Bahadur shah zafar

Once the summer palace of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor, Zafar Mahal in south Delhi’s Mehrauli is now a shadow of its glorious past. Though located only a few kilometres southwest of the Qutub Complex — a world heritage site — the palace, which is one of the last remnants of Mughal India’s architectural legacy in the Capital, is rapidly running to ruins. PREMIUM Zafar Mahal in south Delhi’s Mehrauli. (Photo by Vipin Kumar/ Hindustan Times) Zafar Mahal, an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected monument, was originally built by Shah Jahan’s grandson Akbar Shah II in 1820. It was expanded during Bahadur Shah Zafar’s reign, with new structures including a gateway built under him. Built using red sandstone and laid with marble, the gateway demonstrates features of the late Mughal architectural style with broad chajjas (balconies) and curved Bengali domes with alcoves on the inside. The main gateway is about 50 ft high and 12 ft wide, with a massive wooden door. Zafar Mahal, an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected monument Maulvi Zafar Hasan, the ASI archaeologist who prepared the first list of monuments worthy of conservation in 1916, in his listing states that Bahadur Shah Zafar constructed the new gateway to facilitate the entrance of elephants. A marble inscription at the entrance mentions its year of construction as 1264 in the Islamic calendar (1847-8 AD), along with an inscription that reads, “When this high gate was strongly built as desi...

Bahadur Shah Zafar Biography Bahadur Shah Zafar was the last Mughal emperor of India who was born in 1775 at Delhi. He was named Abu Zafar Sirajuddin Muhammad Bahadur Shah Zafar during his birth but was more popular as Bahadur Shah Zafar. His father was Akbar Shah and his mother was Lalbai. He ascended the throne at a very advanced age, after the death of his father, in 1837. He was last ruler of the Mughal Dynasty, which ruled India for about 300 years. He did not rule over his empire with a strong hand because of the rising power of the British. During Bahadur Shah Zafar’s reign, Urdu poetry developed and reached its acme. Influenced by his grandfather and father who were also poets, even he developed this creative skill. He also contributed in the literary field. His poetry mostly dealt with love and mysticism. He even wrote of the pain and sorrow that he faced by the British. He was also a great patron of eminent and famous Urdu poets like Mirza Ghalib, Zauk, Momin and Daagh of his time. Most of his Urdu Ghazals were lost during the war of 1857. Some of them which were saved, were compiled and named Kulliyat-I-Zafar. The first War of Independence in India started in 1857 under the leadership of Bahadur Shah Zafar. He was appointed as the Commander-in-Chief by the freedom fighters. Initially the revolt was quite successful, but later on it was crushed by the powerful British army and Bahadur Shah Zafar, was overthrown. Despite the failure of the revolt the revolutionari...

• Born in 1483, Babur was the founder of the Mughal Empire. • Humayun, the second Mughal emperor, had to spend 15 years in exile. • Shah Jahan was born as Shihab al-Din Muhammad Khurram. New Delhi: The Mughal Empire controlled most of Northern India from the 16th to the 18th century. It was one of the largest empires that ruled over India for a long period of more than 300 years. Babur was the founder of the Mughal Empire which was established in 1526 after Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the first battle of Panipat. After Babur’s death, his son Humayun reigned over the Mughal Empire. However, by 1540 he lost control over the region to Afghan rebels and was sent to exile by the Afghan ruler, Sher Shah Suri. In 1555, with the help of the Persians and his son, Akbar, the Mughal Empire was re-established. Akbar took control over the empire after his father’s death in 1556. The empire declined after the death of Aurangzeb in 1707. While there were only six major rulers of this dynasty who left their mark on Indian history, Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb, there were a total of 21 Mughal emperors who ruled India for more than 3 centuries. Sr No Emperor Reign 1. Babur or Zahir-ud-Din Muhammad 1526-1530 2. Humayun or Nasir-ud-Din Muhammad 1530-1540, 1555-1556 3. Akbar or Jalal-ud-Din Muhammad 1556-1605 4. Jahangir or Nur-ud-Din Muhammad Salim 1605-1627 5. Shah Jahan or Shihab-ud-Din Muhammad Khurram 1628-1658 6. Aurangzeb or Muhi-ud-Din Muhammad or Alamgi...

