Last King in India: Wajid Ali Shah

by Rosie Llewellyn-Jones

The Last King in India is the story of an extraordinary man whose memory still divides opinion sharply today. Was he, as the British described him, a debauched ruler who spent his time with 'fiddlers, eunuchs and women' instead of running the kingdom? Or, as most Indians believe, a gifted poet whose works are still quoted today, and who was robbed of his throne by the East India Company? Somewhere in between the two extremes lies a complex character: a man who married over 350 women, directed theatrical events lasting a month, and built a fairytale palace in Lucknow. Wajid Ali Shah was written out of the history books after his kingdom was annexed in 1856. Some even thought he had been killed during the mutiny the following year. But he lived on in Calcutta where he spent the last thirty years of his life trying to recreate his lost paradise. He remained a constant problem for the government of India, with his extravagance, his menagerie and his wives - in that order.

Genres: History, India, Nonfiction, Biography

288 pages, Hardcover

First published June 25, 2014

About the author

Rosaleen Mary Llewellyn-Jones MBE is a well-known British scholar with an expertise on Lucknow and its culture.

Reviews

[Amit Tiwary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book on Wajid Ali Shah. Rosie has done a remarkable research to present the complete story of Wajid Shah. She presents all facets of Wajid Shah's life and puts forward the role of East India Company in the annexation of Awadh and exile of Wajid Shah.

Wajid Ali Shah has so many great humanely qualities which are not completely portrayed in history books of India. He had shown resolve to govern Awadh in modern way on the expectations of East India Company but he was denied opportunities by the greedy and ruthless British Raj.
The book brings out all, all which is possible to be known. This is one book you should read if you are interested in times and life of Wajid Ali Shah.

[Bhaskar Sitholey · Rating 5 out of 5]

With 375 wives, Wajid Ali Shah’s family tree was already complicated and his multiple intermarriages muddled matters further. It was tough for him, then as king, husband and father, and now for us, as readers following his genealogical exploits and its disastrous outcomes.

The Last King in India makes for an incredulous but fun read. His time as the monarch of Awadh, his idiosyncrasies & frivolities, his penchant for poetry, music & theatre, his compulsions, apprehensions, highs & lows and even his harem; Wajid Ali Shah is brought alive for us.

In depth research and careful editorial judgement has helped present both British and Nawabi perspectives of the era with honest clarity.

Highly recommended.

[Sajith Kumar · Rating 3 out of 5]

An excellent snapshot of a transitory era taken with the right set of focus, depth and exposure.

The 19th century was a crucial period of transition in Indian history when the country rather suddenly in the space of a half-century shed its medieval coat and embarked on its road to modernity. The sultans and kings, who symbolized extravagance in the western media were either deposed or made vassals of the English East India Company, which then began a century of colonial exploitation. This shift in the ruling pattern of the land naturally caused unrest. Even though the people were worse off under the kings and sultans, they were their compatriots and the bond of tribal affiliation prevailed over rational considerations. The First War of Independence or the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857 was the direct outcome of tension brewing over a few decades. The annexation of Awadh (Oudh) in 1856 was a major source of discontent for the company’s Indian soldiers in the Bengal Army, who belonged to this province. This book tells the story of the king Wajid Ali Shah, who was the last king that ruled in Lucknow and was deposed but in spite of that, was spinelessly obedient to the British. He moved with his entourage to Calcutta where the company’s headquarters was situated. He entrusted his sick and aged mother to plead his case before Queen Victoria and the imperial government in London that proved to be a futile exercise in the wake of the Mutiny. Shah spent two years in the company’s detention for no obvious reason. After his release, he lived three decades in the Garden Reach area till his death. His sole source of income was the pension granted to him by the British which was handsome but not sufficient for the spendthrift ex-king. The book describes the political conditions prevailed in India during that period and how the British kept the native rulers on the leash. It provides a glimpse of court life in Lucknow under the Oudh dynasty where life was in perpetual glory for the few lucky courtiers and courtesans. Art and cultural forms developed enormously during this period. It also mentions the miserable failure of the court to transplant the Lucknow culture in Calcutta’s soil where everyone lived under that illusion till the death of the king in 1887. The British disposed of his estates and property through auction and divided the money among his descendants, thereby wiping the slate clean off the dynasty’s legacy in India’s history. The story is told by the able Rosie Llewellyn-Jones, who is an expert on Lucknow and its praised culture. She has authored several books on the subject.

