Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Bahadur Shah Zafar
Bahadur Shah Zafar or Bahadur Shah II October 24, 1775 – 7 November 1862 was the last of the Mughal emperors in India, as well as the last ruler of the Timurid Dynasty . He was the son of Akbar Shah II by his Hindu wife Lalbai. He became the Mughal Emperor upon his father's death on September 28, 1838.
Akbar Shah II
Akbar Shah II (1760 - 1837), also known as Mirza Akbar, was the second-to-last of the Mughal emperors of India. He held the title from 1806 to 1837. He was the second son of Shah Alam II and the father of Bahadur Shah Zafar II.
Akbar had little real power due to the increasing British control of India through the East India Company. Shortly before his death he sent Ram Mohan Roy as an ambassador to England. During his regime, in 1835, the East India Company discontinued calling itself the lieutenant of the Mughal Emperor and issuing coins in his name. The Persian lines in the Company's coins to this effect were deleted.
Akbar had little real power due to the increasing British control of India through the East India Company. Shortly before his death he sent Ram Mohan Roy as an ambassador to England. During his regime, in 1835, the East India Company discontinued calling itself the lieutenant of the Mughal Emperor and issuing coins in his name. The Persian lines in the Company's coins to this effect were deleted.
Shah Alam II
Shah Jahan III
Shah Jahan III also known as Muhi-ul-millat was Mughal Emperor briefly. He was son of Muhi-us-sunnat, the second son of Muhammad Kam Baksh who was the youngest son of Aurangzeb. He was placed on the Mughal throne in 1759 but subsequently deposed by Wazir Ghazi-ud-Din 1760.
In 1759, Delhi was briefly captured by the Marathas.
In 1759, Delhi was briefly captured by the Marathas.
Alamgir II
Alamgir II (1759 - 1699) also known as Aiz-ud-din was the Mughal emperor of India between 1754 and 1759. He was the son of Jahandar Shah.
Aziz-ud-Din, the second son of Jahandar Shah, was raised to the throne by Ghazi-ud-Din after he deposed Ahmad Shah Bahadur in 1754. On ascending the throne, he took the title of Alamgir and tried to follow the approach of Aurangzeb Alamgir. At the time of his accession to throne he was an old man of 55 years. He had no experience of administration and warfare as he had spent most of his life in jail. He was a weak ruler, with all powers vested in the hand of his Wazir, Ghazi-ud-Din Imad-ul-Mulk. In 1756, Ahmad Shah Abdali invaded India once again and captured Delhi and plundered Mathura. Marathas became more powerful because of their collaboration with Ghazi-ud-Din, and dominated the whole of northern India. This was the peak of Maratha expansion, which caused great trouble for the Mughal Empire, already weak with no strong ruler.
The relations between Alamgir and his Wazir, Ghazi-ud-Din, by this time had gotten worse. Alamgir was murdered by Nawab Mir Nawab Mir Ghaziudin Khan Bahadur (grandson of Asaf Jah I), and the son of Alamgir, Ali Gauhar succeeded him.
Aziz-ud-Din, the second son of Jahandar Shah, was raised to the throne by Ghazi-ud-Din after he deposed Ahmad Shah Bahadur in 1754. On ascending the throne, he took the title of Alamgir and tried to follow the approach of Aurangzeb Alamgir. At the time of his accession to throne he was an old man of 55 years. He had no experience of administration and warfare as he had spent most of his life in jail. He was a weak ruler, with all powers vested in the hand of his Wazir, Ghazi-ud-Din Imad-ul-Mulk. In 1756, Ahmad Shah Abdali invaded India once again and captured Delhi and plundered Mathura. Marathas became more powerful because of their collaboration with Ghazi-ud-Din, and dominated the whole of northern India. This was the peak of Maratha expansion, which caused great trouble for the Mughal Empire, already weak with no strong ruler.
The relations between Alamgir and his Wazir, Ghazi-ud-Din, by this time had gotten worse. Alamgir was murdered by Nawab Mir Nawab Mir Ghaziudin Khan Bahadur (grandson of Asaf Jah I), and the son of Alamgir, Ali Gauhar succeeded him.
