The last Mughal emperor was Bahadur Shah Zafar. He was born on October 24, 1775, and reigned from 1837 until 1857. Bahadur Shah Zafar was the son of Akbar Shah II and belonged to the Timurid dynasty. He was the nineteenth and last emperor of the Mughal Empire.

Background and Early Life
- Bahadur Shah Zafar was born in Delhi, which was the capital of the Mughal Empire at that time.
- His father, Akbar Shah II, was the ruler of the Mughal Empire, but his power was limited due to the growing influence of the British East India Company.
- Zafar received a good education in Persian and Arabic literature, as well as in various other subjects. He was also a skilled calligrapher and poet.

Reign as Emperor
- Bahadur Shah Zafar became the emperor after his father's death in 1837. However, by this time, the Mughal Empire had lost much of its territory to the British.
- Zafar's reign was largely symbolic, with the British East India Company holding the real power in India.
- Despite this, he continued to be recognized as the emperor and was respected by many people for his intellectual and artistic abilities.
- Zafar was known for his patronage of poets, artists, and scholars, and his court became a center of culture and learning.

Revolt of 1857 and Exile
- In 1857, a widespread rebellion broke out against British rule in India. This rebellion, known as the Indian Rebellion of 1857 or the Sepoy Mutiny, aimed to overthrow British rule and restore power to the Mughal emperor.
- Bahadur Shah Zafar reluctantly joined the rebellion, but it was eventually suppressed by the British.
- Zafar was captured and exiled to Rangoon (now Yangon) in Burma (now Myanmar), along with his wife and some of his sons.
- He lived in exile for the rest of his life and died on November 7, 1862, in Rangoon at the age of 87.

Legacy
- Bahadur Shah Zafar is remembered as the last symbol of Mughal authority in India.
- His poetry, especially his Urdu ghazals, continues to be widely read and appreciated. He is considered one of the greatest Urdu poets of all time.
- Zafar's grave is located in Rangoon, and his poetry serves as a reminder of the rich cultural heritage of the Mughal Empire.