Avadh was a historic region of northern India that is now part of the state of Uttar Pradesh. The Nawabs of Awadh State were Saadat Khan Burhan-ul-Mulk, Safdar Jung/Adbdul Mansur, Shuja-ud-daula, Asaf-ud-daula, and Wajid Ali Shah. It was established as one of the twelve original subahs (top-level imperial provinces) under Mughal emperor Akbar in the 16th century and became a hereditary tributary polity around 1722, with Faizabad as its initial capital and Saadat Ali Khan as its first Subadar Nawab and progenitor of an Awadh dynasty of Nawabs. In this article, we will discuss Avadh - Regional States of North and South India which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.

Avadh - Features

• In 1722, Burhan-ul-Mulk Sa'adat Khan was appointed subadar of Awadh and established one of the most important states to emerge from the disintegration of the Mughal Empire.
• Awadh was a prosperous region that ruled over the rich alluvial Ganga plain and the main trade route connecting north India and Bengal.
• Burhan-ul-Mulk was also the combined subadari, diwani, and faujdari. In other words, he was in charge of the Awadh province's political, financial, and military affairs.
• Burhan-ul-Mulk attempted to reduce Mughal influence in the Awadh region by reducing the number of Mughal-appointed office holders (jagirdars).
• He also reduced the size of jagirs and filled vacant positions with his own loyal servants. Jagirdar accounts were audited to prevent fraud, and the revenues of all districts were reassessed by officials appointed by the Nawab's court.
• He seized a number of Rajput zamindaris as well as the agriculturally fertile Rohilkhand lands of the Afghans.
• Loans were obtained from local bankers and mahajans. It auctioned off the right to collect taxes to the highest bidder.
• These "revenue farmers" (ijaradars) agreed to pay a set amount of money to the state.
• Local bankers guaranteed the state's payment of the contracted amount. In turn, revenue-farmers were given considerable latitude in tax assessment and collection.
• These developments enabled new social groups, such as moneylenders and bankers, to exert influence over the management of the state's revenue system, which had not previously occurred.

Avadh Under the Mughals

• The limits of the subah (imperial top-level province) and its internal divisions appear to have changed constantly from the pre-historic period to the time of Akbar, and the name Oudh, or Awadh, appears to have been applicable to only one of the ancient divisions or Sarkars, nearly corresponding to old Pachhimrath.
• Mughal Badshah Akbar's Awadh was one of the twelve (or fifteen) subahs into which he divided the Mughal Empire in 1590.
• As of the end of the sixteenth century, the Subah was divided into five sarkars: Awadh, Lucknow, Bahraich, Khairabad, and Gorakhpur, which were further subdivided into numerous mahals and dasturs (districts).
• During Farrukhsiyar's reign, Khan Zaman Khan Ali Asghar, son of Qazi Ghulam Mustafa, was appointed Subahdar of Awadh. This position was created in place of 'Aziz Khan Chughtai.'
• Later, Mahabat Khan was appointed Subahdar of Awadh in place of Khan Zaman Khan Ali Asghar, who was reassigned to Azimabad (Patna) as Subahdar in place of 'Sar Buland Khan.'

Avadh - Under the Hereditary Nawabs

• As Mughal power waned and the emperors lost their supremacy, becoming first puppets and then prisoners of their feudatories, Awadh grew stronger and more independent.
• The Nawabs of Awadh was a Persian Shia Muslim dynasty from Nishapur who not only encouraged existing Persian-language belle-lettrist activity to relocate from Delhi, but also invited and received a steady flow of Iranian scholars, poets, jurists, architects, and painters.
• As a result, Persian was used in government, academic instruction, high culture, and court.
• In 1722, Saadat Khan Burhanul Mulk was appointed Nawab of Faizabad, near Lucknow, and established his court there. He used a weakening Mughal Empire in Delhi to lay the groundwork for the Awadh dynasty.
• Safdarjung, a powerful noble at the Mughal court in Delhi, succeeded him. Awadh was a Mughal Empire province ruled by a Nawab until 1819.
• Awadh was known as India's granary and was strategically important for controlling the Doab, the fertile plain between the Ganges and the Yamuna rivers.
• It was a wealthy kingdom that was able to maintain its independence in the face of threats from the Marathas, British, and Afghans.
• Shuja-ud-Daula, the third Nawab, had a falling out with the British after assisting Mir Qasim, the fugitive Nawab of Bengal.
• The British East India Company completely defeated him in the Battle of Buxar, forcing him to pay heavy penalties and cede parts of his territory.
• In 1773, the British appointed a resident in Lucknow and gradually gained control of more territory and authority in the state. They were hesitant to take Awadh outright because doing so would pit them against the Marathas and the remnants of the Mughal Empire.
• In 1775, Asaf-ud-Daula, the fourth Nawab and son of Shuja-ud-Daula, relocated the capital from Faizabad to Lucknow and laid the groundwork for a great city.
• During his reign, Raja Tikait Rai Nawab Wazir (Diwan) of Awadh built the Asafi Imambara and Rumi Darwaza, which remain the city's most important architectural marvels to this day.
• Asaf-ud-Daula transformed Lucknow into one of India's most prosperous and glittering cities. It is said that he moved to get away from his domineering mother.
• In 1798, the fifth Nawab Wazir Ali Khan was forced to abdicate after alienating both his people and the British. The British then assisted Saadat Ali Khan in ascending to the throne.
• Saadat Ali Khan was a puppet king who, in the Treaty of 1801 with the British East India Company, ceded half of Awadh and agreed to disband his troops in favour of a massively expensive British-run army.
• This treaty effectively made the state of Awadh a vassal of the British East India Company, despite the fact that they remained nominally part of the Mughal Empire until 1819.

