Bahadur Shah Zafar and the fall of his empire
Bahadur shah zafar was the last Mughal emperor of india who hold the rule from 1837 to 1857 for a time period of twenty (20) years. As the second child/son of Akabr ll and Lal bai, he was not the first choice of his father to rule the throne, but due to some circumstances it finally led to his act of rising to the throne after his father’s death. Even as a emperor he did not rule over a large empire, his rule barely extended beyond Delhi’s Red Fort. By that time East India company was gaining political power in India and due to this the emperor was left with no real power over the country which resulted in fragmentation of hundreds of kingdoms and principalities. Bahadur shah zafar was not a very ambitious ruler which made the British believe that he produced no real threat to them. However, he…show more content… Rebelling Indian kings felt that Zafar would be the most suitable person to become the emperor of india under whom smaller kingdoms would unite in a fight against the British.
He gave his support to Rebellions and even decided his Mirza Mughal as the commander in chief of his forces. Mirza Mughal was an amateur and did not marshal the army in a skillfull manner. The city’s charge was in disorder and the army was in a disarray.
When it became perceptible that British would emerge Victorious, Bahadur Shah sought of tried hiding in the Humayun’s tomb at the outskirts of delhi. However, British officials led by the Major William Hodson found out his hiding place and asked him to succumb on 20th September 1857.
Many of his family members including his son’s Mirza Ghalib and Mirza Khizr sultan were killed by the British and there was only one surviving member, and that was bahadur shah zafar who was imprisoned or exiled.
Bahadur Shah was expatriated in Rangoon, Burma, 1858, with his wife Zeenat Mahal and other members of the