Bahadur

Shah Zafar Biography

Bahadur Shah Zafar was the last Mughal emperor of India. This
biography of Bahadur Shah Zafar provides detailed information
about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.
Quick Facts
Also
Known As

Abu Zafar Sirajuddin Muhammad Bahadur Shah

Zafar, Bahadur Shah II

Famous
as

Last Mughal Emperor

Nationality Indian
Born on

24 October 1775 AD

Zodiac
Sign

Scorpio

Born in

Delhi

Died on

07 November 1862 AD

Place of
death

Rangoon

Father

Akbar II

Mother

Lal Bai

Spouses

Zeenat Mahal, Ashraf Mahal, Akhtar Mahal, Taj

Mahal

Bahadur Shah Zafar, also known as Bahadur Shah II, was the
last Mughal emperor of India who reigned from 1837 to 1857 for
a period of 20 years. As the second son of Akbar Shah II and
Lal Bai, he was not his fathers original choice to ascend the
throne. However, circumstances ultimately led to his ascension
to the throne after his fathers death. Even as an emperor he did
not rule over a large empire; his empire barely extended beyond
Delhi's Red Fort. By that time the East India Company was
gaining political power in India and the emperor was no longer
accorded any real power over the country which had by now
fragmented into hundreds of kingdoms and principalities. He
was not a very ambitious ruler and thus the British believed that
he posed no real threat to them. However, Zafar did play a
prominent role during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, fighting for
Indias independence from British Rule. Though most famous for
being the last Mughal emperor, Zafar was also a very talented
Urdu poet and musician in his own right. He had written a large
number of ghazals and his court was home to several Urdu
writers of great repute including Mirza Ghalib, Dagh, Mumin,
and Zauq.
Childhood & Early Life
He was born on October 24, 1775, as one of the 14 sons
of Mughal emperor Akbar II. His mother was a Hindu
Rajput, Lal Bai. His full name was Mirza Abu Zafar
Sirajuddin Muhammad Bahadur Shah Zafar.
As a young boy he received education in Urdu, Persian
and Arabic. Being a prince, he was also trained in the

military arts of horsemanship, swordsmanship, shooting

with bow and arrow and with fire-arms.
He developed a love for poetry from two of his teachers,
Ibrahim Zauq and Asad Ullah Khan Ghalib. He was not
much ambitious from childhood and had more interest in
Sufism, music and literature than in the political matters of
the country.
Acse nsion & Re ign
He became the 17th Mughal emperor on 28 September
1837 after the death of his father. In fact, he had not been
his father s preferred choice to succeed him. Akbar II was
planning to name Mirza Jahangir, son of his wife Mumtaz
Begum as the successor but could not do so after Mirza
Jahangir got into serious conflict with the British.
Zafar was not an ambitious person and did not exercise
much power even after becoming the emperor. T he British,
who were by now gaining much political control over India,
did not consider him to be a threat.
His empire barely extended beyond Delhis Red Fort; he
had power only over a limited area of land though he had
the authority to collect some taxes and to maintain a small
military force in Delhi.
As an emperor he saw to his best that all his subjects
belonging to different religions were treated fairly. He
believed in the equality of religions and felt it was his duty
to protect the religious rights of the Hindus along with the
Muslims.
During his reign, he ensured that the major Hindu festivals
like Holi and Diwali were celebrated in the court. He was
very sensitive towards the religious sentiments of Hindus
and did not support the extremist views of some Orthodox
Muslim sheikhs.
He was a devout sufi, a poet and a dervish. He was a
noted Urdu poet who composed several ghazals which
were known for their emotional and intense content. He

was a prolific writer and even though much of his poetry

collections were destroyed in the Indian Rebellion of
1857, the remainder of his poems was later complied into
Kulliyyat-i-Zafar.
In 1857, as the Indian rebellion against the British was
spreading, Sepoy regiments seized Delhi. Rebelling Indian
kings felt that Zafar would be the most suitable person to
be the Emperor of India under whom the smaller kingdoms
would be united in the fight against the British.
He gave his public support to the rebellion and even
appointed his son Mirza Mughal as the commander in
chief of his forces. Mirza Mughal was very inexperienced,
and did not lead the army competently. T he citys
administration was in disarray and the army was in a
chaos.
When it became apparent that the British would emerge
victorious, Bahadur Shah sought refuge at Humanyuns
Tomb at the outskirts of Delhi. However, British officials
led by Major William Hodson discovered his hiding place
and forced him to surrender on 20 September 1857.
Many male members of Zafar s family including his sons
Mirza Mughal and Mirza Khizr Sultan were killed by the
British, while the surviving members, including Bahadur
Shah himself, were imprisoned or exiled.
Bahadur Shah Zafar was exiled to Rangoon, Burma, in
1858, along with his wife Zeenat Mahal and some of the of
the remaining members of the family.
Pe rsonal Life & Le gacy
He had four wives, Begum Ashraf Mahal, Begum Akhtar
Mahal, Begum Zeenat Mahal, and Begum Taj Mahal. Of all
his wives, Zeenat Mahal was the closest to him. He had
several sons and daughters from his wives and
concubines.
After his surrender to the British forces, he was sentenced
to exile in Rangoon, Burma. He was accompanied by his

wife Zeenat Mahal into exile. He died on November 7,

1862 at the age of 87.