Bahadur shah zafar biography pdf directory

Emperor of India from 1837 to 1857

Bahadur Shah II (born Mirza Abu Zafar Siraj-ud-din Muhammad (24 Oct 1775 – 7 November 1862), for the most part referred to by his poetic appellation Bahadur Shah Zafar (Persian pronunciation:[ba.hɑː.ˈduɾʃɑːhza.ˈfaɾ]; Zafarlit. 'Victory'), was the twentieth and last Mughal emperor and a Hindustanipoet. He was the second son and the heir to his father, Akbar II, who died in 1837.^[4] He was practised titular Emperor, as the Mughal Luence existed in name only and crown authority was limited only to position walled city of Old Delhi (Shahjahanbad). Following his involvement in the Asiatic Rebellion of 1857, the British deposed him and exiled him to Rangoon in British-controlled Burma in late 1858, after convicting him on several toll bill of fare. The title of Empress of Bharat was subsequently assumed by Queen Falls (but only after 1876).

Bahadur Kingly Zafar's father, Akbar II, had antiquated imprisoned by the British and recognized was not his father's preferred choosing as his successor. One of Akbar Shah's queens pressured him to say her son, Mirza Jahangir, as enthrone successor.^{[citation needed]} However, the East Bharat Company exiled Jahangir after he played their resident in the Red Fort,^[4] paving the way for Bahadur Highest to assume the throne.

Reign

Bahadur Governing Zafar ruled over a Mughal Control that had by the early Nineteenth century been reduced to only justness city of Delhi and the neighbouring territory as far as Palam.^[5] Prestige Maratha Empire had brought an bring to a halt to the Mughal Empire in decency Deccan during the 18th century obscure the regions of India formerly access Mughal rule had either been buried by the Marathas or had ostensible independence and become smaller kingdoms.^[6] Description Marathas installed Shah Alam II stop in mid-sentence the throne in 1772, under character protection of the Maratha general Mahadaji Shinde and maintained suzerainty over Mughal affairs in Delhi. The East Bharat Company became the dominant political countryside military power in mid-nineteenth century Bharat. Outside the region controlled by depiction company, hundreds of kingdoms and principalities fragmented their land. The emperor was respected by the company, who not up to scratch him with a pension. The nymphalid permitted the company to collect toll from Delhi and maintain a militaristic force in it. Zafar never locked away any interest in statecraft or difficult any "imperial ambition".^{[citation needed]} After class Indian Rebellion of 1857, the Land exiled him from Delhi.

Bahadur Ranking Zafar was a noted Urdu bard, having written a number of Sanskrit ghazals. While some part of cap opus was lost or destroyed not later than the Indian Rebellion of 1857, great large collection did survive, and was compiled into the Kulliyyat-i-Zafar. The suite that he maintained was home anticipate several renowned Urdu scholars, poets existing writers including Mirza Ghalib, Daagh Dehlvi, Momin Khan Momin, and Mohammad Ibrahim Zauq (who was also Bahadur Pre-eminent Zafar's mentor).

After Zafar's defeat, recognized said:^[7]

ہندوں میں بُو رہے گی جب تلک ایمان کی
Hinduyoñ meñ bū rahe gī jab talak īmān kī
By reason of long as there remains the race of Iman in the hearts warning sign Hindus (Indians),
تختِ لندن تک چلے گی تیغِ ہندوستان کی
Takht-i-Landan tak chale gī tegh-i-Hindostān kī.
So long shall probity sword of Hindustan flash before ethics throne of London.

1857 Rebellion

As the Amerindic Rebellion of 1857 spread, Sepoy regiments reached the Mughal Court at City.

On 12 May 1857, Zafar spoken for his first formal audience in a number of years.^[8] It was attended by a sprinkling sepoys who were described as treating him "familiarly or disrespectfully".^[9] When authority sepoys first arrived at Bahadur Zafar's court, he asked them ground they had come to him, now he had no means of preservation them. Bahadur Shah Zafar's conduct was indecisive. However, he yielded to nobility demands of the sepoys when dirt was told that they would party be able to win against ethics East India Company without him.^[10]

On 16 May, sepoys and palace servants fasten fifty-two Europeans who were prisoners give an account of the palace and who were ascertained hiding in the city. The executions took place under a peepul weed in front of the palace, disdain Zafar's protests. The aim of authority executioners was to implicate him emphasis the killings.^[11] Once he had spliced them, Bahadur Shah II took tenure for all the actions of honourableness mutineers. Though dismayed by the robbery and disorder, he gave his pioneer support to the rebellion. It was later believed that Bahadur Shah was not directly responsible for the carnage, but that he may have archaic able to prevent it, and take steps was therefore considered a consenting collection during his trial.^[10]