Reign September 28, 1838 – September 14, 1857 Titles بُہادر شاہ دوم ; Mughal Emperor Born October 24, 1775 Died November 7, 1862 Rangoon, Buried Rangoon, Predecessor Akbar Shah II Successor Mughal Empire abolished Descendants: 22 sons and at least 32 daughters Father Akbar Shah II Mother Lalbai Abu Zafar Sirajuddin Muhammad Bahadur Shah Zafar also known as Bahadur Shah or Bahadur Shah II (October 24, 1775 – November 7, 1862) was the last of the Zafar was his nom de plume (takhallus) as an Urdu poet. He is recognized as one of the greatest poets in this language of his day, some say he is the greatest ever. His poetry lamented loss and India’s debasement. At the end, Shah Bahadur cut a sad and tragic figure, whose eulogy mourned that he could not even be buried in “two yards” of his beloved homeland. Yet to describe him as weak or as presiding over the end of his empire is unfair. No Mughal had exercised real power since As Emperor Bahadur was the son of Akbar Shah II and his Hindu wife Lalbai. Over 60 when he became Emperor, he inherited little territory apart from the city of Alamgir’s own son, Shah Alam II became the first Moghul to live as a pensioner of the British (1803-1805). His son, Shah Bahadur II’s father, Akbar enjoyed the title of emperor but possessed neither money nor power. Legally agents of the Mughal emperor under the Treaty of Allahabad (1765) when Shah Alam II surrendered them the right to collect taxes in Bengal, Orissa, and Bihar, the British maintaine...

Bahadur Shah II, better known as Bahadur Shah Zafar in history was the last Mughal Emperor who remained at helm from 1837 to 1857. He was born on October 24, 1775 and was the son of Akbar shah II. He was over sixty when he ascended to the throne of Delhi. He was a very good poet and a calligrapher as well as a Sufi. After the war of independence of 1857, he was exiled to Rangoon in 1858 where he died in 1862 at the age of 87. Bahadur Shah was not the favourite son of his father who was also opposed to his succession as the emperor. Akbar Shah was very much under the influence of his wife Mumtaz Begum who pressed him to make Mirza Jahangir as his heir successor. But fortunately things happened in such a way that road was prepared for the succession of Zafar. Prince Janangir was exiled by the company as he attacked the English resident at the Red Fort. This paved the way for the emperorship of Bahadur Shah Zafar. But it was not the easy times because the authority of the emperor had been confined to the Red Fort only. The British were the predominant military and the political force. They used to provide pension to the Emperor that was the only source of his livelihood. The company had even overtaken the right to issue coins and there was a mere illusion of the Mughal rule over India and nothing else. Bahadur Shah himself was quite uninterested in the statecraft. He had no imperial interest. His only interest was poetry. He himself was a great poet who wrote four diwans. Zaf...

• Rafi ud-Darajat died the youngest among all the Mughal Emperors at the age of 19. • Aurangzeb died the oldest at the age of 88. The last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah II died at 87. • One of the most prominent emperors, Akbar reportedly died at the age of 63 on October 27, 1605. New Delhi: The death of the Mughal Emperors has been a fascinating subject for historians and experts over the years. The empire’s long history is rife with assassinations and wars, and while the rulers from Babur to Aurangzeb (except Humayun) died a natural death after a prosperous reign, many of the later Mughal rulers met with a tragic end. Whenever a Mughal ruler died, his death was kept a secret for a period of time to complete the succession process smoothly, though it always turned out to be a difficult affair. We have discussed several topics regarding the Mughal Empire in our previous articles. In this article, however, we will discuss at what age the Mughal emperors die. Rafi ud-Darajat Rafi ud-Darajat was the 11th Mughal Emperor, who was dethroned on June 6, 1719, after a reign of 3 months and 6 days, at his own request. He died either of tuberculosis or was murdered at Agra on June 6, 1719, at the age of 19. Shah Jahan II Shah Jahan II was the 12th Mughal Emperor for a brief period in 1719. He suffered from tuberculosis and was physically and mentally unfit to perform the duties of a ruler. He died on September 17, 1719, at Bidyapur, at the age of 23. Farrukhsiyar Farrukhsiyar had a fa...

Reign September 28, 1838 – September 14, 1857 Titles بُہادر شاہ دوم ; Mughal Emperor Born October 24, 1775 Died November 7, 1862 Rangoon, Buried Rangoon, Predecessor Akbar Shah II Successor Mughal Empire abolished Descendants: 22 sons and at least 32 daughters Father Akbar Shah II Mother Lalbai Abu Zafar Sirajuddin Muhammad Bahadur Shah Zafar also known as Bahadur Shah or Bahadur Shah II (October 24, 1775 – November 7, 1862) was the last of the Zafar was his nom de plume (takhallus) as an Urdu poet. He is recognized as one of the greatest poets in this language of his day, some say he is the greatest ever. His poetry lamented loss and India’s debasement. At the end, Shah Bahadur cut a sad and tragic figure, whose eulogy mourned that he could not even be buried in “two yards” of his beloved homeland. Yet to describe him as weak or as presiding over the end of his empire is unfair. No Mughal had exercised real power since As Emperor Bahadur was the son of Akbar Shah II and his Hindu wife Lalbai. Over 60 when he became Emperor, he inherited little territory apart from the city of Alamgir’s own son, Shah Alam II became the first Moghul to live as a pensioner of the British (1803-1805). His son, Shah Bahadur II’s father, Akbar enjoyed the title of emperor but possessed neither money nor power. Legally agents of the Mughal emperor under the Treaty of Allahabad (1765) when Shah Alam II surrendered them the right to collect taxes in Bengal, Orissa, and Bihar, the British maintaine...

