Class 7 History Chapter 10: Eighteenth-Century Political Formations

1. Match the following:

Subadar— Provincial governor

Faujdar — A Mughal military commander

Ijjaradar — A revenue farmer

Misl — A band of Sikh warriors

Chauth— Tax levied by the Marathas

Kunbis— Maratha peasant warriors

Umara— A high noble

2. Fill in the blanks:

(a) Aurangzeb fought a protracted war in the Deccan.

(b) Umara and jagirdars constituted powerful sections of the Mughal administration.

(c) Asaf Jah founded the Hyderabad state in 1724.

(d) The founder of the Awadh state was Burhan-ul-Mulk Sa’adat Khan.

3. State whether true or false:

(a) Nadir Shah invaded Bengal. — False

(b) Sawai Raja Jai Singh was the ruler of Indore. — False

(c) Guru Gobind Singh was the tenth Guru of the Sikhs. — True

(d) Poona became the capital of the Marathas in the eighteenth century. — True

4. What were the offices held by Sa’adat Khan?

The offices held by Sa’adat Khan were subadari, faujdari and diwani.

5. Why did the Nawabs of Awadh and Bengal try to do away with the jagirdari system?

The Nawabs of Awadh and Bengal tried to do away with the jagirdari system to decrease Mughal influence in the regions by reducing the number of officeholders (jagirdars) appointed by the Mughals. They also reduced the size of jagirs and appointed their own loyal servants to vacant positions. The accounts of jagirdars were checked to prevent cheating, and the revenues of all districts were reassessed by officials appointed by the Nawab’s court. In Bengal, Murshid Quli Khan transferred all Mughal jagirdars to Orissa to further reduce Mughal influence.

6. How were the Sikhs organised in the eighteenth century?

Under a number of able leaders in the eighteenth century, the Sikhs organised themselves into a number of bands called jathas, and later on, misls. Their combined forces were known as the grand army (dal khalsa). The entire body used to meet at Amritsar at the time of Baisakhi and Diwali to take collective decisions. A system called ‘Rakhi’ was introduced, offering protection to cultivators on the payment of a tax of 20 per cent of the produce. Guru Gobind Singh inspired the Khalsa with the belief that their destiny was to rule (raj karega khalsa).

7. Why did the Marathas want to expand beyond the Deccan?

The Marathas wanted to expand beyond the Deccan in order to decrease Mughal influence. By expanding, they could receive tribute and control trade routes. Between 1720 and 1761, the Maratha Empire expanded to seize Malwa and Gujarat from the Mughals. By the 1730s, the Maratha King was recognised as the overlord of the entire Deccan peninsula.

8. What were the policies adopted by Asaf Jah to strengthen his position?

To strengthen his position, Asaf Jah adopted the following policies: He brought skilled soldiers and administrators from northern India who welcomed the new opportunities in the south. He appointed mansabdars and granted jagirs. Although he was still a servant of the Mughal Emperor, he ruled quite independently without seeking any direction from Delhi or facing any interference.