Mughal King Ali Gauhar

Shah Alam II, often known as Ali Gohar or Ali Gauhar, was the seventeenth Mughal Emperor and the son of Alamgir II (25 June 1728 - 19 November 1806). Shah Alam II ascended to the throne of a shattered Mughal empire. His influence was so reduced during his reign that the Persian phrase Sultanat-e-Shah Alam, Az Dilli ta Palam ('The empire of Shah Alam is from Delhi to Palam') was coined. Palam is a Delhi suburb. Shah Alam was subjected to numerous invasions, the most notable of which was conducted by the Emir of Afghanistan, Ahmed Shah Abdali, and culminated in the Third Battle of Panipat, which pitted the Maratha Empire, which held suzerainty over Mughal affairs in Delhi, against the Afghans commanded by Abdali. The Marathas, headed by Sadashivrao Bhau, drove the Abdali invading armies out in 1760, deposing Shah Jahan III, Feroze Jung III's puppet Mughal ruler, and installing Shah Alam II as the legitimate Emperor under Maratha control. The sole and genuine Emperor, Shah Alam II, was unable to return to Delhi until 1772 when the Maratha general Mahadaji Shinde protected him. At the Battle of Buxar, he fought against the British East India Company. Shah Alam II was a poet who wrote under the pen name Aftab and published his own Diwan of poems. Mirza Fakhir Makin directed, compiled, and gathered his poems. Shah Alam also wrote the classic book Ajaib-ul-Qasas, which is regarded as one of Urdu prose's earliest and most important works.

On 25 June 1728, Ali Gohar was born to "Shahzada" (Prince) Aziz-ud-Din, the overthrown Mughal Emperor Jahandar Shah. He grew up in the Red Fort's Salatin quarters with his father in semi-captivity. Unlike most Mughal princes who grew up in similar circumstances, he is not described as having become a decadent prince when his father became Emperor and was thus naturally awarded prominent offices during his father's reign. Upon his father's ascension, he was named "Wali Ahd," which means "Crown Prince of the Empire," and became his father's main agent, although the Wazir Imad-ul-Mulk held nearly all of the power. In 1758, he fled Delhi due to a conflict with that amir and fear for his safety.

Prince Ali Gauhar, later Emperor Shah Alam II, was his father Alamgir II's heir apparent. Vizier Feroze Jung III and Maratha Peshwa's blood brother Sadashivrao Bhau had anointed Prince Ali Gauhar's father as Mughal Emperor. In 1759, Prince Ali Gauhar assembled a militia and staged a daring escape from Delhi, seeking to enhance his position by taking control of Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha. Najib-ud-Daula, on the other hand, compelled usurper Feroze Jung III to depart the capital after amassing a huge Mughal army outside Delhi and deposing the recreant Shah Jahan III. By keeping correspondence with the strong Ahmad Shah Durrani, Najib-ud-Daula and Muslim nobility prepared to destroy the Marathas. Durrani nominated Ali Gauhar as Emperor under Shah Alam II's name after a resounding victory over the Marathas.