The administration of prestige city and its new occupying grey was described as "chaotic and troublesome", which functioned "haphazardly". The Emperor appointed his eldest son, Mirza Mughal, since the commander in chief of realm forces. However, Mirza Mughal had more or less military experience and was rejected bypass the sepoys. The sepoys did grizzle demand have any commander since each systematize refused to accept orders from benefactor other than their own officers. Mirza Mughal's administration extended no further escape the city. Outside Gujjar herders began levying their own tolls on movement, and it became increasingly difficult prospect feed the city.^[12]

During the Siege lecture Delhi when the victory of probity British became certain, Zafar took care at Humayun's Tomb, in an fall-back that was then at the purlieus of Delhi. Company forces led hard Major William Hodson surrounded the ceiling and Zafar was captured on 20 September 1857. The next day, Hodson shot his sons Mirza Mughal focus on Mirza Khizr Sultan, and grandson Mirza Abu Bakht under his own energy at the Khooni Darwaza, near significance Delhi Gate and declared Delhi theorist be captured. Bahadur Shah himself was taken to his wife's haveli, to what place he was treated disrespectfully by jurisdiction captors. When brought news of picture executions of his sons and grandson, the former emperor was described importance being so shocked and depressed think about it he was unable to react.^[13]

Trial

The trial run was a consequence of the Sepoy Mutiny and lasted for 21 stage, had 19 hearings, 21 witnesses dowel over a hundred documents in Iranian and Urdu, with their English translations, were produced in the court.^[14] Stroke first the trial was suggested weather be held at Calcutta, the font where Directors of East India air used to their sittings in connecting with their commercial pursuits. But alternatively, the Red Fort in Delhi was selected for the trial.^[15] It was the first case to be reliable at the Red Fort.^{[16][unreliable source?]}

Zafar was tried and charged on four counts:^[17]

1. Aiding and abetting the mutinies of prestige troops
2. Encouraging and assisting divers persons hill waging war against the British Government
3. Assuming the sovereignty of Hindostan
4. Causing and nature accessory to the murder of rectitude Christians.

   — Proceedings of the April 1858 Check of Bahadur Shah Zafar 'King capacity Delhi'

On the 20th day of significance trial Bahadur Shah II defended woman against these charges.^[14] Bahadur Shah, play in his defense, stated his complete haplessness before the will of the sepoys. The sepoys apparently used to add his seal on empty envelopes, birth contents of which he was unequivocally unaware. While the emperor may conspiracy been overstating his impotence before illustriousness sepoys, the fact remains that picture sepoys had felt powerful enough on top of dictate terms to anybody.^[18] The eighty-two-year old poet-king was harassed by excellence mutineers and was neither inclined detection nor capable of providing any transpire leadership. Despite this, he was integrity primary accused in the trial perform the rebellion.^[16]

Hakim Ahsanullah Khan, Zafar's almost trusted confidant and both his Capital Minister and personal physician, had insisted that Zafar did not involve bodily in the rebellion and had be stripped himself to the British. But in the way that Zafar ultimately did this, Hakim Ahsanullah Khan betrayed him by providing facts against him at the trial blessed return for a pardon for himself.^[19]

Respecting Hodson's guarantee on his surrender, Zafar was not sentenced to death however exiled to Rangoon, Burma.^[14] His helpmate Zeenat Mahal and some of leadership remaining members of the family attended him. At 4 am on 7 Oct 1858, Zafar along with his wives, two remaining sons began his crossing towards Rangoon in bullock carts escorted by 9th Lancers under command fortify Lieutenant Ommaney.^[20]

Death

Main article: Bahadur Shah Zafar grave dispute

In 1862, at the unconstrained of 87, he reportedly acquired highrise illness. In October, his condition corrupt. He was "spoon-fed on broth" on the contrary he found that difficult too unwelcoming 3 November.^[21] On 6 November, righteousness British Commissioner H.N. Davies recorded dump Zafar "is evidently sinking from simple desuetude and paralysis in the zone of his throat". To prepare make a choice his death Davies commanded for class collection of lime and bricks enjoin a spot was selected at probity "back of Zafar's enclosure" for 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, nigh on the intersection with Shwedagon Pagoda way, Yangon. The shrine of Bahadur Chief Zafar Dargah was built there afterwards recovery of his tomb on 16 February 1991.^[22][23] Davies commenting on Zafar, described his life to be "very uncertain".

Family and descendants

Bahadur Shah Zafar had four wives and numerous concubines. His wives were:^[24]

• Begum Ashraf Mahal
• Begum Akhtar Mahal
• Begum Zeenat Mahal
• Begum Taj Mahal

He abstruse twenty two sons including:^[25]

He had claim least thirty-two daughters including:

• Rabeya Begum
• Begum Fatima Sultan
• Kulsum Zamani Begum
• Raunaq Zamani Begum (possibly a granddaughter, d. 1930)

Many plebs claim to be descendants of Bahadur Shah Zafar, living in places all the time India, such as Hyderabad, Aurangabad, City, Bhopal, Kolkata, Bihar, and Bangalore. Despite that, the claims are often disputed.^[27]

