Bidar Bakht

Muhammad Bidar Bakht (; 4 August 1670 – 20 June 1707) was a Mughal prince. His father, Muhammad Azam Shah, briefly reigned as Mughal emperor in 1707. Bidar was noted for being a gallant, skilful and successful general and was regarded as the most able Mughal prince of his time. He was the favourite grandson of Emperor Aurangzeb. From the age of 17, Bidar held senior military and administrative positions. One of his first actions involved storming Fort Sinsani, which was carried after fierce fighting and heavy losses. Aged 19, he led a Mughal force which defeated an invading Maratha army and pursued it for ten days. He was appointed viceroy of Aurangabad and then of Malwa alongside it. He constantly had to suppress uprisings and beat off incursions from neighbouring states. In 1707 Emperor Aurangzeb died and Bidar's father succeeded him; Bidar and his father were killed at the Battle of Jajau against Bidar's uncle. Muhammad Bidar Bakht was born on 4 August 1670 in Agra to Prince Muhammad Azam and his wife, Jahanzeb "Jani" Banu Begum. He was named Bidar Bakht by Emperor Aurangzeb, his paternal grandfather. Bidar's mother was a Mughal princess and the daughter of Crown Prince Dara Shikoh, the deceased eldest son and heir-apparent of the previous emperor, Shah Jahan. Aurangzeb showed marks of exceptional love to Azam and Jahanzeb and to Prince Bidar Bakht, lavishing gifts on all three. Bidar Bakht was his grandfather's favourite grandson. At the age of sixteen, Bidar Bakht married Shams-un-Nisa (surnamed Puti Begum), the daughter of Qamr-ud-din (titled Mukhtar Khan) on 3December 1686. She belonged to the Ben-i-Mukhtar family which enjoyed great respect among Muslims. Bidar had always showed affection and favour to Shams-un-Nisa, who seems to have been proud and imperious. Shams-un-Nisa gave birth to Bidar's son, Shahzada Firuz Bakht on 23August 1695. In 1688, the Emperor sent the 17-year-old Prince Bidar Bakht to assume supreme command in the Jat War.