71-464: Nur Jahan ( lit. ' Light of the world ' ; 31 May 1577 – 18 December 1645), born Mehr-un-Nissa was the twentieth wife and chief consort of the Mughal emperor Jahangir . More decisive and proactive than her husband, Nur Jahan is considered by certain historians to have been the real power behind the throne for more than a decade. Wielding a level of power and influence unprecedented for
142-487: A Mughal empress, she was granted honours and privileges never enjoyed by any of her predecessors or successors , such as having coinage struck in her name. Her pre-eminence was in part made possible by her husband Jahangir's addiction to hunting , alcohol and opium and his frequent ill-health. Nur Jahan was born as Mehr-un-Nissa (1577) in Kandahar , present-day Afghanistan , into a family of Persian nobility and
213-439: A great deal of power in affairs of state. Jahangir's addiction to opium and alcohol made it easier for Nur Jahan to exert her influence. His trust in her was so great that he gave her the highest symbol of power and determination of the decrees of the empire – his imperial seal, implying that her perusal and consent were necessary before any document or order received legal validity. So for many years, she wielded imperial power and
284-522: A large "sarai" in Jalandhar district twenty-five miles southeast of Sultanpur. It was such an important "sarai" that, according to Shujauddin, "'Serai Noor Mahal' in local idiom meant some spacious and important edifice." I'timād-ud-Daulah died in January 1622, and his tomb has been generally attributed to Nur Jahan. The tomb took six years to finish (1622-1628), and was built at an enormous cost. It
355-474: A love affair existed prior to 1611 and historians have questioned Jahangir's logic in bestowing honours upon Sher Afgan if he wished to see him removed from the picture. After her husband Sher Afgan was killed in 1607, Nur Jahan and her daughter, Ladli Begum , were summoned to Agra by Jahangir for their protection and acted as lady-in-waiting to the Ruqaiya Sultan Begum , who had been one of
426-512: A military campaign in Mewar under Prince Salim, Ali Quli Istajlu was bestowed the title of Sher Afgan or "Tiger Tosser". Sher Afgan's role in the rout of the Rana of Udaipur inspired this reward, but contemporaries did not record his exact actions. A popular explanation is that Sher Afgan saved Salim from an angry tigress. In 1607, Sher Afgan Khan was killed after it was rumoured he had refused to obey
497-699: A region, the Mughals always sought to occupy a strategic fortress in some region, which would serve as a nodal point from which the Mughal army would emerge to take on any enemy that challenged the empire. This system was not only expensive but also made the army somewhat inflexible as the assumption was always the enemy would retreat into a fortress to be besieged or would engage in a set-piece decisive battle of annihilation on open ground. The Hindu Marathas were expert horsemen who refused to engage in set-piece battles, but rather engaged in campaigns of guerrilla warfare upon
568-544: A result of Prince Khurram's refusal to obey Nur Jahan's orders, Kandahar was lost to the Persians after a forty-five-day siege. Prince Khurram feared that in his absence Nur Jahan would attempt to poison his father against him and convince Jahangir to name Shahryar the heir in his place. This fear brought Prince Khurram to rebel against his father rather than fight against the Persians. In 1622 Prince Khurram raised an army and marched against his father and Nur Jahan. The rebellion
639-759: A style of sandalwood colored carpeting . Mughal emperors The emperors of the Mughal Empire , who were all members of the Timurid dynasty ( House of Babur ), ruled the empire from its inception on 21 April 1526 to its dissolution on 21 September 1857. They were the supreme monarchs of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent , mainly corresponding to the modern countries of India , Pakistan , Afghanistan and Bangladesh . They ruled many parts of India from 1526, and by 1707, and ruled most of
710-583: A summons from the Governor of Bengal, took part in anti-state activities, and attacked the governor when he came to escort Sher Afgan to court. Some have suspected Jahangir of arranging Sher Afgan's death because the latter was said to have fallen in love with Nur Jahan and had been denied the right to add her to his harem. The validity of this rumour is uncertain as Jahangir only married Nur Jahan in 1611, four years after she came to his court. Furthermore, contemporary accounts offer few details as to whether or not
