The disruption of trade routes and agricultural production weakened the economic foundation that had previously supported the grandeur of the Mughal court. The Maratha Confederacy, originating in the western Deccan, became a formidable military force that challenged Mughal authority directly.
Regional Fragmentation and the Legacy of Mughal Collapse
Numerous regional powers emerged, filling the void left by the fading Mughals. External Pressures and the Rise of Regional Powers The vacuum created by imperial weakness did not remain empty for long.
The central treasury in Delhi lost its grip on the economic life of the provinces, creating a patchwork of semi-autonomous states that paid only nominal allegiance to the emperor. The practice of primogeniture was often ignored, leading to bitter fratricidal wars among brothers and sons vying for the Peacock Throne.
Regional Fragmentation and the Legacy of Mughal Decline
The Sikhs in the Punjab, under the leadership of Ranjit Singh, carved out a powerful kingdom. This financial strain made the empire heavily reliant on taxation, which in turn burdened the peasantry and the merchant class.
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