What impact did vagaries shah zafar have on the rebellion, mainly on the people and the princes?
Answers
Though the rebels were determined to bring the East India Company’s rule in country to an end, they were faced with the question as to who would rule the land once the space of power fell vacant. The answer to this question lay in Red Fort, in Delhi. That was where the aging Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar had been residing. After the death of Aurangzeb, the Mughal dynasty had declined and many smaller power centres had begun asserting their authority. Yet, the word of the Mughal king still held force for quite a number of ruling families. Threatened by the expansion of the British rule, many of them felt that if the Mughal emperor could rule again, they too would be able to rule their own territories once more. When the rebel forces reached Red Fort, Bahadur Shah was reluctant at first to take on the might of the British. However, he had to give in, and was thus proclaimed their leader. Having this symbolic head inspired the rebels to fight the British with renewed confidence, hope and courage. The emperor wrote letters to the various chiefs and rulers of the country to come forward and organise a confederacy of Indian states to fight the British. In consequence of this action, the rebellion spread. The leadership of the Mughal emperor seemed to provide legitimacy to it. Regiment after regiment mutinied, and joined the rebel troops at Delhi, Kanpur and Lucknow. After them, the people of various Indian towns and villages also rose up in rebellion and rallied around local leaders, zamindars and chiefs. This not only strengthened the rebel forces, but also gave a national character to the rebellion.