🔆 18th Century: Was it a Dark Age for India? 📍 Disorder & Instability ✅ The 18th century was earlier labelled a “Dark Age” due to widespread political chaos and breakdown of central authority after the Mughal decline. 📍 Failure of Regional Powers ✅ No large empire emerged post-Mughals. ✅ British control eventually restored order. ✅ Northeast & South remained outside Mughal influence — so decline was not uniform. 📍 Scholarly View ✅ Historian Jadunath Sarkar: India’s Medieval Age ended in 1757, and the Modern Age began with British victories post-Plassey, sparking Western influence.