1. Which Mughal emperor’s death marked the beginning of the empire’s decline?
A) Babur
B) Akbar
C) Aurangzeb
D) Jahangir
2. What was one of the primary reasons for the decline of the Mughal Empire?
A) Expansion of trade
B) Weak successors and administrative inefficiency
C) Rise of new technologies
D) Strengthening of Mughal mansabdars
3. Which groups became more powerful as Mughal authority declined?
A) European traders
B) Provincial governors, local chieftains, and zamindars
C) Religious scholars
D) Peasants and farmers
4. Which foreign ruler sacked Delhi in 1739, dealing a significant blow to the Mughal Empire?
A) Ahmad Shah Abdali
B) Nadir Shah
C) Babur
D) Timur
5. Who among the following invaded India multiple times between 1748 and 1761?
A) Robert Clive
B) Nadir Shah
C) Ahmad Shah Abdali
D) Shivaji
6. What was the impact of peasant and zamindari rebellions during the later Mughal period?
A) Strengthened Mughal control over provinces
B) Further weakened Mughal authority and administration
C) Led to expansion of the empire
D) Strengthened the power of the British
7. Which two factions competed for power at the Mughal court during the Later Mughal period?
A) Rajputs and Marathas
B) Iranis and Turanis
C) Jats and Afghans
D) Sikhs and Rajputs
8. Which Mughal emperor was assassinated by his nobles in 1719?
A) Jahandar Shah
B) Farrukh Siyar
C) Bahadur Shah Zafar
D) Akbar II
9. Which battle in 1761 marked the Marathas’ unsuccessful attempt to control Delhi?
A) First Battle of Panipat
B) Second Battle of Panipat
C) Third Battle of Panipat
D) Battle of Plassey
10. Which region was NOT controlled by the Mughal governors-turned-independent rulers in the 18th century?
A) Awadh
B) Bengal
C) Hyderabad
D) Rajasthan
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Answers and Explanations
1. C) Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb’s long military campaigns drained the empire’s treasury and weakened its military strength, leading to its decline after his death in 1707.
2. B) Weak successors and administrative inefficiency
After Aurangzeb, the Mughal administration became inefficient, with weak rulers unable to control rebellious governors and local chieftains.
3. B) Provincial governors, local chieftains, and zamindars
Governors (subadars) gained political and economic power, reducing the central authority of the Mughals.
4. B) Nadir Shah
Nadir Shah’s invasion of Delhi in 1739 resulted in massive looting, including the loss of the Peacock Throne, further crippling the Mughal economy.
5. C) Ahmad Shah Abdali
Ahmad Shah Abdali, the Afghan ruler, invaded India five times between 1748 and 1761, ultimately defeating the Marathas in the Third Battle of Panipat.
6. B) Further weakened Mughal authority and administration
Rebellions led to economic and administrative instability, further diminishing Mughal power over provinces.
7. B) Iranis and Turanis
The Iranis and Turanis (Turkish nobles) struggled for influence over the Mughal court, further fragmenting imperial power.
8. B) Farrukh Siyar
Farrukh Siyar was assassinated by the Sayyid brothers in 1719 due to internal power struggles.
9. C) Third Battle of Panipat
The Marathas suffered a crushing defeat against Ahmad Shah Abdali in the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761, weakening their influence in North India.
10. D) Rajasthan
Unlike Awadh, Bengal, and Hyderabad, Rajasthan remained semi-independent under Rajput rulers.
