The Crisis of Empire in Mughal North India

The collapse of the Mughal empire has often been characterized as a period of political fragmentation, social unrest, and economic decay. Contrasting two regions in north India--Awadh and the Punjab--Muzaffar Alam contends that even as the empire declined, there emerged a new, regionally-based political order, maintained and controlled by former Mughal rulers. From agrarian uprisings to the jagiardari system, the Sikhs to the Zamindars, this book presents a bold new interpretation of an important transition in Indian government.

Erudite and highly original....In terms of the depth of analysis, exacting scholarship, and brilliant insights, the book is decidedly one of the best regional histories written on the twilight period of the Mughal empire.--American Historical Review

A valuable addition to the literature on 18th-century Mughal successor states.--Choice

Extremely valuable to scholars in the field.--History