JAHANGIR
Nur-ud-din Salim Jahangir (Persian: جهانگیر سلیم :full title) (نورالدین Al-Sultan
al-'Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram, Khushru-i-Giti Panah, Abu'l-Fath Nur-ud-din
Muhammad Jahangir Padshah Ghazi [Jannat-Makaani]) (20 September 1569 – 8
November 1627) (OS 31 August 1569 – NS 8 November 1627) was the ruler of the
Mughal Empire from 1605 until his death. The name Jahangir is from Persian جہ�انگير,
meaning "Conqueror of the World". Nur-ud-din or Nur al-Din is an Arabic name
which means " Light of the Faith." Born as Prince Muhammad Salim, he was the third
and eldest surviving son of Mogul Emperor Akbar. Akbar's twin sons, Hasan and
Hussain, died in infancy. His mother was the Rajput Princess of Amber, Jodhabai
(born Rajkumari Hira Kunwari, eldest daughter of Raja Bihar Mal or Bharmal, Raja
of Amber, India).
Jahangir was a child of many prayers. It is said to be by the blessing of Shaikh Salim
Chishti (one of the revered sages of his times) that Akbar's first surviving child, the
future Jahangir, was born. He was born at the dargah of the Shaikh Salim Chishti,
within the fortress at Fatehpur Sikri near Agra. The child was named Salim after the
dervish and was affectionately addressed by Akbar as Sheikhu Baba.
Akbar developed an emotional attachment with the village Sikri (abode of Chishti).
Therefore, he developed the town of Sikri and shifted his imperial court and residence
from Agra to Sikri, later renamed as Fatehpur Sikri. Shaikh Salim Chishti's daughter
was appointed Jahangir's foster mother as a mark of respect to the Shaikh. Jahangir's
foster brother Nawab Kutb-ud-din Khan was private secretary to the emperor
Jahangir and afterwards governor of Bengal. Nawab Kutb-ud-din Khan's son Nawab
Mohtashim Khan was granted by Jahangir 4,000 bigas of land in Badaun District
(United Provinces) where he built a small fort named Sheikhupur, Badaun after
Jahangir, who was called Sheikhu-baba in his childhood.
Revolt
In 1600, when Akbar was away from the capital on an expedition, Salim broke into an
open rebellion, and declared himself Emperor. Akbar had to hastily return to Agra
and restore order. There was a time when Akbar thought of putting his eldest
grandson Khusrau Mirza on the throne instead of Salim. Prince Salim forcefully
succeeded to the throne on 3 November 1605, eight days after his father's death. Salim
ascended to the throne with the title of Nur-ud-din Muhammad Jahangir Badshah
Ghazi, and thus began his 22-year reign at the age of 36. Jahangir soon after had to
fend off his son, Prince Khusrau Mirza, when he attempted to claim the throne based
on Akbar's will to become his next heir. Khusrau Mirza was defeated in 1606 and
confined in the fort of Agra. As punishment Khusrau Mirza was blinded, and the Sikh
Guru Arjun (the religious fifth guru) tortured for five days until he had disappeared
while taking a bath in a river--for giving the then fugitive Khusrau Mirza money when
he visited Guru Arjun. Jahangir's rule was characterized by the same religious
tolerance as his father Akbar, with the exception of his hostility with the Sikhs, which
was forged so early on in his rule.
In 1622, Khurram (Shah Jahan), younger brother of Khusrau Mirza, had Khusrau
murdered in a conspiracy to eliminate all possible contenders to the throne. Taking
advantage of this internal conflict, the Persians seized the city of Qandahar and as a
result of this loss, the Mughals lost control over the trade routes to Afghanistan,
Persian and Central Asia and also exposed India to invasions from the north-west.
AKBAR
Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar ( اکبر محمد الدین Jalāl ud-Dīn Muhammad Akbar), also جلال
known as Shahanshah Akbar-e-Azam or Akbar the Great (15 October 1542 – 27
October 1605),[1][2] was the third Mughal Emperor. He was of Timurid descent;[4] the
son of Humayun, and the grandson of Babur, the ruler who founded the Mughal
dynasty in India. At the end of his reign in 1605 the Mughal empire covered most of
the northern and central India and was one of the most powerful empires of its age.
Akbar was thirteen years old when he ascended the Mughal throne in Delhi, following
the death of his father Humayun. During his reign, he eliminated military threats from
the powerful Pashtun descendants of Sher Shah Suri, and at the Second Battle of
Panipat he defeated the newly self-declared Hindu king Hemu. It took him nearly two
more decades to consolidate his power and bring all the parts of northern and central
India into his direct realm. He influenced the whole of the Indian Subcontinent as he
ruled a greater part of it as an emperor. As an emperor, Akbar solidified his rule by
pursuing diplomacy with the powerful Hindu Rajput caste, and by admitting Rajput
princesses in his harem.
Akbar's reign significantly influenced art and culture in the country. He took a great
interest in painting, and had the walls of his palaces adorned with murals. Besides
encouraging the development of the Mughal school, he also patronised the European
style of painting. He was fond of literature, and had several Sanskrit works translated
into Persian and Persian scriptures translated in Sanskrit apart from getting many
Persian works illustrated by painters from his court. During the early years of his
reign, he had an intolerant attitude towards Hindus and the other religions, but he
exercised great tolerance after he began marriage alliances with Rajput princesses.
His administration included numerous Hindu landlords, courtiers and military
generals. He began a series of religious debates where Muslim scholars would debate
religious matters with Jains, Sikhs, Hindus, Cārvāka atheists, Jews, and Portuguese
Roman Catholic Jesuits. He treated these religious leaders with great consideration,
irrespective of their faith, and revered them. He even founded a religion, the Din-i-
Ilahi (Divine Faith), which included the teachings of major religions of the world, but
it amounted only to a form of personality cult for Akbar and started dissolving after
his death.
Early conquests
Akbar decided early in his reign that he should eliminate the threat of Sher Shah's
dynasty, and decided to lead an army against the strongest of the three, Sikandar Shah
Suri, in the Punjab. He left Delhi under the regency of Tardi Baig Khan. Sikandar
Shah Suri presented no major concern for Akbar, and often withdrew from territory as
Akbar approached.
The Hindu king Hemu, however, commanding the Afghan forces, defeated the Mughal
army and captured Delhi on 6 October 1556. Urged by Bairam Khan, who
remarshalled the Mughal army before Hemu could consolidate his position, Akbar
marched on Delhi to reclaim it. Akbar's army, led by Bairam Khan, met the larger
forces of Hemu on 5 November 1556 at the Second Battle of Panipat, 50 miles (80 km)
north of Delhi. The battle was going in Hemu's favour when an arrow pierced Hemu's
eye, rendering him unconscious. The leaderless army soon capitulated and Hemu was
captured and executed.
The victory also left Akbar with over 1,500 war elephants which he used to re-engage
Sikandar Shah at the siege of Mankot. Sikandar, along with several local chieftains
who were assisting him, surrendered and so was spared death.[26] With this, the whole
of Punjab was annexed to the Mughal empire. Before returning to Agra, Akbar sent a
detachment of his army to Jammu, which defeated the ruler Raja Kapur Chand and
captured the kingdom. Between 1558 and 1560, Akbar further expanded the empire by
capturing and annexing the kingdoms of Gwalior, northern Rajputana and Jaunpur.[27]
After a dispute at court, Akbar dismissed Bairam Khan in the spring of 1560 and
ordered him to leave on Hajj to Mecca. Bairam left for Mecca, but on his way was
goaded by his opponents to rebel. He was defeated by the Mughal army in the Punjab
and forced to submit. Akbar, however forgave him and gave him the option of either
continuing in his court or resuming his pilgrimage, of which Bairam chose the latter.
Expansion
After dealing with the rebellion of Bairam Khan and establishing his authority. Akbar
went on to expand the Mughal empire by subjugating local chiefs and annexing
neighbouring kingdoms. The first major conquest was of Malwa in 1561, an
expedition that was led by Adham Khan and carried out with such savage cruelty that
it resulted in a backlash from the kingdom enabling its ruler Baz Bahadur to recover
the territory while Akbar was dealing with the rebellion of Bairam Khan.
