One of the most respected and renowned empires in history — the Mughal Empire — ruled India for over three centuries, lasting approximately 331 years. It is remembered for its art, architecture and iconic monuments in cities like Delhi and Agra. The empire once exercised control over hundreds of fragmented kingdoms and territories, unifying much of the Indian subcontinent with a centralised system.
The Final Emperor: Bahadur Shah Zafar
The emperors preceding Bahadur Shah Zafar governed with strength and conviction, often embodying the ideals of kingship. Bahadur Shah II, more commonly known as Bahadur Shah Zafar, was the 20th and final emperor of the Mughal dynasty and the son of Akbar II. Unlike his ancestors, Zafar is not remembered for his political power or military achievements. His reign was largely symbolic, as he held no real authority and engaged in no serious pursuit of Imperial dominance. Instead, Zafar is celebrated as a distinguished Urdu poet and a patron of the arts.
His poetic works, compiled in Kulliyat-e-Zafar, stand as enduring evidence of his literary talent. He was mentored by two of the greatest poets of his time, Mirza Ghalib and Sheikh Ibrahim Zauq. Though he lacked political influence, Zafar established an enduring legacy through his cultural and literary contributions. His wife, Zeenat Mahal, also played a significant role during the final years of the Mughal court.
A Throne by Chance:
Bahadur Shah Zafar’s rise to the Mughal throne was unexpected and came only after a series of complex court intrigues. Initially, he was not expected to become emperor. One of the queens of Akbar Shah II, Mariam-uz-Zamani, strongly lobbied for her own son, Mirza Jahangir, to be declared the heir. However, Mirza Jahangir was exiled by the East India Company after he attacked a British official near the Red Fort. Following his removal, Bahadur Shah Zafar was named his successor and eventually ascended the throne. The once-vast Mughal Empire had shrunk to a mere shadow of its former self by the time Zafar became emperor. Imperial control extended only over Delhi and its immediate surroundings, no farther than Palam, a suburb of the capital. The emperor held little real power, serving more as a symbolic figure under the watchful eye of the British.
The Rebellion of 1857: Hope and Tragedy
The turning point in this era came with the outbreak of the rebellion of 1857, often referred to as the First War of Independence. Though the rebellion formally erupted during Zafar’s reign, its seeds were sown during the last year of Akbar Shah II. On May 12, 1857, a group of mutinous sepoys (Indian soldiers in British service) arrived at the Red Fort. They informed the emperor of their revolt and claimed they had no chance of defeating the British without his support. They behaved disrespectfully, signalling the breakdown of imperial authority. Events spiralled rapidly.
On May 16, rebel sepoys and palace staff executed 52 European prisoners within the walls of the palace, an act that shocked even Zafar and revealed the uncontrollable nature of the uprising. In the ensuing chaos, several of his sons took up arms during the 1857 rebellion, though none were trained military leaders; the sepoy refused to obey them. Leadership crumbled, and disorder intensified.
Eventually, the rebels turned to Bahadur Shah Zafar himself. Rather than distancing himself from the movement, Zafar publicly supported the rebellion, a decision that would prove disastrous. While his endorsement lent symbolic legitimacy to the revolt, it also gave the British justification to move aggressively against him and the Mughal dynasty. In the end, this decision marked the final chapter of the Mughal Empire. After the British crushed the rebellion, Bahadur Shah Zafar was captured and exiled to Rangoon (in present-day Myanmar). Bahadur Shah Zafar fell ill and was frequently in contact with the Hindu charm makers, as some of his wives believed that spells had been cast upon him. These charm makers offered various remedies, including burying eggs, sacrificing goats and cows and wearing enchanted rings in hopes of curing his condition. However, these actions were later used against him.
British Authority
The British authorities accused Zafar of practising black magic and arrested him based on those charges. He died in 1862. The decline of the empire, however, had begun much earlier. By the 18th century, Maratha forces had already brought significant portions of the empire under their control. Many former Mughal provinces either declared independence or were absorbed into regional powers, forming smaller princely states. The Mughal Empire, once the dominant force in South Asia, fragmented irreversibly, and the Rebellion of 1857 sealed its fate.
کتنا ہے بدنصیب ظفر دفن کے لئے
دو گز زمین بھی نہ ملی کوئے یار میں
This couplet means once the emperor of a vast empire, Zafar had everything: power, wealth, poetry and prestige. Yet, in the end, he was exiled to Rangoon, far from his homeland and denied even a modest grave in the city he once ruled. The couplet stands as a symbol of the fall of the Mughal Empire, capturing not only the personal tragedy of Zafar but also the final humiliation of a once glorious dynasty.