Sultan Muhammed Shah, Aga Khan III, PC, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, GCVO (November 2, 1877 – July 11, 1957) was the 48th Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims. He was one of the founders and the first president of the All-India Muslim League, and served as President of the League of Nations from 1937-38. He was nominated to represent India to the League of Nations in 1932. He was instrumental in the creation of Pakistan.

Early life

He was born in Karachi (then under British colonial rule), to Aga Khan II and his third wife, Nawab A'lia Shamsul-Muluk, who was a granddaughter of Fath Ali Shah of Persia (Qajar dynasty).

Under the care of his mother, he was given not only that religious and Oriental education which his position as the religious leader of the Ismailis made indispensable, but a sound European training, a boon denied to his father and paternal grandfather. He also attended Eton and Cambridge University.

Career

In 1885, at the age of eight, he succeeded his father as Imam of the Shi'a Isma'ili Muslims.

The Aga Khan traveled in distant parts of the world to receive the homage of his followers, and with the object either of settling differences or of advancing their welfare by pecuniary help and personal advice and guidance. The distinction of a Knight Commander of the Indian Empire was conferred upon him by Queen Victoria in 1897 (and later Knight Grand Commander in 1902 by Edward VII) and he received like recognition for his public services from the German emperor, the sultan of Turkey, the shah of Persia and other potentates.

In 1906, the Aga Khan was a founding member and first president of the All India Muslim League, a political party which pushed for the creation of an independent Muslim nation in the north west regions of South Asia, then under British colonial rule, and later established the country of Pakistan in 1947.

In 1934, he was made a member of the Privy Council and served as a member of the League of Nations (1934–37), becoming the President of the League of Nations in 1937.

He was made a "Knight of the Indian Empire" by Queen Victoria, a Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire by Edward VII (1902), and a Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India by George V (1912). He was appointed a GCMG in 1923.

Imamate

Under the leadership of Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, Aga Khan III, the first half of the 20th century was a period of significant development for the Ismā'īlī community. Numerous institutions for social and economic development were established in South Asia and in East Africa. Ismailis have marked the Jubilees of their Imāms with public celebrations, which are symbolic affirmations of the ties that link the Ismāʿīlī Imām and his followers. Although the Jubilees have no religious significance, they serve to reaffirm the Imamat's worldwide commitment to the improvement of the quality of human life, especially in the developing countries.

The Jubilees of Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, Aga Khan III, are well remembered. During his 72 years of Imamat (1885–1957), the community celebrated his Golden (1937), Diamond (1946) and Platinum (1954) Jubilees. To show their appreciation and affection, the Ismā'īliyya weighed their Imam in gold, diamonds and, symbolically, in platinum, respectively, the proceeds of which were used to further develop major social welfare and development institutions in Asia and Africa.

In India and later Pakistan, social development institutions were established, in the words of Aga Khan, "for the relief of humanity". They included institutions such as the Diamond Jubilee Trust and the Platinum Jubilee Investments Limited which in turn assisted the growth of various types of cooperative societies. Diamond Jubilee Schools for girls were established throughout the remote Northern Areas of what is now Pakistan. In addition, scholarship programs, established at the time of the Golden Jubilee to give assistance to needy students, were progressively expanded. In East Africa, major social welfare and economic development institutions were established. Those involved in social welfare included the accelerated development of schools and community centres, and a modern, fully-equipped hospital in Nairobi. Among the economic development institutions established in East Africa were companies such as the Diamond Jubilee Investment Trust (now Diamond Trust of Kenya) and the Jubilee Insurance Company, which are quoted on the Nairobi Stock Exchange and have become major players in national development.

Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah also introduced organizational forms that gave Ismāʿīlī communities the means to structure and regulate their own affairs. These were built on the Muslim tradition of a communitarian ethic on the one hand, and responsible individual conscience with freedom to negotiate one's own moral commitment and destiny on the other. In 1905 he ordained the first Ismā'īlī Constitution for the social governance of the community in East Africa. The new administration for the Community's affairs was organized into a hierarchy of councils at the local, national, and regional levels. The constitution also set out rules in such matters as marriage, divorce and inheritance, guidelines for mutual cooperation and support among Ismā'īlīs, and their interface with other communities. Similar constitutions were promulgated in the South Asia, and all were periodically revised to address emerging needs and circumstances in diverse settings.

Following the Second World War, far-reaching social, economic and political changes profoundly affected a number of areas where Ismāʿīlīs resided. In 1947, British rule in the South Asia was replaced by the sovereign, independent nations of India, Pakistan and later Bangladesh, resulting in the migration of millions people and significant loss of life and property. In the Middle East, the Suez crisis of 1956 as well as the preceding crisis in Iran, demonstrated the sharp upsurge of nationalism, which was as assertive of the region's social and economic aspirations as of its political independence. Africa was also set on its course to decolonization, swept by what Harold Macmillan, the then British Prime Minister, aptly termed the "wind of change". By the early 1960s, most of East and Central Africa, where the majority of the Ismāʿīlī population on the continent resided including Tanganyika, Kenya, Uganda, Malagasy, Rwanda, Burundi and Zaire, had attained their political independence.

Race horse owner

He was an owner of thoroughbred racing horses, including a record equalling five winners of the Epsom Derby, and a total of sixteen winners of British Classic Races. He was British flat racing Champion Owner thirteen times. According to Ben Pimlott, biographer of Queen Elizabeth II, the Aga Khan presented Her Majesty with a filly called ''Astrakhan'', who won at Hurst Park Racecourse in 1950.