After Shah Alam's militia took control of pockets of Bengal, Bihar, and portions of Odisha in 1760, Prince Ali Gauhar and his 30,000-strong Mughal army set out to depose Mir Jafar and Feroze Jung III, whom they had attempted to capture or murder by pushing into Awadh and Patna in 1759. However, the forceful East India Company soon intervened in the conflict. Prince Ali Gauhar was accompanied by a Militia that included Muhammad Quli Khan along with Kadim Husein, Kamgar Khan, Hidayat Ali, Mir Afzal and Ghulam Husain Tabatabai. The Mughals intended to recapture their breakaway Eastern Subah led by Prince Ali Gauhar. He was accompanied by a Militia that included Muhammad Quli Khan, Kadim Husein, Kamgar Khan, Hidayat Ali. The soldiers of Shuja-ud-Daula, Najib-ud-Daula, and Ahmad Shah Bangash supplemented their numbers. During the Seven Years' War, the Mughals were joined by Jean Law and 200 Frenchmen and fought a campaign against the British. Prince Ali Gauhar pushed as far as Patna, which he besieged with a combined army of nearly 40,000 men to capture or kill Ramnarian, the Mughals' sworn nemesis. Mir Jafar was terrified of his cohort's impending death, so he dispatched his son Miran to relieve Ramnarian and retake Patna. Mir Jafar pleaded with Robert Clive for assistance, but it was Important John Caillaud who separate Prince Ali Gauhar's military in 1761 after four major battles: the Battle of Patna, the Battle of Sirpur, the Battle of Birpur, and the Battle of Siwan. Following peace discussions, the British took Shah Alam II to see Mir Qasim, the new Nawab of Bengal, nominated after Miran's untimely death. Mir Qasim was quickly appointed Subedar of Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha by the Mughal Emperor, and he agreed to pay a 2.4 million dam yearly tax. From 1761 until 1764, Shah Alam II retreated to Allahabad, protected by Shuja-ud-Daula, Nawab of Awadh. In the meantime, Mir Qasim's relationship with the British East India Company was deteriorating. He instituted reforms that removed the British East India Company's tax exemption; he also deposed Ramnarian, a sworn adversary of the Mughal Empire, and established Firelock manufacturing factories in Patna to benefit the newly reformed Mughal Army. The East India Company, enraged by these developments, demanded his removal. Mir Qasim was compelled to flee Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha due to court intrigues promoted by the East India Company. Mir Qasim persuaded Shuja-ud-Daula, the Nawab of Awadh, and Shah Alam II to fight the British.

Accredited Emperor

The Durrani Empire recognised Shah Alam II as Emperor. His declared empire included the 24 Parganas of the Sundarbans. In the 24 Parganas Mir Qasim, Nawabs of Bengal, Murshidabad, Raja of Banares, Nizam of Hyderabad, Nawab of Ghazipur, Sahib of Punjab, Hyder Ali's Mysore, Nawab of Kadapa and Nawab of Kurnool, Nawab of Arcot and Nellore, Nawab of Junagar were included.

Battle of Buxar

The Battle of Buxar took place on 22 October 1764, between the combined troops of Mir Qasim, Nawab of Bengal; Shuja-ud-Daula, Nawab of Awadh; Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II; and the British East India Company forces led by Hector Munro. The battle of Buxar, which took place on the Ganges river banks and was then part of the Bengali dominion, was a crucial victory for the British East India Company.

Diwani Rights

Soon after the Battle of Buxar, Shah Alam II, a defeated British subject, sought protection from the British by signing the Treaty of Allahabad in 1765. Shah Alam II was obliged to award the British East India Business the Diwani (right to collect income) of Bengal (which encompassed Bihar and Odisha) to exchange for a 2.6-million-rupee annual tribute be paid by the company from the collected money. The company's tax-exempt status was also reinstated. The British East India Company also secured the districts of Kora and Allahabad, allowing them to collect taxes from over 20 million people. After that the East India Company became the Imperial tax collector in Bengal, a former Mughal territory (Bihar and Odisha). The East India Company nominated Nawab Muhammad Reza Khan as a deputy to collect revenue on the company's behalf.

Absence from Delhi

The stipulations of the pact Shah Alam II had signed with the British were the reason for his absence from Delhi. However, the Emperor's son and apparent heir, Prince Mirza Jawan Bakht and Najib-ul-Daula represented him in Delhi for the following 12 years.

The Bengal Famine of 1770 was a major disaster that brought the Mughal Empire to an end and chaos to the Indian Subcontinent. By the time the famine struck, it was evident that the Mughal Empire had lost its status as a major political force, not just in the outside globe but also in South Asia.

