[Solved] Who Succeeded Aurangzeb? Bahadur Shah I (1707)

Who succeeded Aurangzeb in 1707?

[UPPCS Mains 2012]

Detailed Solution & Historical Context

Concept

The death of Aurangzeb in 1707 triggered the beginning of the end for the Mughal Empire. His eldest son emerged victorious from a brief civil war, but faced an empire already in decline.

Authentic Source Evidence

Prince Muazzam, the eldest son of Aurangzeb, ascended the throne in 1707 as Bahadur Shah I (also known as Shah Alam I). He ruled until 1712 and was famously nicknamed Shah-i-Bekhabar (The Heedless King) due to his tendency to grant excessive titles and lands.

Analytical Breakdown

Logic 1: Jahandar Shah and Muhammad Shah were later rulers in the 18th century, and Akbar II ruled in the early 19th century.

Logic 2: Bahadur Shah I attempted a policy of reconciliation with the Marathas and Rajputs to stabilize the fracturing empire.

Conceptual Deep Dive & Logic

"Why was Bahadur Shah I called 'Shah-i-Bekhabar'?"

Historian Khafi Khan gave him this title because he was so busy appeasing different political factions with rewards that he neglected the state's actual administration.

Examiner's Mindset & Pro-Tip

"Bahadur Shah I was the last Mughal emperor who possessed some degree of imperial authority before the throne became a puppet for powerful noble factions."

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