781-418: A syncretistic mixture of Hinduism and Islam. Akbar allowed freedom of religion at his court and attempted to resolve socio-political and cultural differences in his empire by establishing a new religion, Din-i-Ilahi , with strong characteristics of a ruling cult. He left his son an internally stable state, which was in the midst of its golden age, but before long signs of political weakness would emerge. Akbar
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#1732776315349852-479: A territory of more than 4 million square kilometres (1.5 million square miles). Mughal power rapidly dwindled during the 18th century and the last emperor, Bahadur Shah II , was deposed in 1857, with the establishment of the British Raj . The Mughal Empire was founded by Babur , a Timurid prince and ruler from Central Asia . Babur was a direct descendant of Timur , the 14th century founder of
923-413: A war of succession brought on by the failure of Jahangir to name an heir before he died on 28 October 1627. In 1626, Emperor Jahangir was captured by rebels while on his way to Kashmir . The rebel leader Mahabat Khan had hoped to stage a coup against Jahangir. Riding into battle atop a war elephant, Nur Jahan intervened herself to get her husband released. She ordered the ministers to organize an attack on
994-422: Is a region in the south-central part of Rajasthan state of India. It includes the present-day districts of Bhilwara , Chittorgarh , Pratapgarh , Rajsamand , Udaipur , Pirawa Tehsil of Jhalawar District of Rajasthan , Neemuch and Mandsaur of Madhya Pradesh and some parts of Gujarat. For centuries, the region was ruled by Rajputs . The princely state of Udaipur emerged as an administrative unit during
1065-572: Is now known as Itmad-ud-daulah's tomb. The tomb served as the inspiration for the Taj Mahal , unarguably the zenith of Mughal architecture, the construction of which began in 1632 and which Nur Jahan must have heard about before she died. Nur Jahan died on 17 December 1645 at age 68. She is buried at her tomb in Shahdara Bagh in Lahore , which she had built herself. Upon her tomb is inscribed
1136-501: Is reported to have slain four tigers with six bullets during one hunt. According to Sir Syed Ahmad Khan this feat, inspired a poet to declaim a spontaneous couplet in her honor: "Though Nur Jahan be in form a woman, In the ranks of men she's a tiger-slayer" Nur Jahan's administrative skills proved invaluable during her regency as she defended the Empire's borders in her husband's absence and navigated family feuds, rebel uprisings, and
1207-645: Is shown by later sources mistakenly identifying Nur Jahan as the mother of Shah Jahan . Jahangir's wife, Jagat Gosain , a Rajput princess, was, in reality, Shah Jahan's mother. Jahangir gave her the title of Nur Mahal ( lit. ' Light of the Palace ' ) upon their marriage in 1611 and Nur Jahan ( lit. ' Light of the World ' ) five years later in 1616 when they had their first sex. Jahangir's affection and trust in Nur Jahan led to her wielding
1278-752: The Bay of Bengal and drainage of the Gulf of Khambhat runs almost through the centre of Mewar. The northern and eastern part of Mewar is a gently sloping plain, drained by the Bedach and Banas River and its tributaries, which empty northwest into the Chambal River , a tributary of the Yamuna River . The southern and western part of the region is hilly, and marks the divide between the Banas and its tributaries and
1349-816: The Jaisamand Wildlife Sanctuary , the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary , the Bassi Wildlife Sanctuary , the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary and the Sita Mata Wildlife Sanctuary . Mewar has a tropical climate. Rainfall averages 660 mm/year, and is generally higher in the southwest and lower in the northeast of the region. Over 90% of the rain typically falls in the period of June to September every year, during
1420-682: The Timurid empire on his father's side, and Genghis Khan on his mother's side. Ousted from his ancestral domains in Turkestan by Shaybani Khan , the 40-year-old prince Babur turned to India to satisfy his ambitions. He established himself in Kabul and then pushed steadily southward into India from Afghanistan through the Khyber Pass . Babur's forces occupied much of northern India after his victory at Panipat in 1526. The preoccupation with wars and military campaigns, however, did not allow
1491-554: The pietra dura of Itimadadudddaula's tomb was one of the earliest true examples of the technique in India. Nur Jahan also built the Pattar Masjid at Srinagar, and her own tomb at Lahore. According to legend, Nur Jahan is purported to have made contributions to almost every type of fine and practical art. In many cases the attributions can be traced back to Khafi Khan , who according to Ellison Banks Findly, "seems to have been in
