Title: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi, 1857
Author: William Dalrymple
First published January 1, 2006
534 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9781400043101 (ISBN10: 1400043107)
Rating: 4.17
Overview
In the year 1857, the East India Company faced the largest uprising any empire had to face in the entire course of the nineteenth century. At the heart of this rebellion was Bahadur Shah Zafar II, the last Mughal Emperor, a mystic, poet, and skilled calligrapher.
Though his power was only nominal, Zafar created a court of great brilliance and presided over one of the great cultural renaissances of Indian history. He gave his blessing to the rebellion, which transformed into the Siege of Delhi, the Raj’s Stalingrad.
The event was one of the most horrific in the history of the Empire, resulting in the death of thousands on both sides. The British claimed victory, and Zafar was exiled to Burma.
Award-winning historian and travel writer William Dalrymple retells this fateful course of events from groundbreaking materials, including previously unexamined Urdu and Persian manuscripts that include Indian eyewitness accounts and records of the Delhi courts, police, and administration during the siege. This revelatory work presents the Indian perspective on the fall of Delhi and the stories of the individuals tragically caught up in one of the bloodiest upheavals in history.
About the Author
William Dalrymple, author of several acclaimed books, was born in Scotland and grew up near the Firth of Forth. His first book, In Xanadu, was published when he was just 22 years old and won the 1990 Yorkshire Post Best First Work Award, as well as a Scottish Arts Council Spring Book Award.
It was also shortlisted for the John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize.
In 1989, Dalrymple moved to Delhi, where he lived for six years while researching his second book, City of Djinns. This book won the 1994 Thomas Cook Travel Book Award and the Sunday Times Young British Writer of the Year Award.
His book From the Holy Mountain, a study of the decline of Christianity in the Middle East, won the Scottish Arts Council Autumn Book Award for 1997 and was shortlisted for several other awards.
Dalrymple’s collection of writings about India, The Age of Kali, won the French Prix D’Astrolabe in 2005. His book White Mughals, published in 2003, won the Wolfson Prize for History 2003 and the Scottish Book of the Year Prize.
It was also shortlisted for the PEN History Award, the Kiryama Prize, and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize.
Aside from his writing, Dalrymple is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and of the Royal Asiatic Society. He is also the founder and co-director of the Jaipur Literature Festival.
In 2002, he received the Mungo Park Medal from the Royal Scottish Geographical Society for his outstanding contribution to travel literature. He has also produced and presented several television and radio series, winning awards such as the Grierson Award and the Sandford St Martin Prize.
Dalrymple is married to the artist Olivia Fraser, and they have three children. They currently reside on a farm outside Delhi.
In recognition of his achievements, he has received several honorary doctorates and awards, including the Duff Cooper Prize for History and Biography in 2007.
Editoral Review
William Dalrymples The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi, 1857 is a masterpiece of historical literature. The Scottish historian and author is known for his expertise in South Asian history, and he brings his knowledge to bear in this powerful and poignant account of the final days of the Mughal Empire.
This riveting book tells the story of the Indian Rebellion of 1857, also known as the Sepoy Mutiny, from the perspective of the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar II. Set against the backdrop of Delhi, the city of his ancestors, the book offers a vivid and detailed depiction of the conflict between the British East India Company and the Indian rebels, and the brutal suppression of the uprising.
The Last Mughal is a work of non-fiction, but it reads like a novel, making it accessible and engaging for both casual readers and serious scholars. Dalrymple demonstrates a remarkable talent for storytelling, weaving together a complex web of characters, events, and themes to create a gripping narrative.
The book is meticulously researched, drawing on a wide range of primary sources including diaries, letters, and memoirs. Dalrymple also scoured archives, libraries, and museums across India and the UK to gather information, ensuring that the book is both rigorous and comprehensive.
One of the strengths of The Last Mughal is Dalrymples ability to humanize historical figures. He portrays Bahadur Shah Zafar as a complex and sympathetic character, whose personal losses and struggles mirror those of the Indian people at large.
At the same time, he does not shy away from the limitations and failings of the emperor, showing how his reluctance to fully commit to the rebellion contributed to its ultimate failure. The other characters in the book, whether British or Indian, are equally well-crafted and vividly brought to life.
Dalrymple captures the nuances of their social and political worlds, and shows how their personalities and motivations shaped the course of the conflict. There are a few minor flaws in the book.
At times, the amount of detail can be overwhelming, and some readers may find themselves wishing for more synthesis and analysis. Additionally, the narrative structure can be somewhat uneven, with some sections feeling a bit disjointed or repetitive.
However, these are minor quibbles in the grand scheme of things, and do not detract from the overall power and importance of the book. The Last Mughal is a timely and important book, offering insights into the colonial legacy of India and the deep scars that still haunt the country today.
It is also a beautifully written and engrossing work of literature, filled with vivid characters and rich historical detail. Readers who enjoy epic historical sagas, political thrillers, or nuanced character studies will find much to appreciate in this book.
Overall, I would highly recommend The Last Mughal to anyone interested in South Asian history, colonialism, or the human costs of political conflict. It is a masterful work of non-fiction, deserving of the highest praise and accolades.
On a scale of one to five stars, I would give it a solid five, based on its extraordinary writing, meticulous research, and deep emotional resonance.
