The Rise of Autonomous Regional Kingdoms (Longman Pearson)
Review Exercise
I. Fill in the blanks.
1. A powerful Sikh emerged in the eighteenth century under the leadership of Ranjit Singh.
2. Ranjit Singh signed the Treaty of Amritsar with Lord Minto.
3. The title of Peshwa was given to the chief ministers of the Maratha confederacy.
4. The independent rule in Bengal was established by Murshid Quli Khan.
5. Alivardi Khan was the Nawab of Bengal between 1740 and 1756.
6. Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah founded the state of Hyderabad in 1724.
7. The rulers of Mysore Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan fought against the British.
8. The Third Battle of Panipat was fought in 1761 between the Marathas and Ahmad Shah Abdali.
9. Saadat Khan was appointed as the governor of Awadh by Emperor Muhmmad Shah in 1722.
10. Safdar Jung, the ruler of Awadh, was succeeded by his son Shuja-ud-Daula.
11. Maharaja Ranjit Singh established his capital in Lahore in 1799.
12. Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath helped the Sayyid brothers to overthrow the Mughal ruler Farrukhsiyar.
13. Balaji Baji Rao shifted the Maratha capital from Satara to Poona.
14. Mysore emerged as a powerful kingdom from the disintegrated Vijaynagar Empire.
15. Sahu made Balaji the Peshwa of the Maratha Kingdom in 1713.
II. Answer these questions.
1. Do you think that the formation of Khalsa under leadership of Guru Govind Singh help in the growth of Sikhs as major regional power? Justify your answer.
= Yes, I think that the formation of Khalsa under leadership of Guru Govind Singh help in the growth of Sikhs as major regional power.
The Sikhs gained political and military power after the formation of Khalsa by Guru Govind Singh. They rose in revolt against the Mughal authority under the leadership of Banda Bahadur. Banda Bahadur declared the sovereign rule of the Sikh in the region between the Sutluj and Yamuna. He was, however, imprisoned and put to death in Delhi in 1716.
2. What was the role of the three Peshwas in the rise of the Maratha power?
= ❐ Role of Balaji Vishwanath :
He restored all the territories of the Marathas which were captured by the Mughals after the death of Shivaji. This greatly enhanced the power and prestige of the Marathas.
He was successful in getting the right to levy chauth and sardeshmukhi from the six Mughal provinces in the Deccan.
He marched up to Delhi to help the Sayyid brothers to overthrow the Mughal ruler, Farrukhsiyar.
He laid the foundation of the dynastic rule of the Peshwas.
❐ Role of Baji Rao I :
Balaji Viswanath was succeeded by his son Baji Rao I. He was a great military statesman. He led several successful campaigns into the territories of the Mughals and other regional powers. He transformed the Maratha kingdom into a huge empire.
It was during his period that the Maratha families - the Holkars of Indore, Scindhias of Gwalior, Bhonsles of Nagpur and Geakwads of Baroda - rose to prominence. The territories from the erstwhile Mughal Empire were put under complete control of these Maratha chiefs.
❐ Role of Balaji Baji Rao :
Baji Rao I was succeeded by his eighteen year old son Balaji Baji Rao. During his period, the Maratha ruler Sahu died. The Peshwa became the official head of the Marathas.
Balaji Baji Rao shifted the Maratha capital from Satara to Poona.
He expected the Maratha territories to Delhi and Punjab in the north, Bengal and Orissa (now Odisha) in the east, and Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in the south. The Mughal throne was virtually controlled by the Marathas.
3. Do you agree that the Third Battle of Panipat shattered the Maratha dream of taking up the mantle of the Mughals? Give reasons of your answer.
= Yes, I think that the Third Battle of Panipat shattered the Maratha dream of taking up the mantle of the Mughals.
The expansion of the Marathas into the north brought them in conflict with Ahmad Shah Abdali. The Marathas were decisively defeated by Ahmad Shah Abdali in the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761. This shattered the ambition of the Marathas to replace the Mughals as the next supreme rulers of India.
4. What reforms did Murshid Quli Khan carry out in Bengal?
= Murshid Quli Khan was an efficient administrator. He reorganised the revenue department, employed both the Muslims and Hindus in his administration, promoted trade and established law and order in the province.
5. Discuss the reforms carried out by the Nizam of Hyderabad.
= Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah was the Mughal Governor of the Deccan provinces between 1713 and 1715. He founded the state of Hyderabad in 1724. He became practically independent, though he continued to recognise the Mughal emperor as his sovereign.
Achievements of Asaf Jah :
He was an efficient administrator.
He recruited skilled soldiers and administrators from northern India.
He appointed mansabdars and granted jagirs.
He removed corruption from the revenue department and promoted trade.
He was successful in protecting his kingdom from internal and external threats.
6. Why were the Rajputs an easy prey for the British?
= The Rajput states of Jaipur, Mewar and Marwar asserted their autonomy after the decline of the Mughal power. However, these states never attempted to form a united Rajput Empire. They continued to fight against each other. These kingdoms were also plagued by constant internal strifes. As a result, they became easy prey to the expansionist policies of the British.
7. Why did the Nawabs of Bengal fail to curb the growing power of the British in their region?
= The Nawabs of Bengal failed to understand the true motives of the English East India Company. They felt that it was a trading company which did not with to gain political power and could not challenge their authority.
The administration of Bengal was full of corrupt nobles and officials. This made the province a victim of the growing ambitions of the Company.