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#17327763153491562-494: The wazir of Isfahan , in recognition of his excellent service. For unknown reasons, Ghiyas Beg's family had suffered a reversal in fortunes in 1577 and soon found circumstances in their homeland intolerable. Hoping to improve his family's fortunes, Ghiyas Beg chose to relocate to India where the Emperor Akbar 's court was said to be at the centre of the growing trade industry and cultural scene. Halfway along their route
1633-706: The Dowager Empress for four years. The Dutch merchant and travel writer Pieter van den Broecke , described their relationship in his Hindustan Chronicle, "This Begum [Ruqaiya] conceived a great affection for Mehr-un-Nissa [Nur Jahan]; she loved her more than others and always kept her in her company." Nur Jahan and Jahangir have been the subject of much interest over the centuries and there are innumerable legends and stories about their relationship. Many stories allege an early affection between Nur Jahan and Emperor Jahangir before Nur Jahan's first marriage in 1594. One variation recounts that they were in love when Nur Jahan
1704-506: The Marathas. The Indian campaign of Nader Shah of Persia culminated with the Sack of Delhi and shattered the remnants of Mughal power and prestige, as well as capturing the imperial treasury, thus drastically accelerating its decline. Many of the empire's elites now sought to control their own affairs and broke away to form independent kingdoms. The Mughal emperor, however, continued to be
1775-583: The Medas with Vardhana-giri (modern Badnor in Mewar region). Historian Sashi Bhusan Chaudhuri associates the ancient Medas with the modern Mer people . The 1285 CE (1342 VS) Mount Abu ( Achaleshwar ) inscription of the Guhila king Samarasimha provides the following etymology while describing the military conquests of his ancestor Bappa Rawal (Bappaka): "This country which was, in battle, totally submerged in
1846-488: The Mughal court. She wished for her daughter, Ladli Begum , to become Empress after her. During the first half of the war it appeared as though Shahryar and Nur Jahan might turn out to be the victors; however, the two were thwarted by Nur Jahan's brother, Asaf Khan. Asaf Khan, who was also the father of Mumtaz Mahal , sided with Shah Jahan. While Asaf Khan forced Nur Jahan into confinement, Shah Jahan defeated Shahryar's troops and ordered his execution. In 1628, Shah Jahan became
1917-421: The Mughal supply lines. The Marathas were unable to take the Mughal fortresses via a storm or formal siege as they lacked the artillery, but by constantly intercepting supply columns, they were able to starve Mughal fortresses into submission. Successive Mughal commanders refused to adjust their tactics and develop an appropriate counter-insurgency strategy, which led to the Mughals losing more and more ground to
1988-529: The affirmation of bringing him back to power. He was the first choice of Nur Jahan for the marriage of her daughter, Ladli Begum as he was the favorite of common people who desperately wanted to see him on the throne and was highly backed by the revered people of the Mughal Court owing to his exceptional capabilities and talent. However, the Prince in an effort to uphold the fidelity to his chief wife refused
2059-528: The ancient name of the region. The earliest epigraph that mentions the word "Medapata" is a 996–997 CE (1053 VS ) inscription discovered at Hathundi ( Bijapur ). The word "pata" or "pataka" refers to an administrative unit. According to the historian G. C. Raychaudhuri, Medapata was named after the Meda tribe, which has been mentioned in Varāhamihira 's Brihat-Samhita . The 1460 Kumbhalgarh inscription associates
2130-457: The authority of the emperor, accepting him only as 'King of Delhi' and removing all references to him from their coinage. After the Indian rebellion which he nominally led from 1857–58, the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar , was deposed by the British, who then assumed formal control of a large part of the former empire, marking the start of the British Raj . Titular emperors Over
2201-471: The best possible education. She became well-versed in Arabic and Persian languages, art , literature , music and dance . The poet and author Vidya Dhar Mahajan would later praise Nur Jahan as having a piercing intelligence, a volatile temper and sound common sense. In 1594, when Nur Jahan was seventeen years old, she married her first husband Ali Quli Istajlu (also known as Sher Afgan Khan ). Sher Afgan