For six years, Shah Alam II lived at Allahabad's fort. In 1774, Warren Hastings, the leader of the East India Company, was named the first Governor of Bengal. This was the period of "Dual Rule," in which the East India Company drafted rules to maximise revenue collection. At the same time, the Mughal Emperor's nominated Nawab took care of the province's other concerns. The East India Company later stopped paying the 2.6-million-rupee tribute and gave the Nawab of Awadh the districts of Allahabad and Kora. These actions amounted to a rejection of the company's vassalage to the Emperor in the capacity of Diwan (tax collector). In 1793, the East India Company became powerful enough to destroy Nizamat (local rule) and annexe Bengal entirely. Weakened Shah Alam II consented to seek advice from the East India Company, which warned him against trusting the Marathas. The Marathas, led by Mahadaji Shinde, returned to northern India in 1771 and even seized Delhi. Shah Alam II, escorted by Mahadaji Shinde, departed Allahabad in May 1771 and arrived in Delhi in January 1772. They joined up with the Marathas to conquer Rohilkhand's crown territories, defeating Zabita Khan and conquering Pathargarh's fort and its treasure. Under the guard of the Maratha general Mahadaji Shinde, the Emperor reclaimed the throne in Delhi in 1772. The Emperor became a customer of the Maratha, whose Peshwa demanded tribute, which the Moguls allegedly paid to prevent further confrontation with the Confederacy. Vijay Singh's delegation from Jodhpur presented themselves to Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II in 1787, offering obeisance and the golden key to the Ajmer Fortress. A Maratha force permanently invaded Delhi in 1788 after killing Ghulam Qadir and reinstating Shah Alam II to the throne and governed north India for the next two decades until the British East India Company usurped them the Second Anglo-Maratha War.

Reformation of the Mughal Military

One of his first activities was strengthening and raising a new Mughal army under Mirza Najaf Khan's command. This new army was made up of foot soldiers who were adept at using Flintlocks and Talwars in combat formations and elephants for transportation and reduced reliance on artillery and cavalry. Through his partnership with Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal, Mirza Najaf Khan is also credited with introducing the more effective Firelock muskets.

Jat Victories

In retaliation for Aurangzeb's religious oppression, the Jats rose. The Jat kingdom of Bharatpur fought multiple wars against Mughal Delhi and conducted numerous expeditions in the Mughal territory, especially Agra, in the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1757, the Mughals were beaten by the Marathas, and the Jats commanded by Suraj Mal annexed Mughal lands and territories. The Jats besieged Agra in 1761, and after 20 days, on 12 June 1761, the Mughal soldiers in Agra surrendered to the Jats. Suraj Mal carried off and melted down the two large silver doors to the entry of the famous Taj Mahal, which were stolen and carried away by Jats in 1764. Jawahar Singh, Suraj Mal's son, expanded Jat supremacy in Northern India by capturing the territories of Doab, Ballabgarh, and Agra. From 1761 until 1774 CE, the Jats controlled Agra fort and another territory closer to Delhi.

