Muhammad Shah
On the 9th of October 1720, Syed Hussain Ali Khan Barha stood in his encampment at Todabhim when a group of assassins struck. The commander and chief of the Mughal army fell dead that day. Muhammad Shah was only eighteen years old when he ascended the throne in 1719 under the strict supervision of the Sayyid Brothers of Barha. He had been chosen by them to replace previous rulers who could not maintain order. The young emperor took direct command of the army after the assassination. Asaf Jah I was then dispatched to gain complete control over six Mughal provinces in the Deccan region. Muhammad Amin Khan Turani received an assignment as Mansabdar of 8000 troops. He pursued the Grand vizier Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha who was defeated at the battle of Hasanpur. Hassan Khan Barha fought on the side where danger was anticipated before being captured on the 15th of November 1720. He was executed two years later. The fall of the Sayyid Brothers marked the beginning of the end for the empire's direct control over its dominions.
In 1719, Kolis of Mahi River were most rebellious against Mughal rule while plundering villages along the river. Mihir Ali Khan marched against Koli rebels of Mahi who committed piracy against Muslims and subdued them. Kasim Ali Khan employed against the Kolis of Kheda district faced a refusal to pay fines. A battle erupted in Pethapur between Kolis and the Mughal army under Kasim Ali Khan. Kasim Ali Khan was killed by Kolis and the Mughal army retreated to base. In 1722, Muhammad Bahadur was placed in charge of Sadra and Virpur with the title of Sher Khan. He marched against rebellious Kolis of Chunval but was wounded deeply. Kolis of Modhera opposed Muhammad Shah and the village was burnt down. Jawan Mard Khan Babi gave an order against rebellious Kolis of Balor at Bhátod about fifteen miles east of Bharuch. Jawan Marad Khan was killed by a man of the Koli tribe. The town of Balor was plundered in revenge for his death. Kamal-ud-din Khan Babi received districts of Sami and Munjpur after his father's death.
In May 1738, Nader Shah attacked northern Afghanistan and captured Ghazni. He took Kabul in June and Jalalabad in September. By November he had crossed the Khyber Pass and besieged the fortress of Peshawar. In January 1739, he captured Lahore after subduing forces of Zakariya Khan Bahadur and his 25,000 sowars near the Chenab river. The Afsharid forces encountered bands of Sikh rebels whom Nader Shah predicted would benefit from his invasion. Cities like Wazirabad, Eminabad and Gujrat were sacked and razed to the ground. Near Larkana, the Afsharids routed the Mughal army of Main Noor Mohammad Kalhoro. Sirhind was captured by the Afsharids in February 1739 opening the route toward Delhi. Rao Bal Kishan of Rewari led an army of 5,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry in a desperate defense. Nadir Shah remarked that if combined forces helped Rao Balkrishna, he might not have entered Delhi. After entering Delhi, rumors spread that Nader Shah was assassinated. Masses attacked the Afsharid force killing some soldiers. Nader Shah ordered a massacre leaving at least 30,000 dead.
During Muhammad Shah's reign, Urdu became more popular among people and he declared it as the court language replacing Persian. Qawwali was reintroduced into the Mughal imperial court and quickly spread throughout South Asia. Religious institutions for education such as Maktabs appeared during his reign. The Quran was translated for the first time into simple Persian and Urdu. Formal Turkic dress worn by high nobility since Samarqand origins was replaced by the Sherwani. Muhammad Shah adopted Deccan-influenced dress to court which led to derisive comments like See how the Deccan monkey dances. He employed master artists such as Nidha Mal active from 1735 to 1775 and Chitarman whose paintings depicted scenes of court life including Holi celebrations and hunting. Musicians such as Naimat Khan known as Sadarang and his nephew Firoz Khan composed khyal for disciples. Naimat Khan never performed khyal himself but this key component evolved under princely patronage. The emperor wrote poetry under penname Sadrang composing raga songs in bhairav, kafi, dhamar and malkauns genres.
A significant scientific work known as Zij-i Muhammad Shahi was completed by Jai Singh II of Amber between 1727 and 1735. It consisted of 400 pages dedicated to astronomical calculations. This document represented a major achievement during the reign despite administrative neglect elsewhere. Jai Singh II supervised the creation of these tables with precision and care. The work stood as one of few bright spots in an era of rapid decline. No other comparable astronomical project emerged during those years. The completion marked a final effort before the empire's collapse accelerated further.
Emperor Muhammad Shah had four wives throughout his lifetime. His first wife Princess Badshah Begum married him on the 8th of December 1721 at Delhi after his accession. They had a son Shahriyar Shah Bahadur who died young in 1726. She died on the 14th of December 1789. Muhammad Shah took Sahiba Mahal as second wife having daughter Hazrat Begum married to Ahmad Shah Durrani in 1757. His third wife Qudsia Begum bore successor Ahmad Shah Bahadur on the 23rd of December 1725. Upon birth, Ahmad Shah was taken from her and raised by Badshah Begum who considered him her own son. Ahmad Shah ascended throne upon Muhammad Shah death in 1748 through Badshah Begum efforts. Muhammad Shah could not speak when news reached him about Battle of Manupur victory. He became sick and did not come out of apartments for three days. During this period he fasted while guards heard him crying out loud saying How could I bring about anyone as faithful as he. He died due to grief on the 26th of April 1748.
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When did Muhammad Shah ascend the throne and under whose supervision?
Muhammad Shah ascended the throne in 1719 under the strict supervision of the Sayyid Brothers of Barha. He was only eighteen years old when he took power to replace previous rulers who could not maintain order.
What happened to Syed Hussain Ali Khan Barha on the 9th of October 1720?
Syed Hussain Ali Khan Barha fell dead that day after a group of assassins struck his encampment at Todabhim. The commander and chief of the Mughal army died during this attack which allowed Muhammad Shah to take direct command of the army.
How did Nader Shah affect the Mughal Empire during his invasion in 1738 and 1739?
Nader Shah attacked northern Afghanistan and captured Ghazni before crossing the Khyber Pass to besiege Peshawar by November 1738. He entered Delhi in February 1739 where he ordered a massacre leaving at least 30,000 dead after rumors spread about his assassination.
Which language replaced Persian as the court language during the reign of Muhammad Shah?
Urdu became more popular among people and Muhammad Shah declared it as the court language replacing Persian. Religious institutions for education such as Maktabs appeared during his reign while the Quran was translated for the first time into simple Persian and Urdu.
Who completed the Zij-i Muhammad Shahi astronomical work between 1727 and 1735?
Jai Singh II of Amber completed the significant scientific work known as Zij-i Muhammad Shahi between 1727 and 1735. The document consisted of 400 pages dedicated to astronomical calculations and represented a major achievement during the reign despite administrative neglect elsewhere.
When did Muhammad Shah die and what caused his death?
Muhammad Shah died due to grief on the 26th of April 1748 after hearing news about the Battle of Manupur victory. He became sick and did not come out of apartments for three days while fasting before passing away from emotional distress.