Later Mughals (Alamgir II)

Alamgir II

Portrait of Alamgir II

Source :- Google Images

Mirza Aziz-ud-Din Muhammad, Lived From June 6, 1699 – November 29, 1759, also known  Alamgir II. He was the 15th Mughal emperor from 1754 to 1759. He was the son of late emperor Jahandar Shah.

Early Life

Alamgir II born name was Aziz-ud-Din, and was born on 6 June 1699 at Burhanpur and was the second son of Muizz-ud-Din, son of Bahadur Shah (Shah Alam). Aurangzeb was his great-grandfather. His mother was Anup Bai.

Aziz-ud-Din was 7 when his Aurangzeb died in the Deccan. After that, Bahadur Shah I become emperor in 1712, after him the war of succession followed. In these wars his father Jahandar Shah was defeated by the next Mughal Emperor, Farrukhsiyar who ruled till 1719.

Aziz-ud-Din was then imprisoned in 1714 by Asaf Jah I under the ruler Farrukhsiyar. Till 1754 he was in capture. After death of Ahmad Shah Bahadur, he was released in 1754 by the usurping Wazir Ghazi ud-Din Khan Feroz Jung III. He perceived Aziz-ud-Din as a weak personality who would not object in his work and will remain a puppet ruler. Therefore, on 2 June 1754, Aziz-ud-Din was given the title Alamgir II by the Wazir as he wanted to follow the centralized approach of Aurangzeb.

Reign of Emperor

Imad-ul-Mulk conducting a grand banquet

Source :- Google Images

After the emergence of Alamgir II the Mughal Empire had began to re-centralize, particularly when many Nawabs want the glorification of the Mughal Emperor and his co-ordination regarding their resistance to the Maratha. These development Imad-ul-Mulk furious who sought to strengthen his authority with the support of the Marathas. His Amir-ul-Umara and Mir Bakhshi continued to be Mirza Ashraf, the son of Khan Doaran VII (a noble in the reign of Farrukhsiyar and Muhammad Shah).

Peace with Durrani Empire

Patthargarh Fort

Source :- Archieve of India

In the year 1755, the appointed Mughal viceroy of Punjab, Moin-ul-Mulk died, this led to emperor sought the assistance of Ahmad Shah Durrani to stop any succession struggle and the Sikhs.

Ahmad Shah Durrani and his forces then marched into Lahore in on 1756 and appointed his son Timur Shah Durrani as the new viceroy of Lahore, under the protection of his own commanders. Ahmad Shah Durrani then plundered Sikh and Hindu places in the and slaughter eastern regions of the Punjab.

He then marched towards Delhi, in Jan 1757, the Mughal Emperor Alamgir II with courtiers such as Shah Waliullah, nobles such as Najib-ul-Daula, and the imperial family went to meet Ahmad Shah Durrani.

Ahmad Shah Durrani's relations with the Mughal Emperor, strengthened further when his son Timur Shah Durrani married with  Alamgir II's daughter Zuhra Begum. Ahmad Shah Durrani himself also married Hadrat Begum the daughter of the former Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah.

Ahmad Shah Durrani returned to Kabul leaving his forces led by his son Timur Shah Durrani in the garrisons of Lahore where they found the Zamzama cannon.

Ahmad Shah Durrani

Source:- Wikipedia

Siege of Delhi (1757)

Raghunathrao portrait

Source :- Maratha Archieve

In July 1757, the Marathas led by Raghunathrao assisted by Imad-ul-Mulk and camped 30 km opposite to the Red Fort and occupied all the villages by the Jamuna then they began to besiege Delhi.

The Marathas fought against Alamgir II's incumbent Mir Bakhshi ("Paymaster") Najib-ul-Daula along with his lieutenants Qutub Shah and Aman Khan and a Mughal Army of 2,500 garrisoned inside the metropolis of Delhi. They stopped food supplies from entering Delhi, while Najib-ul-Daula positioned his heavy artillery outside the vicinity of the Red Fort.

Unable to gain any assistance from Ahmad Shah Durrani, Najib-ul-Daula surrendered after some resistinance against the Maratha Confederacy for more than five months, he was defeated and he withdrew to Najibabad. When the Marathas entered Delhi the emperor Alamgir II and his royal family fled to Bharatpur State. The Marathas looted and plundered the city and the people of Delhi. Mosques and Shrines built by the Mughals were destroyed ; and the Marathas conspired to place Peshwa upon the Mughal throne.

Imad-ul-Mulk was reappointed Mir Bakshi and with the support of the Marathas. Not long after entering Delhi the Marathas encountered a Jat regiment sent by Suraj Mal who began to  claim sovereignty over Delhi. The Jat also plundered Delhi but soon afterwards made it possible for Alamgir II and the Mughal royal family to return to Delhi from Bharatpur.

However, despite losing control of Delhi, Najib-ul-Daula continued to challenge the Maratha Confederacy and its allies during confrontations at Saharanpur and Shahabad. In response the Marathas sacked the people of Taraori, Karnal and Kunjpura.

The Maratha attack upon Kunjpura triggered a military response by Ahmad Shah Durrani to counter the Marathas.

Assassination of Ali Gauhar

Many of his actions had angered the people of Delhi, which made Prince Ali Gauhar escaped from Delhi on 1759.

Imad-ul-Mulk and Sadashivrao captured  Alamgir II  who was about to advance his son Prince Ali Gauhar, to dispose and overthrow their regime.

After detailed consideration Imad-ul-Mulk and he planned the murder of the Mughal Emperor Alamgir II and the assassination of his family members on 1759.

What happens after?

The defeat of Alamgir II's son-in-law, Timur Shah Durrani by the Marathas in the year 1760,angered Ahmad Shah Durrani, who launched a massive campaign gathering more troops than ever before. In response to Imad-ul-Mulk and Sadashivrao Bhau; Najib-ud-Daula and Ahmad Shah Abdali recaptured Delhi and placed it under the the authority of Shah Alam II. 

Meanwhile, Shah Alam II for the collapse of the Maratha and declared Shuja-ud-Daula his Grand Wazir and Najib-ud-Daula as his honorary Mukhtar Khas . These developments eventually let to rise of religious and political fights which clashed at the "Third Battle of Panipat" in the year 1761.

Death of Emperor

Silver coins during the age of Alamgir II

Source :- Coins of Mughals

The newly appointed Mughal Grand Wazir during Ahmad Shah Durrani's invasion was Najib-ud-Daula who tried to consolidate the remains of the Mughal Empire by uniting distant Faujdars, Nawab's and Nizams into a common cause against the Marathas. Imad-ul-Mulk combined himself with the Maratha leader Sadashivrao Bhau and launched a counterattack against Najib-ud-Daula which lasted 15 days and resulted in the defeat of Najib-ud-Daula.

Imad-ul-Mulk then feared that the Mughal Emperor Alamgir II would recall Ahmad Shah Durrani. Therefore, Imad-ul-Mulk planned the murder the Mughal Emperor Alamgir II and his family. Very few , including Ali Gauhar managed to escape. In November 1759, the Mughal Emperor Alamgir II was told that a great maulvi man had come to meet Alamgir II, ever to meet holy men, he  set out immediately to meet him at Kotla Fateh Shah,where he was stabbed repeatedly by Imad-ul-Mulk's assassins. The Mughal Emperor Alamgir II's death was very sadened throughout the Mughal Empire, particularly in the Muslim Population.