Akbar II was India's nineteenth Mughal emperor, also known as Akbar Shah II. From 1806 to 1837, he ruled. He was Shah Alam II's second son and the father of Bahadur Shah II. The Hindu–Muslim unification celebration Phool Walon Ki Sair is ascribed to Akbar II. At Mehrauli, his burial is located near to the dargah of 13th-century Sufi saint Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki. This article will explain to you about Akbar II (1806-1837) which will be helpful in Modern Indian History preparation for the UPSC Civil service exam.

Akbar II - Early Life

• Akbar II, born on 22 April 1760, and also known as Akbar Shah II, held the position of the nineteenth Mughal emperor from 1806 to 1837.
• He was the second son of Shah Alam II and played a significant role in the Mughal dynasty.  His son, Bahadur Shah II, succeeded him and marked the end of the Mughal rule, becoming the last Mughal emperor.
• Despite this, Akbar II discreetly established his power through the continued ceremonial and courtly traditions of his forefathers, and was still respected by his followers well beyond the city gates.
• Following the death of his elder brother, the prince was appointed Crown Prince with the title of Wali Ahd Bahadur on 2 May 1781 at the Red Fort. He was named viceroy of Delhi in 1782 and served till 1799.
• When the Rohilla chieftain Ghulam Qadir took Delhi in 1788, the young Prince Mirza Akbar was compelled to perform the nautch dance alongside other Mughal princes and princesses.
• He saw how members of the imperial Mughal family were humiliated and starved.
• When Shah Jahan IV fled, Mirza Akbar assumed the title of Akbar Shah II and remained acting emperor until January 1789, even after the restoration of his father, Shah Alam II.
• Akbar II's reign spanned a crucial period in Indian history, witnessing the decline and eventual dissolution of the once-mighty Mughal Empire. He passed away on 28 September 1837.

Akbar II - Reign

• Emperor Akbar II ruled over a nominally vast realm but was really constrained to the Red Fort in Delhi.
• During his rule, the cultural life of Delhi as a whole blossomed.
• However, his treatment of East India Company officials, particularly Lord Hastings, to whom he refused to give an audience on terms other than subject and sovereign, although honourable to him
• Which irritated the British, who saw him as just their pensioner.
• As a result, the British lowered his nominal power to 'King of Delhi' in 1835, and the East India Company stopped to operate as the Mughal Empire's simple lieutenants, as it had done from 1803 to 1835.
• Simultaneously, Persian writing was changed with English text on the company's coins, which no longer featured the emperor's name.
• The British urged the Nawab of Oudh and the Nizam of Hyderabad to accept royal titles in order to reduce the Emperor's position and power even more. The Nizam did not do so out of reverence, but the Nawab of Awadh did.
• Akbar II is also claimed to have given the title of Nawab to the Nawab of Tonk and the Nawab of Jaora.
• Akbar II appointed the Bengali reformer Ram Mohan Roy to appeal against the East India Company's treatment of him, bestowing the title of Raja on him.
• The Mughal envoy to the Court of St. James, Ram Mohan Roy, then visited England.
• Akbar II's burial, together with those of Bahadur Shah I (Shah Alam I) and Shah Alam II, is located in Mehrauli, Delhi, near to the dargah of the 13th century Sufi saint, Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki.
• The Hindu–Muslim unification celebration Phool Walon Ki Sair was founded by Akbar II.

Phool Walon Ki Sair Celebration

• Phool Walon Ki Sair, which translates as "procession of the florists," is an annual ceremony held by Delhi's flower vendors.
• It is a three-day event that is usually celebrated in September, right after the rainy season in the Mehrauli region.
• It is seen as an example of Delhi's composite culture, which has aided in the city's climate of religious tolerance, and the festival is still celebrated by both Hindus and Muslims today.
• Phool Waalon Ki Sair dates back to 1812, during the reign of Mughal King Akbar Shah II.
• This secular event begins with a procession led by shehnai players and dancers and carrying giant flower fans, pankhas, to Yogmaya Temple, the temple of Devi Jog Maya, and continues through Mehrauli bazar to the dargah of 13th century Sufi saint, Khwaja Bakhtiyar Kaki.
• During this three-day festival, also known as Sair-e-Gul Faroshan, flower dealers pray for a better flower season in the future year by presenting large fans, pankhas, adorned with flowers to both temples.
• The Festival was held even after the 1857 insurrection by the British Deputy Commissioner, who was the top government functionary in Delhi, with the assistance of certain famous residents.
• The British halted the Festival during Mahatma Gandhi's Quit India Movement in 1942 as part of their persecution of the movement.

