Third-Longest-Serving

Shah Alam II, less celebrated than his ancestors, was an emperor in title more than in power during the Mughal Empire's decline

[{"selector":"#anim-ebacd97a-adc1-4e77-9656-2d92f6bdfcfa","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4ee2975a-3372-48a9-a910-ec61049a23ca","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.2381%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Post-Aurangzeb, the Mughal Empire crumbled, facing rapid changes in rulers and a weakening central authority

[{"selector":"#anim-6ea27509-bbb4-4223-a918-8f39f845e5b4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3bd8060f-88fa-4fa8-9ed9-db58aec832e5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.55555%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Despite nominal power, Shah Alam II clung to his throne for nearly 46 years, the third-longest reign in Mughal history

[{"selector":"#anim-661dbdd2-2498-4241-b27a-9fdb09539e12","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-092f9164-fd06-4dc9-b95b-76d9b13c4885","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 140.29734%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6f609927-0955-425c-aa48-a7af9324eb65 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(50.914908123110195%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

Born Ali Gohar in 1728, Shah Alam II's early life in semi-captivity shaped his tumultuous future reign

[{"selector":"#anim-416988b6-1d9e-45a2-8aed-8056f29af520","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f9449741-6c7d-45d5-a949-c62095f0975b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -475.50853%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e3e78161-13d5-4907-8db2-4d4420f7aa60 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(27.055663911809734%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

Elevated to power during a time of invasion and internal strife, Shah Alam II's rule began under dire circumstances

[{"selector":"#anim-8a38d5ea-c883-440a-a21b-1c23ffcd50d0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6bca8e32-d1c8-4dd8-9be0-42c81026c7e7","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-29333013-d118-4470-94a8-e41954de0030 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(37.26547814178349%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

Ali Gohar, now Shah Alam II, became emperor with external aid, his authority limited by stronger forces at play

[{"selector":"#anim-f523ea41-6237-4087-8bea-16ba51e29b46","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ca755fd2-a50e-422a-becd-148d7db703f3","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b967bd04-6e8b-424d-964b-6cd17fb57023 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(32.01189734937606%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

It took Shah Alam II over a decade to return to Delhi, his reign marked by dependency on Maratha and later British support

[{"selector":"#anim-2da88742-cc9f-41d0-b206-d6aefb47d925 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-41.169860323828864%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a9c88001-05aa-4810-ab72-6bb07972720d","keyframes":[{"offset":0,"transform":"translate3d(0, -379.33832%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.29,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.45,"transform":"translate3d(0, -106.669935584%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.61,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.71,"transform":"translate3d(0, -36.264743392%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.8,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.85,"transform":"translate3d(0, -13.618245688%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.92,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.96,"transform":"translate3d(0, -5.917677792%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":1,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"}],"delay":0,"duration":600,"fill":"both"}]

Shah Alam II's brief defiance against the British with allies ended in defeat, diminishing Mughal sovereignty further

[{"selector":"#anim-5fc45dd0-5c79-4a01-973e-958c7e98ba2b","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

By his second term, Shah Alam II's rule was a mere shadow, confined to Delhi under the shadow of foreign powers

[{"selector":"#anim-79b5f4bb-1c22-4c46-935b-a547b264b961","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.23810%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-412e1645-ddb1-4cd9-86da-7b13bbbfd3bb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-84d1d5c2-99ec-4ed1-8e79-5cedd9d4f52c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Shah Alam II's death in 1806 marked the end of the Mughal Empire's political relevance in India, a once-mighty realm reduced to memories

[{"selector":"#anim-dcf96c63-d6e9-4518-95e2-f144f0c0f952","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.23810%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0ef90e9f-8f2b-417a-b281-d363e569c875","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1cabcbc0-d6a6-4498-9506-4205eb413892","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Other stories

[{"selector":"#anim-bbaac1b9-8059-48e2-bdc0-ee977ad25208","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c65010bd-34df-4e26-a7fc-40a5354693e7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-140.00002%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bb3d6cc9-0ae6-4d5f-bdc4-7899983834bf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e4b92dad-2f98-4990-a012-e05460b1000d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-142.73503%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-68e302a2-c061-4866-9f6a-0cbab2b49118","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c49ff053-d71d-4024-b21b-ca557ad71ba9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(157.50003%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ab46553a-cf90-4ec4-9f8a-168cbc767c45","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-339f789f-c315-4daa-bd65-881ad0ab1f57","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-755eeb8c-2e23-4c0c-bfe0-13fc5e9dc597","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dd9efe1c-8303-49b2-85bb-f23df9893cf0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2108b53f-b3be-4be0-a1b5-a33375c05719","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-293.33336%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d5865c47-35db-4af2-92e5-33950d67b1ed","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6b6ac7d0-ff65-49b3-83c8-e88b273bc502","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b6b5ae9b-e166-4925-aa15-9fee99e86713","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-77083ee1-67bb-4949-90fc-1aeb885a9f76","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-945bb0a6-d60d-4076-bcad-5a978d679f20","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-282.11381%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c2cbb381-b4a6-46ac-b3d9-7014697232e4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f379c300-eb9f-47d7-983f-b58fe11e2c7c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-147.86729%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] See More See More Read Next Story

Third-Longest-Serving

Lesser-known

Mughal Ruler

but the

monarch in the dynasty