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Bahadur Shah Zafar
Context:
Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar was captured by the Britishers on 20th September 1857.
About:
- Bahadur Shah Zafar (1775-1862) was the twentieth and last Mughal emperor of India.
- He ascended the throne in 1837 at the age of 62, succeeding his father Akbar Shah II.
- Zafar was more of an aesthete than a political leader.
- He was a poet, musician and calligrapher known for his religious tolerance and pluralistic views.
Mughal Empire During Zafar’s Reign:
- By the time Zafar became emperor, the once mighty Mughal Empire existed in name only.
- His authority was limited to the walled city of Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad). The British East India Company had gained significant control over large parts of the Indian subcontinent.
1857 Revolt:
- Bahadur Shah Zafar was reluctantly drawn into the 1857 Revolt when rebel troops seized Delhi and compelled him to accept nominal leadership of the revolt.
- British historian William Dalrymple also reported this in his book The Last Mughal: The Fall of Delhi 1857.
- After the British recaptured Delhi, Zafar was arrested, tried for treason, and exiled to Rangoon (now Yangon) in British-controlled Burma along with his family. He died in captivity in 1862 at the age of 87.