Subsequently, Akbar sent another detachment which captured Malwa in 1562, and
Baz Bahadur eventually surrendered to the Mughals and was made an administrator.
Around the same time, the Mughal army also conquered the kingdom of the Gonds,
after a fierce battle between the Asaf Khan, the Mughal governor of Allahabad, and
Rani Durgavati, the queen of the Gonds. However, Asaf Khan misappropriated most
of the wealth plundered from the kingdom, which Akbar subsequently forced him to
restore, apart from installing Durgavati's son as the administrator of the region.
BABUR
Zahir ud-din Muhammad Babur (February 23 [O.S. February 14] 1483 — January
5 [O.S. December 26, 1530] 1531) was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who,
following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal
dynasty of South Asia. He was a direct descendant of Timur through his father, and a
descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother. Babur identified his lineage as
Timurid and Chaghatay-Turkic, while his origin, milieu, training, and culture were
steeped in Persian culture and so he was largely responsible for the fostering of this
culture by his descendants, and for the expansion of Persian cultural influence in the
Indian subcontinent, with brilliant literary, artistic, and historiographical results.
Overview
Babur's name
Zāhir ud-Dīn Muḥammad ( محمد الدين -also known by his royal titles as al ,ظهير
ṣultānu 'l-ʿazam wa 'l-ḫāqān al-mukkarram pādshāh-e ghāzī), is more commonly
known by his nickname, Bābur (بابر).
According to Stephen Frederic Dale, the name Babur is derived from the Persian
word babr, meaning "tiger", a word that repeatedly appears in Firdawsī's Shāhnāma
and had also been borrowed by the Turkic languages of Central Asia. This thesis is
supported by the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, explaining that
the Turko-Mongol name Timur underwent a similar evolution, from the Sanskrit word
cimara ("iron") via a modified version *čimr to the final Turkicized version timür,
with -ür replacing -r due to the Turkish vowel harmony (hence babr → babür).
"At that time the Chaghatái (descendants of Genghis Khan) were very rude and
uncultured (bázári), and not refined (buzurg) as they are now; thus they found Zahir-
ud-Din Muhammad difficult to pronounce, and for this reason gave him the name of
Bábar. In the public prayers (khutba) and in royal mandates he is always styled
'Zahir-ud-Din Bábar Muhammad,' but he is best known by the name of Bábar
Pádisháh."
Contradicting these views, W.M. Thackston argues that the name cannot be taken
from babr and instead must be derived from a word that has evolved out of the Indo-
European word for beaver, pointing to the fact that the name is pronounced bāh-bor
in both Persian and Turkic, similar to the Russian word for beaver (бобр - bobr).
Sources for the biography
The main source for Babur's biography is a written account of his life, written by
Babur himself. His memoirs are known as the Baburnama and are considered the first
true autobiography in Islamic literature. He wrote the Bāburnāma in Chaghatai
Turkic, his mother-tongue, though his prose was highly Persianized in its sentence
structure, morphology, and vocabulary. The work gives a valuable impression of
Babur's surrounding environment.
Background
Babur was born on February 23 [O.S. February 14] 1483 in the town of Andijan, in
the Fergana Valley which is in modern Uzbekistan. He was the eldest son of ʿOmar
Sheykh Mirzā, ruler of the Fergana Valley, and his wife Qutluq Negār Khānum,
daughter of Yonus Khān, the ruler of Moghulistan.
Although Babur hailed from the Barlas tribe which was of Mongol origin, his tribe
had embraced Turkic and Persian culture,[2][15][16] converted to Islam and resided in
Turkestan and Khorasan. His mother tongue was the Chaghatai language (known to
Babur as Turkī, "Turkic") and he was equally at home in Persian, the lingua franca of
the Timurid elite.
Hence Babur, though nominally a Mongol (or Moghul in Persian), drew much of his
support from the Turkic and Iranian peoples of Central Asia, and his army was
diverse in its ethnic makeup, including Persians (Tajiks or Sarts, as they were called
by Babur),[10] Pashtuns, and Arabs as well as Barlas and Chaghatayid Turco-Mongols
from Central Asia. Babur's army also included Qizilbāsh fighters, a militant religious
order of Shi'a Sufis from Safavid Persia who later became one of the most influential
groups in the Mughal court.
Babur is said to have been extremely strong and physically fit. He could allegedly
carry two men, one on each of his shoulders, and then climb slopes on the run, just for
exercise. Legend holds that Babur swam across every major river he encountered,
including twice across the Ganges River in North India.
His passions could be equally strong. In his first marriage he was "bashful" towards
ʿĀʾisha Ṣultān Begum, later losing his affection for her.
AURANGZEB
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir, more commonly
known as Aurangzeb (Persian: full official title) (اورنگزیب Al-Sultan al-Azam wal
Khaqan al-Mukarram Hazrat Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb
Bahadur Alamgir I, Badshah Ghazi, Shahanshah-e-Sultanat-ul-Hindiya Wal
Mughaliya) (4 November 1618 [O.S. 25 October 1618] – 3 March 1707 [O.S. 20
February 1707]), also known by his chosen imperial title Alamgir ("Conquerer of the
World") (Persian: ع�المگیر), was the 6th Mughal Emperor of India whose reign lasted
from 1658 until his death in 1707.
Badshah Aurangzeb Alamgir I, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for
nearly half a century, was the second longest reigning Mughal emperor after the
legendary Akbar. In this period he tried hard to get a larger area, notably in southern
India, under Mughal rule than ever before. But after his death in 1707, the Mughal
Empire gradually began to shrink. Major reasons include a weak chain of "Later
Mughals", an inadequate focus on maintaining central administration leading to
governors forming their own empires, a gradual depletion of the fortunes amassed by
his predecessors and the growth of secessionist sentiments amongst the other
communities of the empire like the Marathas and the Sikhs.
Early life
Aurangzeb was the third son of the fifth Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and Mumtaz
Mahal (Arjumand Bānū Begum). After a rebellion by his father, part of Aurangzeb's
childhood was spent as a virtual hostage at his grandfather Jahangir's court.
Muhammad Saleh Kamboh Salafi had been one of his childhood teachers.
After Jahangir's death in 1627, Aurangzeb returned to live with his parents. Shah
Jahan followed the Mughal practice of assigning authority to his sons, and in 1634
put Aurangzeb in charge of the Deccan campaign. Following his success in 1636,
Aurangzeb became Subahdar (governor) of the Deccan. At this time, he began
building a new city near the former capital of Khirki which he named Aurangabad
after himself. In 1637, he married Rabia Durrani. During this period the Deccan was
relatively peaceful. In the Mughal court, however, Shah Jahan began to show greater
and greater favoritism to his eldest son Dara Shikoh.
War of succession
Shah Jahan fell ill in 1657. With this news, the struggle for the succession began.
Aurangzeb's eldest brother, Dara Shikoh, was regarded as heir apparent, but the
succession proved far from certain when Shah Jahan's second son Shah Shuja
declared himself emperor in Bengal. Imperial armies sent by Dara and Shah Jahan
soon restrained this effort, and Shuja retreated.
Soon after, Shuja's youngest brother Murad Baksh, with secret promises of support
from Aurangzeb, declared himself emperor in Gujarat. Aurangzeb, ostensibly in
support of Murad, marched north from Aurangabad, gathering support from nobles
and generals. Following a series of victories, Aurangzeb declared that Dara had
illegally usurped the throne. Shah Jahan, determined that Dara would succeed him,
handed over control of his empire to Dara. A Rajput lord opposed to Aurangzeb and
Murad, Maharaja Jaswant Singh, battled them both at Dharmatpur near Ujjain.
Aurangzeb eventually defeated Singh and concentrated his forces on Dara. A series of
bloody battles followed, with troops loyal to Aurangzeb battering Dara's armies at
Samugarh. In a few months, Aurangzeb's forces surrounded Agra. Fearing for his life,
Dara departed for Delhi, leaving Shah Jahan behind. The old emperor surrendered
the Agra Fort to Aurangzeb's nobles, but Aurangzeb refused any meeting with his
father, and declared that Dara was no longer a Muslim.
