Shah Alam II



Shah Alam II (25 June 1728 – 19 November 1806), also known as Ali Gauhar, was the eighteenth Mughal Emperor. A son of the Alamgir II, he escaped to Allahabad in December 1759 and later successfully defended the throne from the traitorous Imad-ul-Mulk, who appointed Shah Jahan III as the emperor. Later, he was nominated as the emperor by his loyal ally Ahmad Shah Durrani after the Third Battle of Panipat.

The Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II, was blinded in the year 1788, by the renegade eunuch Ghulam Qadir.

Quote

 * Shah Alam II once remarked: "In reality, various kinds of unbecoming things do happen in my reign, and the people of God loudly say: In the reign of this blind king we suffer from atrocities'. How then do I desrve to be called a king".


 * Shah Alam II once remarked: None could dare to see the combat either of the camels or of the elephants among the Hindu chiefs. The sole exception was made in the case of Raja Jai Singh Sawai, who was permitted by Mohammad Shah after taking from huge amount as tribute.


 * "Bravery is better than magnanimity".

Quotes about Shah Alam II

 * The respect toward the house of Timur is so strong that even though the whole subcontinent has been withdrawn from its authority, that no ordinary prince ever intends to take the title of sovereign...and Shah Alam II is still seated on the Mughal throne, and everything is still done in his name.
 * Benoît de Boigne, 1790.