The book paints the picture of absolute despotism being practiced in Awadh. The kingdom was deemed and treated like the king’s personal property. The king’s whims and fancies constituted the first call on the kingdom’s resources. Land revenue was the primary source of royal income. The sovereign spent the money like water, but only for his personal gratification. Wajid Ali Shah lavished his resources on women, musicians, construction of palaces, collection of wild animals, lending money on easy terms to the East India Company and being a Shia, for charity work in Iraq. The king and his predecessors were liberal in bestowing provisions on Shia holy places in Iraq. The fourth nawab of Awadh, Asaf-ud-Daulah built a canal at great cost in Karbala and it is still called the Asafi Canal. One of the very first acts of Wajid was to distribute money in plenty for Shia pilgrims in Baghdad. Najaf and Karbala witnessed grand construction projects with the Awadh tax-payer’s money. Not only that, he commissioned Iraqi workmen to build a shrine in Lucknow, which was the exact replica of the ‘Shrine of the Two Imams’ at Kazmain near Baghdad. Similarly, the royal party that visited Britain to plead against the annexation of the state that included Janab-i-Aliyah the queen mother, lived in style and pomp on the hard earned money paid by the humble farmers who could not manage even one square meal a day. The East India Company expanded its dominions using money borrowed from native princes, who were more than willing to oblige the company’s every need. It fought the war against Nepal, using the money supplied by Wajid Ali Shah.

India was racked by the agitation for building a temple dedicated to Lord Ram at Ayodhya where an earlier temple stood at the site was destroyed by Mughal emperor Babur’s military commander and had built a mosque. The movement was spearheaded by Hindu nationalist parties like the BJP. In 1992, the volunteers of the movement dismantled the disputed structure and built a temporary temple there. Main line media and secularist political parties had accused the agitators for fomenting trouble and raking up an issue which was non-existent as far as the residents of Ayodhya were concerned. This book negates this argument and proves that the place had seen many communal riots on the same issue during the 19th century too. Coming from an impartial author, it is sufficient evidence that the temple issue was a burning topic in Ayodhya, that was in the Awadh province last ruled by Wajid Ali Shah (p.110-112). Shah Gulam Husain, a Sunni leader, assembled a large force of Muslims at Ayodhya (Faizabad) in 1855 and was determined to destroy and ruin the Hanuman temple. To defend their temple and themselves, large groups of armed Hindus had gathered. Around 140 people of both faiths were killed in the ensuing riot. The Hanuman garhi was built on the conjectured site of the birth of Ram. The mosque came to be known as Babri Masjid only at the beginning of the 20th century. As a Shia, Wajid could afford to stand aside from theological disputes, but as a ruler, he had to intervene to prevent strife. A new and more dangerous leader then emerged in the person of a Sunni maulawi called Amir Ali, who collected around him a large number of people. The king invited him for discussions and proposed that one more mosque could be attached to the temple, which was vehemently opposed by the Hindus. Amir Ali marched his troops to Faizabad where the king’s army intercepted them and an estimated 300 – 400 men were killed. Isn’t this proof that the place was a flashpoint even in the 19th century?

