Bahadur Shah II 

The inscription reads, in part: "An auspicious likeness of His Majesty the  Shadow of God . . . exalted King of Kings ... Prince Shadow of God, Refuge  of Islam, Propagator of the Muhammadan Religion, Increasor of the Splendour of the Community of the Paraclete, Progeny of the Gurganid  (Mughal) Dynasty Choicest of the Race of the Sahibqiran (Tamerlane), exhalted King of Kings, Emperor and son of Emperor, Sultan and son of Sultan, Possessed of Glories and Victories. (translated by Wheeler Thackston)  

A talented poet, Bahadur Shah II might also have been a great ruler; but  his reign was a tragicomedy of overblown titles and tinsel grandeur. An aspiring prince once tried to poison him with a tiger's whisker. Although a  puppet of the British most of his reign, in 1857 he was coerced into nominally leading the Sepoy Rebellion, which ended with most of his sons shot dead and Bahadur Shah himself put to trial. According to Delhi tradition, on  his arrest a favorite elephant, Maula Bakhsh, was in mast (heat). On regaining his senses, the animal roamed the Delhi streets searching for his master.  The elephant's vast corpse was found in Ferozshah Kotla. Bahadur Shah was  exiled to Burma, where his few remaining years were spent writing sad verse. 

1. My heart finds no love in a realm so desolate.

    Whose bride is found in a world so inconstant? 

2.From a long life's wish, but four days were granted:

  Two were spent in desire, two elapsed in longing.

3.Say if you will: Live apart from this place of yearnings. 

   But where is there such space in a seared heart?

4. How star-crossed is Zafar, that for his grave

   He found not even two yards of ground in the lane of the Beloved.  

(A ghazal written by the emperor, whose poetical name was Zafar, before  his death in exile. Translated by Brian Silver.)