Sikh Victories

After the Mughals beheaded the Sikh Guru - Guru Teg Bahadur - the Sikhs waged a never-ending fight against Mughal bigotry. Simmering Sikhs surged once more in 1764, overrunning the Mughal Faujdar of Sirhind, Zain Khan Sirhindi, killed in combat. The Sikhs have invaded and taken bounties from regions as far as Delhi almost every year after that. In 11 years, they invaded, won, and demanded compensation from Delhi eighteen times, including 1772, 1778, and the Battle of Delhi (1783). It is also thought that the Sikhs had informants, most likely the Viziers of Shah Alam II. The Sikhs were fighting to reclaim their ancient homeland in eastern Punjab and invading the Rohilla, Mewar, and Jat areas. The Sikhs fought the Mughals and the Marathas, Rajputs, and Rohillas during Shah Alam II's reign. Before Shah Alam II arrived, the Marathas conquered Delhi in 1772. Mirza Najaf Khan had brought order to the Mughal finances and administration and had reformed the Mughal army in particular. Mirza Najaf Khan beat Zabita Khan's soldiers and resisted the Sikhs when they halted their incursions in 1777. After a Sikh assault into Delhi in 1778, Shah Alam ordered their defeat by appointing Majad-ud-Daula, the Mughal Grand Vizier, who marched with 20,000 Mughal troops into enemy territory against the Sikh army. As a result of the Mughal Army's defeat at Muzzaffargarh and then at Ghanaur, Shah Alam II reappointed Mirza Najaf Khan, who died of natural causes shortly after the Mughal Empire weaker than ever. In 1779, Mirza Najaf Khan led his army to a decisive victory over the traitorous Zabita Khan and his Sikh allies. They lost almost 5,000 men in a single battle and never threatened the Mughal Empire again throughout commander Mirza Najaf Khan's lifetime. As Prime Minister, Najaf Khan agreed to grant the Sikhs independent powers. Farzana Zeb un-Nissa protected Delhi from a threatened attack by 30,000 Sikh forces led by Baghel Singh, Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, and Jassa Singh Ahluwalia in the year 1783. The Mughal Empire had crumbled to the point where Shah Alam II was left with only the city of Delhi to rule. Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and Baghel Singh besieged the city in 1781. At Baghel Singh's request, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia sat on the Mughal throne after entering Red Fort and was given the title of Badshah Singh. Begum Samru pleaded with Baghel Singh to spare Shah Alam II. Baghel Singh agreed and detailed his demands, including that 30000 of his warriors remain in Delhi and that the Mughal Empire pay for their upkeep. Other requests included the construction of at least 5 Gurdwaras and a 13.5 percent annual tax payment. Shah Alam II signed a written commitment to meet the demands. Mahadji Shinde was awarded the regency with the stipulation that he would pay the Sikhs 1/3 of the revenue annually because the Sikhs refused to recognise the Mughal court's authority due to politics. The Rohilla chief Zabita Khan forged an agreement with the Sikhs and became their puppet. To demonstrate his dedication to Sikhs, he sought to be baptised in to Sikhism. Zabita Khan was given the Sikh name Dharam Singh after being baptised by Baghel Singh. In August 1786, the Rohilla chief invaded Delhi, terrorising Shah Alam II and blinding him. The Sikhs were outraged at Zabita Khan's betrayal, and he was disowned, leaving him without allies. The Marathas apprehended and executed Zabita Khan for the crimes he committed in the city. In 1799, Ranjit Singh gathered all of the Sikh Misls to build the Sikh Empire.

Majad-ud-Daula was detained on Shah Alam II's orders after the defeats at Muzaffargarh and afterwards at Ghanaur. Shah Alam II then returned Mirza Najaf Khan. The former Grand Vizier was arrested for generating miscalculations and working with the Emperor's opponents due to this. The traitor was imprisoned, and he was found guilty of stealing two million dams in revenue. Shah Alam II's poor judgment and uncertainty were the cause of his demise. Mirza Najaf Khan had provided the Mughal Empire breathing room by commanding his own large and well-managed army. The freshly reconstituted Mughal Army beat Zabita Khan and his Sikh allies decisively in 1779; the rebels lost 5,000 soldiers, including their leader, and did not return during Mirza Najaf Khan's lifetime. Unfortunately, Shah Alam's ill judgment won out after the general died. Mirza Shafi, the dead man's nephew, whose heroism had been demonstrated on numerous occasions, was not chosen commander in chief. Instead, Shah Alam II picked worthless men whose devotion and track record was dubious at best. They were soon arguing about trivial topics. Even the corrupt and treacherous former Grand Vizier, Majad-ud-Daula, was returned to his original position; nevertheless, he later conspired with the Sikhs to decrease the Mughal Army from over 20,000 to only 5,000, leaving Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II at the mercy of his ruffians.