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Muhammad Shah: the story on HearLore | HearLore
Muhammad Shah
Mirza Nasir-ud-Din Muhammad Shah ascended the throne on the 18th of July 1719 at the tender age of 18, yet his reign began not with the thunder of conquest but with the suffocating grip of puppet masters. Born Roshan Akhtar, he was the son of Khujista Akhtar, the fourth son of Bahadur Shah I, and was thrust into power by the Sayyid Brothers of Barha who held the real reins of the empire. The young emperor was not a ruler in the traditional sense but a figurehead under strict supervision, forced to watch as the great Mughal Empire began its irreversible slide into chaos. His early years were defined by the brutal elimination of his guardians, a bloody struggle that would set the tone for a reign marked by both cultural brilliance and political collapse. The first major act of his independence came on the 9th of October 1720 when Syed Hussain Ali Khan Barha, the commander and chief of the Mughal army, was assassinated in his encampment at Todabhim. This was not a battle of armies but a calculated strike that allowed Muhammad Shah to take direct command, signaling the end of the Sayyid Brothers' dominance and the beginning of his own volatile journey to power.
The Art Of The Decadent Court
While the empire crumbled around him, Muhammad Shah transformed the imperial court into a vibrant theater of arts, earning him the nickname Rangila, or the colorful one. He was a patron of the performing arts to such an extent that administrative priorities were often sacrificed for the sake of music and poetry. The emperor himself adopted the pen name Sadrang and composed Indian classical raga songs in genres such as bhairav, kafi, dhamar, and malkauns, often focusing on themes of love and the festival of Holi. He elevated Urdu from a military camp language, known as Zuban-i Urdū-yi Mu'alla, to the official court language, replacing the traditional Persian. This cultural shift was accompanied by the reintroduction of Qawwali into the imperial court and the translation of the Quran into simple Persian and Urdu for the first time. The court employed master artists like Nidha Mal and Chitarman, whose vivacious paintings depicted scenes of court life, hunting, and hawking. Musicians such as Naimat Khan, known as Sadarang, and his nephew Firoz Khan, known as Adarang, popularized the musical form of khyal, which evolved and received princely patronage under his rule. However, his adoption of Deccan-influenced dress, replacing the formal Turkic attire of his ancestors, led to derisive comments from the nobility, with one critic asking, See how the Deccan monkey dances!
The Blood Of The Koli
The stability of the empire was constantly challenged by rebellious tribes, particularly the Kolis of the Mahi River and surrounding districts who refused to submit to Mughal authority. In 1719, the Kolis were the most rebellious, plundering villages and committing piracy against Muslims, prompting the Viceroy of Gujarat, Mihir Ali Khan, to march against them. The conflict was not a one-time event but a recurring nightmare for the Mughal administration. In 1721, Kasim Ali Khan was killed by the Kolis of Kheda district during a battle in Pethapur, and the Mughal army was forced to retreat. The violence continued into 1722 when Muhammad Bahadur, son of Salabat Khan Babi, was wounded deeply while subduing the Kolis of Chunval. The cycle of rebellion and suppression persisted for decades, with the Kolis of Modhera opposing Muhammad Shah and their village being burnt down. By 1729, the viceroy of Sultan Muhammad Shah faced anti-Muslim activities of the Kolis of Sorath, and despite destroying them, the governor Jawan Mard Khan Babi was killed by a man of the Koli tribe in Balor. The town of Balor was subsequently plundered in revenge, and the cycle of violence continued into 1738 and 1739, with the Mughal army burning Chhaniar and plundering the Koli country after defeating chieftain Jamaji of Thara. The Kolis of Atarsumba challenged Mughal authority in 1740, refusing to pay tax, and were defeated only after a fierce battle, yet they refused to pay again, leading to the burning of three Koli villages by Abdul Hussain Khan and Vajeram in 1747.
When did Muhammad Shah ascend the throne of the Mughal Empire?
Muhammad Shah ascended the throne on the 18th of July 1719 at the age of 18. He was born Roshan Akhtar and was the son of Khujista Akhtar, the fourth son of Bahadur Shah I. The Sayyid Brothers of Barha thrust him into power as a figurehead under their strict supervision.
Why was Muhammad Shah known as Rangila?
Muhammad Shah earned the nickname Rangila or the colorful one for transforming the imperial court into a vibrant theater of arts. He was a patron of performing arts who sacrificed administrative priorities for music and poetry, composing Indian classical raga songs under the pen name Sadrang. He also elevated Urdu to the official court language and reintroduced Qawwali to the imperial court.
What happened during the invasion of Nader Shah in 1739?
Nader Shah captured Kabul in June 1738 and besieged Peshawar by November before capturing Lahore in January 1739. The Battle of Karnal resulted in a massacre of at least 30,000 people in Delhi after the masses attacked the Afsharid force. Muhammad Shah was forced to hand over his daughter Jahan Afruz Banu Begum and surrender the Peacock Throne along with the Daria-i-Noor and Koh-i-Noor diamonds.
How did Muhammad Shah die and when did his reign end?
Muhammad Shah died on the 26th of April 1748 due to grief after learning of the death of his general Qamaruddin Khan at the Battle of Manupur. He fasted and cried out loud for three days before his death, which marked the end of an era for the Mughal Empire. His tomb is located in an enclosure within the Nizamuddin Dargah complex.
Who was the first wife of Muhammad Shah and what was her fate?
Muhammad Shah's first wife was his first-cousin Princess Badshah Begum who died on the 14th of December 1789. She raised Ahmad Shah Bahadur, the son of Muhammad Shah's third wife Qudsia Begum, as her own son. Her efforts enabled Ahmad Shah to ascend the throne upon Muhammad Shah's death.
