contention of contemporary European writers that it was `the dark age' of Indian history, characterized by `political anarchy and misgovernment', until the British brought it under their sway. The main thesis of the author is that the political developments of the period were marked by two distinct phases; the first phase, which lasted from 1707 to 1760, saw the rapid disintegration of the Mughal power and its replacement by the Maratha hegemony. Delhi became the hub of Maratha activities from 1752 and fell under their complete control by 1760. The Afghan invader, Ahmad Shah Abdali, gave a serious blow to the Maratha power in the third battle of Panipat (1761), albeit, their Afghan and Mughal adversaries were also ruined within a decade. On the other hand, the Marathas effected phenomenal revival of their power under their fourth Peshwa Madhav Rao (1761-72). Meanwhile, the English traders turned colonialists, after consolidating their hold along the Indian seacoasts and conquest of `Carnatic' and Bengal, challenged the Maratha hegemony. The second phase of developments was thus marked by the struggle for supremacy between these two powers almost exclusively. Nevertheless, for full 31 years after 1772, the Marathas were in absolute control of Delhi, and wielded imperial powers as de facto as well as de jure rulers of the country in the name of the phantom Mughal emperor until they were dislodged from there in 1803. The Marathas were defeated but not yet out by the year 1813. The author makes a judicious use of the contemporary English and Marathi sources and liberally utilizes the intensive researches done by modern historians to portray a compact picture of their findings in an extensive treatment of the subject matter in the form of a text book for the benefit of the degree students of colleges and universities. Historical facts have been reorganized and reinterpreted through clear and illuminating expositions, refreshing characterization of historic personalities, and objective assessment of events and movements. Together with maps, a select bibliography, glossary and an elaborate index, the volume makes a rich contribution to the advancement of modern historical literature. |
Contents
Decline of the Mughal Empire | 1 |
Bahadur Shah 170712 The Weak Successors of Bahadur Shah | 31 |
Rise of the Marathas 16801713 | 41 |
The Homeland of the Marathas The Successors of Shivaji 1680 | 59 |
CHAPTERIII | 66 |
CHAPTERIV | 80 |
The Expansion of Maratha Power under Baji Rao I | 87 |
Days of Baji Rao I 173940 | 124 |
Abdali Marathas and Panipat | 246 |
of Abdali 175759 The Change of Maratha Guards in the North | 263 |
The Advent of Europeans | 320 |
in India The Dutch in India The British East India Company The | 362 |
The Revival of Maratha Power 176172 | 445 |
Maratha Administration under the Peshwas | 470 |
Administration Finance and Revenue System Law and Justice | 505 |
Act of 1773 Warren Hastings as the Governor General of Bengal | 546 |
CHAPTERV | 130 |
the Mughal Dynasty The Nizamshahi Dynasty of Hyderabad | 164 |
Power under Balaji Baji | 189 |
CHAPTER VII | 222 |
The British Struggle for Supremacy 17981805 | 566 |
CHAPTER XV | 585 |
The Blueprints of British India 180613 | 653 |
Common terms and phrases
administration Afghan Ahmad Shah Abdali albeit Allahabad Arcot Aurangzeb Awadh Bahadur Balaji Baji Rao Balaji Vishwanath battle Bhau Bihar Bombay British Bundelkhand Calcutta camp chauth Chhatrapati civil Clive command Company's death Deccan Delhi East India Company English European Farrukh Siyar French Governor Gujarat Haider hands hereditary Hindu History Imad-ul-Mulk invader Jaffar Jang Karnatak Khan Lahore lakhs of rupees Lord Wellesley Madhav Rao Madras Mahadji Sindhia Malwa Maratha chiefs Maratha sardars Maratha troops March military minister Mir Qasim Mughal emperor Mughal empire Muslim Mysore Nadir Shah Najib Najib-ud-daulah Nana Farnavis Nizam of Hyderabad Nizam-ul-Mulk officers Orissa Panipat Peshwa political Poona Portuguese possessions princes Punjab Qasim Raghoba Raghunath Rao Raja Rajput revenue rivals Rohilla royal rule ruler Sadashiv Rao Sambhaji Sardesai Satara Sayyad brothers settlement Shah Alam Shah Alam II Shahu Shivaji Shuja-ud-daulah Siddis Sikhs Singh Siraj-ud-daulah soldiers Tara Bai territories took trade treaty Warren Hastings wazir