Last Updated on March 22, 2024 by XAM CONTENT
Here you will find revision notes for CBSE Class 7 Social Science History Chapter 4 The Mughal Empire. It is a part of Revision Notes for CBSE Class 7 Social Science Series.
| CBSE | Class 7 History |
|---|---|
| Useful for | Class 7 Students |
| Subject | Social Science – History |
| Chapter | The Mughal Empire |
| Type | Revision Notes |
| Covers | Notes Important Keywords Important Dates |
The Mughal Empire Class 7 Revision Notes CBSE History Chapter 4 (PDF Download)
Notes
- The Mughals created a most powerful empire in a short period of time and established laws, institutions and administrative structures that became legacies for future generations.
- Babur, the founder of Mughal rule in India, was a direct descendant of Genghis Khan from his mother’s side and Amir Timur from his father’s side.
Military Conquests
- Babur captured Kabul in 1504 and consequently defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the 1st Battle of Panipat to conquer Delhi. This also marked the end of the Delhi Sultanate.
- Humayun was defeated in the Battle of Chausa in 1539 and Battle of Kanauj in 1540 by Sher Shah. He fled the country for the next 15 years only to return in 1555 to re-establish the Mughal rule by defeating the successors of Sher Shah.
Relations with Rajputs
- The Mughals entered into matrimonial alliances with many Rajput families.
- Many Rajput princes were offered high offices especially by Akbar.
- The defeated Rajputs, like the Sisodiya clan were reinstated in their jagirs and awarded honourable posts in the royal court.
Jagirdari and Mansabdari Systems
- Mansab was a military rank
- The mansabdar was required to maintain a particular number of cavalrymen depending on the rank called ‘zat’.
- Mansabdars received jagirs or land as salary.
- Revenue was administered by jagirdars.
Zabt and Zamindars
- Land revenue was the main source of income of the Mughal state.
- Zamindar was the term used to define all intermediaries between the cultivator and the state.
- Akbar’s revenue minister Raja Todar Mal formulated the 10 year Bandobast that fixed the revenue on each crop. Based on this, each province was divided into revenue circles called ‘zabt’.
- Peasant and zamindar revolts were not uncommon which increased during the reign of Aurangzeb.
Akbar’s Policies
- Abul Fazl has elaborately highlighted Akbar’s policies in ‘Ain-i-Akbari’, the last volume of Akbarnamah.
- The empire was divided into provinces called ‘subas’ each under a governor called the subadar. He performed political and military functions. The Diwan was in charge of revenue while the ‘mir bakshi’ was the army paymaster.
- Akbar’s nobles commanded large armies and remained loyal to him and so the empire functioned smoothly.
- In Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar built the Ibadatkhana to assemble scholars from all religions.
- Eventually, he propounded the theory of ‘Sulh-i-kul’ or universal peace and believed in equal governance over subjects from all religions.
The Empire in the 17th Century
- Administrative and military efficiency led to great economic prosperity.
- However, the peasantry were poor as the high revenue left very little surplus in the hands of the primary producers.
- As the authority of the emperor weakened, these powerful mansabdars became extremely powerful and openly defied central authority.
- New regional dynasties sprang up in Hyderabad, Awadh and Bengal.
- Nevertheless, they continued as an integral part of the Mughal Empire in polity, administration and culture.
Important Keywords
- Mughals: Name is given to Mongol invaders who set up their rule in India after invading several territories.
- Primogeniture: The right of succession belonging to the first born child.
- Coparcenary: Joint heirship
- Mansabdar: An individual who holds a mansab, which means a position or rank.
- Zat: Rank and salary of mansabdars were determined by a numerical value called zat.
- Jagir: Mansabdars received their salaries as revenue assignments called jagirs which were more or less similar to iqtas.
- Zabt: The revenue system during Akbar’s rule where each province was divided into revenue circles with its own schedule of revenue rates for individual crop is called zabt.
- Zamindar: Local headmen of villages or powerful chieftains, basically the intermediary officers between the emperor and the peasants.
- Suba: The empire was divided into provinces called suba.
- Subadar: The governor of a province or a suba.
- Diwan: The financial officer in each province.
- Bakhshi: Military paymaster
- Sadr: The minister in charge of religious and charitable patronage
- Faujdar: Military commander
- Kotwal: Town police commander
- Farman: A document carrying an official order
- Dogma: A statement or an interpretation declared as authoritative with the expectation that it would be followed without question.
- Bigot: An individual who is intolerant of another person’s religious beliefs or culture.
Important Dates
- 1237 : Genghis Khan died.
- 1404 : Timur died.
- 1526 – 1530 : Babur reign. He captured Delhi in 1526 by defeating Ibrahim
Lodi, He laid the foundation of Mughal Empire. - 1539 : Sher Shah defeated Humayun at chausa.
- 1540 : Sher Shah again defeated Humayun at Kanauj.
- 1555 : Humayun recaptured Delhi.
- 1568 : Akbar seized Sisodiya capital of Chittor.
- 1569 : Akbar seized Ranthambhor.
- 1632 : Ahmadnagan was annexed by Shah Jahan.
- 1685 : Aurangzeb annexed Bijapur.
- 1687 : Aurangzeb annexed Golconda.
- 1698 : Aurangzeb compaigned in the Deccan against the Marathas.
We hope the given revision notes for The Mughal Empire class 7 helps you in your learning.