8. Who founded the kingdom of Mysore? What reforms were undertaken by his successor?
= Hyder Ali founded the kingdom of Mysore.
Hyder Ali was a foot soldier in the army of the Kingdom of Mysore. He rose in rank and eventually became the de facto ruler of Mysore. He overthrow the government of Mysore and established his authority in 1761. He made Mysore a very prosperous and powerful state.
9. Who signed the Treaty of Amritsar?
= Ranjit Singh signed the Treaty of Amritsar (1809) with Lord Minto, the Governor General of the English East India Company. From then onwards, River Sutluj was accepted as the boundary between the Sikh kingdom and the British territory. By this treaty, the British promised not to interfere in the internal affairs of their kingdom.
10. Explain why did the Rajputs failed to establish a powerful kingdom.
= The Rajput states of Jaipur, Mewar and Marwar asserted their autonomy after the decline of the Mughal power. However, these states never attempted to form a united Rajput Empire. They continued to fight against each other. These kingdoms were also plagued by constant internal strifes. As a result, they became easy prey to the expansionist policies of the British.
11. Name the three powerful Peshwas of the Maratha. Who do you think played an important role in strengthening the Maratha Empire? Justify your answer.
= Three powerful Peshwas of the Maratha are - Balaji Vishwanath, Baji Rao I and Balaji Baji Rao.
The Maratha confederacy gained new heights of power and prestige under the able guidance and leadership of the Peshwas.
I think, Balaji Vishwanath played an important role in strengthening the Maratha Empire. He took advantage of the decline power of the Mughal Empire and consolidated the Maratha power. He restored all the territories of the Marathas which were captured by the Mughals after the death of Shivaji. This greatly enhanced the power and prestige of the Marathas.
12. Why did Lucknow emerge as an important city of Awadh?
= Lucknow rose to prominence as the capital of Awadh under the Nawabs. The Nawabs were great patrons of art, especially dance and music. The refined Lucknavi culture, that finds special mention even today, became popular under the Nawabs. It left behind a rich legacy of fine monuments, beautiful language, food, dressing style and gracious living.
13. Which factors facilitated the rise of autonomous regional kingdoms in the Indian subcontinent?
= The decline of the Mughal Empire in the eighteenth century led to a political chaos. A number of important and powerful nobles broke away from the Mughal Empire and formed their own autonomous states. In some cases, these autonomous states remained nominally under Mughal suzerainty but practically established complete autonomous administration within the states. This was the period of gradual emergence of the Sikhs and the Marathas. Several Mughal provinces such as Bengal, Awadh, Hyderabad, Carnatic and Mysore also asserted their independence.
14. Why was the English East India Company successful in establishing its dominant control over Bengal?
= The Nawabs of Bengal failed to understand the true motives of the English East India Company. They felt that it was a trading company which did not with to gain political power and could not challenge their authority.
The administration of Bengal was full of corrupt nobles and officials. This made the province a victim of the growing ambitions of the Company.
III. Write short notes.
1. Peshwas of Marathas.
= Sahu was a weak and fun-loving ruler. Gradually, the effective control of the Maratha kingdom fell into the hands of the Peshwas. The Maratha ruler became merely a figurehead. Thus, began the rule of the Peshwas. The Maratha confederacy gained new heights of power and prestige under the able guidance and leadership of the Peshwas.
2. Carnatic suba.
= Carnatic was one of the subas in the Deccan under the control of the Nizam of Hyderabad. The Nawab freed himself from the Nizam's rule and founded a hereditary rule in his state. This led to political instability and a war of succession broke out in the Carnatic. The Europeans took advantage of this and interfered in its internal affairs. They made territorial and economic gain out of this struggle.
3. Asaf Jah.
= Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah was the Mughal Governor of the Deccan provinces between 1713 and 1715. He founded the state of Hyderabad in 1724. He became practically independent, though he continued to recognise the Mughal emperor as his sovereign.
Achievements of Asaf Jah :
He was an efficient administrator.
He recruited skilled soldiers and administrators from northern India.
He appointed mansabdars and granted jagirs.
He removed corruption from the revenue department and promoted trade.
He was successful in protecting his kingdom from internal and external threats.
The death of Asaf Jah was followed by a war of succession. This allowed the foreign powers, such as the French and English East India companies, and excuse to get involved in the internal politics of this kingdom.
4. Rulers of Awadh.
= ❐ Saadat Khan : He introduced several reforms which made Awadh economically and politically strong. He reorganised the revenue department and strengthened the army.
❐ Safdar Jung : He succeeded Saadat Khan. His wars against the Rohillas, Jats and the Marathas resulted in the expansion of his territories. He was succeeded by his son Shuja-ud-Daula.
IV. Match the columns.
=
|
1. Lord Minto |
a. Peshwa. [3] |
|
2. Saadat Khan |
b. Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad. [4] |
|
3. Balaji Vishwanath |
c. under the control of the Nizam of Hyderabad. [5] |
|
4. Asaf Jah |
d. Treaty of Amritsar. [1] |
|
5. Carnatic |
e. Governor of Awadh. [2] |
V. State whether true or false.
1. Maharaja Ranjit Singh struck coins in the name of Guru Nanak and Guru Govind Singh in the region between the Sutlej and Yamuna. [F]
2. Sahu was a powerful Peshwa of the Marathas. [F]
3. Asaf Jah was the Nizam of Hyderabad. [T]
4. The Nawab of Awadh discouraged cultural development. [F]
5. The state of Carnatic freed itself from the control of the Nizam of Hyderabad. [T]