Equestrianism

In 1926, the Aga Khan gave a cup (the Aga Khan Trophy) to be awarded to the winners of an international team show jumping competition held at the annual horse show of the Royal Dublin Society in Dublin, Ireland every first week in August. It attracts competitors from all of the main show jumping nations and is carried live on Irish national television.

Marriages and children

He married, on November 2, 1896, in Poona, India, Shahzadi Begum, his first cousin and a granddaughter of Aga Khan I.

He married 1908, Cleope Teresa Magliano (1888–1926), a dancer with the Ballet Opera of Monte Carlo. They had two sons: Prince Giuseppe Mahdi Khan (d. February 1911) and Prince Ali Solomone Khan (1911–1960)

He married, on December 7, 1929 (civil), in Aix-les-Bains, France, and December 13, 1929 (religious), in Bombay, India, Andrée Joséphine Carron (1898–1976). A co-owner of a dressmaking shop in Paris, she became known as Princess Andrée Aga Khan. She did not convert to Islam. By this marriage, he had one son, Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, in 1933-2003. The couple were divorced in 1943.

He married, on October 9, 1944, in Geneva, Switzerland, Yvonne Blanche Labrousse (February 15, 1906 - July 1, 2000). According to an interview she gave to an Egyptian journalist, her first name was Yvonne, though she is referred to as Yvette in most published references. The daughter of a tram conductor and a dressmaker, she was working as the Aga Khan's social secretary at the time of their marriage. She had been "Miss Lyon 1929" and "Miss France 1930". She converted to Islam and became known as Umm Habiba (Little Mother of the Beloved). In 1954, her husband named her "Mata Salamat"

Publications

He wrote a number of books and papers two of which are of immense importance namely (1).India in Transition, about the prepartition politics of India and (2).World Enough & Time - The Memoirs of Sir Sultan Mohammed Shah, Aga Khan III, his autobiography.

Death and succession

Aga Khan III was succeeded as Aga Khan by his grandson Karim Aga Khan, who is the present Imam of the Ismaili Muslims. At the time of his death on July 11, 1957, his family members were in Versoix. A solicitor brought the will of the Aga Khan III from London to Geneva and read it before the family:

"Ever since the time of my ancestor Ali, the first Imam, that is to say over a period of thirteen hundred years, it has always been the tradition of our family that each Imam chooses his successor at his absolute and unfettered discretion from amongst any of his descendants, whether they be sons or remote male issue and in these circumstances and in view of the fundamentally altered conditions in the world in very recent years due to the great changes which have taken place including the discoveries of atomic science, I am convinced that it is in the best interest of the Shia Muslim Ismailia Community that I should be succeeded by a young man who has been brought up and developed during recent years and in the midst of the new age and who brings a new outlook on life to his office as Imam. For these reasons, I appoint my grandson Karim, the son of my own son, Aly Salomone Khan to succeed to the title of Aga Khan and to the Imam and Pir of all Shia Ismailian followers."

He is buried in Aswan, Egypt at the Mausoleum of Aga Khan .

Styles

1877-1885: Sultan Muhammad Shah

1885-1898: ''His Highness'' Agha Sultan Muhammad Shah, Aga Khan III

1898-1902: ''His Highness'' Aga Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, Aga Khan III, KCIE 1902-1911: ''His Highness'' Aga Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, Aga Khan III, GCIE 1911-1923: ''His Highness'' Aga Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, Aga Khan III, GCSI, GCIE 1923-1934: ''His Highness'' Aga Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, Aga Khan III, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO 1934-1955: ''His Highness The Right Honourable'' Aga Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, Aga Khan III, PC, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO 1955-1957: ''His Highness The Right Honourable'' Aga Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, Aga Khan III, PC, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, GCVO

See also

Fatimids

Nizari

Aga Khan

Aga Khan Palace

Khafif

References

Additional reading

Daftary, F., "The Isma'ilis: Their History and Doctrines" Cambridge University Press, 1990.

Naoroji M. Dumasia, ''A Brief History of the Aga Khan'' (1903).

Aga Khan III, "Memoirs of Aga Khan: World Enough and Time", London: Cassel & Company, 1954; published same year in the United States by Simon & Schuster.

Edwards, Anne (1996). "Throne of Gold: The Lives of the Aga Khans", NY: William Morrow, 1996

Naoroji M. Dumasia, "The Aga Khan and his ancestors", New Delhi: Readworthy Publications (P) Ltd., 2008

External links

Video Clip from the History Channel website

Institute of Ismaili Studies: Selected speeches of Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan III

The Official Ismaili Website

Official Website of Aga Khan Development Network

Category:1877 births Category:1957 deaths Category:Qajar dynasty Category:Aga Khan Development Network Category:British racehorse owners and breeders Category:Owner of Epsom Derby winners Category:Pakistani racehorse owners and breeders Category:Pakistani philanthropists Category:Pakistani religious leaders Category:Indian philanthropists Category:Indian religious leaders Category:Pakistan Movement Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Category:Presidents of the Assembly of the League of Nations Category:Old Etonians Category:Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire Category:Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Category:Indian Ismailis Category:Iranian Ismailis Category:Pakistani Ismailis Category:Nizari imams Category:Indian imams Category:Iranian imams Category:Pakistani imams Category:20th-century imams

ar:آغا خان الثالث de:Aga Khan III. es:Aga Khan III fr:Aga Khan III it:Aga Khan III arz:اغا خان التالت ja:アーガー・ハーン3世 pnb:آغا خان سوم pl:Aga Chan III pt:Aga Khan III ru:Ага-хан III simple:Aga Khan III fi:Aga Khan III tr:III. Ağa Han uk:Ага-хан ІІІ ur:آغا خان سوم zh:阿迦汗三世