In a sudden reversal, Aurangzeb arrested his brother Murad, whose former
supporters defected to Aurangzeb in return for rich gifts. Meanwhile, Dara gathered
his forces, and moved to the Punjab. The army sent against Shuja was trapped in the
east, its generals Jai Singh and Diler Khan, submitted to Aurangzeb, but allowed
Dara's son Suleman to escape. Aurangzeb offered Shuja the governorship of Bengal.
This move had the effect of isolating Dara and causing more troops to defect to
Aurangzeb. Shuja, however, uncertain of Aurangzeb's sincerity, continued to battle his
brother, but his forces suffered a series of defeats at Aurangzeb's hands. Shuja fled to
Arakan (in present-day Burma), where he was executed after leading a failed coup.
Murad was finally executed, ostensibly for the murder of his former divan Ali Naqi, in
1661.
HUMAYUN
Nasir ud-din Muhammad Humayun (Persian: مايون ;نصيرالدين full title: Al-
Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram, Jam-i-Sultanat-i-haqiqi wa Majazi, Sayyid
al-Salatin, Abu'l Muzaffar Nasir ud-din Muhammad Humayun Padshah Ghazi,
Zillu'llah; OS 7 March 1508-OS 22 February 1556) was the second Mughal Emperor
who ruled present day Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of northern India from 1530–
1540 and again from 1555–1556. Like his father, Babur, he lost his kingdom early,
but with Persian aid, he eventually regained an even larger one. On the eve of his
death in 1556, the Mughal empire spanned almost one million square kilometers.
He succeeded his father in India in 1530, while his half-brother Kamran Mirza, who
was to become a rather bitter rival, obtained the sovereignty of Kabul and Lahore, the
more northern parts of their father's empire. He originally ascended the throne at the
age of 22 and was somewhat inexperienced when he came to power.
Humayun lost his Indian territories to the Pashtun noble, Sher Shah Suri, and, with
Persian aid, regained them fifteen years later. Humayun's return from Persia,
accompanied by a large retinue of Persian noblemen, signaled an important change
in Mughal court culture, as the Central Asian origins of the dynasty were largely
overshadowed by the influences of Persian art, architecture, language and literature.
Subsequently, in a very short time, Humayun was able to expand the Empire further,
leaving a substantial legacy for his son, Akbar.
Background
Babur's decision to divide the territories of his empire between two of his sons was
unusual in India, but it had been a common Central Asian practice since the time of
Genghis Khan. Unlike most European Monarchies which practised primogeniture, the
Timurids, following Genghis Khan's example, did not leave an entire kingdom to the
eldest son. Although under that system only a Chingissid could claim sovereignty and
khanal authority, any male Chinggisid within a given sub-branch (such as the
Timurids) had an equal right to the throne.. While Genghis Khan's Empire had been
peacefully divided between his sons upon his death, almost every Chinggisid
succession since had resulted in fratricide.
Timur himself had divided his territories between Pir Muhammad, Miran Shah, Khalil
Sultan and Shah Rukh, which resulted in inter-family warfare. Upon Babur's death,
Humayun's territories were the least secure. Babur had ruled only four years, and not
all umarah (nobles) viewed Humayun as the rightful ruler. Indeed earlier, when
Babur had become ill, some of the nobles had tried to install Humayun's uncle, Mahdi
Khwaja, as ruler. Although this attempt failed, it was a sign of problems to come.
Personal traits
Humayun was portrayed in the biography "Humāyūn-nāma" written by his sister
Gulbadan Begum, as being extraordinarily lenient, constantly forgiving acts which
were deliberately aimed at angering him. In one instance the biography records that
his youngest brother Hindal killed Humayun's most trusted advisor, an old Sheikh,
and then marched an army out of Agra. Humayun, rather than seek retribution, went
straight to his mother's home where Gulbadan Begum was, bearing no grudge against
his younger brother, and insisted he return home. His many documented acts of mercy
may have stemmed largely from weakness, but he does seem to have been a gentle and
humane man by the standards of the day. He lacked his father’s craftiness and
athleticism. Though he could be a formidable warrior when he chose to be, he was
more laid back and indolent.
He was also deeply superstitious, and fascinated by Astrology and the Occult. Upon
his accession as Padishah (Emperor), he began to re-organise the administration
upon mystically determined principles. The public offices were divided into four
distinct groups, for the four elements. The department of Earth was to be in charge of
Agriculture and the agricultural sciences, Fire was to be in charge of the Military,
Water was the department of the Canals and waterways while Air seemed to have
responsibility for everything else. His daily routine was planned in accordance with
the movements of the planets, so too was his wardrobe. He refused to enter a house
with his left foot going forward, and if anyone else did they would be told to leave and
re-enter.
Early reign
Upon his succession to the throne, Humayun had two major rivals interested in
acquiring his lands — Sultan Bahadur of Gujarat to the south west and Sher Shah
Suri (Sher Khan) currently settled along the river Ganges in Bihar to the east.
Humayun’s first campaign was to confront Sher Khan Suri. Halfway through the
counter offensive Humayun had to abandon it and concentrate on Gujarat, where a
threat from Ahmed Shah had to be squelched. In this he succeeded and annexed
Gujarat and Malwa. Champaner and the great fort of Mandu followed next.
During the first five years of Humayun's reign, these two rulers were quietly extending
their rule, although Sultan Bahadur faced pressure in the east from sporadic conflicts
with the Portuguese. While the Mughals had acquired firearms via the Ottoman
Empire, Bahadur's Gujurat had acquired them through a series of contracts drawn up
with the Portuguese, allowing the Portuguese to establish a strategic foothold in north
western India.
SHER SHAH SURI
Sultan-e-Azam Sher Shah Suri (1486 - May 22, 1545) (Pashto: - Šīr Šāh Sūrīis a
Pashton of Bihar ), birth name Farid Khan Sur, also known as Sher Khan (The Lion
King), was a magnificant and extremely skillful Afghan (Pashtun of Bihar)[2][3][4][5][6][7]
[8] who conquered the Delhi Sultanate in northern India after defeating the armies of
the great Mughals in successive skirmishes and battles . Most commonly amongst the
Pashtuns (Pathans) warrior tribes of the Indian Subcontinent, he is regarded as one of
the most famous, fierce and brave princes of their glorious lineage of warriors. He,
firstly, served as a private before rising to become a commander in the Mughal army
under the Mughal Emperor Zaheeruddin Muhammad Babur and then as the governor
of Bihar. In 1537, when the new Mughal emperor Naseeruddin Muhammad Humayun
was elsewhere on an expedition, Sher Khan Sur overran the state of Bengal and
became the new emperor after establishing the Sur Empire.
A brilliant strategist, Sher Shah proved himself a gifted administrator as well as an
able general. His reorganization of the empire laid the foundations for the later
Mughal emperors, notably Akbar, son of Humayun. During his five year rule from
1540 to 1545, he set up a new template for civic and military administration, issued
the first Rupee and re-organised the postal system of India. He further developed
Humayun's Dina-panah city and named it Shergarh and revived the historical city of
Patna which had been in decline since the 7th century CE. He is also famously
remembered for killing a fully-grown tiger with his bare hands in the Indian jungle.
Government and administration
Sher Shah became a commander by Babur after serving previously as a private in the
Mughal army. After becoming the governor of Bihar, he began reorganizing the
administration efficiently. He organised a well disciplined, one of the largest and most
efficient army. He also introduced tax collection system, built roads along with resting
areas for travellers, dug wells, improved the jurisdiction, founded hospitals,
established free kitchens, organized mail services and the police. His management
proved so efficient that even one of the greatest rulers of human history, the Mughal
Emperor Akbar, organised the Indian subcontinent on his measures, and the system
which lasted untll the 20th century.
He is also credited for rebuilding the longest highway of the Indian subcontinent in
Asia. The highway which is called the "Shahar Rah-e-Azam" or the "Badshahi Sadak"
(renamed "Grand Trunk Road" by the British) survives til this day. It is in use in
present-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab region Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh,
Bihar and Bengal.
