Jahandar Shah Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Jahandar Shah

Padishah
Al-Sultan Al-Azam

Portrait of Jahandar Shah, c. 1712, currently held at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England

9th Mughal Emperor

Reign

29 March 1712 – 11 February 1713

Coronation

29 March 1712

Predecessor

Shah Alam I

Successor

Farrukh Siyar

Born

Mirza Mu'izz-ud-Din Beg Muhammad Khan
10 May 1661
Deccan, Mughal Empire

Died

11 February 1713 (aged 51)
Delhi, Mughal Empire

Burial

Humayun's Tomb, Delhi, India

Spouse

Sayyid-un-Nissa Begum

(m. 1684)
Anup Bai
Imtiyaz Mahal

Issue

Izz-ud-Din Mirza
Azz-ud-Din Mirza
Alamgir II
Azz-ud Daulah
Muiz-ud Daulah
Iffat Ara Begum
Rabi Begum

Full name
Mīrzā Mu'izz-ud-Dīn Muhammad Jahāndār Shāh Bahādur
Posthumous name
Khuld Aramgah (lit. Peaceful in paradise')

Father

Shah Alam I

Mother

Nizam Bai

Religion

Sunni Islam (Hanafi)

Jahandar Shah (born Mirza Mu'izz-ud-Din Beg Muhammad Khan on May 10, 1661) was a Mughal emperor who ruled for a very short time, from 1712 to 1713. His name, Jahandar Shah, means "The Owner of the World." He was the son of Emperor Bahadur Shah I and the grandson of Emperor Aurangzeb.

Jahandar Shah was the first puppet ruler of the Mughal dynasty. This means he was put on the throne by a powerful noble, Zulfiqar Khan, who then held most of the real power. His time as emperor was brief and full of problems. He was removed from power by his nephew, Farrukhsiyar, with the help of the Sayyid brothers.

Early Life of Jahandar Shah
The Fight for the Throne
His Time as Emperor
How He Lost Power
Death
His Family
Full Title
Coins of His Time
Images for kids
See also

Early Life of Jahandar Shah

Prince Mu'izz-ud-din was born on May 10, 1661, in the Deccan region of the Mughal Empire. His father was Prince Mu'azzam, who later became Emperor Bahadur Shah. His mother, Nizam Bai, came from a noble family in Hyderabad. He was the oldest son of Mu'azzam and the oldest grandson of the ruling emperor, Aurangzeb. His birth was a big event at the Mughal court.

As a young prince, he spent three years fighting in military campaigns in the Deccan. After this, he moved to northern India.

When Emperor Aurangzeb died, his father, Prince Mu'azzam, won the fight to become the next emperor. In June 1707, his father became Emperor Bahadur Shah. At this time, Mu'izz-ud-din was given the title Jahandar Shah. He also became the governor of Thatta and Multan. During his father's reign, Jahandar Shah stayed close to the imperial court. This was because his father was old, and the princes wanted to be near the throne if anything happened.

The Fight for the Throne

When Bahadur Shah was very ill in 1712, a war began to decide who would be the next emperor. At this time, his second son, Azim-us-Shan, was the strongest prince. He had gathered many resources as the governor (called a subahdar) of Bengal. Jahandar Shah was the weakest of the princes. He had very little military power or money.

This war was different from earlier Mughal succession wars. A powerful noble named Zulfiqar Khan largely controlled the outcome. He was the mir bakhshi, a top military leader in the empire. Zulfiqar Khan formed an alliance with Jahandar Shah and his younger brothers, Rafi-us-Shan and Jahan Shah. He suggested they divide the empire if they won.

First, Azim-us-Shan was defeated and killed. After this, Jahandar Shah broke his alliance with his brothers. With Zulfiqar Khan's help, he defeated and killed them too. This made Jahandar Shah the winner of the fight for the throne.

His Time as Emperor

Jahandar Shah became emperor on March 29, 1712. Many people in the empire did not fully support him. They saw him as an unfair ruler. So, after his coronation, Jahandar Shah worked to strengthen his power. He rewarded those who had supported him. He also punished nobles who had helped his brothers. Some of them were even executed. Unlike past emperors, he did not allow proper burials for the defeated princes right away.

When Jahandar Shah became emperor, Zulfiqar Khan became the wazir, or chief minister. Jahandar Shah relied completely on Zulfiqar Khan. Because of this, Zulfiqar Khan held the real power in the empire, not the emperor. This was the first time in Mughal history that someone outside the royal family had so much control.

As the real ruler, Zulfiqar Khan tried to make peace with different groups. These included the Rajputs, Sikhs, and Marathas. He wanted to bring peace back to the empire. However, the empire's money problems continued, making its army weaker. Zulfiqar Khan's great power also caused Jahandar Shah to plot against him, leading to more political confusion.

During his reign, Jahandar Shah married Lal Kunwar. She became his favorite wife and was given the title Imtiyaz Mahal. Her family gained a lot of power and status because of her. Some historians say that Jahandar Shah's personal life and his harsh treatment of opponents caused problems during his rule. However, other scholars point to his political weakness and the nobles' own self-interest as bigger reasons for his short and troubled reign.

How He Lost Power

Jahandar Shah's rule was challenged by his nephew, Farrukhsiyar. Farrukhsiyar was the son of Azim-us-Shan and was based in Bengal. At first, Farrukhsiyar had few resources and struggled to find support. But he eventually found strong allies in the Sayyid brothers. These brothers, Husain Ali Khan and Abdullah Khan, were powerful administrators. Jahandar Shah had removed them from their positions.

With the Sayyid brothers' help, Farrukhsiyar gathered a rebel army. They marched towards the capital to claim the throne. In early 1713, the imperial army, which was not well-paid, was defeated near Agra.

Death

After his defeat, Jahandar Shah ran away to Delhi. He sought safety at the home of Zulfiqar Khan and his father, Asad Khan. However, they captured him and handed him over to Farrukhsiyar. They hoped this would earn them Farrukhsiyar's favor.

Farrukhsiyar ordered the execution of both Jahandar Shah and Zulfiqar Khan. Jahandar Shah was beaten to death and then beheaded on February 11, 1713. His body was later displayed in parts around Delhi. He was buried in Humayun's Tomb.

His Family

Jahandar Shah had several wives. His first wife was the daughter of Mirza Mukarram Khan Safavi. They married on October 13, 1676. After she died, he married her niece, Sayyid-un-Nisa Begum, on August 30, 1684. This marriage was a grand event.

His third wife was a Rajput Princess named Anup Bai. She was the mother of Prince Muhammad Aziz-ud-din Mirza, who was born on June 6, 1699. This son later became Emperor Alamgir II.

His fourth wife was Lal Kunwar. Jahandar Shah was very fond of her. After he became emperor, he gave her the title Imtiyaz Mahal. She was very influential during his reign and often advised the emperor.

Full Title

His full title was Shahanshah-i-Ghazi Abu'l Fath Mu'izz-ud-Din Muhammad Jahandar Shah Sahib-i-Qiran Padshah-i-Jahan (Khuld Aramgah).

Coins of His Time

Jahandar Shah brought back special verses on his coins. He issued coins made of gold, silver, and copper. Two main verses, "Abu al-Fateh" and "Sahab Qiran," were used. Copper coins were made in two different weights.