Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation
How did the Mughal Emperor Jahandar Shah's reign come to an early end?
Solution & Analysis
Answer: C
Concept
Following the death of Bahadur Shah I, the Mughal Empire entered an era of puppet emperors controlled by powerful noble factions. This period was characterized by frequent civil wars between royal contenders.Explanation
Jahandar Shah’s brief rule (1712–1713) ended after he was defeated at the Battle of Samugarh near Agra. The victor was his nephew, Farrukhsiyar, who had the critical military backing of the powerful Sayyid Brothers (Abdullah Khan and Hussain Ali Khan).Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Farrukhsiyar challenged his uncle's authority and successfully seized the throne in January 1713, marking the beginning of the 'Kingmakers' (Sayyid Brothers) era.
Logic 2: While Jahandar Shah was indeed influenced by his Wazir Zulfiqar Khan, it was a military defeat in battle, not a palace coup by the Wazir, that directly ended his reign.