Later Mughals (Bahadur Shah Zafar)

Portrait of Bahadur Shah Zafar

Source:- Mughal Archieves

Bahadur Shah Zafar

Bahadur Shah II, Lived from 24 October 1775 – 7 November 1862, usually referred to by his poetic title Bahadur Shah Zafar (Zafar), was the 20th and the last Mughal emperor and a Hindustani poet. 

Reign of Emperor

Map of India in 1795

Source:- Wikipedia

Bahadur Shah Zafar ruled over a Mughal Empire that had by the early 19th century been reduced to only the city of Delhi and the surrounding territory as far as Palam.The Maratha Empire had brought an end to the Mughal Empire in the Deccan during the 18th century and the regions of India formerly under Mughal rule had either been absorbed by the Marathas or had declared independence and become smaller kingdoms.The Marathas installed Shah Alam II in the throne in 1772, under the protection of the Maratha general Mahadaji Shinde and maintained suzerainty over Mughal affairs in Delhi. 

The East India Company became the dominant political and military power in mid-nineteenth century India. Outside the region controlled by the company. The emperor was respected by the company with a pension. The emperor permitted the company to collect taxes from Delhi and maintain a military force in it. Zafar never had any interest in statecraft or had any "imperial ambition". After the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the British exiled him from Delhi.

Bahadur Shah Zafar was a noted Urdu poet, having written a number of Urdu ghazals. While some part of his writings was lost or destroyed during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, a large collection did survive, and was compiled into the Kulliyyat-i-Zafar. The court that he maintained was home to several renowned Urdu scholars, poets and writers including Mirza Ghalib, Daagh Dehlvi, Momin Khan Momin, and Mohammad Ibrahim Zauq (who was also Bahadur Shah Zafar's mentor).

Role in 1857 Rebellion

Bahadur Shah Zafar Portrait

Source:- Mughal Archieves

As the Indian Rebellion of 1857 spread, Sepoy regiments reached the Mughal Court at Delhi.

On 12 May 1857, Zafar held his first formal Darbar in several years.It was attended by several sepoys who were described as treating him not good. When the sepoys first arrived at Bahadur Shah Zafar's court, he asked them why they had come to him, because he had no means of guiding them. Bahadur Shah Zafar's has no power. However, he agreed to the demands of the sepoys when he was told that they would not be able to win against the East India Company without him.

On 16 May, sepoys and palace servants killed fifty-two Europeans who were prisoners of the palace and who were discovered hiding in the city. Once he had joined them, Bahadur Shah Zafar took ownership for all the actions of the mutineers. Though angered by the looting and disorder, he gave his public support to the rebellion. It was later believed that Bahadur Shah was not directly responsible for the massacre, but that he may have been able to prevent it, and he was therefore considered a neutral during his trial.

The administration of the city and its new occupying army was described as "chaotic and troublesome", which functioned ". The Emperor nominated his eldest son, Mirza Mughal, as the commander in chief of his forces. However, Mirza Mughal had little military experience and was rejected by the sepoys. The sepoys did not have any commander since each regiment refused to accept orders from someone other than their own officers. Mirza Mughal's administration extended no further than the city.

During the Siege of Delhi when the victory of the British became certain, Zafar took refuge at Humayun's Tomb, in an area that was then at the outskirts of Delhi. Company forces led by Major William Hodson surrounded the tomb and Zafar was captured on 20 September 1857. 

The next day, Hodson shot his sons Mirza Mughal and Mirza Khizr Sultan, and grandson Mirza Abu Bakht under his own authority at the Khooni Darwaza, near the Delhi Gate and declared Delhi to be captured. Bahadur Shah himself was taken to his wife's haveli, where he was treated disrespectfully by his captors. When brought news of the executions of his sons and grandson, the former emperor was described as being so shocked and depressed that he was unable to react.

Trail by EIC

Bahadur Shah Zafar with his Sons

Source:- Wikipedia

The trial was a consequence of the Sepoy Mutiny and lasted for 21 days, had 19 hearings, 21 witnesses and over a hundred documents in Persian and Urdu, with their English translations, were produced in the court. At first the trial was suggested to be held at Calcutta, the place where Directors of East India company used to their sittings in connection with their commercial pursuits. But instead, the Red Fort in Delhi was selected for the trial.

Zafar was tried and charged on four counts:

1. Aiding and accepting the mutinies of the troops

2. Encouraging and assisting persons in waging war against the British Government

3. Assuming the sovereignty of Hindustan

4.Responsible for the murder of the Christians.

 

Proceedings of the April 1858 Trial of Bahadur Shah Zafar 'King of Delhi'

On the 20th day of the trial Bahadur Shah II defended himself against these charges. Bahadur Shah, in his defense, stated his complete helpless before the will of the sepoys. 

The sepoys apparently used to put his seal on empty envelopes, the contents of which he was absolutely unaware. While the emperor may have been overstating his importance before the sepoys, the fact remains that the sepoys had felt powerful enough to dictate terms to anybody. The Emperor was harassed by the mutineers and was neither inclined to nor capable of providing any real leadership. Despite this, he was the primary accused in the trial for the rebellion.

Hakim Ahsanullah Khan, Zafar's most trusted confidant and both his Prime Minister and personal physician, had insisted that Zafar did not involve himself in the rebellion and had surrendered himself to the British. But when Zafar ultimately did this, Hakim Ahsanullah Khan betrayed him by providing evidence against him at the trial in return to save himself.

Respecting Hodson's guarantee on his surrender, Zafar was not sentenced to death but exiled to Rangoon, Burma. His wife Zeenat Mahal and some of the remaining members of the family accompanied him. On October 1858, Zafar along with his wives, two remaining sons began his journey towards Rangoon in bullock carts escorted by 9th under command of Lieutenant Ommaney.

Death of the Emperor

Bahadur Shah II on his Death Bed

Source:- Wikipedia

In 1862, at the age of 87, he had an illness. In October, his condition got worse. He was "spoon-fed on broth" but he found that difficult too by 3 November. On 6 November, the British Commissioner H.N. Davies recorded that Zafar "is evidently sinking from pure paralysis in the region of his throat". To prepare for his death Davies commanded for the collection of lime and bricks and a spot was selected at the "back of Zafar's enclosure" for his burial. Zafar died on Friday, 7 November 1862 at 5 am. Zafar was buried at 4 pm near the Shwedagon Pagoda at 6 Ziwaka Road, near the intersection with Shwedagon Pagoda road, Yangon. The shrine of Bahadur Shah Zafar Dargah was built there after recovery of his tomb on 16 February 1991.Davies commenting on Zafar, described his life as "very uncertain".