Bidar Bakht

Muhammad Bidar Bakht (4 August 1670 – 8 June 1707) was a Mughal prince as the eldest son of Muhammad Azam Shah, who briefly became Mughal Emperor in 1707, and his wife Jahanzeb Banu Begum.

He is notable for being a gallant, skillful and an ever successful general, and was thus, regarded as the most able Mughal prince in his time. He was also his grandfather, Emperor Aurangzeb's favourite grandson.

Muhammad Bidar Bakht was born on 4 August 1670 to Prince Muhammad Azam and his beloved wife, Jahanzeb "Jani" Banu Begum. He was named 'Bidar Bakht' by Emperor Aurangzeb, his paternal grandfather. Bidar's mother, Jahanzeb Begum, was a Mughal princess and was a daughter of Crown Prince Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of his great-grandfather, Emperor Shah Jahan.

Aurangzeb, throughout his life, showed marks of exceptional love to Azam and Jahanzeb, and to Prince Bidar Bakht, who was a gallant, discreet and ever successful general, on all three of whom he used to constantly lavish gifts. Bidar Bakht was his grandfather's favourite grandson.

Marriage

At the age of sixteen, Bidar Bakht married Shams-un-Nisa (surnamed Puti Begum), the daughter of Qamr-ud-din (titled Mukhtar Khan) on 3 December 1686 . She belonged to the Ben-i-Mukhtar family which enjoyed the greatest respect among Muslims. Bidar had always showed the greatest affection and favour to Shams-un-Nisa, who seems to have been proud and imperious. Shams-un-Nisa gave birth to Bidar's son, Shahzada Firuz Bakht on 23 August 1695.

In 1688, the Emperor sent his favourite grandson, the 17-year-old, Prince Bidar Bakht, to assume the supreme command in the Jat War. Bishan Singh Kachhawa, the new Raja of Amber (Jaipur), was appointed as commandant of Muttra with a special charge to root out the Jats. Bidar Bakht infused great vigour into the Mughal operations. The Prince laid siege to Fort Sinsani; his troops underwent great hardships from the scarcity of provisions and water; at last they fired a mine, stormed the breach and captured the fort after three hours of obstinate fighting, the Mughals losing 900 men and the Jats 1500. As a result of these operations, the Jat leaders went into hiding and the district enjoyed peace for some years.

In 1699, the Emperor sent urgent orders to Prince Bidar Bakht to pursue and defeat the hostile force of Chhatrapati Rajaram at Surat, which was within the imperial territory. The Prince who had arrived at a place 20 miles west of Miraj, on his way to Panhala, immediately turned aside and leaving his family and baggage in Miraj, rapidly advanced on the enemy's track. Four miles beyond the fort of Parenda, Bidar Bakht, came upon the Marathas. Rajaram himself stopped in safety 8 miles further east, while he sent back his generals under Dhanaji Jadhav to check the Prince's advance. After a bloody fight, the Maratha's were broken and driven towards Ahmednagar (13 or 14 November). Two days later, the Prince was joined by Chin Qalich Khan at Barsi, (20 miles east of Parenda) and resuming the pursuit Ausa about the 22nd or 23rd.

Malwa: 1704–1706

Bidar was appointed Viceroy of Malwa on 3 August 1704 by his grandfather, Emperor Aurangzeb. The Prince had proved himself a brave and skillful general. He was already the viceroy of Aurangabad and continued to hold that position even with his new appointment. His governorship of nineteen months in Malwa was full of activity for the Prince. He had to shift from Malwa to Khandesh or vice versa as the situation demanded regarding the treasures which reached Agra from the Northern provinces. Bidar had to put down the local troubles of Bhils and Kolis of Nemad and other districts in Malwa and those adjoining it in the south. These risings were outcome of the Maratha invasion of the previous year. The Bhils caused disturbances on the north-western frontiers also and built the fort Gagron. After the fear of another invasion by Nima had disappeared, the Prince had to go to Malwa to escort the treasure, when he fell ill (December 1703 - January 1705). At this time he appointed Jai Singh II of Amber, his trusted assistant, to escort the treasures and also to act as his deputy in Malwa.

The Emperor objected to this appointment, ordered the Prince to recall Jai Singh, appointed Khan Alam instead and, for future guidance, ordered that no Rajput was to be appointed subahdar or faujdar. Bidar Bakht was ordered at this time to go down to Sansani, (a fort near Bharatpur) which had recently been taken by the Jats, and to recapture it. The Prince did intend to comply, but due to his illness and other engagements in Malwa, he could not proceed to Sansani. In the rains of the year 1705, the Prince had to stay in Malwa. During the closing months of 1705, Bidar Bakht's task was lightened. The provinces of Aurangabad and Khandesh were taken away from his charge and were entrusted to his father, Prince Azam, who was now on his way back from Gujarat.

Bidar Bakht continued to be on active service against the Marathas even in Khandesh. He had gone to Malwa in November, 1705 to investigate and set right, the complaints in Malwa against some of the assistants of Jai Singh. In the meanwhile, as Prince Azam, left Gujarat on 25 November 1705, and was proceeding to the Emperor through Malwa, Bidar went to Dhar to meet his father. The Emperor was angry with Bidar for not having returned to Burhanpur to hunt for the Marathas. The Prince had to move down to Nolai (Badnagar) to meet the Maratha forces sent by Parsu Maratha to help Gopal Singh Chandrawat once again in his revolt. The province of Gujarat was invaded by the Marathas and the Emperor summarily ordered Bidar Bakht to start for Gujarat immediately. The Prince left Malwa in April 1706 for Gujarat.

Gujarat: 1706–1707

In 1706, Bidar was sent to take charge of the province of Gujarat vacated by his father, pending the arrival of the new subhadar Ibrahim Khan from Kashmir (who, however died on the way). Malwa and Khandesh were placed under Khan-i-Alam and Najabat Khan respectively. In 1706 a Maratha incursion into Gujarat was followed by a crushing disaster to the Mughal army at Ratanpur which encouraged all the enemies of the empire. Ajit Singh raised his head in rebellion for the third time. Durgadas again fled the Mughal camp and began to act in concert with him, causing risings in Therad and other places. But, Bidar, sent a force against Durgadas who now fled to the broken Koli country, south of Surat.

He was killed in June, 1707, during the Battle of Jajau near Agra along with his father, Azam and his three brothers jawan bakht,sikandar shah,Ali tabar others were later executed he buried to humayun tomb at Delhi.