Shah Jahan II (; June 1696 – 19 September 1719), born Rafi-ud-Daulah, was the twelfth
Mughal emperor
The Mughal emperors ( fa, , Pādishāhān) were the supreme heads of state of the Mughal Empire on the Indian subcontinent, mainly corresponding to the modern countries of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The Mughal rulers styled t ...
for a brief period in 1719. After being chosen by the
Sayyid Brothers of Barha, he succeeded his short-lived brother
Rafi-ud-Darajat in that year. Like his brother, he died of tuberculosis and was buried in the ''
dargah
A dargah ( fa, درگاه ''dargâh'' or ''dargah'', Turkish: ''dergâh'', Hindustani: ''dargah'' दरगाह درگاہ, bn, দরগাহ ''dorgah'') is a shrine or tomb built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often ...
'' of
Qutb-ud-Din Bakhtiyar Kaki.
Personal life
Shah Jahan II was born as Rafi ud-Daulah. He was the second son of
Rafi-ush-Shan
Rafi-ul-Qadr (1671 – 29 March 1712), better known by his title, Rafi' ush-Shan Bahadur, was the third son of the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah I.
Life and mughal service
Rafi' ush-Shan Bahadur was born in delhi to Prince Muazzam (later Bahadur S ...
and a grandson of
Bahadur Shah I
Bahadur Shah I (14 October 1643 – 27 February 1712), also known as Muhammad Mu'azzam and Shah Alam I. was the eighth Mughal Emperor who ruled from 1707 until his death in 1712. In his youth, he conspired to overthrow his father Aurangzeb, ...
. Shah Jahan II's exact date of birth is not known. He was eighteen months older than his brother
Rafi ud-Darajat
Rafi ud-Darajat (; 1 December 1699 – 6 June 1719), the youngest son of Rafi-ush-Shan and the nephew of Azim-ush-Shan, was the eleventh Mughal Emperor. He was placed on the throne by the Sayyid Brothers of Barha, after they had executed the ...
. Whether he married or not, whether he had any child or not is also unknown.
Reign
Shah Jahan II ascended the throne on 6 June 1719 after the death of his younger brother
Rafi ud-Darajat
Rafi ud-Darajat (; 1 December 1699 – 6 June 1719), the youngest son of Rafi-ush-Shan and the nephew of Azim-ush-Shan, was the eleventh Mughal Emperor. He was placed on the throne by the Sayyid Brothers of Barha, after they had executed the ...
due to
tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in w ...
. His coronation took place at
Diwan-i-Khas of the
Red Fort
The Red Fort or Lal Qila () is a historic fort in Old Delhi, Delhi in India that served as the main residence of the Mughal Emperors. Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned construction of the Red Fort on 12 May 1638, when he decided to shift hi ...
. He took the title Shah Jahan II ().
Just like his younger brother, Shah Jahan II was chosen by the kingmaker
Sayyid brothers
The term Sayyid brothers refers to Abdullah Khan and Syed Husain Ali Khan, who were powerful in the Mughal Empire during the early 18th century.
They were Indian Muslims who claimed to belong to the family of Sayyids or the descendants of t ...
and wielded no power in practicality. His name was read in the khutbah for the first time on 13 June. His first appearance at the Diwan-i-Aam was on 11 June. Without the presence of one of the Sayyid brothers, he was not allowed to meet any noble or to attend the ''
jummah
In Islam, Friday prayer or Congregational prayer ( ar, صَلَاة ٱلْجُمُعَة, ') is a prayer ('' ṣalāt'') that Muslims hold every Friday, after noon instead of the Zuhr prayer. Muslims ordinarily pray five times each day according ...
.
Death
Shah Jahan II suffered from tuberculosis just like his younger brother. He was physically and mentally unfit to perform the duties of a ruler. He died on 17 September 1719 at Bidyapur. He was buried beside Rafi ud-Darajat at the ''
dargah
A dargah ( fa, درگاه ''dargâh'' or ''dargah'', Turkish: ''dergâh'', Hindustani: ''dargah'' दरगाह درگاہ, bn, দরগাহ ''dorgah'') is a shrine or tomb built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often ...
'' of
Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki
''Quṭb al-Aqṭāb'' Khwājā Sayyid Muḥammad Bakhtiyār al-Ḥusaynī, Quṭb al-Dīn Bakhtiyār Kākī ( ur, ) (born 1173 – died 1235) was a Muslim Sufi mystic, saint and scholar of the Chishti Order from Delhi, India. He was the d ...
.
References
Lalith.A.Naidu(2022)535p
Bibliography
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External links
Mughal dynasty genealogy
{{Mughal Empire
1690s births
1719 deaths
Mughal emperors
Murdered Indian monarchs
18th-century murdered monarchs
1719 murders in Asia
18th-century murders in India