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2272-420: The business of re-creating Nur Jahan's talents and accomplishments beyond all realistic possibility." Nur Jahan was very creative and had a good fashion sense, and she is credited for many textile materials and dresses like nurmahali dress and fine cloths like Panchtoliya badla (silver-threaded brocade), kinari (silver-threaded lace), etc. Nur Jahan is also credited with popularizing farsh-i-chandani ,
2343-529: The chief wives of the late Emperor Akbar. Given the precarious political connections of Sher Afgan before his death, his family would be in certain danger with him gone from those seeking to avenge Qutbuddin's murder. For her protection, then, Nur Jahan needed to be at the Mughal court in Agra, she was brought back in honour (presumably because of her father's position at court) was clear from her new post with Ruqaiya Sultan Begum. Nur Jahan served as lady-in-waiting to
2414-1017: The course of the empire, there were several claimants to the Mughal throne who ascended the throne or claimed to do so but were never recognized. Here are the claimants to the Mughal throne historians recognise as titular Mughal emperors. (4 years, 8 months and 6 days) (9 years, 4 months and 21 days) 22 February 1555 – 27 January 1556 (11 months and 5 days) (49 years, 8 months and 16 days) (21 years, 11 months and 25 days) (30 years, 6 months and 12 days) Alamgir عالمگیر (48 years, 7 months and 3 days) (3 months 6 days) Shah Alam I (4 years, 253 days) (0 years, 350 days) (6 years, 48 days) (0 years, 98 days) (0 years, 105 days) (28 years, 212 days) (6 years, 37 days) (5 years, 180 days) (0 years, 282 days) (27 years, 301 days) (0 years, 63 days) (18 years, 339 days) (30 years, 321 days) (19 years, 360 days) Mewar Mewar or Mewad
2485-525: The court, however, began to exceed the revenue being levied. Shah Jahan's eldest son, the liberal Dara Shikoh , became regent in 1658, as a result of his father's illness. Dara championed a syncretistic Hindu-Muslim religion and culture. With the support of the Islamic orthodoxy, however, a younger son of Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb , seized the throne. Aurangzeb defeated Dara in 1659 and had him executed. Although Shah Jahan fully recovered from his illness, there
2556-402: The creativity and intellect of Nur Jahan as she soon was able to organize an escape and raise an army right under his very nose. Shortly after being rescued, Jahangir died on 28 October 1627. In 1620, Nur Jahan, in order to secure her power in the Mughal court after the decline of her husband, Jahangir's health, offered the marriage proposal of her daughter to the charismatic Khusrau Mirza with
2627-631: The dripping fat ( ' medas ' in Sanskrit ) of wicked people by Bappaka bears the name of Śrī Medapāṭa." Historian Anil Chandra Banerjee dismisses this as a "poetic fancy", but acknowledges the 'terrible' battles fought between the Rajputs and the Arabs. The northern and eastern portions of Mewar are made up of an elevated plateau while the western and southern portions were rocky and hilly with dense forests. The watershed divide between drainage of
2698-497: The emperor, and those who exercised influence over the emperor gained immense influence and prestige. Nur Jahan was able to convince her husband to pardon her father and appoint him Prime Minister. To consolidate her position and power within the Empire, Nur Jahan placed various members of her family in high positions throughout the court and administrative offices. Her brother Asaf Khan was appointed grand Wazir (minister) to Jahangir. Furthermore, to ensure her continued connections to
2769-543: The empire heavily in both militarily and financially. A further problem for Aurangzeb was the army had always been based upon the land-owning aristocracy of northern India who provided the cavalry for the campaigns, and the empire had nothing equivalent to the janissary corps of the Ottoman Empire. The long and costly conquest of the Deccan had badly diminished the "aura of success" that surrounded Aurangzeb, and from
2840-714: The empire's decline, but he ultimately had to seek the protection of outside powers. In 1784, the Marathas under Mahadaji Shinde won acknowledgement as the protectors of the emperor in Delhi, a state of affairs that continued until after the Second Anglo-Maratha War . Thereafter, the East India Company became the protectors of the Mughal dynasty in Delhi . After 1835 the Company no longer recognised
2911-462: The enemy in order to rescue the Emperor; she would lead one of the units by administering commands from on top of a war elephant. During the battle Nur Jahan's mount was hit and the soldiers of the imperial army fell at her feet. Realizing her plan had failed Nur Jahan surrendered to Mahabat Khan and was placed in captivity with her husband. Unfortunately for the rebels, Mahabat Khan failed to recognize