Coordinates	26°11′0″N91°44′0″N
name	Sultan Muhammad Shah
title	Sultan of Selangor
reign	27 October 1826 - 6 January 1857
full name	Almarhum Sultan Muhammad Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Ibrahim Shah
predecessor	Sultan Ibrahim Shah
successor	Abdul Samad
suc-type	Raja Muda
heir	Mahmud Muhammad Shah
issue	Raja Mahmud Raja Atfah Raja Laut Raja Abbas Raja Siti Raja Sulaiman Raja Sallehah
father	Sultan Ibrahim Shah, second Sultan of Selangor
mother	Raja Andak Binti Almarhum Daeng Kemboja
death date	6 January 1857

Sultan Muhammad Shah, (Almarhum Sultan Muhammad Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Ibrahim Shah; ? - 6 January 1857) was the third Sultan of Selangor. His reign lasted 31 years until his death and saw the opening of tin mines in Ampang and the separation of Selangor into five independent districts.

Reign

Muhammad Shah was not the son of his father's first wife, but since he was made the heir presumptive during his father's reign, Selangor dignitaries accepted him as the next Sultan of Selangor. Sultan Muhammad Shah was not as competent in governing the state and did not have total control over local rajas, village leaders or their districts. By the end of his rule, Selangor was separated into five individual territories, namely Bernam, Kuala Selangor, Kelang, Langat and Lukut. Each area was governed by different leaders and Muhammad Shah only controlled Kuala Selangor. Chinese settlers started mining for tin in the state during his time. The setting up of tin mines in Ampang brought business to the people and this was to be his only recognized success.

{{s-ttl|title=Sultan of Selangor |years=27 October 1826 - 6 January 1857}}

Sources

Category:1804 births Category:1857 deaths Category:Monarchs of Selangor

Coordinates	26°11′0″N91°44′0″N
name	Muhammad Shah
imgw	250px
succession
reign	27 September 1719 - 26 April 1748()
Coronation	29 September 1719 at Tajpur
Predecessor	Shah Jahan II
Successor	Ahmad Shah Bahadur
Regent	Syed Brothers (1719 - 1722)
Spouses	Badshah Begam ''Malika-uz-Zamani'' Mahal Begum ''Malika-i-Jahan'' Udhambai ''Kudsiya Begum'' Safiya Sultan Begum
issue	|issue Shahriyar Shah Bahadur Ahmad Shah Bahadur Taj Muhammad Anwer Ali Badshah Begum Jahan Afruz Banu Begum Hazrat Begum ''Sahiba-uz-Zamani''
Full name	Roshan Akhtar Bahadur
house	Timurid
dynasty	Timurid
Father	Khujista Akhtar ''Jahan Shah''
Mother	Qudsiya Begam
Birth date	17 August 1702
Birth place	Fatehpur, Mughal Empire
Death date	26 April 1748 (aged 45)
Death place	Delhi, Mughal Empire
place of burial	Mausoleum of Muhammad Shah, Nizamuddin Awliya, Delhi
religion	Islam

Muhammad Shah (محمد شاه) (1748 – 1702) also known as Roshan Akhtar, was a Mughal emperor of India between 1719 and 1748. He was son of Khujista Akhtar Jahan Shah, the fourth son of Bahadur Shah I. Ascending the throne at 17 with the help of the Sayyid Brothers, he later got rid of them with the help of ''Nizam-ul-Mulk'' Chin Qilich Khan. Historians nicknamed him ''Rangeela'', meaning "merrymaker".

Origins and youth

Roshan Akhtar was born in 1702 at Fatehpur Sikri to prince Khujista Akhtar. Handsome and quick to learn, his mother took good care of his education, while his father enhanced his administrative abilities. During the war of Succession his father was killed, and the 12-year-old prince and his mother were imprisoned but spared from death. In 1719 many Mughal emperors briefly ascended to the throne, but the Sayyid Brothers eventually chose young Roshan Akhtar as Emperor.

Succession and early reign

On 29 September 1719, Prince Roshan Akhtar was given the title Abu Al-Fatah Naseer-ud-Din Roshan Akhtar Muhammad Shah and enthroned in the Red Fort. His mother was given an allowance of 15 thousand rupees monthly for her needs, but the Sayyid brothers kept the new emperor under strict supervision. Chafing at this control — and learning that the Nizam-ul-Mulk was also angry with them — in 1722 the emperor ordered Muhammad Ameen Khan Torani, Mir Muhammad Ameen Irani and Muhammad Haider Beg to kill the Sayyid Brothers. Previously the emperor had to fight Muhammad Ibrahim, but Muhammad Shah defeated him on 13 November 1720.

Personal reign

After Muhammad Shah got rid of the Sayyid Brothers, he appointed the Nizam-ul-Mulk as Grand Vizier on 21 February 1722. He advised the Emperor to be as alert as Emperor Akbar and as brave as Emperor Aurangzeb. He also advised him to help Shah Tahmasp II of Persia; since Shah Tahmasp I had helped Humayun in his time of need. When all these advices turned to no avail, the Nizam-ul-Mulk left Delhi and went to Deccan in 1723.

At the same time, the governorship of Deccan was given to Mubaraz Khan, who constantly fought with the Marathas. Taking advantage of it, the Nizam-ul-Mulk allied with the Marathas and defeated Mubaraz Khan. Thus, though he lost the posts of Grand Vizier, governor of Malwa and Gujrat, he became an independent ruler of the newly created state of Hyderabad in 1725.

During this time the Maratha War (1723–1737) began and it became a solely destructive war for the Mughals. Furthermore, in 1724 Oudh became independent under Nawab Saadat Ali Khan. All over the empire there was chaos and destruction. In Punjab region the Sikhs were at war with the Mughals. In Ajmer, Rana Ajeet Singh was the de facto ruler and allied himself with the Marathas. While in Deccan the Marathas had proclaimed independence and were already on the warpath. All this greatly contributed to the decline of the Mughal Empire.

