'ALAMGIR II

born June 6, 1699, Multan, India died Nov. 29, 1759, Delhi in full 'aziz-ud-din 'alamgir Ii Mughal emperor of India who disgraced his reign (175459) by his weakness and his disregard for his subjects' welfare. A son of the emperor Jahandar Shah (reigned 171213), 'Alamgir was always the puppet of more powerful men and was placed on the throne by the imperial vizier 'Imad ul-Mulk Ghazi-ud-Din, who had deposed his predecessor. Provoked by the vizier's attempt to reassert control over the Punjab, the Afghan ruler Ahmad Shah Durrani had his agents occupy Delhi in January 1757, at the time absolutely without a single defender or caretaker. After the city was secured, 'Alamgir was confirmed emperor of Hindustan but was in effect Ahmad Shah's puppet. Threatened in 1759 with another Afghan invasion and the possibility of 'Alamgir's being captured and used against him, Ghazi-ud-Din had the emperor murdered.