Wajid Ali Shah was a renowned playwright, poet and a worthy connoisseur and patron of music and dance. The traditional dance form of Kathak witnessed a grand revival in the Lucknow court under him. He is said to have created several ragas (rhythmic meters) in the Hindustani system of classical Indian music. Coincidentally, another great royal composer and patron of Carnatic music, Swathi Tirunal, was ruling at around the same time in the southern princely state of Travancore. Shah has authored many poems and plays including Radha Kanhaiyya ka Qissa, Darya-i-Tashshuq and Ishqnamah. But in personal life, he was the epitome of debauchery and extravagance. He married 375 women, exploiting every loophole in the Shia law where mut’a system allowed the male to marry women for a limited time and in payment of a limited sum (p.155). He had 52 recognized children and even long after he was declared impotent, his numerous wives and concubines continued to bear children! After settling in Calcutta, Shah found his means constrained on a British pension and he could no longer lavish the poor taxpayer’s money. He became utterly selfish, even going to the extent of separating his wives after their attraction faded due to old age. He refused to allot them money out of his generous pension. In order to free himself from claims on his income, he divorced many wives – as many as 27 on a single day! Being inept in financial management, he was easy prey to greedy courtiers. They bought merchandise themselves and resold it at double the rates to the king. Shah maintained a large menagerie at his residential complex that became a headache to the municipal authorities on account of escape of tigers from the ill-kept cages. He spared no effort and money in getting his animal collection expanded. In this regard, he declared that he didn’t care any more about his wives and children than about the animals in his custody.

The British extended an outwardly respectable attitude to Wajid Ali Shah, partly in fear of antagonizing public opinion at the cavalier treatment to an ex-king whose kingdom was snatched from his hands without a single shot being fired. But they didn’t treat him on par with the honourable courtesy extended to the family of Tipu Sultan who were also accommodated in Calcutta. The author attempts to bring this dichotomy for inspection. The huge contrast between the circumstances that forced these two royal families to seek asylum is unmistakeable. Tipu Sultan died a hero’s death, defending his palace and kept fighting till the moment he was shot down on the battle front. Jones hints that the British respected such heroism and had no regard for the cowardly Wajid Ali Shah who seemed a wretch when compared to the antics of Tipu. Shah surrendered his kingdom meekly and his correspondence with the British authorities reeked of excessive use of flowery expressions indicating servitude to the foreigners. When the then Governor General, Lord Hardinge, visited Lucknow, he insisted that the king shall not wear country-made shoes and must be attired in a pair of British patent leather shoes if he wanted to meet him in person! Jones uses sympathetic expressions regarding Indian sentiments whenever it is challenged by a British act against a native ruler. Sometimes, this has reached extreme levels, like the king’s preference for women without considerations of the class to which they belong to. Her comment that it ‘helped to widen the gene pool’ (p.143) is somewhat atrocious even to explain this manifestation of Cophetua syndrome!

The book is a delight to read and the author has narrated the historical events in a hearty way with lot of anecdotes. It opens a window to what was India before the sweeping changes of modernization catapulted her to where she is today.

The book is highly recommended.

[Antara Sarkar · Rating 3 out of 5]

A couple of months ago I came across a story of the alleged last "Prince" of Oudh (Awadh), Cyrus, who passed away in abject poverty. Researching his story over the new few days since reading about him got me curious of his famous ancestor -Wajid 'Ali Shah whose kingdom was annexed by the East India Company in mid-nineteenth century. I was also curious about Shah's descendants and the circumstances that eventually brought about Cyrus's pitiable condition.

This book delves deep into the events that brought about the last king of Oudh's downfall from royalty. The king was infamous for his extravagant lifestyle and lack of interest in improving his kingdom, however, the author's account of his life at Awadh and later on at Garden Reach corrected my pre-conceived notions. All memorable incidents have been neatly organised into standalone chapters with a brief conclusion at the end of each chapter. Although I preferred reading them sequentially as the chapters tended to refer to certain incidents covered in previously written pages.
Teh historical accounts present give us an insight into the king's attitude and what made him unique and why he is still a disputed character in Indian history. I would have liked if there was a section which summarised all the British agents officers who were key players in the annexation and the resettlement of the Oudh royal family.