Sher Shah was a visionary ruler and introduced many military and civil reforms. The
system of tri-metalism which came to characterise Mughal coinage was largely the
creation of Sher Shah Suri. He also minted a coin of silver which was termed the
Rupiya that weighed 178 grains and was the precursor of the modern rupee.[10] The
same name is still used for the national currency in Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka,
Indonesia, Mauritius, Maldives, Seychelles among other countries. Gold coins called
the Mohur weighing 169 grains and copper coins called Dam were also minted by his
government.
Death and succession
Sher Shah Suri died from a gunpowder explosion during the siege of Kalinjar fort on
May 22, 1545 fighting against the Chandel Rajputs. Sher was also the last and the
main personality of India to offer serious resistance to the Mughals on their advance
to the south, and his death during the siege of Kalinjar (Bundelkhand) in 1545,
cleared the path to the return of Mughal emperor Humayun.
Sher Shah Suri was succeeded by his son, Jalal Khan who took the title of Islam Shah
Suri, and his imposing and proud mausoleum, the Sher Shah Suri Tomb (122 ft high)
stands in the middle of an artificial lake at Sasaram, a town that stands on the Grand
Trunk Road, his lasting legacy. His death has also been claimed to have been caused
by a fire in his store room.
Tarikh-i-Sher Shahi (History of Sher Shah), written by Abbas Khan Sarwani, a waqia-
navis under later Mughal Emperor, Akbar around 1580, provides a detailed
documentation about Sher Shah's administration.
SHAH JAHAN
Shahab-ud-din Muhammad Khurram Shah Jahan I (also spelled Shah Jehan,
Shahjehan, Urdu: ش��اهجہ��اں , Persian: جه�ان (ش�اه (January 5, 1592 – January 22,
1666) was the emperor of the Mughal Empire in India from 1628 until 1658. The
name Shah Jahan comes from Persian meaning "king of the world." He was the fifth
Mughal ruler after Babur, Humayun, Akbar, and Jahangir. While young, he was a
favourite of his legendary grandfather Akbar the great. He is also called Shahjahan
The Magnificent.
Even while very young, he was pointed out to be the successor to the Mughal throne
after the death of Emperor Jahangir. He succeeded to the throne upon his father's
death in 1627. He is considered to be one of the greatest Mughals and his reign has
been called the Golden Age of Mughals. Like Akbar, he was eager to expand his
empire. In 1658 he fell ill, and was confined by his son Emperor Aurangzeb in the
citadel of Agra until his death in 1666. On the eve of his death in 1666, the Mughal
Empire spanned almost 750,000,000 acres (3,000,000 km2) and he was the most
famous and powerful man on earth of the age who had in his empire the biggest and
the most prosperous capital (Shahjahanabad) and some of the most delicate
architectural masterpieces of the world.
The period of his reign was the golden age of Mughal architecture. Shah Jahan
erected many splendid monuments, the most famous of which is the legendary Taj
Mahal at Agra built as a tomb for his wife Empress Mumtaz Mahal (birth name
Arjumand Banu Begum). The Pearl Mosque and many other buildings inside the Red
Fort (Qila Mubarak) at Agra , the complete design of the Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad),
the palaces, the Red Fort and the great mosque at Delhi, mosques in Lahore,
buildings in the Lahore fort (present day Pakistan) and a beautiful mosque at Thatta
(present day Pakistan) also commemorate him. The most famous, celebrated and the
luxurious throne of the world, the Takht-E-Taus or the Takht-E-Shahanshah-E-
Hindustan (Peacock Throne), said to be worth millions of dollars by modern
estimates, also dates from his reign. He was also the founder of Shahjahanabad, now
known as 'Old Delhi'. The important buildings of Shah Jahan were the Diwan-i-Am
and Diwan-i-Khas in the fort of Delhi, the Jama Masjid, the Moti Masjid and the Taj.
It is pointed out that the Palace of Delhi is the most magnificent in the East.
Biography
Baadshah Shah Jahan was born as Prince Shihab-ud-din Muhammad Khurram , in
1592 in Lahore, India (current day Pakistan) as the third and favorite son of the
emperor Jahangir,. The name Khurram - Persian for 'joyful' - was given by his
grandfather Akbar. His early years saw him receive a cultured, broad education and
he distinguished himself in the martial arts and as a military commander while
leading his father's armies in numerous campaigns - Mewar (1615 CE, 1024 AH), the
Deccan (1617 and 1621 CE, 1026 and 1030 AH), Kangra (1618 CE, 1027AH). He
was responsible for most of the territorial gains during his father's reign.[5] He also
demonstrated a precocious talent for building, impressing his father at the age of 16
when he built his quarters within his great grandfather Emperor Babur's Kabul fort
and redesigned buildings within Agra fort. He also carries the universally famous
titles like "The builder of marvels ".
Rule
Although his father's rule was generally peaceful, the empire was experiencing
challenges by the end of his reign. Shahanshah Shah Jahan reversed this trend by
putting down an Islamic rebellion in Ahmednagar, repulsing the Portuguese in
Bengal, capturing the Rajput kingdoms of Baglana and Bundelkhand to the west and
the northwest beyond the Khyber Pass. Under his rule, the empire became a huge
military machine and the nobles and their contingents multiplied almost fourfold, as
did the demands for more revenue from the peasantry. But due to his measures in the
financial and commercial fields, it was a period of general stability — the
administration was centralised and court affairs systematised. Historiography and the
arts increasingly became instruments of propaganda, where beautiful artworks or
poetry expressed specific state ideologies which held that central power and
hierarchical order would create balance and harmony. The empire continued to
expand moderately during his reign but the first signs of an imperial decline were
seen in the later years when he was being imprisoned. Above all it is obligatory to
mention here that India became the richest centre of the arts, crafts and architecture
and some of the best of the architects, artisians, craftsmens, painters and writers of
the world risided in the empire of this magnanimous personality.
NUR JAHAN
Begum Nur Jahan (Persian/Urdu: جاں alternative spelling Noor Jahan, Nur) ( نور
Jehan, Nor Jahan, etc.) (1577–1645), also known as Mehr-un-Nisaa, was an
Empress of the Mughal Dynasty, of Persian origin whose tomb lies in Lahore,
Pakistan.
Begum Nur Jahan was the twentieth and favourite wife of Mughal Emperor Jahangir,
who was her second husband - and the most famous Empress of the Mughal Empire.
The story of the couple's infatuation for each other and the relationship that abided
between them is the stuff of many (often apocryphal) legends. She remains historically
significant for the sheer amount of imperial authority she wielded - the true "power
behind the throne," as Jehangir was battling serious addictions to alcohol and opium
throughout his reign - and is known as one of the most powerful women who ruled
India with an iron fist.
Birth
Begum Nur Jahan was born in 1577 in Kandahar (now in Afghanistan) to traveling
Persians from Tehran (now in Iran). Her Persian-born grandfather, who was in the
service of Shah Tahmasp I, died in Yazd, laden with honours. His heirs, however, soon
fell upon hard times. His son Mirza Ghias Beg (known as Itmad-ud-Daulah, "Pillar of
the State", a title conferred on him by Akbar) travelled to India with his family where
he rose to become an administrative official in the Mughal court. For their journey,
Ghias Beg and his wife, Asmat Begum, joined a caravan travelling southward under
the leadership of a merchant noble named Malik Masud. While still in Persian
territory, less than half the way to their destination, Ghias Beg's party was attacked by
robbers and the family lost almost everything it owned. Left with only two mules,
Ghias Beg, his expectant wife, their children, Muhammad Sharif, Abdul Hasan Asaf
Khan, and one daughter, took turns riding on the backs of the animals. When the
group reached Kandahar, Asmat Begum gave birth to her fourth child and second
daughter, Mehr-un-Nisaa.
Marriage with Sher Afghan
Mehr-Un-Nisaa was married to Sher Afghan Quli Khan when she was seventeen in
1594, the marriage arranged by Akbar. In 1605, Mehr-Un-Nisaa gave birth to a
daughter, also called Mehr-Un-Nisaa (later at court she was named Ladli), Mehr-Un-
Nisaa was the one and only child she ever had. In 1607, Sher Afghan Quli Khan was
killed during a misunderstanding. During this time Sher Afghan Quli Khan had held
the title of Sher Afghan, granted to him by Jahangir as Quli saved his life from an
angry tigress. Also notice, during this time, Jahangir may have been asking Sher
Afghan Quli Khan to give Mehr-Un-Nisaa to him, for his harem, although the truth of
this is incertain, as Jahangir married her in 1611, after she had been at court for four
years.
