Early Life

Bahadur Shah II, born as Mirza Abu Zafar Siraj-ud-din Muhammad, was born on 24 October 1775 in Delhi, Mughal Empire (present-day India).

Reign

Bahadur Shah II ascended to the Mughal throne in 1837 after the death of his father, Akbar Shah II.

His reign marked the last period of the Mughal Empire, which had already declined significantly due to British colonial expansion in India.

He was largely a figurehead ruler under the British East India Company's control, with his authority limited to the Red Fort in Delhi.

Indian Rebellion of 1857

Bahadur Shah II was reluctantly drawn into the Indian Rebellion of 1857, also known as the Sepoy Mutiny or the First War of Independence.

He was declared the Emperor of India by the rebels and played a symbolic role in the uprising, but ultimately, the rebellion was suppressed by the British.

Death and Legacy

After the failure of the rebellion, Bahadur Shah II was captured by the British and exiled to Rangoon, Burma (now Yangon, Myanmar), where he died on 7 November 1862.

Despite his limited political influence, Bahadur Shah II is remembered as a symbol of resistance against British rule and the end of the Mughal Empire.