Delhi rises: Bahadur Shah Zafar proclaimed
· Delhi, Delhi
The sepoys made the aged Mughal emperor the revolt's symbolic leader.
Key points for UPSC
- Sepoys from Meerut reached Delhi on 11 May 1857 and proclaimed Bahadur Shah II (Zafar) Emperor of Hindustan.
- The Mughal name gave the revolt a symbol of legitimacy that Hindus and Muslims both accepted.
- Real military command in Delhi later passed to General Bakht Khan, who came with sepoys from Bareilly.
Who was involved
- Bahadur Shah Zafar · proclaimed Emperor of Hindustan
Test yourself
1. Who led the rebel army in Delhi in 1857?
- (a) General Bakht Khan
- (b) Tantia Tope
- (c) Kunwar Singh
- (d) Nana Saheb
Show answer
(a) General Bakht Khan. Bakht Khan, who arrived from Bareilly, commanded the rebel forces in Delhi.
2. Why did the sepoys turn to Bahadur Shah Zafar?
- (a) The Mughal name gave the revolt a shared symbol of legitimacy
- (b) He commanded the largest army
- (c) He had planned the revolt for years
- (d) The British had appointed him
Show answer
(a) The Mughal name gave the revolt a shared symbol of legitimacy. The emperor's name united rebels across regions and faiths.
3. Bahadur Shah Zafar was finally exiled to:
- (a) Rangoon
- (b) Andaman Islands
- (c) Mandalay
- (d) Aden
Show answer
(a) Rangoon. After the revolt he was tried and exiled to Rangoon, where he died in 1862.