Marriage with Jahangir
The emperor Akbar died in 1605 and was succeeded by prince Salim, who took the
regal name Jahangir. After her husband Sher Afghan (who was appointed as jagirdar
of Bardhaman, a city in Bengal) was killed in 1607, Mehr-un-Nisaa became a lady-in-
waiting to one of the Jahangir's stepmothers, Ruqayya Sultana Begum. Ruqayya was
the most senior woman in the harem and had been Akbar's first and principal wife and
was also the daughter of Mirza Hindal. The father of Mehr-un-Nisaa was, at that time,
a diwan to an amir-ul-umra, decidedly not a very high post.
The year 1607 had not been particularly good for Mehr-un-Nisaa. Her family had
fallen into disgrace. Her father, who had been holding important posts under Akbar
and Jahangir, had succumbed to his only weakness, money, and had been charged
with embezzlement. Moreover, due to possible involvement in the pro-Khusrau
assassination attempt on Jahangir in 1607, two of Mehr-un-Nisaa's family members
(one brother named Muhammad Sharif and her mother's cousin) were executed on the
orders of the Emperor.
Death
When Jahangir died in 1628, Nur Jahan's brother Asaf Khan took the side of his son-
in-law Khurrum against his sister. It was Khurram who became the new Mughal
emperor under the regal name Shah Jahan. Nur Jahan was confined to a comfortable
mansion for the rest of her life.
During this period, she paid for and oversaw the construction of her father's
mausoleum in Agra, known now as Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb, and occasionally
composed Persian poems under the assumed name of Makhfi.
Nur Jahan died in 1645 at age 68, and is buried at Shahdara Bagh in Lahore,
Pakistan in a tomb she had built herself, near the tomb of Jahangir. Her brother Asaf
Khan's tomb is also located nearby. The tomb attracts many visitors, both Pakistani
and foreign, who come to enjoy pleasant walks in its beautiful gardens. All had been
personally laid out and designed by Nur Jahan herself.
MUMTAZ MAHAL
Mumtaz Mahal (April, 1593 – 17 June 1631) (Persian, Urdu: محل ;ممتاز
pronounced [mumˈtɑːz ˈmɛhɛl]; meaning "beloved ornament of the palace") is the
common nickname of Arjumand Banu Begum, an Empress of India during the Mughal
Dynasty. She was born in Agra, India. Her father Abdul Hasan Asaf Khan who was
also the brother of Empress Nur Jehan (who subsequently became the wife of the
emperor Jahangir). She was religiously a Shia Muslim. She was married at the age of
19, on 10 May 1612, to Prince Khurram, who would later ascend the Peacock Throne
as Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan I. She was his third wife, and became his favorite.
She died in Burhanpur in the Deccan (now in Madhya Pradesh) during the birth of
their fourteenth child, a daughter named Gauhara Begum.
Biography
In 1607 AD (1016 AH), Prince Khurram, also known as Shahjahan, was betrothed to
Arjumand Banu Begum, who was just 14 years old at the time. She would become the
unquestioned love of his life. They would however, have to wait five years before they
were married in 1612 AD (1021 AH), on a date selected by the court astrologers as
most conducive to ensuring a happy marriage. After their wedding celebrations,
Khurram "finding her in appearance and character elect among all the women of the
time", gave her the title 'Mumtaz Mahal' Begum (Chosen One of the Palace). 18 AH).
The intervening years had seen Khurrum take two other wives. By all accounts
however, Khurram was so taken with Mumtaz, that he showed little interest in
exercising his polygamous rights with the two earlier wives, other than dutifully siring
a child with each. According to the official court chronicler, Motamid Khan (as
recorded in his Iqbal Namah-e-Jahangiri), the relationship with his other wives "had
nothing more than the status of marriage. The intimacy, deep affection, attention and
favour which His Majesty had for the Cradle of Excellence (Mumtaz) exceeded by a
thousand times what he felt for any other." She was a woman with a kind heart.
Mumtaz Mahal had a very deep and loving marriage with Shah Jahan. Even during
her lifetime, poets would extol her beauty, grace and compassion. Mumtaz Mahal was
Shah Jahan's trusted companion, travelling with him all over the Mughal Empire. His
trust in her was so great that he even gave her his imperial seal, the Muhr Uzah.
Mumtaz was portrayed as the perfect wife with no aspirations to political power in
contrast to Nur Jehan, the wife of Jahangir who had wielded considerable influence in
the previous reign. She was a great influence on him, apparently often intervening on
behalf of the poor and destitute. But she also enjoyed watching elephant and combat
fights performed for the court. It was quite common for women of noble birth to
commission architecture in the Mughal Empire. Mumtaz devoted some time to a
riverside garden in Agra.
Despite her frequent pregnancies, Mumtaz travelled with Shah Jahan's entourage
throughout his earlier military campaigns and the subsequent rebellion against his
father. She was his constant companion and trusted confidante, and their relationship
was intense. Indeed, the court historians go to unheard lengths to document the
intimate and erotic relationship the couple enjoyed. In their nineteen years of
marriage, they had fourteen children together, seven of whom died at birth or at a
very young age. When Shah Jahan travelled to Balapur fort, Burhanpur, mother of
Mirza Azam and elder daughter of Shahzada Badi uz-Zaman Mirza, alias Shah Nawaz
Khan of the Safawi dynasty Dilrus Banu, wife of Auranzeb along with Mumtaz and
cousin/brother Shah Beg Khan along with military personnel stayed three nights near
Argaon at Hiwarkhed, before the birth of their fourteenth child.
Children
1. Shahzadi Huralnissa Begum (1613–1616)
2. Shahzadi (Imperial Princess) Jahanara Begum ) (1614–1681)
3. Shahzada (Imperial Prince) Dara Shikoh (1615–1659)
4. Shahzada Mohammed Sultan Shah Shuja Bahadur (1616–1660)
5. Shahzadi Roshanara Begum (1617–1671)
6. Badshah Mohinnudin Mohammed Aurangzeb (1618–1707)
7. Shahzada Sultan Ummid Baksh (1619–1622)
8. Shahzadi Surayya Banu Begum (1621–1628)
9. Shahzada Sultan Murad Baksh (1624–1661)
Mumtaz Mahal's Funeral
Initial estimates for the cost of the works of 4,000,000 rupees had risen to 5,000,000
by completion.[f] A waqf (trust) was established for the perpetual upkeep of the
mausoleum with an income of 300,000 rupees. One third of this income came from 30
villages in the district of Agra while the remainder came from taxes generated as a
result of trade from the bazaars and caravanserais which had been built at an early
stage to the south of the complex. Any surplus would be distributed by the emperor as
he saw fit. As well as paying for routine maintenance, the waqf financed the expenses
for the tomb attendants and the Hafiz, the Koran reciters who would sit day and night
in the mausoleum and perform funery services praying for the eternal soul of Mumtaz
Mahal. The initial construction stages were noted by Shah Jahan's chroniclers in their
description of the first two 'Urs, the anniversary celebrations in honour of Mumtaz.
The first, held on the June 22, 1632 CE (1041 AH), was a tented affair open to all
ranks of society and held in the location of what is now the entrance courtyard
(Jilaukhana). Alms were distributed and prayers recited. By the second Urs, held on
May 26, 1633 CE (1042 AH),[e] Mumtaz Mahal had been interred in her final resting
place, the riverside terrace was finished; as was the plinth of the mausoleum and the
tahkhana, a galleried suite of rooms opening to the river and under the terrace. It was
used by the imperial retinue for the celebrations. Peter Mundy, an employee of the
British East India company and a western eye witness, noted the ongoing construction
of the caravanserais and bazaars and that "There is alreadye[sic] about Her Tombe a
raile[sic] of gold". To deter theft it was replaced in 1643 CE (1053 AH) with an inlaid
marble jali.
