Q. Consider the following regional states that emerged during the decline of the Mughal Empire:
StateFounder / Nature of State
1. HyderabadEstablished by a former Mughal nobleman who converted his governorship into a hereditary kingdom.
2. BengalA state that arose primarily from the successful military resistance of the local Zamindars against the central government.
3. Marwar (Jodhpur)A Rajput state that utilized the grant of Watan Jagir to assert near-total independence from the center.
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Answer: B
Notes:
Explanation:
- Pair 1: Correct. Hyderabad was founded by Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah I, a former Wazir who left Delhi and established his rule in the Deccan, paying only nominal allegiance to the Mughal Emperor.
- Pair 2: Incorrect. Bengal was established by Murshid Quli Khan, a Mughal Diwan (Revenue Administrator), who secured the province’s autonomy through financial consolidation and centralized administration, not primarily through Zamindar military resistance.
- Pair 3: Correct. The Rajputs held their ancestral lands as Watan Jagirs. When Aurangzeb interfered in the succession of Marwar, the Rathores successfully mobilized around the principle of defending their Watan, ultimately winning concessions and asserting autonomy.