Ahmed Shah Bahadur
Ahmed Shah Bahadur (1725-1775) was born in 1725 to Mohammed Shah. He succeeded his father to the throne as the 15th Mughal Emperor in 1748 at the age of 23. His mother was Udham Bai, (also known as Kudsiya Begam). When Ahmed Shah came to power the rule of the Mughal Empire was collapsing. During the reign of his father the city of Delhi (the Mughal capital) had been plundered and much of northern India had been ransacked by the invading army of Nadir Shah).
Ahmed Shah inherited a much weakened Mughal state and after ruling unsuccessfully for 6 years, he retired in 1754, badly afflicted by disease. He was blinded and killed in his sleep on a night in January 1775 at the age of fifty by Wazir Ghazi-ud-Din (Son of Asaf Jah I). His son Bidar Baksh the Second temporarily rose to power in 1788 as puppet of Ghulam Qadir.
Ahmed Shah inherited a much weakened Mughal state and after ruling unsuccessfully for 6 years, he retired in 1754, badly afflicted by disease. He was blinded and killed in his sleep on a night in January 1775 at the age of fifty by Wazir Ghazi-ud-Din (Son of Asaf Jah I). His son Bidar Baksh the Second temporarily rose to power in 1788 as puppet of Ghulam Qadir.
Muhammad Shah
Muhammad Shah (1748 – 1702) also known as Roshan Akhtar was a Mughal emperor of India between 1719 and 1748. He was son of Khujista Akhtar Jehan Shah, the 4th son of Bahadur Shah I. Ascending the throne at the age of seventeen with the help of the Saiyid Brothers, he later got rid of them through revolutions.
During his reign, the Mughal empire eventually broke up into a loosely-knit collection of several regional states, each with its own ruler, thus declining the authority of the emperor into a greater extent.
In February 1739, the Persian emperor, Nader Shah decided to conquer India. Due to poor tactics, Muhammad Shah's army was easily defeated, and Nader Shah triumphantly entered Delhi within the span of one month, where he had the Khutba read in his name. In the violence that followed, more than 30,000 civilians were killed by the Persian troops, forcing Muhammad Shah to beg for mercy and handing the keys to his treasury.
In response, Nader Shah agreed to withdraw, but Muhammad Shah paid the consequence - handing over the keys of his royal treasury and losing even the Peacock Throne, alongwith Koh-i-Noor and Darya-ye Noor diamonds to the Persian emperor. It is also said that he was castrated with an axe.
Mohammed Ibrahim
Mohammed Ibrahim was the 13th Mughal emperor. The brother of Rafi Ul-Darjat and Rafi Ud-Daulat, he took the throne in 1720, after a war of succession to inherit the short-lived Furrukhsiyar throne against the Sayyid brothers. He was the claimant of the Sayyids after Muhammad Shah joined the Nizam 's camp. After the Sayyids' defeat, he was sent back to harem. He died in 1744.
Nikusiyar
Nikusiyar Mohammed was the 12th Mughal Emperor. He took the throne in 1719 at the age of 40 plus. He was son of rebel Muhammad Akbar, son of Aurangzeb and was brought up in a harem in Agra. The local Minister Birbal (not the Birbal of Akbar's fame) used him as puppet and proclaimed him emperor. But as the prince had spent his life inside harem and talked like a catamite, he was laughingly ignored and again put in jail by the Saiyid Brothers. He died around 1743 at age of 63.
Rafi ud Daulat
Rafi ud Daulat also known as Shah Jahan II (b. 1696) was Mughal emperor for a brief period in 1719. He succeeded his short-lived brother Rafi Ul-Darjat in that year, being proclaimed Badshah by the Saiyid Brothers. Like his brother, he also died in 1719 at Delhi, being deposed and killed at the behest of the Saiyid Brothers.
After his death he was succeeded by the unfortunate Nikusiyar who was a nominal sovereign (and whose reign is sometimes discounted).
After his death he was succeeded by the unfortunate Nikusiyar who was a nominal sovereign (and whose reign is sometimes discounted).
Rafi-ul Darjat
Rafi-ul Darjat, youngest son of Rafi-us-shaan (brother of Azim ush Shan) was the 10th Mughal Emperor. He was born on 30 November 1699, and succeeded Furrukhsiyar on 28 February 1719, being proclaimed Badshah by the Saiyid Brothers.
