Mughal emperor Akbar Shah II, born on April 22, 1760, ascended the throne in 1806.
The Mughal rule that started in India in the year 1526 ended in 1857, when the British sent the last Mughal ruler Bahadur Shah Zafar to Verma. However, the British had started tightening their grip much before this. A total of 19 emperors, from Babar to Bahadur Shah Zafar, sat on the chair. Among them, Akbar and Aurangzeb were two such emperors who ruled for about 50 years each. Whose way of ruling also got a lot of importance in history. Founder Babar could sit on the throne for barely four years. Humayun could also rule for a very short time. All the emperors who came after Aurangzeb gradually became weak. The 18th emperor among them was Akbar II, the father of Bahadur Shah Zafar. 22nd April i.e. today is the birth anniversary of this Mughal ruler.
Born in 1760 and in the year 1806, Akbar Shah II ascended the throne. And remained as emperor till 1837. Meaning, they ruled India for about 31 years. Akbar Shah II may have been the emperor for 31 years but the British had killed his hero. It had become difficult to rule. What was the whole story? Come, let us know in detail.
Akbar Shah II remained a pensioner ruler.
Akbar II was the 18th emperor of the Mughal dynasty. He was the son of Shah Alam II. When Akbar II was born, the Mughal Empire was counting its last breaths. The influence of foreign powers, especially the British, was increasing rapidly on India. After the death of his father Shah Alam II in the year 1806, Akbar II ascended the throne of Delhi. But this crown did not bring happiness but challenges for him.
Akbar II was the 18th emperor of the Mughal dynasty.
Now the power of the Mughal emperor was limited only to the walls of the Red Fort of Delhi. The real power had gone into the hands of the East India Company. The British considered him only a pensioner ruler. Nothing more than that.
Akbar Shah’s rights were rapidly crushed
During the reign of Akbar Shah II, the British increasingly suppressed the rights of the Mughal emperor. Earlier, coins bearing the name of the emperor were in circulation all over India. The British gradually started removing the name of the emperor from those coins. He wanted people to know that now the British and not the Mughals were the real owners of this country. This was a big insult for Akbar II, but now he had no army with which to compete. Under compulsion, they were forced to agree with the British.
Wanted to hand over the throne to his son Mirza Jahangir
Akbar II wanted to make his younger son Mirza Jahangir his heir. Mirza Jahangir did not like the British at all. He once fired at a British officer Archibald Seton near the Red Fort. The British were enraged by this incident. He arrested Mirza Jahangir and sent him to Allahabad. The British forced Akbar II to choose his elder son Mirza Abu Zafar as his successor. This Mirza Abu Zafar later came to be known as Bahadur Shah Zafar.
British Empire.
Pension increased when Raja Rammohan Roy went to England
To increase his pension and protect Mughal rights, Akbar II chose a unique path. He gave the title of Raja to the famous social reformer Ram Mohan Roy and sent him to England as his ambassador. Akbar II wanted King Rammohan Roy to present his side about the miserable condition of the Mughals before the British King. This was the first time that an Indian emperor tried to express his views by going to the British house through diplomacy. He also got partial success. The amount of pension was increased but the rest of the demands were rejected outright by the British. As the matter progressed further, Raja Ram Mohan Roy passed away.
Despite his weaknesses, Akbar Shah was popular among the public.
Despite being powerless, Akbar II was popular among the people. He started a festival called ‘Sair of Flowers’ (Sair-e-Gulfaroshan) in Delhi. This festival was a symbol of Hindu and Muslim unity. The emperor used to offer fans of flowers at both the temple of Hindu goddess Jogamaya and the shrine of Sufi saint Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki. This was such a festival in which all Hindus and Muslims would participate with the king.
Akbar II was a lover of pen and art
Akbar II had a deep love for poetry and music. Big scholars used to come to his court. Even though the treasury was empty, he still kept the art alive. It was during his time that Urdu poetry started reaching its peak. The cultural atmosphere inside the Red Fort is still remembered in his name.
The last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar was kept prisoner in this Red Fort.
This is how the sunset of the Mughal Empire happened
Akbar II died on 28 September 1837 at the age of 77. After him his son Bahadur Shah Zafar became the emperor. Akbar II’s entire life was spent amidst British restrictions and financial constraints. He was a witness to a time when the glory of Delhi was fading and the dark shadow of British rule was covering the entire country.
In this way, the story of Akbar II teaches that when an empire is internally weak, external forces do not delay in destroying it. Even though he could not become a powerful warrior, he preserved the cultural identity of the Mughals and his respect among the people even in adverse circumstances. His life is a story of struggles and helplessness, which Indian history will never forget.
Also read: How did Babar, who came from Kabul, defeat the Sultan of Delhi and rule?