TAJ MAHAL
The Taj Mahal ( / ̍ t ɑːdʒ m ə ̍ h ɑːl / ; Hindi: ता�ज महल, Urdu: محل crown of" تاج
buildings", pronounced [ˈt ̪aːdʒ məˈɦəl]; also "the Taj") is a mausoleum located in
Agra, India. It is one of the most recognizable structures in the world. It was built by
Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is widely
considered as one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and stands as a symbol
of eternal love.
Taj Mahal is the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines
elements from Persian, Islamic and Indian architectural styles.
In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While the white
domed marble mausoleum is the most familiar component of the Taj Mahal, it is
actually an integrated complex of structures. The construction began around 1632
and was completed around 1653, employing thousands of artisans and craftsmen . The
construction of the Taj Mahal was entrusted to a board of architects under imperial
supervision, including Abd ul-Karim Ma'mur Khan, Makramat Khan, and Ustad
Ahmad Lahauri. Lahauri is generally considered to be the principal designer.
Origin and inspiration
In 1631, Shah Jahan, emperor during the Mughal empire's period of greatest
prosperity, was grief-stricken when his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died during the
birth of their fourteenth child, Gauhara Begum Construction of the Taj Mahal began
in 1632, one year after her death. The court chronicles of Shah Jahan's grief illustrate
the love story traditionally held as an inspiration for Taj Mahal.[12][13] The principal
mausoleum was completed in 1648 and the surrounding buildings and garden were
finished five years later. Emperor Shah Jahan himself described the Taj in these
words:
Should guilty seek asylum here,
Like one pardoned, he becomes free from sin.
Should a sinner make his way to this mansion,
All his past sins are to be washed away.
The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs;
And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes.
In this world this edifice has been made;
To display thereby the creator's glory.
The Taj Mahal incorporates and expands on design traditions of Persian architecture
and earlier Mughal architecture. Specific inspiration came from successful Timurid
and Mughal buildings including; the Gur-e Amir (the tomb of Timur, progenitor of the
Mughal dynasty, in Samarkand), Humayun's Tomb, Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb
(sometimes called the Baby Taj), and Shah Jahan's own Jama Masjid in Delhi. While
earlier Mughal buildings were primarily constructed of red sandstone, Shah Jahan
promoted the use of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones, and buildings
under his patronage reached new levels of refinement.
Architecture
The tomb
The central focus of the complex is the tomb. This large, white marble structure stands
on a square plinth and consists of a symmetrical building with an iwan (an arch-
shaped doorway) topped by a large dome and finial. Like most Mughal tombs, the
basic elements are Persian in origin.
The base structure is essentially a large, multi-chambered cube with chamfered
corners, forming an unequal octagon that is approximately 55 metres (180 ft) on each
of the four long sides. On each of these sides, a huge pishtaq, or vaulted archway,
frames the iwan with two similarly shaped, arched balconies stacked on either side.
This motif of stacked pishtaqs is replicated on the chamfered corner areas, making the
design completely symmetrical on all sides of the building. Four minarets frame the
tomb, one at each corner of the plinth facing the chamfered corners. The main
chamber houses the false sarcophagi of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan; the actual
graves are at a lower level.
The marble dome that surmounts the tomb is the most spectacular feature. Its height
of around 35 metres (115 ft) is about the same as the length of the base, and is
accentuated as it sits on a cylindrical "drum" which is roughly 7 metres (23 ft) high.
Because of its shape, the dome is often called an onion dome or amrud (guava dome).
The top is decorated with a lotus design, which also serves to accentuate its height.
The shape of the dome is emphasised by four smaller domed chattris (kiosks) placed at
its corners, which replicate the onion shape of the main dome. Their columned bases
open through the roof of the tomb and provide light to the interior. Tall decorative
spires (guldastas) extend from edges of base walls, and provide visual emphasis to the
height of the dome. The lotus motif is repeated on both the chattris and guldastas. The
dome and chattris are topped by a gilded finial, which mixes traditional Persian and
Hindustani decorative elements.
The main finial was originally made of gold but was replaced by a copy made of
gilded bronze in the early 19th century. This feature provides a clear example of
integration of traditional Persian and Hindu decorative elements. The finial is topped
by a moon, a typical Islamic motif whose horns point heavenward. Because of its
placement on the main spire, the horns of the moon and the finial point combine to
create a trident shape, reminiscent of traditional Hindu symbols of Shiva.
The minarets, which are each more than 40 metres (130 ft) tall, display the designer's
penchant for symmetry. They were designed as working minarets — a traditional
element of mosques, used by the muezzin to call the Islamic faithful to prayer. Each
minaret is effectively divided into three equal parts by two working balconies that ring
the tower. At the top of the tower is a final balcony surmounted by a chattri that
mirrors the design of those on the tomb. The chattris all share the same decorative
elements of a lotus design topped by a gilded finial. The minarets were constructed
slightly outside of the plinth so that, in the event of collapse, (a typical occurrence
with many tall constructions of the period) the material from the towers would tend to
fall away from the tomb.
Exterior decoration
The exterior decorations of the Taj Mahal are among the finest in Mughal
architecture. As the surface area changes the decorations are refined proportionally.
The decorative elements were created by applying paint, stucco, stone inlays, or
carvings. In line with the Islamic prohibition against the use of anthropomorphic
forms, the decorative elements can be grouped into either calligraphy, abstract forms
or vegetative motifs.
Throughout the complex, passages from the Qur'an are used as decorative elements.
Recent scholarship suggests that the passages were chosen by Amanat Khan. The texts
refer to themes of judgment and include:
Surah 91 – The Sun
Surah 112 – The Purity of Faith
Surah 89 – Daybreak
Surah 93 – Morning Light
Surah 95 – The Fig
Surah 94 – The Solace
Surah 36 – Ya Sin
Surah 81 – The Folding Up
The garden
The complex is set around a large 300-metre (980 ft) square charbagh or Mughal
garden. The garden uses raised pathways that divide each of the four quarters of the
garden into 16 sunken parterres or flowerbeds. A raised marble water tank at the
center of the garden, halfway between the tomb and gateway with a reflecting pool on
a north-south axis, reflects the image of the mausoleum. The raised marble water tank
is called al Hawd al-Kawthar, in reference to the "Tank of Abundance" promised to
Muhammad. Elsewhere, the garden is laid out with avenues of trees and fountains.
The charbagh garden, a design inspired by Persian gardens, was introduced to India
by the first Mughal emperor, Babur. It symbolizes the four flowing rivers of Jannah
(Paradise) and reflects the Paradise garden derived from the Persian paridaeza,
meaning 'walled garden'. In mystic Islamic texts of Mughal period, Paradise is
described as an ideal garden of abundance with four rivers flowing from a central
spring or mountain, separating the garden into north, west, south and east.
Outlying buildings
The Taj Mahal complex is bounded on three sides by crenellated red sandstone walls,
with the river-facing side left open. Outside the walls are several additional
mausoleums, including those of Shah Jahan's other wives, and a larger tomb for
Mumtaz's favorite servant. These structures, composed primarily of red sandstone, are
typical of the smaller Mughal tombs of the era. The garden-facing inner sides of the
wall are fronted by columned arcades, a feature typical of Hindu temples which was
later incorporated into Mughal mosques. The wall is interspersed with domed
chattris, and small buildings that may have been viewing areas or watch towers like
the Music House, which is now used as a museum.
Construction
The Taj Mahal was built on a parcel of land to the south of the walled city of Agra.
Shah Jahan presented Maharajah Jai Singh with a large palace in the center of Agra
in exchange for the land. An area of roughly three acres was excavated, filled with
dirt to reduce seepage, and leveled at 50 metres (160 ft) above riverbank. In the tomb
area, wells were dug and filled with stone and rubble to form the footings of the tomb.