Farrukhsiyar
Farrukhsiyar, August 20, 1685 - April 19, 1719) was the Mughal emperor between 1713 and 1719. Noted as a handsome but weak ruler, easily swayed by his advisers, Farukhsiyar lacked the ability and character to rule independently. His reign witnessed the primacy of the Saiyid Brothers who became the effective powers of the land, behind the façade of Mughal rule.
Jahandar Shah
Jahandar Shah (1661-1713) was a Mughal Emperor who ruled Hindustan for a brief period in 1712-1713 CE.
Jahandar Shah was born on May 10, 1661, a son of the future emperor Bahadur Shah I. Upon the death of their father on 27th February 1712, he and his brother Azim-ush-Shan both declared themselves emperor and conducted a struggle for the succession. Azim-ush-shan was killed on 17th March 1712 and Jahandar Shah was able to rule for a further eleven months. His court was depraved. He was a mere puppet in the hands of his favourite wife, Lal Kunwar,who, before her elevation to the position of Queen Consort was a mere dancing girl. Her children were promoted to the highest offices of the Empire. He was defeated in the battle at Agra on 10th January 1713 by Farrukhsiyar, his nephew the second son of Azim-ush-shan, with the support of the Saiyid Brothers. He fled to Delhi, from where he was captured and handed over to the new Emperor, who confined him along with Lal Kunwar. He lived in confinement for a month, until 11th February 1713, when professional stranglers were sent to murder him. When the stranglers were admitted into the prison, Lal Kunwar shrieked,"clasped hold of her lover and refused to let go." Violently forcing the two apart, they laid hands on Jahandar Shah and finished him off. His head was severed and presented to Farruksiyar, while his body was taken to Humayun's Tomb and interred there. Lal Kunwar was sent to "suragpura" (Hamlet of Happy Wives), where the widows of previous emperors lived in retirement. Before coming to the throne, Jahandar Shah had sailed around the Indian ocean, and had been a very prosperous trader. He was the father of three sons, including, Aziz-ud-Din, or Alamgir II, who reigned as Mughal emperor between 1754 and 1759.
Jahandar Shah was born on May 10, 1661, a son of the future emperor Bahadur Shah I. Upon the death of their father on 27th February 1712, he and his brother Azim-ush-Shan both declared themselves emperor and conducted a struggle for the succession. Azim-ush-shan was killed on 17th March 1712 and Jahandar Shah was able to rule for a further eleven months. His court was depraved. He was a mere puppet in the hands of his favourite wife, Lal Kunwar,who, before her elevation to the position of Queen Consort was a mere dancing girl. Her children were promoted to the highest offices of the Empire. He was defeated in the battle at Agra on 10th January 1713 by Farrukhsiyar, his nephew the second son of Azim-ush-shan, with the support of the Saiyid Brothers. He fled to Delhi, from where he was captured and handed over to the new Emperor, who confined him along with Lal Kunwar. He lived in confinement for a month, until 11th February 1713, when professional stranglers were sent to murder him. When the stranglers were admitted into the prison, Lal Kunwar shrieked,"clasped hold of her lover and refused to let go." Violently forcing the two apart, they laid hands on Jahandar Shah and finished him off. His head was severed and presented to Farruksiyar, while his body was taken to Humayun's Tomb and interred there. Lal Kunwar was sent to "suragpura" (Hamlet of Happy Wives), where the widows of previous emperors lived in retirement. Before coming to the throne, Jahandar Shah had sailed around the Indian ocean, and had been a very prosperous trader. He was the father of three sons, including, Aziz-ud-Din, or Alamgir II, who reigned as Mughal emperor between 1754 and 1759.
Bahadur Shah
Muazzam Bahadur Shah (Bahādur Shāh; his name Bahādur means "brave"; October 14, 1643 – February 1712), also known as Shah Alam I was a Mughal emperor who briefly ruled India from 1707 to 1712.
Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb (November 4, 1618 – March 3, 1707), also known by his chosen Imperial title Alamgir I (Conqueror of the Universe) was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1658 until his death. He was the sixth Mughal ruler after Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan. His name literally means "Adorning the Crown".
