Zafar's father, Akbar II, had been imprisoned by the British and he was not his father's preferred choice as his successor. Following his involvement in the Indian Mutiny of 1857, the British exiled him to Rangoon in British-controlled Burma, after convicting him on several charges He was a titular Emperor, as the Mughal Empire existed in name only and his authority was limited only to the walled city of Old Delhi ( Shahjahanbad). He was the second son of and became the successor to his father, Akbar II, upon his death on 28 September 1837. He is not only known as a Mughal emperor but also as a great poet and he occupies a respectable place in Urdu literature.Bahadur Shah Zafar ( Persian: بهادرشاه ظفر, born Mirza Abu Zafar Siraj-ud-din Muhammad 24 October 1775 – 7 November 1862) or Bahadur Shah II was the twentieth and last Mughal Emperor of India. The English authorities, after his burial, levelled the ground leaving no trace of his grave.īahadur Shah Zafar was a terrific figure in Indian history. But the British didn’t believe him and exiled him to Rangoon where he died in 1862. He tried to defend himself by telling the British that he was forced to take part in the rebellion and he did not rebel willingly. They killed the Mughal princes and ill-treated the members of the royal family. He surrendered to the victors who treated him very badly.
But Zafar was too old to bear the hardships of war and he refused to leave the city. Bakht Khan, the rebelled leader, requested Zafar to accompany him and continue the struggle against the English. When Delhi was conquered by English forces, he took refuge in the tomb of Humayun. He also condemned those who called it a religious war. Throughout the rebellion, Bahadur Shah Zafar tried his best to maintain peace among the Hindu and Muslim soldiers. The rebels also forced him to give them money for the war expenses and on one occasion it is said that he had to give his wives’ jewellery to the soldiers. Initially he was reluctant and did not want to engage in any conspiracy or rebellion, but rebel soldiers occupied the Red Fort and compelled him to declare war against the English. When the rebellion of 1857 broke out, Bahadur Shah Zafar was unaware of it till the rebel soldiers arrived in Delhi and asked him to lead the revolt. During his early years, Zauq was his teacher and after Zauq’s death, Mirza Ghalib took his place.
He was a good poet and calligrapher and knew different languages of India. Despite the fact that the emperor was confined to the fort, people still loved and respected him as their emperor.īahadur Shah Zafar, after losing political power, concentrated on patronising art and literature. The British Resident there was powerful and administered the city affairs. His authority was limited to the Red Fort and his income was also not sufficient to meet his family’s needs. The British had occupied Delhi in 1803 and made the emperor virtually a prisoner.
By the time he became king, the decline of the Mughal dynasty had began. Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal ruler, succeeded to the throne in 1837.