Instead of lashed bamboo, workmen constructed a colossal brick scaffold that
mirrored the tomb. The scaffold was so enormous that foremen estimated it would take
years to dismantle. According to the legend, Shah Jahan decreed that anyone could
keep the bricks taken from the scaffold, and thus it was dismantled by peasants
overnight. A fifteen kilometer (9.3 mi) tamped-earth ramp was built to transport
marble and materials to the construction site and teams of twenty or thirty oxen pulled
the blocks on specially constructed wagons. An elaborate post-and-beam pulley
system was used to raise the blocks into desired position. Water was drawn from the
river by a series of purs, an animal-powered rope and bucket mechanism, into a large
storage tank and raised to a large distribution tank. It was passed into three
subsidiary tanks, from which it was piped to the complex.
he plinth and tomb took roughly 12 years to complete. The remaining parts of the
complex took an additional 10 years and were completed in order of minarets, mosque
and jawab, and gateway. Since the complex was built in stages, discrepancies exist in
completion dates due to differing opinions on "completion". For example, the
mausoleum itself was essentially complete by 1643, but work continued on the rest of
the complex. Estimates of the cost of construction vary due to difficulties in estimating
costs across time. The total cost has been estimated to be about 32 million Rupees at
that time.
The Taj Mahal was constructed using materials from all over India and Asia and over
1,000 elephants were used to transport building materials. The translucent white
marble was brought from Makrana, Rajasthan, the jasper from Punjab, jade and
crystal from China. The turquoise was from Tibet and the Lapis lazuli from
Afghanistan, while the sapphire came from Sri Lanka and the carnelian from Arabia.
In all, twenty eight types of precious and semi-precious stones were inlaid into the
white marble.
RED FORT
The Red Fort (Hindi: ल�ल क़ि�ल�, Urdu: قلعہ usually transcribed into English as Lal ,لال
Qil'ah or Lal Qila) is a 17th century fort complex constructed by the Mughal emperor
Shah Jahan in the walled city of Old Delhi (in present day Delhi, India). It served as
the capital of the Mughals until 1857, when Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar
was exiled by the British Indian government. The British used it as a military camp
until India was made independent in 1947. It is now a popular tourist site, as well as a
powerful symbol of India's sovereignty: the Prime Minister of India raises the flag of
India on the ramparts of the Lahori Gate of the fort complex every year on
Independence Day. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007.
Mughal Emperor Shahjahan, started construction of the massive fort in 1638 and
work was completed in 1648 (10 years). The Red Fort was originally referred to as
"Qila-i-Mubarak" (the blessed fort), because it was the residence of the royal family.
The layout of the Red Fort was organised to retain and integrate this site with the
Salimgarh Fort. The fortress palace was an important focal point of the medieval city
of Shahjahanabad. The planning and aesthetics of the Red Fort represent the zenith of
Mughal creativity which prevailed during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan. This Fort
has had many developments added on after its construction by Emperor Shahjahan.
The significant phases of development were under Aurangzeb and later Mughal
rulers. Important physical changes were carried out in the overall settings of the site
after the First War of Independence during British Rule in 1857. After Independence,
the site experienced a few changes in terms of addition/alteration to the structures.
During the British period the Fort was mainly used as a cantonment and even after
Independence, a significant part of the Fort remained under the control of the Indian
Army until the year 2003.The Red Fort is a tourist attraction from around the world.
The Red Fort was the palace for Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan's new capital,
Shahjahanabad, the seventh city in the Delhi site. He moved his capital here from
Agra in a move designed to bring prestige to his reign, and to provide ample
opportunity to apply his ambitious building schemes and interests.
The fort lies along the Yamuna River, which fed the moats that surround most of the
wall. The wall at its north-eastern corner is adjacent to an older fort, the Salimgarh
Fort, a defense built by Islam Shah Suri in 1546.The construction of the Red Fort
began in 1638 and was completed by 1648.
On 11 March 1783, Sikhs briefly entered Red Fort in Delhi and occupied the Diwan-i-
Am. The city was essentially surrendered by the Mughal wazir in cahoots with his Sikh
Allies. This task was carried out under the command of the Sardar Baghel Singh
Dhaliwal, who led Karor Singhia misl which comprised of Jat Sikhs from present day
Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts (some major villages being Chabal, Naushehra
Pannuan, Sirhali, Guruwali, Chabba, Sur Singh, Bhikhiwind, Khadur Sahib, Chola
Sahib etc.) .
The last Mughal emperor to occupy the fort was Bahadur Shah II "Zafar". Despite
being the seat of Mughal power and its defensive capabilities, the Red Fort was not
defended during the 1857 uprising against the British. After the failure of the 1857
rebellion, Zafar left the fort on 17 September. He returned to Red Fort as a prisoner
of the British. Zafar was tried on in a trial starting on 27 January 1858, and was
exiled on 7 October.
Red Fort showcases the very high level of art form and ornamental work. The art
work in the Fort is a synthesis of Persian, European and Indian art which resulted in
the development of unique Shahjahani style which is very rich in form, expression and
colour. Red Fort, Delhi is one of the important building complexes of India which
encapsulates a long period of Indian history and its arts. Its significance has
transcended time and space. It is relevant as a symbol of architectural brilliance and
power. Even before its notification as a monument of national importance in the year
1913, efforts were made to preserve and conserve the Red Fort, for posterity.
The walls of the fort are smoothly dressed, articulated by heavy string-courses along
the upper section. They open at two major gates, the Delhi and the Lahore gates. The
Lahore Gate is the main entrance; it leads to a long covered bazaar street, the Chatta
Chowk, whose walls are lined with stalls for shops. The Chatta Chowk leads to a
large open space where it crosses the large north-south street that was originally the
division between the fort's military functions, to its west, and the palaces, to its east.
The southern end of this street is the Delhi Gate.
Important buildings and other structures inside the fort
Diwan-i-Aam
[edit] Diwan-i-Aam
Beyond this gate is another, larger open space, which originally served as the
courtyard of the Diwan-i-Aam, the large pavilion for public imperial audiences with
an ornate throne-balcony (jharokha) for the emperor. The columns were painted in
gold and there was a gold and silver railing separating the throne from the public.
Diwan-i-Khas
Diwan-i-Khas
The Diwan-i-Khas is a pavilion clad completely in marble, the pillars are decorated
with floral carvings and inlay work with many semi-precious stones.
Nahr-i-Behisht
The imperial private apartments lie behind the throne. The apartments consist of a
row of pavilions that sits on a raised platform along the eastern edge of the fort,
looking out onto the river Yamuna. The pavilions are connected by a continuous water
channel, known as the Nahr-i-Behisht, or the "Stream of Paradise", that runs through
the centre of each pavilion. The water is drawn from the river Yamuna, from a tower,
the Shah Burj, at the north-eastern corner of the fort. The palace is designed as an
imitation of paradise as it is described in the Koran; a couplet repeatedly inscribed in
the palace reads, "If there be a paradise on earth, it is here, it is here". The planning
of the palace is based on Islamic prototypes, but each pavilion reveals in its
architectural elements the Hindu influences typical of Mughal building. The palace
complex of the Red Fort is counted among the best examples of the Mughal style.
Zenana
Rang Mahal
The two southernmost pavilions of the palace are zenanas, or women's quarters: the
Mumtaz Mahal (now a museum), and the larger, lavish Rang Mahal, which has been
famous for its gilded, decorated ceiling and marble pool, fed by the Nahr-i-Behisht.
Moti Masjid
Moti Masjid
To the west of the hammam is the Moti Masjid, the Pearl Mosque. This was a later
addition, built in 1659 as a private mosque for Aurangzeb, Shah Jahan's successor. It
is a small, three-domed mosque carved in white marble, with a three-arched screen
which steps down to the courtyard.
Hayat Bakhsh Bagh
To its north lies a large formal garden, the Hayat Bakhsh Bagh, or "Life-Bestowing
Garden", which is cut through by two bisecting channels of water. A pavilion stands
at either end of the north-south channel, and a third, built in 1842 by the last emperor,
Bahadur Shah Zafar, stands at the centre of the pool where the two channels meet.
Red Fort today
The Red Fort by night.
The Red Fort is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Old Delhi, attracting
thousands of visitors every year. The fort is also the site from which the Prime
Minister of India addresses the nation on 15 August, the day India achieved
independence from the British. It also happens to be the largest monument in Old
Delhi.
At one point in time, more than 3,000 people lived within the premises of the Delhi
Fort complex. But after the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, the fort was captured by Britain
and the residential palaces destroyed. It was made the headquarters of the British
Indian Army. Immediately after the mutiny, Bahadur Shah Zafar was tried at the Red
Fort. It was also here in November 1945, that the most famous courts-martial of three
officers of the Indian National Army were held. After India gained independence in
1947, the Indian Army took control over the fort. In December 2003, the Indian Army
handed the fort over to the Indian tourist authorities.