Aurangzeb ruled India for 48 years. He brought a larger area under Mughal rule than ever before . He is generally regarded as the last 'great' Mughal ruler. His constant wars, however, left the empire dangerously overextended, isolated from its strong Rajput allies, and with a population that (except for the orthodox Sunni Muslim minority) was resentful, if not outright rebellious, against his reign. His last twenty five years were spent fighting in the Deccan and losing territory to rival states. At his death, the Mughal Empire was shrunken, having lost most of its northwest and being replaced by the Hindu Maratha Empire in large areas of India. Aurangzeb's successors, the "Later Mughals", lacked his strong hand and the great fortunes amassed by his predecessors.
Aurangzeb ruled India for 48 years. He brought a larger area under Mughal rule than ever before . He is generally regarded as the last 'great' Mughal ruler. His constant wars, however, left the empire dangerously overextended, isolated from its strong Rajput allies, and with a population that (except for the orthodox Sunni Muslim minority) was resentful, if not outright rebellious, against his reign. His last twenty five years were spent fighting in the Deccan and losing territory to rival states. At his death, the Mughal Empire was shrunken, having lost most of its northwest and being replaced by the Hindu Maratha Empire in large areas of India. Aurangzeb's successors, the "Later Mughals", lacked his strong hand and the great fortunes amassed by his predecessors.
Shah Jahan
Shabuddin Mohammed Shah Jahan , (January 5, 1592 – January 31, 1666) was the ruler of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent from 1628 until 1658. The name Shah Jahan comes from Persian meaning "King of the World." He was the fifth Mughal ruler after Babur, Humayun, Akbar, and Jahangir. While young, he was a favourite of Akbar.
Even while very young, he could be pointed out to be the successor to the Mughal throne after the death of Jahangir. He succeeded to the throne upon his father's death in 1627. He is considered to be one of the greatest Mughals and his reign has been called the Golden Age of Mughals. Like Akbar, he was eager to expand his empire. The chief events of his reign were the destruction of the kingdom of Ahmadnagar (1636), the loss of Kandahar to the Persians (1653), and a second war against the Deccan princes (1655). In 1658 he fell ill, and was confined by his son Aurangzeb in the citadel of Agra until his death in 1666.
The period of his reign was the golden age of Mughal architecture. Shah Jahan erected many splendid monuments, the most famous of which is the Taj Mahal at Agra built as a tomb for his wife Mumtaz Mahal (birth name Arjumand Banu Begum). The Pearl Mosque at Agra and the palace and great mosque at Delhi also commemorate him. The celebrated Peacock Throne, said to be worth millions of dollars by modern estimates, also dates from his reign. He was the founder of Shahjahanabad, now known as 'Old Delhi'.The important buildings of Shah Jahan were the Diwan-i-Am and Diwan-i-Khas in the fort of Delhi , the Jama Masjid , the Moti Masjid and the Taj.It is pointed out that the Palace of Delhi is the most magnificent in the East.
Even while very young, he could be pointed out to be the successor to the Mughal throne after the death of Jahangir. He succeeded to the throne upon his father's death in 1627. He is considered to be one of the greatest Mughals and his reign has been called the Golden Age of Mughals. Like Akbar, he was eager to expand his empire. The chief events of his reign were the destruction of the kingdom of Ahmadnagar (1636), the loss of Kandahar to the Persians (1653), and a second war against the Deccan princes (1655). In 1658 he fell ill, and was confined by his son Aurangzeb in the citadel of Agra until his death in 1666.
The period of his reign was the golden age of Mughal architecture. Shah Jahan erected many splendid monuments, the most famous of which is the Taj Mahal at Agra built as a tomb for his wife Mumtaz Mahal (birth name Arjumand Banu Begum). The Pearl Mosque at Agra and the palace and great mosque at Delhi also commemorate him. The celebrated Peacock Throne, said to be worth millions of dollars by modern estimates, also dates from his reign. He was the founder of Shahjahanabad, now known as 'Old Delhi'.The important buildings of Shah Jahan were the Diwan-i-Am and Diwan-i-Khas in the fort of Delhi , the Jama Masjid , the Moti Masjid and the Taj.It is pointed out that the Palace of Delhi is the most magnificent in the East.