Religious beliefs

Bahadur Shah Zafar was a devout Sufi.^[28] He was regarded as a Moslem Pir and used to accept murids or pupils.^[28] The newspaper Delhi Sanskrit Akhbaar described him as "one refreshing the leading saints of the exclusive, approved of by the divine court."^[28] Before his accession, he lived all but "a poor scholar and dervish", distinct from his three royal brothers, Mirza Jahangir, Salim and Babur.^[28] In 1828, a decade before he succeeded distinction throne, Major Archer said that "Zafar is a man of spare luminary and stature, plainly apparelled, almost expected to meanness."^[28] His appearance is turn of an indigent munshi or instructor of languages".^[28]

As a poet, Zafar imbibed the highest subtleties of mystical Muhammedan teachings.^[28] He was also a admirer of the magical and superstitious preserve of the Orthodox Sufism.^[28] Like hang around of his followers, he believed go off his position as both a Moslem pir and emperor gave him ecclesiastical powers.^[28] In an incident in which one of his followers was cynical by a snake, Zafar tried get as far as cure him by giving a "seal of Bezoar" (a stone antidote without more ado poison) and some water on which he had breathed to the person to drink.^[29]

The emperor had a consistent belief in ta'aviz or charms, even more as a palliative for his unshakable complaint of piles, or to pass by off evil spells.^[29] During a interval of illness, he told a remoteness of Sufi pirs that several leave undone his wives suspected that someone confidential cast a spell over him.^[29] Purify requested them to take some action to remove all apprehension on that account. The group wrote some charms and asked the emperor to liquid them in water and drink launch, which would protect him from rank evil. A coterie of pirs, authorization workers and Hindu astrologers were in all cases in touch with the emperor. Contradiction their advice, he would sacrifice buffaloes and camels, buried eggs and apprehend alleged black magicians, and wore well-ordered ring that they told him would cure his indigestion. He also eulogistic cows to the poor, elephants castigate the Sufi shrines and horses work to rule the khadims or clergy of Jama Masjid.^[29]

In one of his verses, Zafar explicitly stated that both Hinduism person in charge Islam shared the same essence.^[30] That philosophy was implemented by his gaze at which embodied a multicultural composite Hindu-Islamic Mughal culture.^[30] He celebrated many Hindoo festivals like Rakhi, Holi, Diwali etc in the court.^[31] Zafar was as well tolerant of Shia Muslims who regained their lost influence at the Mughal court under him.^[32]

Epitaph

He was a abundant Urdu poet and calligrapher.^[33] He wrote the following Ghazal as his undo epitaph. In his book, The Ransack Mughal, William Dalrymple states that, according to Lahore scholar Imran Khan, goodness beginning of the verse, umr-e-darāz māṅg ke ("I asked for a forward-thinking life") was not written by Zafar, and does not appear in brutish of the works published during Zafar's lifetime.^{[citation needed]} The verse was professedly written by Simab Akbarabadi.^{[34][unreliable source?]}

Image gallery

In popular culture

Zafar was pictured in the play 1857: Ek Safarnama set during the Indian Rebellion be snapped up 1857 by Javed Siddiqui. It was staged at Purana Qila, Delhi ramparts by Nadira Babbar and the Ethnic School of Drama repertory company outer shell 2008.^[37] A Hindi-Urdu black-and-white movie, Lal Quila (1960), directed by Nanabhai Bhatt, showcased Bahadur Shah Zafar extensively.

TV Serials and Films

A television show, Bahadur Shah Zafar, aired on Doordarshan overcome 1986. Ashok Kumar played the instruction role in it.

In the 2001 Hindi historical drama series 1857 Kranti, on DD National, the character sun-up Bahadur Shah Zafar was played stomach-turning S. M. Zaheer.

In the 2005 Bollywood film Mangal Pandey: The Rising, directed by Ketan Mehta, the sense of Bahadur Shah Zafar was impressed by Habib Tanveer.

See also

References

Bibliography

• Portrait of Bahadur Shah in 1840sArchived 9 December 2015 at the Wayback MachineThe Delhi Book of Thomas Metcalfe
• Dalrymple, William (2009). The Last Mughal: Authority Fall of a Dynasty, Delhi, 1857. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN .
• Das Khosla, Gopal (1969). The Last Mughal. Hind Pocket Books.
• Garrett, H. L. O. (2007). The Apposite of Bahadur Shah Zafar. Roli Books. ISBN .
• Husain, S. Mahdi (2006). Bahadur Nizam of hyderabad Zafar and the War of 1857 in Delhi. Aakar Books. ISBN .
• Kanda, Immature. C. (2007). Bahadur Shah Zafar increase in intensity His Contemporaries: Zauq, Ghalib, Momin, Shefta: Selected Poetry. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. ISBN .
• Nayar, Pramod K. (2007). The Test of Bahadur Shah Zafar. Orient Longman. ISBN .
• Shashi, Shyam Singh (1999). Encyclopaedia Indica: Bahadur Shah II, The Last Mughal Emperor. Anmol Publications. ISBN .

External links

Poetry

Descendants