Zeenat Mahal married Bahadur Shah II at Delhi on 19 November 1840 and had a son with him, Mirza Jawan Bakht.

[1] She was suspected of poisoning the British Resident in Delhi, Thomas Metcalfe, in 1853 for meddling too much in palace affairs.

[3][4] During the Indian rebellion of 1857, she kept her son out of contact with the rebels in an attempt to secure the throne for him.

After her husband's death in 1862, the British banned anyone from claiming the title of Emperor in an attempt to dissolve the monarchy.

"[5] She was buried in her husband's tomb in Yangon's Dagon Township near the Shwedagon Pagoda.