Rosie Llewellyn-Jones has tried to present a neutral view, however, I cannot help feeling that the British officers mentioned come out smelling like roses and accused of very little guilt of mistreatment of the king ,his courtiers and his family. It is a shame that all the king's possessions including the palace archives are dispersed or lost since his death in 1887. They could have helped the readers learn more about the eccentric last king of India and his point of view.

[Abhay Nanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author has done a marvellous job in putting together an account of the life of The Last "King". The book is a well researched work and the excerpts taken from the diaries of the EIC's officials and residents, and other documents from the same time period, are quoted fantastically in the narration taking you back to the colonial times. The author has tried her best to deliver the stories of both sides: Awadh and EIC, that gives readers some space to have their own understanding of certain situations.

Awadh has a rich history and culture that barely finds place in medieval or modern history books as it gets clouded by the sheer magnitude of the history of the Mughal Empire.

This is a story of a King who was doomed since the day he was announced the heir apparent, deceived by friends, family acquaintances and lacking support from the British Officials. A king in exile who remade his Awadh and would not settle for anything less than that.

[Indiabookstore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of an eccentric, artistic king, who stood helpless and unsupported as the East India Company used him as a pawn in their game to take over his kingdom. Wajid Ali Shah was a scandalous king, what with 375 wives and an unknown number of concubines! Rosie Llewellyn-Jones brings out the other side of his life – as a patron of art, an abused child who grew up to search for true love, a poet, playwright and a dancer. Read the full review here.

[Anuradha Goyal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Detailed review here http://www.anureviews.com/the-last-ki...

[Abhishek · Rating 4 out of 5]

History will never be boring for writers such as her. Excellent book! Highly recommended.

[Hitesh · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yucks

[Ajay Goel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even today, the haunting notes of Babul Mora Naihar Chhuto Hi Jaye evoke a visceral sense of loss in Indian classical music. Composed by Wajid Ali Shah as he was sent into exile, the song is a testament to a man who, even in the face of total political erasure, chose to resist through culture. He was a king with hundreds of wives and thousands of courtiers, a man who spent 800,000 pounds on a palace for pantomimes, and a ruler who stayed secular even when blood ran in the streets of Ayodhya. Through Rosie Llewellyn-Jones’s The Last King of India, we see that the end of his reign wasn't just a change in administration—it was the moment one civilization was finally overtaken by another.

Llewellyn-Jones’s work is quietly subversive. It neither romanticizes Wajid Ali Shah nor condemns him outright. Instead, it restores context, revealing that the annexation of Awadh was as much a cultural rupture as it was a political act.

Born in 1822 and crowned in 1847, Wajid Ali Shah quickly became a figure of controversy. By British standards, his life appeared excessive: multiple marriages, an expansive zenana, and a court steeped in ceremony and leisure. To colonial observers, such traits signified moral and administrative decay, a perception later echoed in works like Shatranj Ke Khiladi by Satyajit Ray.

Yet this reading reflected a fundamental cultural mismatch. In the Indo-Persian courtly tradition of Awadh, kingship was not defined solely by administrative efficiency. It was equally an act of cultural stewardship. Wajid Ali Shah was a poet, composer, and choreographer who saw no contradiction between power and performance. His staging of Radha Kanhaiya ka Kissa, in which he himself performed as Krishna, exemplified a world where religious boundaries blurred into shared cultural expression. His construction of Kaiserbagh (at a stupendous cost of £800,000) was not merely indulgence—it was an architectural stage for a court that valued spectacle, refinement, and artistic synthesis.

This was a culture of intimacy and patronage: of mehfils, poetry, music, and layered social hierarchies, where influence flowed through proximity and performance as much as through formal authority. Even his response to the 1855 Ayodhya unrest—where order was enforced irrespective of religious identity—reflected a pragmatic, lived secularism embedded in this cultural fabric.
The British, operating through the East India Company, represented a sharply contrasting ethos. Figures such as Lord Dalhousie and William (Thuggee) Sleeman were products of a system driven by expansion, discipline, and administrative control. Their priorities were clear: revenue, military strength, and territorial consolidation. In such a framework, Wajid Ali Shah’s world of performances, courtiers, and elaborate rituals appeared not regal, but negligent. British narratives thus reduced him to a caricature—an indulgent oriental monarch whose removal seemed both rational and necessary.