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2982-663: The epitaph "On the grave of this poor stranger, let there be neither lamp nor rose. Let neither butterfly’s wing burn nor nightingale sing". Her brother Asaf Khan's tomb is also located nearby. Her daughter, Ladli Begum was buried beside her in her mausoleum after her death. According to the Dutch traveller Pelaert her patronage of architecture was extensive, as he notes, "She erects very expensive buildings in all directions- " sarais ", or halting places for travellers and merchants, and pleasure gardens and palaces such that no one has seen before" (Pelsaert, pp 50). In 1620, Nur Jahan commissioned
3053-457: The fabulous wealth of the Mughal court, but the glittering court hid darker realities, namely that about a quarter of the empire's gross national product was owned by 655 families while the bulk of India's 120 million people lived in appalling poverty. After suffering what appears to have been an epileptic seizure in 1578 while hunting tigers, which he regarded as a religious experience , Akbar grew disenchanted with Islam, and came to embrace
3124-519: The family was attacked by robbers who took from them their remaining meager possessions. Left with only two mules, Ghiyas Beg, his pregnant wife, and their two children (Muhammad Sharif, Asaf Khan ) were forced to take turns riding on the backs of the animals for the remainder of their journey. When the family arrived in Kandahar, Asmat Begum gave birth to their second daughter. The family was so impoverished they feared they would be unable to take care of
3195-577: The headwaters of the Sabarmati and Mahi rivers and their tributaries, which drain south into the Gulf of Khambhat through Gujarat state. The Aravalli Range , which forms the northwestern boundary of the region, is composed mostly of sedimentary rocks, like marble and Kota Stone , which has traditionally been an important construction material. The region is part of the Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests ' ecoregion . Protected areas include
3266-575: The highest manifestation of sovereignty. Not only the Muslim gentry, but the Maratha, Hindu, and Sikh leaders took part in ceremonial acknowledgements of the emperor as the sovereign of India. In the next decades, the Afghans , Sikhs , and Marathas battled against each other and the Mughals, revealing the fragmented state of the empire. The Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II made futile attempts to reverse
3337-515: The kingdom stretched to 3.2 million square kilometres, including parts of what are now India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. After his death in 1707, "many parts of the empire were in open revolt." Aurangzeb's attempts to reconquer his family's ancestral lands in Central Asia were not successful while his successful conquest of the Deccan region proved to be a pyrrhic victory that cost
3408-568: The late 17th century onwards, the aristocracy became increasingly unwilling to provide forces for the empire's wars as the prospect of being rewarded with land as a result of a successful war was seen as less and less likely. Furthermore, at the conclusion of the conquest of the Deccan, Aurangzeb had very selectively rewarded some of the noble families with confiscated land in the Deccan, leaving aristocrats unrewarded with confiscated land feeling strongly disgruntled and unwilling to participate in further campaigns. Aurangzeb's son, Shah Alam , repealed
3479-425: The marriage proposal though his wife begged him to accept the proposal and subsequently, this proposal was passed on to Prince Khurram upon whose refusal it was finally passed to and accepted by Shahryar Mirza . Tensions between Nur Jahan and Jahangir's third son, the crowned Prince Khurram and future Shah Jahan , had been uneasy from the start. Prince Khurram resented the influence Nur Jahan held over his father and
3550-526: The new Mughal emperor. Nur Jahan was put under house arrest by her brother on the orders of new Emperor Shah Jahan and spent the remainder of her life confined in Lahore with her young widowed daughter, Ladli Begum , and her granddaughter. The three of them lived a simple and austere life. She was granted an annual amount of 2 lakhs rupees by Shah Jahan. During this period she oversaw the completion of her father's mausoleum in Agra, which she started in 1622 and
3621-689: The new emperor to consolidate the gains he had made in India. The instability of the empire became evident under his son, Humayun , who was driven into exile in Persia by rebels. Humayun's exile in Persia established diplomatic ties between the Safavid and Mughal courts and led to increasing West Asian cultural influence in the Mughal court. The restoration of Mughal rule began after Humayun's triumphant return from Persia in 1555, but he died from an accident shortly afterwards. Humayun's son, Akbar , succeeded to
