Zamindars, Polity, Economy and Culture

Zamindars, Polity, Economy and Culture provides a micro study of the zamindars of present-day eastern Uttar Pradesh, which encompassed some parts of the Mughal subahs of Awadh and Allahabad. The eighteenth century, which this book covers, was a period of transition that saw the decline of Indian feudalism and the rise of nascent capitalism and large market towns. As the 'last guards' of Indian feudalism, the zamindars found themselves facing a difficult situation on two fronts: first, with the quasi-independent central authorities, and second, with their ryots. The zamindars played a major role in the disintegration of central authority and in weakening the quasi-independent kingdom of Awadh, thus leading to its downfall. As a result, in the last quarter of the century, the nawabs of Awadh were forced to hand over their territory to the British East India Company, thus strengthening the Company's rule in the province.