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 ...

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, t ...

. Shah Jahan II's exact date of birth is not known. He was eighteen months older than his brother Rafi ud-Darajat. 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 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, ...

. His coronation took place at

Diwan-i-Khas Diwan or Divan is a term of Persian origin referring to various types of reception halls. The term occurs in various examples of Islamic architecture, where it can also refer to a government council chamber (related to the '' divan''), as well as ...

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 ...

. He took the title Shah Jahan II (). Just like his younger brother, Shah Jahan II was chosen by the kingmaker Sayyid brothers 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.

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 ''

'' of Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki.

References

Lalith.A.Naidu(2022)535p

Bibliography

* * *

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