Once the summer palace of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor, Zafar Mahal in south Delhi’s Mehrauli is now a shadow of its glorious past. Though located only a few kilometres southwest of the Qutub Complex — a world heritage site — the palace, which is one of the last remnants of Mughal India’s architectural legacy in the Capital, is rapidly running to ruins. PREMIUM Zafar Mahal in south Delhi’s Mehrauli. (Photo by Vipin Kumar/ Hindustan Times) Zafar Mahal, an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected monument, was originally built by Shah Jahan’s grandson Akbar Shah II in 1820. It was expanded during Bahadur Shah Zafar’s reign, with new structures including a gateway built under him. Built using red sandstone and laid with marble, the gateway demonstrates features of the late Mughal architectural style with broad chajjas (balconies) and curved Bengali domes with alcoves on the inside. The main gateway is about 50 ft high and 12 ft wide, with a massive wooden door. Zafar Mahal, an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected monument Maulvi Zafar Hasan, the ASI archaeologist who prepared the first list of monuments worthy of conservation in 1916, in his listing states that Bahadur Shah Zafar constructed the new gateway to facilitate the entrance of elephants. A marble inscription at the entrance mentions its year of construction as 1264 in the Islamic calendar (1847-8 AD), along with an inscription that reads, “When this high gate was strongly built as desi...

Bahadur Shah II, better known as Bahadur Shah Zafar in history was the last Mughal Emperor who remained at helm from 1837 to 1857. He was born on October 24, 1775 and was the son of Akbar shah II. He was over sixty when he ascended to the throne of Delhi. He was a very good poet and a calligrapher as well as a Sufi. After the war of independence of 1857, he was exiled to Rangoon in 1858 where he died in 1862 at the age of 87. Bahadur Shah was not the favourite son of his father who was also opposed to his succession as the emperor. Akbar Shah was very much under the influence of his wife Mumtaz Begum who pressed him to make Mirza Jahangir as his heir successor. But fortunately things happened in such a way that road was prepared for the succession of Zafar. Prince Janangir was exiled by the company as he attacked the English resident at the Red Fort. This paved the way for the emperorship of Bahadur Shah Zafar. But it was not the easy times because the authority of the emperor had been confined to the Red Fort only. The British were the predominant military and the political force. They used to provide pension to the Emperor that was the only source of his livelihood. The company had even overtaken the right to issue coins and there was a mere illusion of the Mughal rule over India and nothing else. Bahadur Shah himself was quite uninterested in the statecraft. He had no imperial interest. His only interest was poetry. He himself was a great poet who wrote four diwans. Zaf...

• Born in 1483, Babur was the founder of the Mughal Empire. • Humayun, the second Mughal emperor, had to spend 15 years in exile. • Shah Jahan was born as Shihab al-Din Muhammad Khurram. New Delhi: The Mughal Empire controlled most of Northern India from the 16th to the 18th century. It was one of the largest empires that ruled over India for a long period of more than 300 years. Babur was the founder of the Mughal Empire which was established in 1526 after Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the first battle of Panipat. After Babur’s death, his son Humayun reigned over the Mughal Empire. However, by 1540 he lost control over the region to Afghan rebels and was sent to exile by the Afghan ruler, Sher Shah Suri. In 1555, with the help of the Persians and his son, Akbar, the Mughal Empire was re-established. Akbar took control over the empire after his father’s death in 1556. The empire declined after the death of Aurangzeb in 1707. While there were only six major rulers of this dynasty who left their mark on Indian history, Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb, there were a total of 21 Mughal emperors who ruled India for more than 3 centuries. Sr No Emperor Reign 1. Babur or Zahir-ud-Din Muhammad 1526-1530 2. Humayun or Nasir-ud-Din Muhammad 1530-1540, 1555-1556 3. Akbar or Jalal-ud-Din Muhammad 1556-1605 4. Jahangir or Nur-ud-Din Muhammad Salim 1605-1627 5. Shah Jahan or Shihab-ud-Din Muhammad Khurram 1628-1658 6. Aurangzeb or Muhi-ud-Din Muhammad or Alamgi...