Muhammad Farrukhsiyar was born on 20 August 1683 (9th Ramzan 1094 AH) in the city of Aurangabad on the Deccan plateau, to a Kashmiri mother, Sahiba Niswan.

Farrukhsiyar spent his early years governing Dhaka (in present-day Bangladesh) the capital city of Bengal Subah.

On 21 March, Farrukhsiyar proclaimed his father's accession to the throne, issued coinage in his name and ordered khutba (public prayer).

[6] On 10 January 1713, Farrukhsiyar and Jahandar Shah's forces met at Samugarh, 14 kilometres (9 mi) east of Agra in present-day Uttar Pradesh.

According to historian William Irvine, Farrukhsiyar's close aides Mir Jumla III and Khan Dauran sowed seeds of suspicion in his mind that they might usurp him from the throne.

[11] Farrukhsiyar could not confront them, as the Sayyid Brothers maintained control of the strongest part of the army, and thus the latter became de facto rulers of the empire.

[12] Maharaja Ajit Singh of Marwar captured Ajmer with the support of the Marwari nobles and expelled Mughal diplomats from his state.

However, the anti-Sayyid brothers faction in the Mughal emperor's court compelled him to send secret letters to Ajit Singh assuring him of rewards if he defeated Hussain Ali Khan.

As Hussain Ali Khan advanced to Ajmer via Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Merta, Ajit Singh retreated to the deserts hoping to dissuade the Mughal general from a battle.

[16] Due to Aurangzeb's 25-year campaign on the Deccan plateau, Mughal authority weakened in North India with the rise of local rulers.

[18] In September 1716 Raja Jai Singh II undertook a campaign against Churaman, who lived in Thun (in present-day Rajasthan, India).

With the Mughals running out of ammunition, Syed Muzaffar Khan was ordered to bring gunpowder, rockets and mounds of lead from the arsenal at Agra.

With rain coming late in 1717, prices of commodities increased and Raja Jai Singh II found it difficult to continue the siege.

[31] After three months of confinement,[32] on 19 June 1716 Farrukhsiyar had Banda Singh Bahadur and his followers executed, despite the wealthy Khatris of Delhi offering money for his release.

Farrukhsiyar said to the Hindus:[40] "Inayatullah has placed before me a letter from the Sherif of Mecca urging that the collection of jizya is obligatory according to our Holy book.

In 1717, Farrukhsiyar issued a farman giving the British East India Company the right to reside and trade in the Mughal Empire.

They were allowed to trade freely, except for a yearly payment of 3,000 rupees, in gratitude for William Hamilton, a surgeon associated with the company, curing Farrukhsiyar of a disease.

Mir Jumla III began approving proposals for jagirs and mansabs without consulting Syed Abdullah, the prime minister.

[43] Syed Abdullah's deputy Ratan Chand accepted bribes for him to do work and was involved in revenue farming, which was forbidden by the Mughal emperor.

Taking advantage of the situation, Mir Jumla III told Farrukhsiyar that the Sayyids were unfit to hold office and accused them of insubordination.

Hoping to depose the brothers, Farrukhsiyar began making military preparations and increased the number of soldiers under Mir Jumla III and Khan Dauran.

Although Farrukhsiyar initially considered giving the task of crushing the brothers to Mohammad Amin Khan (who wanted the position of prime minister in return), he decided against it because removing him would be difficult.

This agreement was reached without Farrukhsiyar's approval,[46] and he was angry when he learned about it: "It was not proper for the vile enemy to be overbearing partners in matters of revenue and government.

After Farrukhsiyar's deposition and death she left the imperial harem on 16 July 1719, she returned to her father with her property and lived her remaining years in Jodhpur.

[54] Farrukhsiyar's third wife was Bai Bhup Devi, daughter of Jaya Singh (the Raja of Kishtwar, who had converted to Islam and received the name of Bakhtiyar Khan).