Later Mughals (Muhammad Shah)

 Muhammad Shah

Muhammad Shah Rangeela

Source - Wikipedia

Mirza Nasir-ud-Din Muḥammad Shah, originally known as Roshan Akhtar (7 August 1702 -  26 April 1748) was the 13th Mughal Emperor reigned from 1719 to 1748. He was the son of khujista Akhtar, the fourth son of late Bahadur Shah I. After the death of Rafi-ud-Daulah, he was choosen as the next emperor by "King Makers" Sayyid Brother namely as Hussain Ali and Abdullah Khan, he became emperor at the minor age of 16 and was under the guidence of Sayyid brothers.

For gaining prominance in Mughal Empire there were various groups in Mughal court, such as Turani, Irani, Afghani and Hindustani. Sayyid brothers are converted Muslims and belong to Hindustani Group which made other group unhappy and wanted to take revenge from them.

After seeing these politics Muhammad Shah came to an idea and he contacted the head of Turani Group leader Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah I who later founded the independent state of Hyderabad. With the help of them he killed Hussain Ali who was reading farman in the court and was killed in middle of court, then a letter was sent to Abdullah Khan to present in the court, Abdullah Khan also known as Hassan Ali tried last time and made Muhammad Ibrahim the new emperor, and marched to Delhi but was defeated in the battle of Hasanpur and later executed by Muhammad Shah.

Muhammad Shah was a great patron of Musical, Cultural and administrative developments, thus he was also known as "Muhammad Shah Rangeela". His pen name was "Sadrang", he was also known as Bahadur Shah Rangeela named after his Grandfather Bahadur Shah I.

He was the Last prominent ruler of the Mughal Empire, during his reign Marathas captured Delhi and started campaigns in the North, Nadir Shah the invader attacked and looted the Delhi in 1739, and killed many people. Many new states came in existence such as Hyderabad and Bengal.

Reign of Emperor

Mughal Emperor in Imperial Garden 

Source - Wikipedia

After the fall of the Sayyid brothers, Muhammad Shah took control over the empire and the army, people know it was their last chance to save the empire, but the chances gradually lowers down.

1. Loss of Deccan Subahs

On 21 February 1722, Muhammad Shah appointed Asaf Jah I as the Grand Wazir, later Asaf Jah started a campaign in the south, where he fought against Mubariz Khan, the Mughal Subahdar in the Deccan, who kept helping Maratha Empire, he was a trusty on the late Sayyid Brothers and was appointed by Muhammad Shah to kill Asaf Jah. Due to this Asaf Khan killed him in the Battle of Shakar Kheda. After that he establised the Hyderabad 

State and appointed himself as the Nizam of Hyderabad in 1725.

The Mughal-Maratha Wars (1728-1763) cause high damages to Deccan Subahs namely as Khandesh, Bijapur, Berar, Aurangabad, Hyderabad and Bidar. Adaf Jah let the Marathas attack the Northern part especially Malwa to protect himself from their attacks. After this Muhammad Shah appointed various Chiefs but dismissed them on seeing the growing influence of the Turani Group in the Court.

2. Bengal and Sikhs Raids

Muhammad Shah and his Family

Source - Wikipedia

The Mughal Commanderd in Bengal were shocked by the suprise attack by Upendra Narayan a Hindu and Mipham Wangpo (1729-1736) for this Ali khan establised Rohilakhand.

In the Punjab, the Sikhs devasted the Mughal armies with their hit and run policy which was very effecive against the large and unskillful army.

3. Loss of Gujarat and Malwa 

Painting of a Battle showing the Artillery

Source - Wikipedia

After defeating Asaf Jah I in the battle of Palkhed, Bajirao I and his brother Chimaji Appa reinvaded Malwa. The Mughal subahdar was killed in the Battle of Amjhera in November 1729. Chimnaji Appa even tried to attack the army of Ujjain.

In 1731, Asaf Jah managed to get some leaders of Marathas to their side but after getting the new Peshwa Bajirao I attacked and Killed them by a large force in the battle of Dabhoi. Bajirao then attacked Gujarat which led to Mughal commander Fled from there and Bajirao captured Gujarat.

Bajirao then defeated the well trained army of Amir Khan Bahadur but was forced to withdraw by a following force of Delhi, after thus he fled to Deccan. Muhammad Shah for the peace agreed on giving Malwa to the Marathas

Invasion Of Nadir Shah

Muhammad Shah and Nadir Shah

Source - Wikipedia

1. Invasion On Mughal Empire

In May 1738, Nader Shah attacked Afghanistan and captured Ghazni. He captured Kabul in June and Jalalabad in September. By November, he had crossed the Khyber Pass and besieged and fortress of Peshawar Known as he enters India. In January 1739, he captured Lahore, after completely subduing the forces of the Mughal viceroy and his 25k ,by the Chenab river. The forces soon encountered Sikh rebels whom Nader Shah would clearly benefit .The Afsharids captured territory all the way up to Attak, forcing Muhammad Shah and his nobles realise they need to take action against Nadir Shah. Many cities of western India were sacked and completely destroyed to the ground.  Nadir Forces completely surrounded  the Mughal army, and later captured the Chiefs of the Army. Sirhind was then captured by Nadir Shah in February 1739, opening the route towards the Mughal capital of Delhi.

Rao Bal Kishan , with his army and with the forces of Delhi, attempted a desperate defence of the city but was killed in battle and has been immortalized the name "Veergati". Muhammed Shah commissioned a royal chhatri to pay tribute to Rao Bal Kishan. Nadir Shah even appriciated Bal Kishan and said that if Muhammad Shah give his Mughal army, Nadir Shah would be defeated, Nadir Shah was impressed by Bal Kishan breavery.

After entering Delhi, Nader Shah claimed to invasion and occupation of the Mughal Empire and was recided as the New Emperor he stayed in Delhi for some months and looted the City.

2. Looting and Killing in Delhi

Nadir Shah and his Forces

Source - Wikipedia

The occupation of Delhi was initially very peaceful. however, rumours spread in the city that Nadir Shah was killed by Muhammad Shah. Which led to the people attack the Nadir Shah soldiers who are encamped in Delhi. Nadir Shah became very angry and came out of the fort with his sword and order his soldiers to loot and burn the city to hell which led to mass killing and Rapes of women, it was estimated that half of the population of Delhi was killed. Muhammad Shah and Asaf Jah I and the Head of Jama Masjid beg Nadir Shah to stop this mass killing, after this Nadir Shah looted the treasury of Mughal Empire treasury and looted around 5 crore of money, and taken out the famous Peacock Throne, KohiNoor diamond and all wealth present in the Empire, he also taken out many elephants, horses and everything that he liked. Emperor daughter Jahan Afruz Banu Begum was also taken as a bride for Nadir Shah  son. Asaf Jah I retired to Deccan after this and never came back to the North.

Death

Tomb of Muhammad Shah 

Source - Wikipedia

The victory of the Mughal Army during the Battle of Manupur (1748) came with a heavy price as many of loyals of Emperor was died  on of them was Qamaruddin Khan. When the news reached the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah, he could not speak due to shock and become sick due to grief. He died due to grief on 26 April 1748. Muhammad Shah tomb is located in the Nizamuddin Dargah.