Llewellyn-Jones challenges this simplification by revealing failures on both sides. The British mistook culture for incompetence. Wajid Ali Shah, in turn, misread power. He saw himself as a sovereign equal, failing to recognize that the East India Company operated within an imperial logic that had little patience for symbolic authority. His appeals to the British crown, made with the dignity of a peer, were met with indifference—underscoring the asymmetry he did not fully grasp.
The annexation of Awadh in 1856, officially justified on grounds of misgovernance, emerges in this account as calculated expansion. Awadh’s fertile geography and strategic location made it indispensable to the Company’s ambitions. Over the previous decades, Wajid’s predecessors had loaned substantial sums to fund British wars – these unpaid loans conveniently disappeared from records after the annexation. What appeared as reform was, in effect, absorption.

The contrast extended to the military sphere. Awadh’s forces, shaped by a culture that privileged ceremony over combat readiness, were ill-equipped for modern warfare. The British, by contrast, deployed disciplined troops backed by artillery and logistical precision. When Awadh annexation became a central theatre during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, there was much bloodshed at Lucknow and Kanpur. The outcome, despite fierce resistance, was never truly in doubt.

Exiled to Calcutta, Wajid Ali Shah lived out the remainder of his life far from Lucknow. Yet even in displacement, he remained true to his world. He reconstructed a version of Awadh in exile—continuing to compose, perform, and patronize the arts. Deprived of political authority, he asserted cultural continuity.

The book doesn't demand uncritical admiration for this flawed king. It urges understanding his world: poetry over power, versus an empire prizing power alone. Between those failures of imagination lay Awadh's fate.

[Vishnu Kamath · Rating 5 out of 5]

In status, the equal to Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Empress of India

Ever wondered how the King of Awadh came to live in Calcutta at Garden Reach, now popularly called a ‘Muslim area’? On being deposed in 1853, on grounds of misgovernance, he set out from his capital city Lucknow to London, to appeal directly to his equal, the monarch of Great Britain to reverse the annexation of his kingdom. His entourage and he arrived at Calcutta to board the next available steamer to England. There was a problem though. The King of Awadh had never in the past travelled any great distance out of Lucknow. The farthest he had ever gone was to Cawnpore (now Kanpur) then British territory, and only to meet the Governor General when the latter passed by. This journey was all of 60 miles. It was no surprise that by the time he reached Calcutta, he ran out of steam and decided to send his mother, and brother together with his young son, the heir apparent ahead to England, while he himself decided to wait in Calcutta for their triumphant return. He rented out a couple of large bungalows in Garden Reach, then an upper class mostly whites- area where each bungalow was surrounded by a large garden overlooking the river.

The delegation went with great hopes of success, as an earlier delegation sent by the Nawab of Surat had successfully appealed to the Parliament for the restoration of his kingdom (see my Review of Surat by Moin Mir). But in the five decades since that success, much had changed: (i) the success of a series of annexations engineered by the ‘doctrine of lapse’, an invention of Dalhousie had given the Company tremendous confidence, (ii) Victoria had gone into confinement to deliver one of her numerous children and was not in position to receive visitors, and more seriously (iii) news had begun to filter in that the Sepoy army had mutinied.

In the time it took Victoria to meet with the Dowager Queen of Awadh, ample information had been received about the serious nature of the mutiny, its anti-Christian tilt, and finally the devastation being wrecked on the Lucknow Residency by the former soldiers of the Awadh army that had been arrogantly disbanded in the aftermath of the annexation. The Governor General had taken the King into custody, fearing that he could become the focus of the revolt. When finally the two Queens met, the appeal for the restoration of the Kingdom was forgotten, and an appeal was made for the release of the King from his detention. Despite the toning down of the appeal, there was no toning down of the gifts handed over to Victoria.

