Ivan V vs Nawab Wajid Ali Shah

Following the death of Feodor III, Ivan V was crowned co-tsar alongside his half-brother Peter I, with his sister Sophia Alekseyevna acting as regent. This arrangement was forced by the Streltsy uprising and aimed to prevent a succession crisis, but Ivan's mental disabilities left him as a figurehead.

The Moscow Streltsy (musketeers) revolted, demanding that Ivan V be crowned tsar alongside Peter I. The uprising resulted in the massacre of several Naryshkin family members and the installation of Sophia as regent. Ivan's role was passive, but the event defined his reign.

From 1682 to 1696, Ivan V served as co-tsar with Peter I, but due to his mental and physical disabilities, he took no part in governance. Real power was held by his sister Sophia until 1689, and then by Peter. Ivan's reign was nominal, and he remained a ceremonial figure.

Wajid Ali Shah became the tenth and last Nawab of Awadh upon the death of his father, Amjad Ali Shah. His reign was marked by a focus on cultural pursuits, including poetry, music, and dance, rather than administrative or military affairs.

Wajid Ali Shah was a significant patron of the classical dance form Kathak and the semi-classical music genre Thumri. His court in Lucknow became a center for these arts, and his own compositions contributed to their evolution.

The British East India Company annexed the kingdom of Awadh under the Doctrine of Lapse, citing misgovernance. Wajid Ali Shah was deposed and exiled to Calcutta, where he lived under British supervision for the rest of his life.

Following the annexation of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah was exiled to Matiaburj in Calcutta. He spent his remaining years there, continuing his patronage of the arts and establishing a cultural center that influenced Bengali music and theater.