Jahangir
Nuruddin Salim Jahangir (September 20, 1569-November 8, 1627) was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1605 until his death. The name Jahangir is from Persian , meaning "Conqueror of the World," "World-Conqueror." Alternative spellings of the name include Ghehangir, and Cihangir (in Turkish). Nuruddin or Nur al-Din is an Arabic name which means "the Light of the Faith."
Akbar
Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar also known as Akbar the Great (October 15, 1542 to October 27, 1605) was the son of Nasiruddin Humayun whom he succeeded as ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1556 to 1605. He was the grandson of Babur who founded the Mughal dynasty. He was named Badruddin Mohammed Akbar. Badruddin means full moon because he was born on the night of a full moon. He was named after his maternal grand father Shaikh Ali Akbar Jami. After the capture of Kabul by his father his date of birth and name were changed to throw off evil sorcerers.
Akbar, widely considered the greatest of the Mughal emperors, was only 14 when he became emperor, due to the death of his father Humayun During his reign, he eliminated external military threats from the Afghan descendants of Sher Shah (an Afghan who was able to temporarily oust Humayun from 1540-1555), and at the Second Battle of Panipat he defeated the Hindu king Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, also called Hemu. In addition to his military gains, the emperor solidified his rule by repealing the jizya tax on non-Muslims and courting the favour of the powerful Rajput caste, to the extent of marrying Rajput princesses.
Akbar, widely considered the greatest of the Mughal emperors, was only 14 when he became emperor, due to the death of his father Humayun During his reign, he eliminated external military threats from the Afghan descendants of Sher Shah (an Afghan who was able to temporarily oust Humayun from 1540-1555), and at the Second Battle of Panipat he defeated the Hindu king Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, also called Hemu. In addition to his military gains, the emperor solidified his rule by repealing the jizya tax on non-Muslims and courting the favour of the powerful Rajput caste, to the extent of marrying Rajput princesses.
Humayun
Humayun (March 17, 1508 – March 4, 1556) was the second Mughal Emperor who ruled modern Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of northern India from 1530–1540 and again from 1555–1556. Like his father, Babur, he lost his kingdom early, but with Persian aid, he eventually regained an even larger one.
He succeeded his father in India in 1530, while his half-brother Kamran Mirza, who was to become a rather bitter rival, obtained the sovereignty of Kabul and Lahore, the more northern parts of their father's empire. He originally ascended the throne at the age of 22 and was somewhat inexperienced when he came to power.
Humayun lost his Indian territories to the Afghan Sultan, Sher Shah Suri, and, with Persian aid, regained them fifteen years later. Humayun's return from Persia, accompanied by a large retinue of Persian noblemen, signalled an important change in Mughal Court culture, as the Central Asian origins of the dynasty were largely overshadowed by the influences of Persian art, architecture, language and literature. Subsequently, in a very short time, Humayun was able to expand the Empire further, leaving a substantial legacy for his son, Akbar.
He succeeded his father in India in 1530, while his half-brother Kamran Mirza, who was to become a rather bitter rival, obtained the sovereignty of Kabul and Lahore, the more northern parts of their father's empire. He originally ascended the throne at the age of 22 and was somewhat inexperienced when he came to power.
Humayun lost his Indian territories to the Afghan Sultan, Sher Shah Suri, and, with Persian aid, regained them fifteen years later. Humayun's return from Persia, accompanied by a large retinue of Persian noblemen, signalled an important change in Mughal Court culture, as the Central Asian origins of the dynasty were largely overshadowed by the influences of Persian art, architecture, language and literature. Subsequently, in a very short time, Humayun was able to expand the Empire further, leaving a substantial legacy for his son, Akbar.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Babur
Babur (February 23, 1483 – January 5, 1531) was a Mughal Emperor from Central Asia who founded the Mughal dynasty of South Asia. He was a direct descendant of Timur through his father, and a descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother. Following a series of setbacks, he succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal Empire in India. Babur identified his lineage as Timurid and Chaghatay-Turk, while his origin, milieu, training, and culture were steeped in Persian culture and so he was largely responsible for the fostering of this culture by his descendants, and for the expansion of Persian cultural influence in the Indian subcontinent, with significant literary, artistic, and historiographical results. He bequeathed to his successors, a legacy of toleration for non-Muslims, that would later characterize the character of the Mughal empire at its zenith.
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