CSS Pakistan Affairs Optional History Decline of Muslim Power and British Ascendancy (1707-1857) Syllabus

Decline of Muslim Power and British Ascendancy (1707-1857) syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Decline of Muslim Power and British Ascendancy (1707-1857) in CSS Pakistan Affairs Optional History, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Disintegration of the Mughal Empire

   3 topics

   • Later Mughals and Political Fragmentation
   • Rise of Successor States
   • Foreign Invasions
2. 2

   Shah Waliullah and Muslim Revivalism

   2 topics

   • Life and Teachings of Shah Waliullah
   • Legacy of the Waliullah School
3. 3

   Rise of the East India Company

   3 topics

   • Establishment of British Power
   • Expansion and Annexation Policies
   • British Administrative Reforms
4. 4

   Jihad Movements and Resistance

   2 topics

   • Movement of Syed Ahmad Barelvi
   • Faraizi Movement
5. 5

   The War of Independence 1857

   4 topics

   • Causes of the Uprising
   • Course of Events and Major Centres
   • Failure and Consequences
   • Impact on the Muslim Community

Decline of Muslim Power and British Ascendancy (1707-1857) flashcards for CSS Pakistan Affairs Optional History

19 of 60 cards from the Decline of Muslim Power and British Ascendancy (1707-1857) deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. In what year did Emperor Aurangzeb die, an event widely marked as the beginning of the decline of Mughal power?

   1707.

2. What term describes the breakdown of central Mughal authority into competing regional powers after 1707?

   Political fragmentation, in which provincial governors and chieftains became effectively independent while nominally acknowledging the emperor at Delhi.

3. Who was the immediate successor of Aurangzeb, and what was notable about his short reign (1707-1712)?

   Bahadur Shah I (Shah Alam I); he was the last Mughal to exercise some real authority, but his five-year reign was too brief to halt the decline.

4. Who were the 'Sayyid Brothers' and what role did they play in later Mughal politics?

   Abdullah Khan and Husain Ali Khan, called the 'king-makers,' who deposed and enthroned several emperors between 1713 and 1720, exposing the puppet status of the crown.

5. Which later Mughal emperor's reign saw both the Sayyid Brothers' dominance broken and the invasion of Nadir Shah?

   Muhammad Shah 'Rangila' (reigned 1719-1748).

6. Define a 'successor state' in the context of the declining Mughal Empire.

   A regional polity that emerged from a Mughal province whose governor became hereditary and autonomous, such as Hyderabad, Bengal, and Awadh.

7. Who founded the autonomous state of Hyderabad (the Deccan), and what title did his line adopt?

   Chin Qilich Khan, titled Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah, who established the Asaf Jahi dynasty (the Nizams) in 1724.

8. Who founded the autonomous state of Bengal as a Mughal successor state in the early 18th century?

   Murshid Quli Khan, who made Bengal (with Bihar and Orissa) effectively independent with its capital at Murshidabad.

9. Which dynasty established the autonomous state of Awadh (Oudh), and who founded it?

   The Nawabs of Awadh; founded by Saadat Khan Burhan-ul-Mulk around 1722.

10. Name three major regional successor states that emerged from Mughal provinces in the 18th century.

    Hyderabad (the Nizam), Bengal, and Awadh (Oudh).

11. Besides Muslim-ruled successor states, which two major non-Muslim powers rose during Mughal decline?

    The Marathas in the Deccan and central India, and the Sikhs in Punjab.

12. Who was the Persian ruler who invaded India in 1739 and sacked Delhi?

    Nadir Shah of Persia.

13. What famous treasures did Nadir Shah carry away from Delhi after his 1739 invasion?

    The Peacock Throne (Takht-e-Taus) and the Koh-i-Noor diamond.

14. At which 1739 battle did Nadir Shah decisively defeat the Mughal army before sacking Delhi?

    The Battle of Karnal.

15. Who was the Afghan ruler who invaded India repeatedly between 1748 and 1767?

    Ahmad Shah Abdali (Ahmad Shah Durrani).

16. In which 1761 battle did Ahmad Shah Abdali crush the Marathas, and why was it significant?

    The Third Battle of Panipat (1761); it broke Maratha ambitions of an all-India empire and left a power vacuum that the British later filled.

17. Give the dates of birth and death of Shah Waliullah of Delhi.

    Born 1703, died 1762.

18. What was the full name of Shah Waliullah and the name of his learned father?

    Qutb-ud-Din Ahmad Abd-ur-Rahim, known as Shah Waliullah; his father was Shah Abd-ur-Rahim, founder of the Madrasa-i-Rahimiyya.

19. Which seminary in Delhi was associated with Shah Waliullah and his father?

    The Madrasa-i-Rahimiyya.

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