Ram Mohan Roy

• Ram Mohan Roy was an Indian reformer who helped establish the Brahmo Sabha, the forerunner of the Brahmo Samaj, a social-religious reform movement in the Indian subcontinent.
• Akbar II, the Mughal emperor, bestowed the title of Raja on him.
• His influence was felt in politics, government, education, and religion.
• He was well-known for his attempts to end sati and child marriage. Many historians regard Roy as the "Father of the Bengal Renaissance."
• Roy established the Atmiya Sabha and the Unitarian Community in order to combat social problems and promote social and educational changes in India.
• He was a fighter against superstitions, a forerunner in Indian education, and a trailblazer in Bengali prose and Indian journalism.
• Roy saw education to be a tool for social transformation.
• In 1817, he co-founded the Hindu College in Calcutta with David Hare.
• Roy established the Anglo-Hindu school in 1822, followed four years later (1826) by the Vedanta College, where he pushed that his monotheistic theories be integrated with "modern, western curriculum."
• Ram Mohan Roy's contribution to contemporary Indian history was his restoration of the Vedanta school of philosophy's pure and ethical ideas as described in the Upanishads.
• He taught God's oneness, published early English translations of Vedic literature, co-formed the Calcutta Unitarian Society, and founded the Brahma Samaj.

Conclusion

Due to the general growing British influence in India via the East India Company, Akbar had little de facto control. He sent Ram Mohan Roy to Britain as an ambassador and bestowed the title of Raja upon him. During his reign, the East India Company stopped referring to itself as a subject of the Mughal Emperor and stopped minting coins in his honour in 1835. The Persian lines indicating this on the company's coins were removed.

FAQs

MCQs

1. Who succeeded Akbar II as the Mughal emperor?

A) Bahadur Shah I
B) Bahadur Shah II
C) Shah Alam II
D) Akbar I

2. What major event occurred during Akbar II's reign?

A) First War of Independence
B) Annexation of Punjab
C) Revolt of 1857
D) Second Anglo-Maratha War

3. What characterized Akbar II's rule?

A) Strong military presence
B) Absolute power
C) Puppet ruler under British control
D) Economic prosperity

4. Which of the following was a significant challenge faced by Akbar II?

A) Foreign invasions
B) Internal revolts
C) Increasing British control
D) Natural disasters

5. Akbar II was the last Mughal emperor to have what status?

A) Sovereign ruler
B) Political influence
C) Cultural significance
D) All of the above

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Assess the political and cultural implications of Akbar II’s reign on the Mughal Empire.

Answer: Akbar II’s reign marked a significant decline in the political power of the Mughal Empire, which had been overshadowed by the increasing influence of the British East India Company. Politically, Akbar II lacked the authority to govern effectively and became largely a figurehead under British control. Culturally, however, his reign maintained the Mughal legacy, as he engaged in patronage of art and culture. Despite the empire's decline, Akbar II's symbolic presence served to remind both Indians and the British of the Mughal dynasty’s historical significance.

Q2: Analyze the socio-economic conditions during Akbar II's rule and their impact on Indian society.

Answer: The socio-economic conditions during Akbar II's rule were characterized by increasing poverty and discontent among various social classes. The British policies exacerbated economic difficulties, leading to land dispossession and high taxation. The decline in agricultural productivity and the rise of discontent among peasants set the stage for future revolts. This environment fostered a sense of urgency for reform and independence that would culminate in the Revolt of 1857, revealing the deep-seated frustrations within Indian society.

Q3: Discuss the legacy of Akbar II in the context of the Mughal Empire's transition to British colonial rule.

Answer: The legacy of Akbar II is intertwined with the transition of the Mughal Empire into British colonial rule. As the last effective Mughal emperor, his reign represents the end of an era characterized by imperial grandeur. Although Akbar II lacked political power, his efforts to retain the empire's prestige highlighted the struggle against colonial dominance. His eventual deposition after the Revolt of 1857 symbolized the complete dissolution of Mughal sovereignty, paving the way for a new colonial order that would reshape India’s political landscape for generations to come.

Previous Year Questions on Akbar II

1. UPSC CSE Prelims 2018:

Question: Which Mughal emperor ruled during the early 19th century and saw the rise of British authority?

A) Bahadur Shah I
B) Akbar II
C) Shah Alam II
D) Bahadur Shah II

Answer: (B)

Explanation: Akbar II ruled during the early 19th century, a period marked by the increasing authority of the British in India.

2. UPSC CSE Mains 2019 (GS Paper 1):

Question: "Evaluate the effects of British colonial policies on the Mughal Empire's decline during Akbar II's reign." Discuss the factors leading to the end of Mughal sovereignty.

Answer: British colonial policies significantly contributed to the decline of the Mughal Empire during Akbar II's reign by undermining its political and economic structures. The annexation of territories through policies like the Doctrine of Lapse eroded the power of Indian princely states, which had previously supported the Mughal authority. Economic exploitation and high taxes led to widespread dissatisfaction, fostering unrest among various communities. This environment laid the groundwork for the Revolt of 1857, culminating in the official end of the Mughal Empire and the establishment of direct British rule in India.