Despite all the problems occurring during his reign, Muhammad Shah was somewhat the last able ruler the empire ever had. He in fact, protected the empire for so long, and stopped it from falling completely during his reign. His removing of his three hated ministers, namely Koki Jee, Roshan-ud-Daula and Shah Abdul Ghafur, is a proof of his administrative capabilities. During his reign, he sent an ambassador to the Ottoman Sultan Mahmud I advising it to continue to halt Persian military expansion.

Cultural advancements

Urdu language had already been invented before Muhammad Shah's reign. However, during his reign it became a common language among the people and the Emperor installed it as Court language.But many writers say it was British who made Urdu the Official Language and that Urdu was never court language during Mughal Rule. Hindi became common among the masses. Shah Waliullah was born in Delhi. When the strength of his students increased, the Emperor built a Madrasah for them. During his reign, the Quran was translated for the first time in Persian. Also, during his reign, the formal Tartar dress, normally worn by the high Mughal nobility, was replaced by the Sherwani.

It is said that Mohammad shah promoted arts like Dance and Music with great passion and almost at the cost of administrative priorities paving the way for the disintegration of governance.

Maratha War

After Nizam-ul-Mulk left Delhi, the Marathas had already expanded up to river Narmada. They had a desire to destroy Mughal power forever, and thus avenge their defeats at the hands of Emperor Aurangzeb. Therefore early in 1723 they invaded the rich province of Malwa. The Mughal Emperor entrusted its defence to its governor, who failed him. Thus by winter of the same year, they reached Ujjain, the capital of Malwa.

In 1725, the governorship of Gujarat was transferred to Sarbuland Khan. Enraged by the authority of the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah the Marathas invaded Gujarat but were routed by Sarbuland Khan and his forces. This was mainly because most of the Maratha forces, including their leader Baji Rao I, were at the time fighting the Nizam-ul-Mulk in Hyderabad.

The war with Hyderabad, however, proceeded favourably for the Marathas. In 1728, during February, the Nizam was decisively defeated at the Battle of Palkhed. Although the Nizam had managed to add ''Traimbek Rao'', ''Dhabedi'' and ''Sanbhoji'' to his side, they were all defeated in 1731 at the Battle of Bhelapur. Thus the Nizam's plot was revealed. However, Baji Rao wanted peace in the south so that he could expand in the north. A treaty was signed between the two in which both agreed to help each other. The Nizam could expand to the south while Baji Rao could expand in the north. With peace secured, Baji Rao attacked Gujarat with full force and finally drove out Sarbuland Khan by 1735.

During this course, the Mughal forces were badly defeated at Ahmedabad in 1731. In 1736, the Marathas sent an ultimatum to Delhi and demanded the Emperor to give up Mathura. The demand being evaded, he invaded Mathura but was defeated by Imperial forces under Saadat Ali Khan. At this time, it may be noticed that the Jats under Suraj Mal seized a sizable portion of Agra and Mathura districts. The Emperor now asked the Nizam-ul-Mulk for help, who immediately broke the treaty with the Marathas on behalf of the Mughal Emperor. Both forces fought the Marathas at Bhopal in 1737 but were defeated. The following year (1738), the Imperial forces were defeated at Agra and the Marathas now captured Agra and Mathura. At Ferozabad the Mughals lost yet another battle. The Emperor now set out himself against the Maratha leader Baji Rao but was still near Delhi when Baji Rao attacked and surrounded him at Delhi. The Imperial army was routed and Baji Rao entered Delhi. The Emperor became his puppet for several weeks.

According to the terms of the treaty signed by the two leaders, the Mughal Emperor gave Baji Rao 5 million rupees and ceded Malwa to him. The area between rivers Narmada and Chambal was given to the Marathas. Baji Rao returned the excess area back to the Mughal Emperor.

Invasion of Nadir Shah

In 1739, Nadir Shah invaded Delhi and looted it. It is an event of macro importance in Indian History as it resulted in the fall of the Mughal Empire.

Causes

1. Nadir Shah wanted to remove Afghan rebels from Kandahar. Therefore he asked the Mughal Emperor to close the Mughal frontiers around Kabul so that the Afghan rebels may not seek refuge in Kabul. The Emperor gave a confirming reply to Nadir Shah but didn't do any thing practically. At this Nadir Shah sent an ambassador to the Mughal Emperor. The Emperor delayed in meeting him and kept him at Delhi for an entire year. Thus Nadir Shah became furious with the Mughal Emperor.

2. Looking at the weak position of the Mughal Empire, Nadir Shah wanted to gain the rich treasures of India.

Course of the war

On the basis of the above reasons, Nadir Shah invaded India and decided to attack from Afghanistan. In May, 1738 he attacked Northern Afghanistan. In the same month, he captured Ghazni, in June he captured Kabul and in September Jalalabad also fell to him. In November he surrounded the fortress of Peshawar and completely razed it to the ground. Finally in January 1739, he captured Lahore, the former capital of the Mughal Empire.

Now Nadir Shah had captured territory up to Attock and Muhammad Shah and his courtiers could not close their eyes from further danger. They finally understood that Persian Emperor was not the sort of enemy that could be bought off with the loot of a province. Furthermore he had devastated the area he just conquered. The cities of Wazirabad, Emanabad and Gujrat were not only sacked but razed to the ground, its population murdered.