Tragedy struck the visiting delegation in multiple ways. The appeal failed. The Dowager Queen Mother died. A month later, the King’s brother also died. The young heir apparent thoroughly enjoying his European sojourn delayed his return. All this caused untold misery to the King, who was finally released after Lucknow had been reclaimed. On realizing that his kingdom was lost for good, the King bought out the property he had rented, and neighbouring ones as well, and amalgamated them into what the author calls a ‘mimic kingdom’- a mini-Awadh Court. This included nearly 350 wives- as a devout Shia, he never had sex with any woman unless he had married her first. It also included a vast menagerie of wild animals.

This book is a riveting story of the event and how it all ended.

As an exercise in alternative history, it would be well worth speculating what if the King of Awadh had not left his home. After all he was not expelled from his palaces. He left by choice. He expected to return after the annexation of his kingdom had been reversed. In case he had remained behind, like the King of Delhi, he would have without doubt got caught up with the revolt of 1857. He would have become the focal point of the revolt just as the King of Delhi had. The initial success of the revolt would certainly have shaken his faith in the invincibility of the Company army. After all, did not Begum Hazrat Mahal, the wife he disavowed not lead the rebellion with unusual fury. And when it all failed, what of the King of Awadh? What would have been his fate? Exile in Burma, like the King of Delhi faced? Or would he have succeeded in fleeing to Nepal, like his wife and made a life there? Since he lived almost 30 years after the event, when the passage of time had healed all the wounds, would he have been allowed to return and reclaim whatever was left, like the Rani of Ranjit Singh was? In hindsight, his choice saved him much trouble- he was able to continue his lazy life without interruption, except for the small matter of the loss of his kingdom.

[Arvind Balasundaram · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant, well-researched, and sympathetic retelling of the post-Awadh life and court of Wajid Ali Shah, in his exile at Fort William and Garden Reach. The narrative glitters with characters, which includes various Governors-General, their Residents, the many wives of the King, as well as the exotic animals in the menagerie. Using many sources, the author deftly brings out the tensions between Wajid Ali Shah and his British rulers, as if she were present at court, and makes it palpable to the reader with every turning of the page. This is a chess game played by two sides that were never destined to see eye to eye, during one of the most turbulent periods in Indian history.

[Krishna Singh · Rating 3 out of 5]

What lingers most after reading ‘The Last King..’ is the slow, relentless erosion of Wajid Ali Shah’s dignity at the hands of the British. The author’s meticulous research and thoughtful use of period letters and official correspondence are commendable, as she attempts to present a fair portrait of the king. The book offers compelling snapshots of the time—though predominantly filtered through British perspectives—which, while illuminating, leave the narrative feeling somewhat incomplete. My 3-star rating reflects both appreciation for the depth of the research and the way the book deepened my curiosity about British colonial rule in India.

[Yadhu · Rating 1 out of 5]

Imbecile, immoral, wastrel.... Dont get me wrong, the book is very well written. But my review of 1 star is because of the author sympathizing with the protagonist of this book. Moreover Dalrymple comments that this book is a "call for celebration". Celebration of what? Thats the million dollar question. It really baffles me what authors of these kind celebrate.

[Deepa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This read like a history book or a doctoral dissertation. The author assumes you already know the history of Wajid Ali Shah and the many British players around him, and it’s really just digging deep into a few specific incidents in his life. The research is expressly thorough and impressive, but for someone unfamiliar, like me, it was very hard to follow.

[Charmi Badlani · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exceptional, well-researched historical book on the life of the last king of India, Wajid Ali Shah, particularly after the annexation of Awadh in 1857. I appreciated that the book presented perspectives from various stakeholders – Wajid Ali Shah, his wives, his children, and the British – rather than solely from a British viewpoint.

[Fatma Sajwani · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very deep overview on Wajid Ali Shah, that goes into the simplest details. I got bored at some times but it depends on how interested you are in learning about him and in this era of Indian History

[Faisal Rahman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does what no earlier book by an Indian writer has been able to on Wajid Ali Shah. A deeply humane portrayal put together in a most engaging narrative. Highly recommended.