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#17327763153493692-420: The newborn baby. Fortunately, the family was taken in by a caravan led by the merchant noble Malik Masud, who would later assist Ghiyas Beg in finding a position in the service of Emperor Akbar. Believing that the child had signaled a change in the family's fate, she was named Mehr-un-Nissa or ‘Sun among Women’. Her father Ghiyas Beg began his career in India, after being given a mansab of 300 in 1577. Thereafter he
3763-663: The period of British East India Company governance in India and remained until the end of the British Raj era. The Mewar region lies between the Aravali Range to the northwest, Ajmer to the north, Gujarat and the Vagad region of Rajasthan to the south, the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh state to the south and the Hadoti region of Rajasthan to the east. The word "Mewar" is vernacular form of "Medapata" ( IAST : Medapāṭa),
3834-519: The reign of Aurangzeb , the empire, as the world's largest economy and manufacturing power, worth over 25% of global GDP, controlled nearly all of the Indian subcontinent, extending from Dhaka in the east to Kabul in the west and from Kashmir in the north to the Kaveri River in the south. Its population at the time is estimated to be 158,400,000 (a quarter of the world's population), over
3905-611: The religious policies of his father and attempted to reform the administration. "However, after his death in 1712, the Mughal dynasty sank into chaos and violent feuds. In the year 1719 alone, four emperors successively ascended the throne". During the reign of Muhammad Shah , the empire began to break up, and vast tracts of central India passed from Mughals to the Marathas hands. Mughal warfare had always been based upon heavy artillery for sieges, heavy cavalry for offensive operations and light cavalry for skirmishing and raids. To control
3976-448: The same year (Wednesday, 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal, 1020 AH/ 25 May 1611 AD). Nur Jahan was thirty-four years old at the time of her second marriage and she would be Jahangir's twentieth and last legal wife. According to some accounts they had two children, while others report the couple remained childless. Incomplete records and Jahangir's abundant number of children, obscure efforts to distinguish individual identities and maternity. This confusion
4047-704: The subcontinent. Afterwards, they declined rapidly, but nominally ruled territories until the Indian Rebellion of 1857 , where they gave their last stand against the invading British forces in India. The Mughal dynasty was founded by Babur ( r. 1526–1530 ), a Timurid prince from the Fergana Valley (modern-day Uzbekistan ), was a direct descendant of both Timur and Genghis Khan . The Mughal emperors had significant Indian Rajput and Persian ancestry through marriage alliances as emperors were born to Rajput and Persian princesses. During
4118-444: The throne and the influence which she could obtain from it, Nur Jahan arranged for her daughter Ladli to marry Jahangir's youngest son, Shahryar . This wedding ensured that one way or another, the influence of Nur Jahan's family would extend over the Mughal Empire for at least another generation. Nur Jahan was fond of hunting and often went on hunting tours with her husband and was known for her boldness in hunting ferocious tigers. She
4189-575: The throne under a regent, Bairam Khan , who helped consolidate the Mughal Empire in India. Through warfare and diplomacy, Akbar was able to extend the empire in all directions and controlled almost the entire Indian subcontinent north of the Godavari river . He created a new ruling elite loyal to him, implemented a modern administration, and encouraged cultural developments. He increased trade with European trading companies. The Indian historian Abraham Eraly wrote that foreigners were often impressed by
4260-438: Was a succession war for the throne between Dara and Aurangzeb. Finally, Aurangzeb succeeded the throne and kept Shah Jahan under house arrest. During Aurangzeb's reign, the empire gained political strength once more, and it became the world's largest economy, over a quarter of the world GDP, but his establishment of Sharia caused huge controversies. Aurangzeb expanded the empire to include a huge part of South Asia. At its peak,
4331-411: Was again found in a less than honourable or desired position. Her father was at that time, a diwan to an Amir-ul-Umra , decidedly not a very high post. In addition, both her father and one of her brothers were surrounded by scandal as the former was accused of embezzlement and the latter of treason. Her fortunes took a turn for the better when she married Jahangir. The Mughal state gave absolute power to