In February 1739, Nadir Shah captured Sirhind and moved towards the field of Karnal, a battle destined to be fateful to the Mughal rulers. On 13 February, the battle of Karnal was fought. Emperor Muhammad Shah had over a hundred thousand force against Nadir Shah's 55,000 men but was still decisively defeated. In the event, the ''Khan Doran'' died and wrote a will that the Mughal and Afsharid emperors should not meet but Nadir Shah should be turned back from there at all costs. His will was disregarded and the Emperor himself met Nadir Shah in his camp and abdicated on 26 February, thirteen days after the Battle of Karnal. He handed over the keys of the Delhi gate and entered Delhi with him.

At first every thing was cordial among the two emperors. However rumours spread throughout Delhi that Nadir Shah was assassinated. The masses attacked the Persian force and slaughtered 900 Persian soldiers. At this Nadir Shah massacred the populace, and at least 30,000 people died. The Emperor, Nizam-ul-Mulk and Chief Minister Nawab Qamar-id-Din Khan Bahadur went to Nadir Shah to plead for mercy and thus he stopped the massacre and turned into looting the Mughal treasury. The famous Peacock throne, the Darya-e-Noor diamond and unimaginable wealth was looted. In addition, elephants, horses and every thing that was liked was taken. Muhammad Shah had to marry his daughter Jahan Afruz Banu Begum to Nadir Shah's youngest son.

Now Muhammad Shah was crowned as emperor by Nadir Shah himself on 12 May, and Muhammad Shah ceded the area west of river Indus to Nadir Shah. They both switched crowns according to the Persian tradition of friendship and the Koh-i-Noor diamond was also lost. Then Nadir Shah went back to Persia.

Results

After the Sayyid Brothers and the Marathas, this invasion destroyed what was left of the Mughal Empire and neared it to its end. The weakness of the Mughal army was clearly portrayed after this invasion. The Afghans began their relentless invasions of India. Everywhere there was depression and loss of hope. This invasion, in fact, brought the Mughal Empire to its fateful end.

Later reign

After Nadir Shah's invasion, the Mughal Empire disintegrated rapidly. Nawab Alivardi Khan of Bengal proclaimed independence in 1740. In 1748, Ahmad Shah Abdali invaded India. Ahmad Shah Bahadur, Nawab Qamar-ud-Din and his son Mueen-ul-Mulk were sent with 75,000 men after the defeat of Shahnawaz Khan in Lahore. At the Battle of Sirhind, Ahmad Shah's 15,000 men were defeated and he was forced to retreat. There was a great rejoicing for this event in Delhi.

However, this victory was at a cost. The Grand Vizier Nawab Qamar-ud-Din Khan Bahadur had died at the battlefield. Initially this was kept a secret. However, when the news reached the Mughal Emperor, he could not speak, suddenly became sick and did not come out of his apartments for three days. During this course he fasted. His guards could hear him crying out loud and saying ''How could I bring about anyone as faithful as he (Qamar-ud-Din)''. He finally died out of sorrow on 26 April 1748.

Royal family

Emperor Muhammad Shah had four wives, but his most favourite was Badshah Begum, daughter of Emperor Farrukhsiyar. He married her on 8 December 1721 at Delhi, and gave her the title Nawab Malika-uz-Zamani (Queen of the Era). On this occasion there was a great ceremony lasting for weeks. She bore him his first son, Shahriyar Shah Bahadur, who died young on 19 July 1724. She was the most influential of all wives of the Emperor and exercised her opinions on him. Muhammad Shah married Mahal Begum on the same day as the first one and gave her the title Nawab Malika-i-Jahan (Queen of the World). She was also his most favourite. His third wife was Udhambai, also called Kudsiya Begum, who bore him his future successor, Ahmad Shah Bahadur on 23 December 1725. She was a formerly dancing girl and also a ''mansabdar'' of 50,000. He married his fourth wife Sufiya Sultan Begum later on. For some time during his early reign, her mother, Qudsiya Begum, also exercised power of the Empire. Muhammad Shah had three sons and three daughters, of which Badshah Begum died on 14 December 1724.

See also

Mughal Empire

Battle of Karnal

Koh-i-Noor

Peacock Throne

References

Category:Mughal emperors Category:1702 births Category:1748 deaths

bn:মুহাম্মদ শাহ de:Muhammad Shah fa:محمد شاه گورکانی fr:Muhammad Shâh (Moghol) hi:मुहम्मद शाह (मुगल) ja:ムハンマド・シャー uz:Muhammad-shoh sv:Mohammed Nasir ta:முகம்மது ஷா war:Muhammad Shah

Coordinates	26°11′0″N91°44′0″N
name	Jessica Kürten
fullname	Jessica Kürten
nationality
discipline	Show jumping
current fei rolex world ranking	6
birth date	November 24, 1969
birth place	Cullybackey, Northern Ireland
height
medaltemplates	}}

}} Jessica Kürten (November 24, 1969) is an Irish equestrian who competes in the sport of show jumping.

Born Jessica Chesney, Kürten won several national pony championships as a youth.

In 1994 Kürten married Eckard Kürten and moved to Hünxe in the German Rhineland. She has twice represented Ireland at the Olympic Games, 1996 Atlanta on ''Diamond's Exchange'' finishing 26th individually and team 8th and in 2004 Athens on ''Castle Forbes Maike'' finishing 18th individually.

Rolex World Ranking

Kurten had been the highest ranked Irish rider (apart from October 2009 (Ranking no. 106), and January 2010 (Ranking no. 109), where Denis Lynch held the title) until July 2010 (Ranking no. 116) when Denis Lynch took over.

She reached her highest ever World Ranking in April 2008 (No. 88) where she was the 2nd highest ranked rider in the world.

As of the end of March 2011, she is ranked 37th in the Rolex World Rankings - Irelands no. 4.

