The decline of the Mughal Empire created conditions favorable for Maratha expansion mainly due to—
As the Mughal central authority weakened after Aurangzeb, the “administrative breakdown” in the provinces left a power vacuum. Local governors became independent or grew ineffective, making it easier for the Marathas to demand Chauth and eventually take over these regions. The lack of a coordinated imperial response allowed the Marathas to replace Mughal rule with their own system of revenue extraction. ANSWER: (B) Administrative breakdown
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The internal decay of the Mughal court—marked by succession wars and the rise of powerful factions—shattered the empire’s ability to defend its distant subahs (provinces). This administrative paralysis meant that Mughal governors in Malwa, Gujarat and the Deccan were left without reinforcements or funds. The Marathas exploited this by launching annual raids that crippled the local Mughal bureaucracy. As the Mughal tax-collecting machinery collapsed, the Marathas stepped in to fill the void, turning former Mughal provinces into Maratha tributaries. This shift was more about the failure of the Mughal system than just the military strength of the Marathas.