The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty, Delhi 1857 by Willian Dalrymple

The last Mughal is the story of not only ruler but also of people. William Dalrymple has written with a great understanding about the old Mughal Capital (Delhi) and what did the mutiny did to the rulers, people, Englishmen of the city and how it impacted whole of India.

He described Bahadur Shah Zafar who was the last ruler of the Mughal Dynasty and died at the age of 87 merely as a "chessboard King" who cannot do anything according to his own wish but only after getting permission from the British officers. He was denied the right to choose his own heir and was severely banished by the British because of whatever role he played in the mutiny . On the other hand he become a helpless puppet at the hands of rebels & mutiny soldiers. WH Russel Described him during his last days at rangoon as a "dim, wandering eyed, dreamy old man with a feeble hanging nether lip and toothless gums". He has been harassed and disrespected by the rebels who took over his palace, looted the Mughal city , Plundered and burnt houses and made the people of the city distressed, but as helpless as the ruler was he was unable to save the local population.

Willam Dalrymple has shown us what was the charm of the old Mughal city and royal Palace red fort. The city lined up with havelis and was once flourishing in Urdu tehzeeb, art , culture and produced major poets like Ghalib , Azad, Zauq.

Dalrymple has shown us harsh side of both the parts the rebels who were involved in the revolt (mutineers) and the British. The British were harassing the Indian population and the rulers for long and then the mutineers who revolted against the autocracy of the British empire but forgetting the morals and moral grounds, butchering the innocent children and women (in Kanpur). On the other hand the insensitivity of the British to understand Indian Values and tradition and thinking of people like Jennings (who came as a missionary to spread Christianity and convert people) and the governing superiors with only intention to disrespect the values of Indian tradition and to make as much money as possible to sustain themselves later in their own native country, all of his has contributed in mutiny. But who actually suffered the most, is the local population.

Dalrymple has written the account of Indian Mutiny which we had never heard of using the authentic sources from the National Archives of India and Burma's National Archives where he found materials in most advanced versions (PDFs).

From the Charm of the Mughal city, its street life to the Outbreak of Mutiny, riots, slaughter, rape, murders and loot, from regaining the city from the mutineers by the British to the downfall of Mughal dynasty with the exile of Zafar and finally his death in Rangoon (Burma). From the administration and political turmoil of the capital city to the flourishing art & Culture. He has touched every part crucial in the making of a story and history.

The Last Mughal