Jahandar Shah

Jahandar Shah (10 May 1661 – 12 February 1713) was a Mughal Emperor who ruled for a brief period in 1712–1713, "a worthless debauch, became emperor after liquidating his three brothers." His title was Shahanshah-i-Ghazi Abu'l Fath Mu'izz-ud-Din Muhammad Jahandar Shah Sahib-i-Quran Padshah-i-Jahan (Khuld Aramgah).

Early life

Jahandar Shah was born on 10 May 1664, a son of the emperor Bahadur Shah I. Upon the death of their father on 27 February 1712, he and his brother Azim-ush-Shan both declared themselves emperor and conducted a struggle for the succession. Azim-us-Shan was killed on 17 March 1712 and Jahandar Shah was able to rule for a further eleven months. Before coming to the throne, Jahandar Shah had sailed around the Indian ocean, and had been a very prosperous trader, and was later appointed Subedar of Sindh. He was the father of three sons, including Aziz-ud-Din who reigned as Mughal emperor between 1754 and 1759.

Reign

Jahandar Shah, was very frivolous in lifestyle, his court was enlivened by dancing and entertainment. He chose a favorite wife, Lal Kunwar who was a mere dancing girl before her elevation to the position of Queen Consort. Together they shocked the Mughal Empire and were even opposed by Aurangzeb's surviving daughter Zinat-un-Nissa.