Career

In 2006 Kürten was a judge on the BBC's ''Only Fools on Horses'' event. In April 2007 she won the prestigious British Open Show Jumping Championships title at the NEC, Birmingham, UK. In 2007, Kürten's horse ''Castle Forbes Maike'' was found tested positive for etoricoxib, after a competition in La Baule in France. She has since challenged the result.

The contract between Jessica and Lady Georgina Forbes was terminated by the latter on the 31st of December 2010. Lady Forbes owned many of Kürten's most successful horses including ''Quibell'', ''Castle Forbes Libertina'', ''Castle Forbes Cosma'', and ''Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois''. A spokesman for Jessica said: "There are financial commitments which need to be cleared up between the owner and Kurtens, as well as third parties. There are diverse details also for the German tax authorities which need to be sorted out due to the fact that Lady Georgina Forbes is Irish and lives in Switzerland." The spat was taken to another level, with a court rejecting an application for a temporary injunction to return the horses to Lady Forbes, so the horses remain in the Kürten's care in Germany while a solution to the matter is sought. At the beginning of March, Kürten stated that both parties "have different point of views how financial claims between themselves and in regard to third parties can be settled." The five horses were handed over on the 20th April in the presence of lawyers and veterinarians, and €300,000 was posted by Lady Georgina Forbes as a guarantee against future claims by the Kürtens.

2010

In January 2010 she returned to Leipzig for the CSI5*-W Show. For the third year in a row - after Castle Forbes Libertina only just returning to competition - she won the World Cup Qualifier securing her place in the final in Geneva. Kürten had to reluctantly pull out of the FEI Rolex World Cup Final in Geneva after suffering a fall off a horse at home the weekend before. She was hospitalised on Friday the 9th and released over the weekend. This was a big blow as she was heading into the final as a leading contender as she was on top of the Leader Board.

Kuerten travelled to the CSI4* in Antwerp, Belgium in April. Here, she won the opening four star class - the BMW Masters with ''Fashion''. She also 3rd in Saturdays 1m50 class with ''Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois'' - just 0.25 seconds off the pace of European Champion Kevin Staut.

On the first weekend of May, she competed at the first leg of the Global Champions Tour in Valencia. Although Kuerten had no luck in the €285,000 Grand Prix on Saturday - she did capture the 1m50 class on the Sunday with ''Castle Forbes Cosma''.

Kuerten then traveled to Hamburg for the second leg of the Global Champions Tour where she secured a decisive victory in the accumulator class. She won the class by nearly 14 seconds on ''Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois''.

Next was the third leg of the Global Champions Tour held in Turin, Italy. She secured 4th place in the Grand Prix with ''Castle Forbes Libertina'' bagging herself €25,000 and 33 Global Champions Tour points moving her up to 5th place on the tour rankings.

From the 10–12 July, Kuerten competed at the CSI5* Global Champions Tour of Cannes, France. She got off to a good start on the first day by winning the 1m50 jump-off class with ''Castle Forbes Libertina''. The pair were over 1.5 seconds ahead of second place; Phillipe Rozier and ''Randgraaf''. In the Grand Prix on Saturday, Kuerten and ''Castle Forbes Libertina'' finished third. The class was won by the Australian, Edwina Alexandra on ''Cevo Itot du Château'' with the only treble clear. The pair picked up €38,000 and gained 35 GCT points which left Kuerten in 3rd position after four legs of the Tour.

Kuerten continued to climb the Global Champions Tour leader board after a fantastic treble clear in the (Global Champions Tour) Grand Prix of Monte Carlo with ''Castle Forbes Libertina''. The pair were pipped by the final rider (Bernardo Alves) by just 0.02 of a second. This second place finish left her in 2nd place overall on the 2010 GCT Rankings after 5 legs.

Her Global Champions Tour campaign continued to the CSI5* Estoril, Portugal. On Day 1 (Friday), Kuerten had 4 faults on ''Castle Forbes Libertina'' in the 1m50 opening class. She then jumped ''API Largo'' in the 1m45 jump-off class that evening, but had 1 time fault in the first round. On Saturday, Kuerten jumped a double clear on ''API Largo'' in the 1m45 two phase class to finish 6th and earn €1,200. In the GCT Grand Prix that evening, she had the last fence down in the first round on Lady Georgina Forbes' ''Castle Forbes Libertina'' - this left Kuerten in 4th position in the GCT Rankings after the 6th leg.

Next, she travelled as part of the Irish squad to the CSIO5* in Falsterbo, Sweden. In the 7yo class on Day 1, Kuerten and ''Baco'' had 4 faults to finish 7th. In the 5th leg of the Meydan FEI Nations Cup, which was won by the home team, Ireland finished 5th on 24 faults: Dermott Lennon (''Hallmark Elite'') 4/12, Jessica Kuerten (''Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois'') (8)/(12), Shane Breen (''Carmena Z'') 4/4, Denis Lynch (''Nabab's Son'') 0/0.

The CSI5* of San Patrignano, Italy was Kuerten's next stop. Here, ''Paddington 82'' picked up 2 placings, a 7th and 8th in 7 year old classes. ''Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois'' finished 3rd in the 1m45 speed class on Saturday, and ''API Largo'' took 8th place in the Accumulator class on Sunday.

At the penultimate leg of the Global Champions Tour at the CSI5* Valkensward, the Netherlands, Kuerten and ''Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois'' finished 10th in the GCT 'VDL Groep' Grand Prix, keeping 4th in the overall GCT rankings.

She did not travel to Rio de Janeiro for the final leg of the GCT, so she dropped to 5th in the overall GCT rankings and earned €60,000 of the €1,000,000 bonus.