The fragmentation of the Mughal Empire began in earnest with the loss of the Deccan subahs, a process that started when Asaf Jah I, also known as Nizam-ul-Mulk, was appointed Grand Vizier on the 21st of February 1722. Asaf Jah used his influence to fulfill his territorial ambitions in the Deccan, eventually resigning as Grand Vizier when he lost the emperor's confidence over the appointment of Hamid Khan to administer Gujarat. He returned to the Deccan and established the Hyderabad State in 1725, appointing himself the Nizam of Hyderabad. The Mughal-Maratha Wars from 1728 to 1763 caused irreparable devastation to six Deccan subahs, including Khandesh, Bijapur, Berar, Aurangabad, Hyderabad, and Bidar. Asaf Jah I even advised the Marathas to invade Malwa and the northern territories of the Mughal Empire to protect his newfound independence, describing the Maratha army as an instrument to be wielded to his own advantage. The Battle of Shakar Kheda saw Asaf Jah I defeat and eliminate Mubariz Khan, a former ally of the Barha Sayyids who had been appointed to kill him. The loss of the Deccan subahs in 1724 marked a turning point, as the Nawab of Awadh Saadat Ali Khan and the Mughal subahdar Dilawar Khan remained loyal to the emperor, establishing a well-protected bastion on the Malabar Coast, but the central authority was already crumbling.
The Sack Of The Golden City
The most catastrophic event of Muhammad Shah's reign was the invasion of Nader Shah, the Persian emperor who attacked northern Afghanistan in May 1738 and captured Kabul in June. By November, he had crossed the Khyber Pass and besieged the fortress of Peshawar, capturing Lahore in January 1739 after subduing the forces of the Mughal viceroy, Zakariya Khan Bahadur. The Afsharid forces captured territory all the way up to Attock, forcing Muhammad Shah and his court to realize that the Turkic Qizilbash Afsharid emperor would not be satisfied with the loot of a province. The cities of Wazirabad, Eminabad, and Gujrat were not only sacked but razed to the ground. Near Larkana, the Afsharids completely routed the Mughal army of the Nawab of Sindh, Main Noor Mohammad Kalhoro, and later captured him and his two sons. The Battle of Karnal saw Rao Bal Kishan of Rewari, with his army of 5,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry, attempt a desperate defense of the city. Rao Bal Kishan was killed in battle, immortalized as Veergati, and Muhammad Shah commissioned a royal chhatri to pay tribute to him. After entering Delhi, Nader Shah claimed the invasion was borne out of religious devotion, but when rumors spread that he was assassinated, the masses attacked the Afsharid force, killing some soldiers. Nader Shah became furious and ordered a massacre of the populace, leaving at least 30,000 dead. Muhammad Shah and Asaf Jah I had to beg for mercy, and the emperor was forced to hand over his daughter Jahan Afruz Banu Begum as a bride for Nader Shah's youngest son. The famous Peacock Throne, the Daria-i-Noor and Koh-i-Noor diamonds, and unimaginable wealth were looted, marking the beginning of the end for the Mughal Empire.
The Shadow Of The Marathas
Following the Persian invasion, the Marathas began to fill the power vacuum, raiding and annexing territories across India. In 1740, Dost Ali Khan, the Nawab of the Carnatic, and Chanda Sahib faced the task of expelling the Marathas under Raghoji I Bhonsle. Dost Ali Khan was killed on the 20th of May 1740 at the Battle of Damalcherry in defense of Arcot, which was eventually looted and plundered. Chanda Sahib and his garrison were captured and imprisoned in Satara, yet they ferociously defended their rightful realms during the Siege of Trichinopoly. Dissatisfied by the Maratha occupation, Asafjah I led an expedition to liberate the region, joined by Sadatullah Khan II and Anwaruddin Muhammed Khan, who recaptured Arcot and initiated the Siege of Trichinopoly in 1743, which lasted five months and forced the Marathas to evacuate the Carnatic. In 1747, the Marathas led by Raghoji I Bhonsle began to raid, pillage, and annex the territories of the Nawab of Bengal, Alivardi Khan. During the Maratha invasion of Orissa, its subahdar Mir Jafar completely withdrew all forces until the arrival of Alivardi Khan and the Mughal Army at the Battle of Burdwan, where Raghoji I Bhonsle and his Maratha forces were completely routed. The enraged Nawab of Bengal dismissed the shamed Mir Jafar, and due to four years of continuous wars, Emperor Muhammad Shah was forced to cede Orissa to the Marathas.
The Grief Of The Last Emperor
The final years of Muhammad Shah's life were marked by a series of military defeats and personal grief that led to his untimely death. The victory of the Mughal Army during the Battle of Manupur in 1748 came with a heavy price, as many fell in battle. Initially, this was kept a secret, but when the news reached the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah, he could not speak, suddenly became sick, and did not come out of his apartments for three days. During this period, he fasted, and his guards could hear him crying out loud, saying, How could I bring about anyone as faithful as he? Qamaruddin Khan. He died due to grief on the 26th of April 1748, his funeral attended by visiting Imams from Mecca. His tomb is located in an enclosure within the Nizamuddin Dargah complex. The death of Muhammad Shah marked the end of an era, as the empire he had inherited was now a shadow of its former self. His four wives included his first-cousin, Princess Badshah Begum, who died on the 14th of December 1789, and his third wife, a dancing girl named Qudsia Begum, who bore him his successor, Ahmad Shah Bahadur, on the 23rd of December 1725. Ahmad Shah was taken from her and lovingly brought up by Badshah Begum, who considered him her own son, and it was through her efforts that he was able to ascend the throne upon Muhammad Shah's death.