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Tales from later Mughals

Tales from later Mughals

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18 th Century India<br />

The 18th century in the history of India is fascinating.<br />

It is full of interesting events and radical changes which took<br />

place in the social and political structure of the Indian<br />

society. The historians of this period recorded not only<br />

political events but narrated the social, economic, and<br />

cultural conditions of the age which they personally<br />

experienced. As the Mughal power declined and rulers and<br />

nobility, facing financial crisis, failed to patronise them, the<br />

historians no longer remained servants to the court and the<br />

aristocracy and assumed an independent status to write<br />

their views about the situation.<br />

The main feature of the historiography of this period<br />

was that historical narratives no longer moved around great<br />

persons but shifted to other aspects of society. However, the<br />

historians emphasised the deteriorating condition of the<br />

imperial court and the decadent character of the nobility.<br />

They severely criticised the king and condemned the nobles<br />

who were involved in corruption and intrigues. Some<br />

historians, finding no place at the royal court, migrated to<br />

the successive states in the hope of patronisation and some<br />

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