Kuerten travelled to the CSI3* Humlikon, Switzerland next. Here, she and ''API Largo'' jumped a double clear in the Grand Prix but completed a steady jump-off round with 1 time fault to finish 7th and collect €1,250.

CSI 5*-W 'Kingsland' Oslo Horse Show, Finland: Kuerten steered ''Castle Forbes Cosma'' to 9th place in the Rolex FEI World Cup qualifier to collect €1,000, and earn 8 points towards qualifying.

CSI5*-W Helsinki International Horse Show, Finland: In the Grand Prix qualifier on Day 1, Kürten steered ''Castle Forbes Cosma'' to 7th place and earned €1,000. On Day 2, she partnered ''API Largo'' to 4th place in the Grand Prix and collected €6,000. In the 'Equita Masters' on Saturday night, Kürten steered ''Lector 35'' to 7th place to earm €6,000.

CSI5*-W Verona, Italy: On Saturday, she and ''Castle Forbes Cosma'' finished in 4th place in a 1m40 class to earn €2,000. In the Grand Prix, Kürten steered ''API Largo'' to 8th place and €2,000. On Sunday, she and ''Lector'' finished 6th in the 1m40 two-phase class to earn €1,500.

CSI5*-W Gucci Masters, Paris, France: On the opening evening - in the Rolex Speed Challenge - Kürten and the VDL Stud's ''VDL Harley'' took 6th prize of €2,100. The pair took a further €4,500 by finishing 7th in the €100,000 'Gucci by Gucci' challenge on Saturday evening.

CSI5* La Coruna, Spain: In the 1m45 speed class on Friday evening, Kürten took 4th and 5th prize totaling €3,600 with ''VDL Harley'' and ''Castle Forbes Cosma'' respectively. In the feature class that evening, the 1m50 jump-off class, she saw a return to winning form when she and ''Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois'' took the top prize of €24,000. Her luck continued into the Grand Prix on Saturday where she again partnered ''Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois'' to take second prize of €26,000. That evening, she and ''Castle Forbes Cosma'' took 3rd prize of €3,000 in the 1m45 class.

CSI5*-W Mechelen, Belgium: In the 1m50 class on Tuesday, Kürten and ''Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois'' took 7th prize of €1,250. She and ''Castle Forbes Cosma'' then secured top-prize of €2,200 in the Queen's Cup that evening. Again, riding ''Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois'', Kürten took the top prize of a Land Rover and €13,000 in the feature class - the Rolex FEI World Cup Qualifier. And to top off a great weekend, ''Castle Forbes Cosma'' finished second in the Last Chance jump-off class.

2011

CSI5*-W Vigo, Spain: In a 1m50 speed class on day 1, Kürten and ''API Largo'' took 6th prize of €2,200. On Saturday, she and ''Lektor'' earned €2,100 by finishing 5th in another 1m50 speed class.

CSI5* Global Champions Tour Doha, Qatar: ''VDL Harley'' had 4 faults in the 1m50 jump-off on Friday to settle for 12th position and €1,500.

CSI3* San Giovani, Italy: Kürten and ''Lektor'' finshed 3rd in a 1m50 class to earn €3,450.

CSIO5* St. Gallen, Switzerland: Kürten and ''Lektor'' took 5th prize of 22,000CHF (€18,000) in the Longines Grand Prix

CSI4* De Steeg, the Netherlands: ''VDL Harley'' won a 1m50 jump-off class worth €5,750 to the winner.

Horses

Diamond Exchange Gelding / Bay / 1983 / Diamond Serpent

Winner of the Grand Prix of Helsinki (1996) and Mechelen (1995). The pair were also members of two victorious Nations Cup teams in 1994 in La Baule and Modena. At the World Championships in 1994, he finished 10th individually, and the Olympic Game of 1996, the pair finished 27th individually.

Paavo N Gelding / Bay / 1986 / Polydor x Goldstern

Placed in Nations Cups and Grand Prix all over the world. At the European Championships in 1999, ''Paavo N'' took the 'Horse of the Show' award.

Bonita 38 Mare / Grey / 1989 / Bal Pare x Goldcup

Winner of International classes across the world, including the Aegon Masters Final in Monte Carlo, 2001.

Quibell Mare / Bay / 1994 / Quidam de Revel - ''owned by Lady Georgina Forbes''

She won the $750,000 Dubai Grand Prix in 2006, along with the Grand Prix of Chernyakovsk, Russia. She also won the Gothenburg Graqnd Prix in 2008. In 2006, the pair won the opening round of the 2006 World Cup.

Castle Forbes Libertina Mare / Bay / 1996 / Libero H x Polydor - ''owned by Lady Georgina Forbes''

Winner of nine 5* Grand Prix - 2007: Monaco, and the World Cup qualifier at London Olympia; 2008: Dublin, São Paulo, and the World Cup qualifier at Leipzig; 2009: The World Cup qualifiers at Zurich and Leipzig; 2010: the World Cup qualifiers at Gothenburg and Leipzig. The pair also took victory in the 2007 Rolex Top Ten Final in Geneva. At the 2006 World Cup final in Kuala Lumpur, they came within a single fault of first place to finish 2nd.

Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois Mare / Bay / 2000 / Dolar Du Murier x Grand Verneur - ''owned by Lady Georgina Forbes''

Winner of the Rolex FEI World Cup Qualifier at the 5* Mechelen, Belgium in 2010

Career statistics

Individual wins

2010

*Rolex FEI World Cup Qualifier, CSI5*-W , Mechelen, Belgium (''Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois'')

*2nd, Grand Prix, CSI5* La Coruna, Spain (''Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois'')

*2nd, Grand Prix, CSI5* GCT Mote Carlo, Monaco (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

*3rd, Grand Prix, CSI5* GCT Cannes, France (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

*Rolex FEI World Cup Qualifier, CSI5*-W Gothenburg, Sweden, (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

*2nd, Rolex FEI World Cup Qualifier, CSI5*-W 's-Hertogenbosch, (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

*Rolex FEI World Cup Qualifier, CSI5*-W Leipzig, Germany, (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

2009

*2nd, Rolex FEI World Cup Qualifier, CSI5*-W Mechelen, (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

*Grand Prix, CSI4* Moorsele, Belgium, (''Castle Forbes Vivaldo vh Costersveld'')

*Grand Prix, CSIO4* Barcelona, Spain, (''Castle Forbes Cosma'')

*2nd, Grand Prix, CSI3* Humlikon, Switzerland, (''Castle Forbes Cosma'')

*2nd, Grand Prix, CSI3* Arezzo, Italy, (''Quibell'')

*Rolex FEI World Cup Qualifier, CSI5*-W Zurich, Switzerland, (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

*Rolex FEI World Cup Qualifier, CSI5*-W Leipzig, Germany, (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

2008

*Grand Prix, CSI5* São Paulo, Brazil, (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

*Grand Prix, CSIO5* Dublin, Ireland, (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

*Grand Prix Pescanova, CSI4* Gijon, (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

*2nd, Grand Prix Telefonica, CSI4* La Coruna, (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

*Equal 4th, Rolex FEI World Cup Final, Gothenburg, (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

*Rolex FEI World Cup Final, Gothenburg Trophy, Gothenburg, (''Quibell'')

*Rolex FEI World Cup Final, Competition II, Gothenburg, (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

*Rolex FEI World Cup Qualifer (Grand Prix of Leipzig), CSI5*-W Leipzig, Germany, (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

2007

*Rolex FEI World Cup Qualifer, CSI-W Olympia, London, (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

*NH Hoteles Trophy, CSI5* La Coruna, (''Kalande des Grez'')

*Rolex Top Ten Final, CSI5* Geneva, (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

*Equal 2nd, Rolex Grand Prix, CSI5* Geneva, (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

*Prix Clarins, CSI5* Geneva, (''Castle Forbes Vivaldo vh Costersveld'')

*Speed Class, CSI4*-W Verona, (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

*British Open Champion, CSI4* NEC, Birmingham (''Galopin de Bioley'')

*Monaco Grand Prix, CSI5* Monaco, (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

*2nd, Grand Prix de Cannes, CSI5* Cannes, (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

*Longines Grand Prix, CSIO5* La Baule (''Castle Forbes Maike'')

*OBO Bettermann Prize, CSI3* Balve, Germany (Castle Forbes Libertina)

*Preis der AachenMunchener, CSIO5* Aachen (''Quibell'')

*Coruna City Council Grand Prix, CSI4* La Coruna, Spain (''Quibell'')

2006

*Dubai Grand Prix (''Quibell'')

*Dubai Masters (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

*Credit Suisse Grand Prix, Zürich (''Quibell'')

*Mercedes Swiss Masters (winning a car), Zürich (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

*Chernyakhovsk Grand Prix, Russia (''Quibell'')

*2nd, Rolex World Cup Final, Kuala Lumpur, (''Castle Forbes Libertina'')

*Worldcup pre-Qualifier Competition, Leipzig

*Qualifier young horses, Leipzig

*Final young horses, Leipzig

*Qualifier Worldcup Competition Göteborg

*Göteborg Trophy, Göteborg

*Intern. jumping class CSI Cannes

2005

*Estoril Grand Prix, Portugal (''Castle Forbes Maike'')

*The knock out, Kiel (''Laurus'')

2004

*Team Trophy, Leipzig (''Lady Preishammer'')

*Berlin World Cup Qualifier

*Nations Cup: Dublin (''Quibell'')

*18th, Athens Olympics Individual Show Jumping

2003

*Ladies German Masters, Stuttgart (''Quibell'')

*Accumulator, National Show Nürnberg, Germany

*Queens Cup, Mechelen (''Paavo N'')

2002

*Indoor-Derby, Vienna (''Lady Preishammer'')

2001

*Team Gold medal European Championships, Arnheim, Netherlands (''Bonita 38'')

*Aegon MoneyMaxx Masters Final, (winning a car), Monte Carlo (''Bonita 38'')

*Nations Cups: Calgary and Lummen (''Bonita 38'')

2000

*Nations Cups: Calgary and Rotterdam, Dublin, San Marino & Modena - helping to win a record-breaking tenth Nations Cup, thus clinching Ireland’s place as outright winner of the Samsung Nations Cup Series 1999/2000 (all ''Paavo N'')

1999

*Queen Elizabeth II Cup, Hickstead (''Paavo N'')

1996

*Helsinki Grand Prix (''Diamond Exchange'')

1995

*Mechelen Grand Prix (''Diamond Exchange'')

1994

*World Championships, WEG The Hague, 10th individually (''Diamond Exchange'')

*Nations Cups: La Baule and Modena (''Diamond Exchange'')

1992

*Millstreet World Cup Qualifer (''Diamond Exchange'')

References

Results - Horse Sport Ireland

- Horses in the South

External links

Official website

www.britishopenshowjumping.com

Show jumper profile: Jessica Kürten

Category:1969 births Category:Equestrians at the 1996 Summer Olympics Category:Equestrians at the 2004 Summer Olympics Category:Irish show jumping riders Category:Irish sportspeople in doping cases Category:Irish expatriates in Germany Category:Living people Category:Olympic equestrians of Ireland Category:People from County Antrim

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