Notes on the Political life of Rafi-ud-Darajat, Rafi-ud-Daula & Muhammad Shah

Rafi-ud-Darajat (1719)

The Sayyid Brothers put Rafi-ud-Darajat on the throne on 28 February, 1719. Although he was a Youngman of 20 at the time of his accession to the throne, he was suffering from consumption. He was deposed on 4 June, 1719 and he died a few days after.

Rafi-ud-Daula alias Shah Jahan II (1719)

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The new king Rafi-ud-Daula was the elder brother of Rafi-ud-Darajat. He was also suffering from consumption. He ruled from June to September 1719 and died on 17 September, 1719.

Muhammad Shah (1719-18)

After the death of Rafi-ud-Daula, Muhammad Shah was put on the throne by the Sayyid Brothers. Although he owed his throne to the Sayyid Brothers, he tried to dispose them of and he actually succeeded in doing so in 1722.

Muhammad Shah resented the authority of the Sayyid Brothers. The Leaders of the Turani Faction, Nizam-ul-Mulk, Governor of the Deccan, Mir Muhammad Amin Khan, Head of the Mughal Soldiery and his cousin Abdus Samad Khan, Governor of Lahore, as well as the Chiefs of the Irani Factors were tired of the Sayyids and they decided to destory them. On receiving the reports, the Sayyids took steps to deprive them of their offices, but the troops against Nizam- ul-Mulk were defeated and their commander was killed.

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Taking Muhammad Shah with him, Hussain Ali proceeded in person to curb Nizam-ul-Mulk. Muhammad Amin Khan who accompanied Hussain Ali as his second Bakshi, hatched a plot to murder Hussain Ali. After the army had left Fatehpur Sikri, the plot was carried out and Hussain Ali was murdered in 1720.

His brother, Abdullah, was infuriated. In order to take revenge for the death of his brother, he decided to depose Muhammad Shah and challenged him to battle. However, he was defeated on 13 November, 1720 near Agra and made a prisoner. Two years later, he was poisoned to death.