Rafi Ul-Darjat

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Rafi Ul-Darjat
Emperor of Mughal Empire
Reign	1719
Born	30 November 1699
Dynasty	Timurid

Rafi-ul Darjat, youngest son of Rafi-us-shaan (brother of Azim ush Shan) was the 10th Mughal Emperor. He was born on 30 November 1699, and succeeded Furrukhsiyar on 28 February 1719, being proclaimed Badshah by the Saiyid Brothers.

[edit] Role of the Saiyid Brothers

As Rafi-ul Darajat owed his throne to the Saiyid Brothers they took full advantage of this. They wanted him to be a puppet ruler and so took steps to curtail his power, the previous emperor Furrukhsiyar was deposed by the Saiyids as he had tried to maintain his independence.

On one occasion a warrant of appointment, having been signed by the Emperor, a second was brought to him the next day by the Wazir, giving the appointment to someone else. The emperor asked,"Is this the same village or some other village by the same name?" On being told that it was the same, but this new man was more suitable for the post because he offered more money, the Emperor refused to sign it, saying it was foolish to act this way. He was also slighted by the Saiyid Brothers. Once, Husain Ali Khan sat in his presence without his permission (which was contrary to the royal etiquette). In response, the emperor requested him to take off his (the emperor's) stockings [moza]. Although inwardly boiling, Husain was forced to comply. His younger brother went a step forward, flirting with Inayat Banu, the emperor's wife, saying that he had fallen in love with her "long curling locks." So the former cut her "locks" off, and sent them to her lover.

[edit] Rival claim to throne

The reign of Rafi Ul-Darjat was one of turbulence. On 18 May 1719, less than three months after his own accession, Rafi Ul-Darjat's uncle, Nekusiyar assumed the throne at the Agra Fort as he thought he had more right to the throne than the "new born child".i.e. Rafi Ul-Darjat. (Nekusiyar was twenty years older than the former). The Saiyid Brothers were extremely determined, of course, to defend the emperor they had raised to the throne and punish the offender. In this they easily and swiftly succeeded, and only three months after Nekusiyar's enthronement, the fort surrendered and Nekusiyar was captured. He was respectfully received by the Amir Ul-Umara, and confined at Salimgarh where he died in 1723. Meanwhile, Rafi Ul-Darjat had died. His lungs had failed. When it became clear that he was dying, he requested that his elder brother be raised to the throne, so that he could die a happy man. Accordingly, on 4 June 1719, after a reign of 3 months and four days, he was dethroned and sent to the "haram". Two days later his brother, Rafi Ul-Daulah was enthroned. Thus delighted, Rafi Ul-Darjat died five days later. His remains were interred near the shrine of Khawaja QutubUd-din in Delhi

Preceded by Furrukhsiyar

Mughal Emperor 1719

Succeeded by Rafi Ud-Daulat