Question

We saw above that Delhi sultans’ average reign lasted about nine years. This figure becomes 27 years in the case of Mughal emperors up to Aurangzeb and 16 years if we consider all Mughal rulers, up to the end of the empire in the 19th century. What do you make of these numbers of years of reign?

Answer 1

The average reign of the Delhi Sultans was about 9 years, which shows that their rule was often unstable, with frequent struggles for power and violent successions. In comparison, the Mughal emperors up to Aurangzeb ruled for an average of 27 years. This indicates that the Mughal Empire was more stable and had stronger administration and control. However, when all Mughal rulers up to the 19th century are included, the average reign falls to 16 years. This suggests that after Aurangzeb, the Mughal Empire became weaker and less stable, with increasing political conflicts and weakening central control. 

Thus, the numbers show that longer reigns generally indicate greater political stability, while shorter reigns indicate instability and struggles for power.