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#17327763153494402-420: Was also interested in elevating the way individuals view leaders with the stylings of his clothes and ensemble. Akbar's son, Jahangir , was addicted to opium , neglected the affairs of the state, and came under the influence of rival court cliques . During the reign of Jahangir's son, Shah Jahan , the splendour of the Mughal court reached its peak, as exemplified by the Taj Mahal . The cost of maintaining
4473-503: Was an adventurous Persian who had been forced to flee his home in Persia after the demise of his first master Shah Ismail II . He later joined the Mughal army and served under the Emperors Akbar and Jahangir . As a reward for his loyal service, Akbar arranged Nur Jahan's marriage with Sher Afgan. Their only child together, a daughter, Mihr-un-Nissa Begum , popularly known as Ladli Begum, was born in 1605. While participating in
4544-798: Was angered at having to play second fiddle to her favourite Shahryar, his half-brother and her son-in-law. When the Persians besieged Kandahar, Nur Jahan was at the helm of the affairs. She corresponded with Kösem Sultan , the most powerful Valide Sultan and regent of the Ottoman Empire . Nur Jahan attempted, with the support of the Ottomans and the Uzbeks , to form a coalition against the Safavids . However, her efforts did not succeed. She ordered Prince Khurram to march for Kandahar, but he refused. As
4615-468: Was appointed diwan (treasurer) for the province of Kabul . Due to his astute skills at conducting business, he quickly rose through the ranks of the high administrative officials. For his excellent work he was awarded the title of Itimad-ud-Daula or ‘Pillar of the State’ by the emperor. As a result of his work and promotions, Ghiyas Beg was able to ensure that Mehr-un-Nissa (the future Nur Jahan) would have
4686-494: Was backed by Nur Jahan being her son-in-law. Jahangir's eldest son Khusrau had rebelled against the Emperor, was partially blinded as a result and was later killed by Prince Khurram during an uprising in Deccan. Jahangir's second son, Parviz, was weak and addicted to alcohol. Afraid to lose her powers and influence in the Mughal court if Shah Jahan would succeed her husband, she backed her son-in-law, Shahryar Mirza, who she believed could be easily manipulated thus retaining influence in
4757-501: Was built in I'timād-ud-Daulah's own garden, on the eastern bank of the Yamuna across from Agra. The building is square measuring sixty nine feet on each side, with four octagonal towers rising up one at each corner. The central Vault inside the tomb contain the cenotaphs of I'timād-ud-Daulah and his wife, Nur Jahan's mother Asmat Begum. The walls in the central chamber are decorated with paintings set in deep niches. According to Vincent Smith
4828-418: Was quelled by Jahangir's forces and the prince was forced to surrender unconditionally. Although he was forgiven for his errors in 1626, tensions between Nur Jahan and her stepson would continue to grow underneath the surface. Jahangir died on 28 October 1627 and his death sparked a war of succession between his remaining sons, Prince Khurram who was proclaimed as Shah Jahan by Jahangir and Prince Shahryar who
4899-428: Was recognized as the real force behind the Mughal throne. Jahangir entrusted her with Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal 's second son, Prince Shah Shuja , upon his birth in 1616. This new responsibility was given to her due to her high rank, political clout and Jahangir's affection for her. It was also an honour for the empress as Shuja was a special favourite of his grandfather. After Sher Afgan's death, Nur Jahan's family
4970-442: Was seventeen years old, but their relationship was blocked by Emperor Akbar . However more modern scholarship has led to doubts about the existence of a prior relationship between Nur Jahan and Jahangir. In 1611, Nur Jahan met Emperor Jahangir at the palace's Meena Bazaar during the spring festival of Nowruz which celebrated the coming of the new year, Jahangir fell in love with her and proposed, and they were married on 25 May of
5041-546: Was the second daughter and fourth child of the Persian aristocrat Mirza Ghiyas Beg and his wife Asmat Begum . Both of Nur Jahan's parents were descendants of illustrious families – Ghiyas Beg from Muhammad Sharif and Asmat Begum from the Aqa Mulla clan. Her paternal grandfather, Khwaja Muhammad Sharif , was first a wazir to Tatar Sultan the governor of Khurasan , and later was in the service of Shah Tahmasp , who made him
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