Avadh - Coins

• Coins were struck under the nawab's control for the first time in 1737, at a new mint established in Banaras, but the coins referred to the Mughal emperor rather than the Nawab.
• After the British seized Banaras following the Battle of Buxar, the mint was relocated to Lucknow in 1776.
• From then on, coins bearing the name of the Mughal emperor were struck, and the mint was named Muhammadabad Banaras.
• Nawab Ghaziuddin Haidar did not begin minting coins in his own name until 1819. Soon after that, Awadhi coins began to bear the kingdom's European-style coat of arms.

Conclusion

The wars and transactions in which Shuja-ud-Daula was involved, both with and against the British East India Company, resulted in the addition of Karra, Allahabad, Fatehgarh, Kanpur, Etawah, Mainpuri, Farrukhabad, and Rohilkhand to the Avadh dimensions, which remained until the treaty with Saadat Ali Khan in 1801, by which province was significantly reduced as half of Avadh was ceded to in exchange for Handia, or Kawai, which was transferred from Pratapgarh to Allahabad, Khairigarh, Kanchanpur, and what is now the Nepal Terai were ceded in 1816, in liquidation of Ghazi ud din Haider's loan of a million sterling towards the expense of the Nepal War.

FAQs

MCQs

1. Who was the ruler responsible for establishing Avadh as a significant regional state in medieval India?

A) Babur

B) Akbar

C) Shuja-ud-Daula

D) Aurangzeb

2. What was the primary economic activity of Avadh in the medieval period?

A) Mining

B) Agriculture

C) Industrialization

D) Fishing

3. What was a major cultural contribution of the Nawabs of Avadh?

A) Development of regional literature

B) Promotion of Kathak dance

C) Establishment of educational institutions

D) Patronage of fine arts in Rajasthan

4. What was the role of Avadh in the Mughal Empire?

A) It was a major center for military campaigns

B) It served as a cultural hub

C) It was an important administrative province

D) It was a key trade route

5. What major event marked the end of the Mughal influence in Avadh?

A) Battle of Buxar

B) Revolt of 1857

C) Treaty of Allahabad

D) Coronation of Shuja-ud-Daula

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Discuss the role of Avadh in the political landscape of medieval India.

Answer: Avadh, or Oudh, played a central role in the political landscape of medieval India. Initially incorporated into the Mughal Empire, it became a significant region under Mughal rule. The region was governed by the Nawabs after the decline of the Mughals, serving as an important administrative and military center. The Nawabs' patronage of arts, culture, and trade contributed to its prosperity. However, Avadh’s strategic location also made it a focal point during conflicts, such as the Battle of Buxar and the Revolt of 1857, both of which marked critical turning points in its political history.

Q2: Evaluate the cultural contributions of the Nawabs of Avadh in medieval India.

Answer: The Nawabs of Avadh were influential patrons of culture and played a key role in the development of regional arts. Their support led to the flourishing of Kathak dance, which became a defining feature of Avadhi culture. Additionally, the Nawabs promoted music, literature, and the visual arts, creating a rich cultural heritage that blended Mughal and local traditions. The Nawabs also established educational institutions and libraries, fostering an intellectual environment that contributed to the cultural renaissance in Avadh.

Q3: What were the economic features of Avadh during the medieval period? How did they contribute to the region’s prosperity?

Answer: The economy of Avadh in the medieval period was primarily agrarian, with fertile lands supporting the cultivation of rice, wheat, and sugarcane. The region also benefitted from its strategic location on trade routes, making it a center for commerce. Avadh was known for its textile industry, especially for muslin and chikan embroidery, which were highly valued. The economic prosperity of Avadh was bolstered by the efficient administration of the Nawabs, who encouraged agricultural development and trade, making it one of the wealthiest regions of medieval India.

Previous Year Questions on  Avadh

1. UPSC CSE Prelims 2019:

Question: Which of the following was the primary economic activity of the Avadh region during the Mughal period?

Answer: The correct answer is (B) Agriculture. The economy of Avadh was predominantly agricultural, with wheat, rice, and sugarcane being the primary crops grown. The region also had a flourishing textile industry, contributing significantly to its economy.

2. UPSC CSE Mains 2020:

Question: How did the Nawabs of Avadh contribute to the cultural integration of northern India?

Answer: The Nawabs of Avadh played a significant role in the cultural integration of northern India by promoting a blend of Mughal and regional traditions. They were patrons of art, music, literature, and dance, especially Kathak. This cultural synthesis laid the foundation for the unique Avadhi culture, influencing the broader cultural development of India.