Page 45 - All About History - Issue 27-15

Many claim that the mausoleum of the Mughal empress

Mumtaz Mahal in Agra is the world’s most exquisite building.

It is also arguably the greatest assertion of a husband’s love

Written by John Man

hah Jahan, proclaimed the fifth ruler of By then he was the acknowledged heir to the a treaty by which the Rajputs acknowledged the
north India’s Mughal Empire in 1628, was throne. He was the third son of the future emperor Mughals as overlords. Two years later, Jahangir
well equipped for his role as leader, partly Jahangir and grandson of the great Akbar, who sent him to extend Mughal rule over the Deccan
because in a world of intrigue and war he had secured the conquests of his father Babur (today’s Madhya Pradesh) in south-central
S was well advised by his beloved queen, and extended Mughal rule into central India. India. He was only partially successful, but in
Arjumand Banu, better known by the title that A monarch, he said, “should be ever intent on recognition of his achievements Jahangir awarded
was conferred upon her by her husband: Mumtaz conquests.” It was Akbar who gave Khurram his him the title of Shah Jahan, Persian for ‘king of the
Mahal, or ‘the chosen one of the palace’. name, and when a soothsayer predicted greatness world’, by which he became best known.
The two had become engaged more than 20 for the boy, Akbar took him under his wing and The court, a close-knit network of blood
years before, when he was 15 and she 14. Tradition handed him over to his childless wife, Ruqaiya, relatives and relatives by marriage, was torn by
claims that Prince Khurram – the name given for education and safekeeping. He was raised rivals, most notably his wife’s father, Asaf Khan,
to Shah Jahan at birth – spotted her selling silk in her loving care, and, after his father Jahangir who was also his step-mother’s brother. Asaf Khan
and beads in a bazaar and fell in love at first succeeded in 1605, groomed as heir apparent in turned against emperor Jahangir, and in 1622 Shah
sight. In truth she was the daughter of an Afghan the confines of Agra’s vast Red Fort, the main Jahan joined him. For four years he was a rebel,
family who were well placed at court, both her Mughal palace. until Jahangir crushed the uprising, bringing his
grandfather and father having held top ministerial Aged 22, he was put to the test by his father son back into court and retaining him as heir.
positions. The couple’s engagement lasted for five as commander of a 200,000-strong army sent to Meanwhile, Mumtaz Mahal had become Shah
years, for unknown reasons, and Shah Jahan had crush the Rajuts to the south, who, as Hindus, had Jahan’s one true love. She was famously beautiful.
two children by other women before he eventually been fighting the Mughals for the previous 80 As the Imperial Chronicle put it: “Even the moon
married her in 1612. years. A devastating campaign led to victory and hides from her beauty in shame.” They were
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