[Deepak Joshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting book on the poet and king Wajid Ali Shah. It is a start to finish book.

[Subrajeet Sengupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great insight on Wajid Ali Shah. Great research by Rosie to explore the political and cultural side of Wajid Ali Shah.

[Ranjan · Rating 5 out of 5]

By the time Wajid Ali Shah inherited the throne of Awadh in 1847, the East India trading company had already annexed several autonomous states, dispossessed their rulers, and sent them into exile to distant territories. It was just a matter of time before it swallowed up Awadh – on the pretext of mismanagement. Unlike other rulers who put up various degrees of armed resistance, Wajid Ali Shah tried to prove his fidelity to the Crown unswervingly, but that did not cut much ice. His eventual exile in Garden Reach area, a Calcutta neighbourhood where he settled with a retinue of around 6,000 people from Lucknow that included his 375 wives and a menagerie of exotic animals and serpents – and his imprisonment at Calcutta’s Fort William for two years on unspecified charges did nothing to change his profligate lifestyle. Surrounded by minions who continually fleeced him, and dependent solely on the pension doled out to him by the British administration that could never meet his spendthrift habits, he divorced 27 of his wives on a single day without providing them any allowance, just to spite the Britishers!

In this absorbing account of the times by contemporary British historian Rosie Llewellyn-Jones, Wajid Ali Shah comes across as a tragi-comic figure who, in the 30 years that he lived in exile till his death, drove the local administration crazy with his obstinate refusal to step out of his bubble despite the close monitoring and micro-management that he was subjected to. He evokes both revulsion and pity whose most significant contribution seems to be restricted to excellent poetry, erotic memoirs and the lavish dramas that he staged which were marked by a secular ethos. The account reads almost like the theatre of the Absurd that nevertheless heralded a new epoch in Indian history post-1857 Uprising – till the nationalist movement in all its various manifestations posed a new challenge to the Britishers in the 20th century. Wajid Ali Shah, the man-child symbolises the last link in this transition between the two worlds.

For aficionados of ‘narrative history’, Rosie Llewellyn-Jones’ THE LAST KING IN INDIA: WAJID ALI SHAH, 1822-1887 would make for a delightful read.

[Yash Sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

The man who was not born to be king : Wajid Ali Shah
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A man's feet should be planted in his country, but his eyes should survey the world.

- George Santayana


The last king in India, Wajid Ali Shah, is beautifully narrated book about the life and times of the last ruler of the kingdom of Awadh. The main USP of this book is that the author has highlighted both the positives and negatives of the man who never forgot that he was a king, and did not allow others to forget it.

For the detailed review you can visit - https://dontbignorant.in/the-man-who-...

[The Book Outline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a powerful retracing of the story of his life based on original documents from Indian and British archives and meetings with his descendants. While most well researched biographies tend towards the more dense and scholarly format, this book did surpass the limitation and is highly readable biography of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. Read the complete review of The Last King In India at http://www.thebookoutline.com/2014/08...

[Shirin bagchi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't find the book particularly engaging or captivating.. probably because there is not much mystery left about the king. But credit must be given to Ms. Llewellyn Jones for painstakingly trying to piece together the last days.. although it is a tattered tapestry but like those golden days, there are some silk threads left for us to glimpse into and marvel at the genius that was the king.

[Conscientia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very well written auto-biography of Wajid All Shah and this book gives the best insight of India in 1800s.

The book give an amazing insight into the lives of people, the King and his adjutants.

Rosie has done a very extensive research on the book and it's worth reading and I really loved it and gifted this book to two of my friends who are equally interested in Indian History.

[Jimeetgandhi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is well researched. However, the topic that the writer has chosen is not that engaging to merit more stars here. Also the very prosaic form of narration makes this a tad bit of a task.

[Samarpita Sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://sankshvet.blogspot.in/2014/07/...