End of the Mughals
End of the Mughals
By the mid-nineteenth century, the British were controlling vast tracts of
the Mughal Empire and other principalities through a series of treaties and
alliances. Technically, they still ruled as agents of the Mughal Empire, but
were in practice exercising complete power. In 1853 they denied Nana Sahib
(leader of the Marathas) his titles and pension, while elsewhere they refused
to recognize adopted sons as legal heirs, and assumed power themselves.
The Rani of Jhansi (1835-1858) was among those disillusioned with British
policy in India when, following her husband's death, they refused to recognize
her son as heir.
Under what was called the “Lahore policy,” the British annexed any state
over which they exercised influence if they considered its ruler decadent or if
he did not have an heir whom they were willing to recognize. Between 1848 and
1856 they took over six states, causing considerable unrest. In March 1854, the
British awarded the Rani an annual pension and ordered her to leave the Jhansi
fort. Refusing to leave, she organized a volunteer army to oppose the regular
Sepoy army of the British East India Company, which had British officers
but mainly Indian troops. In 1857 a series of revolts broke out in the Sepoy
army, fueled by rumors that the British intended to flood India with Christian
missionaries and that pork and beef fat was being used to grease the new
Enfield rifle cartridge. On May 10 the sepoys revolted at Meerut. They shortly
captured Delhi and proclaimed Bahadur Shah II the emperor of all India. Agra
was also taken, and the British residents retreated into the Red Fort.
Lucknow also fell and the Rani of Jhansi emerged from the Indian side as one of
the heroes, fighting the British dressed as a man. She was killed on June 18,
1858.
Although Hindus as well as Muslims rebelled against the
British and there was in fact considerable Hindu-Muslim solidarity at this
time, they always blamed what went down in British history as the Indian Mutiny
on Muslims, never really trusting them again. They argued that Muslims could
not be loyal to the British because their allegiance was to a worldwide
Muslim ummah. During the revolt, some Muslims called it a jihad,
implying that they would not submit to non-Muslim rule but had a divine duty to
struggle against infidel authority. The term "mutiny" is hardly
appropriate, since the Mughal emperor was still sovereign and could not
"mutiny" against his own lawful rule. However, Bahadur Shah II was
found guilty of treason and banished to Burma. Queen
Victoria was declared Empress of India, and Britain assumed direct control
of its Indian possessions, winding-up the East India Company. They argued that
Indians were unable to govern themselves properly, and continued their
annexation policy removing "corrupt" Indian princes on a regular
basis. India became the jewel in the British Empire. Technically, the
title "Emperor" as used by British monarchs referred only to India,
but popularly the term "empire" applied to all the British overseas
territories and protectorates. By the early twentieth century, the whole of the
subcontinent, including Sri Lanka, was under British administration,
although many princely states remained theoretically independent.
The Sikhs, who sided with the British, emerged as a valued and trusted
community. For example, in the North West Provinces, where Muslims had been a
dominant social group, before events of 1857-1858, Muslims occupied 72 percent
of official government posts, including legal. By 1886 Muslims held only nine
out of a total of 284 jobs, and it seemed that a long and glorious dynasty came
to an inglorious end.
The Mughal Empire was unprepared to deal with the threat posed by European
intruders. It failed to maintain its military superiority. It imploded from
within, as the emperors spent more time choosing which gorgeous costume to wear
than they did attending to governance. Their predecessors, the Afghan Lodi
Sultans had lost power due to indulgence. They failed to learn the lesson,
and after a positive, prosperous start allowed their empire to deteriorate,
losing its commercial edge and literally eating up its wealth.
A few descendants of the last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, are known
to be living in Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta), and Hyderabad, India.
The majority of direct descendants still carry the clan name Temur (Temuri -
the 'i' at the end indicating the word 'of,' hence Temuri meaning "of
Temur"), with four major branches today: Shokohane-Temur (Shokoh),
Shahane-Temur (Shah), Bakshane-Temur (Baksh) and Salatine-Temur (Sultan).
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