Bahadur Shah II: last ruler of the Mughal Empire

Bahadur Shah II became the last padishah of the Mughal Empire. During its period of power, the state occupied most of the Indian subcontinent. Among the great emperors of this dynasty, the most famous are Babur, Akbar, and Shah Jahan. It was during the reign of Shah Jahan that the majestic Taj Mahal was built. By the time of the hero's accession, the country was in a state of fragmentation and under the control of the English East India company. The ruler took over the country in 1837, after his father, the previous padishah. For a significant part of his life, he had no influence on political life, was deprived of real power, and lived on the money paid to him by the East India company. Bahadur Shah II spent all his time with concubines, composing poems, communicating with poets and musicians.

However, when the padishah was 82 years old, he still played a role in the popular uprising that broke out in India in 1857-1858. Local sepoy soldiers, hired by European colonizers, rebelled, captured Delhi and forced the padishah to sign a document in which the ruler declared the restoration of Imperial power. The old man formally led the anti-English resistance, and his sons took important positions in the rebel army. As before, Bahadur Shah II had no real power.

When the uprising was suppressed, the padishah testified that all the documents he signed were drawn up on the orders of the sepoys. In 1857, Bahadur Shah II was captured, and the British declared the elimination of the Mughal Empire. In 1862, the padishah died, and the place where he was buried was kept secret by the British for a long time, until the burial was discovered in 1991.