AGRA FORT
Agra Fort (Hindi: आगरा� क़ि�ल�, Urdu: قلعہ آاگرہ ) is a UNESCO World Heritage site
located in Agra, India. It is about 2.5 km northwest of its more famous sister
monument, the Taj Mahal. The fort can be more accurately described as a walled city.
It is the most important fort in India. The great Mugals, Humayun, Akbar, Jehangir,
Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb lived here, and the country was governed from here. It
contained the largest state treasury and mint. It was visited by foreign ambassadors,
travelers and dignitaries.
it was originally a brick fort,held by the sikarwar.it was mentioned for the first time in
1080 AD when a Ghanznavide force captured it. Sikandar Lodi (1487–1517) was the
first Sultan of Delhi who shifted to Agra and lived in the fort. He governed the country
from here and Agra assumed the importance of the second capital. He died in the fort
in 1517 and his son, Ibrahim Lodi, held it for nine years until he was defeated and
killed at Panipat in 1526. Several palaces, wells and a mosque were built by him in
the fort during his period.
After Panipat, Mughals captured the fort and a vast treasure - which included a
diamond that was later named as the Koh-i-Noor diamond - was seized. Babur stayed
in the fort in the palace of Ibrahim. He built a baoli (step well) in it. Humayun was
crowned here in 1530. Humayun was defeated in Bilgram in 1540. Sher Shah held the
fort for five years. The Mughals defeated the Afghans finally at Panipat in 1556.
Realizing the importance of its central situation, Akbar made it his capital and arrived
in Agra in 1558. His historian, Abdul Fazal, recorded that this was a brick fort known
as 'Badalgarh' . It was in a ruined condition and Akbar had it rebuilt with red
sandstone from Barauli area in Rajasthan. Architects laid the foundation and it was
built with bricks in the inner core with sandstone on external surfaces. Builders
worked on it for eight years, completing it in 1573.
It was only during the reign of Akbar's grandson, Shah Jahan, that the site took on its
current state. The legend is that Shah Jahan built the beautiful Taj Mahal for his wife,
Mumtaz Mahal. Unlike his grandfather, Shah Jahan tended to have buildings made
from white marble, often inlaid with gold or semi-precious gems. He destroyed some
of the earlier buildings inside the fort in order to make his own.
At the end of his life, Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son, Aurangzeb, in the fort. It
is rumored that Shah Jahan died in Muasamman Burj, a tower with a marble balcony
with a view of the Taj Mahal.
The fort was the site of a battle during the Indian rebellion of 1857, which caused the
end of the British East India Company's rule in India, and led to a century of direct
rule of India by Britain.
Layout
The 94-acre (380,000 m2) fort has a semicircular plan, its chord lies parallel to the
river and its walls are seventy feet high. Double ramparts have massive circular
bastions at intervals, with battlements, embrasures, machicolations and string
courses. Four gates were provided on its four sides, one Khizri gate opening on to the
river.
Two of the fort's gates are notable: the "Delhi Gate" and the "Lahore Gate." The
Lahore Gate is also popularly also known as the Amar Singh Gate, for Amar Singh
Rathore.
The monumental Delhi Gate, which faces the city on the western side of the fort, is
considered the grandest of the four gates and a masterpiece of Akbar's time. It was
built circa 1568 both to enhance security and as the king's formal gate, and includes
features related to both. It is embellished with inlay work in white marble, proof to the
richness and power of the Great Mughals. A wooden drawbridge was used to cross
the moat and reach the gate from the mainland; inside, an inner gateway called Hathi
Pol ("Elephant Gate") - guarded by two life-sized stone elephants with their riders -
added another layer of security. The drawbridge, slight ascent, and 90-degree turn
between the outer and inner gates make the entrance impregnable. During a siege,
attackers would employ elephants to crush a fort's gates. Without a level, straight run-
up to gather speed, however, something prevented by this layout, elephants are
ineffective.
Because the Indian military (the Parachute Brigade in particular) is still using the
northern portion of the Agra Fort, the Delhi Gate cannot be used by the public.
Tourists enter via the Amar Singh Gate.
The site is very important in terms of architectural history. Abul Fazal recorded that
five hundred buildings in the beautiful designs of Bengal and Gujarat were built in the
fort. Some of them were demolished by Shahjahan to make way for his white marble
palaces. Most of the others were destroyed by the British between 1803 and 1862 for
raising barracks. Hardly thirty Mughal buildings have survived on the south-eastern
side, facing the river. Of these, the Delhi Gate and Akbar Gate and one palace -
"Bengali Mahal" - are representative Akbari buildings.
Sites and structures
The Khas Mahal
Jahangiri mahal
Anguri Bagh (Grape Garden)- 85 square, geometrically arranged gardens[1]
Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience) - was used to speak to the people and
listen to petitioners and once housed the Peacock Throne
Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience) - was used to receive kings and
dignitary, features black throne of Jehangir
Golden Pavilions - beautiful pavilions with roofs shaped like the roofs of
Bengali huts
Jahangiri Mahal - built by Akbar for his son Jehangir
Khas Mahal - white marble palace, one of the best examples of painting on
marble
Macchi Bhawan (Fish Enclosure) - grand enclosure for harem functions, once
had pools and fountains
Mina Masjid (Heavenly Mosque) - private mosque used by mujahara
Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque) - mosque built for use by members of royal court
Musamman Burj - a large, octagonal tower with a balcony facing the Taj
Mahal
Takht-i-Jahangir - Throne of Jahangir
Nagina Masjid (Gem Mosque) - mosque designed for the ladies of the court
Naubat Khana (Drum House) - a place where the king's musicians played
Rang Mahal - where the king's wives and mistresses lived
Shahi Burj - Shah Jahan's private work area
Shah Jahani Mahal - Shah Jahan 's first attempt at modification of the red
sandstone palace
Shish Mahal's glass works
Sheesh Mahal or Shish Mahal (Mirror Palace) - royal dressing room featuring
tiny mirror-like glass-mosaic decorations, and drums built into the walls.
Zenana Mina Bazaar (Ladies Bazaar) - right next to the balcony, where only
female merchants sold wares the countrys name is also called the agra forts
Popular culture
The Agra Fort won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2004. India Post
issued a stamp to commemorate this event
The Agra Fort plays a key role in the Sherlock Holmes mystery The Sign of the
Four, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
The Agra Fort was featured in the music video for Habibi Da, a hit song of
Egyptian pop star Hisham Abbas.
Shivaji came to Agra in 1666 as per the "Purandar Treaty" entered into with
Mirza Raje Jaisingh to met Aurangzeb in the Diwan-i-Khas. In the audience he
was deliberately placed behind men of lower rank, Insulted he stormed out of
the imperial audience and was confined to Jai Sing 's quarters on 12 May
1666. Fearing the dungeons and execution, in a famously sweet legend, he
escaped on 17 August 1666. A heroic equestrian statue of Shivaji has been
erected outside the fort.
In the second expansion pack for the videogame Age of Empires 3, the Asian
Dynasties, Agra fort is one of five wonders for the Indian civilization.
FATEHPUR SIKRI
Fathehpur Sikri (Hindi: फ़ता हपु�रा सी�करा�, Urdu: ی کر ی س ر و پ ح ت is a city and a (ف municipal
board in Agra district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Built near the much older
Sikri, the historical city of Fatehabad, as it was first named, was constructed by
Mughal emperor Akbar beginning in 1570, in honour of Sufi saint Shaikh Salim
Chisti, who lived in a cavern on the ridge at Sikri, and foretold the birth of his son,
who was named Prince Salim after him, and later succeeded Akbar to the throne of
the Mughal Empire, as Jahangir. Fatehabad later acquired the name Fatehpur, and
gave rise to present name Fatehpur Sikri.[2][3]It was the first planned city of the
Mughals and also first one in Mughal architecture, an amalgamation of Indian
architecture, Persian and Islamic architecture, and served as the Mughal Empire's
capital from 1571 until 1585. Though the court took 15 years to build, it was
abandoned after only 14 years because the water supply was unable to sustain the
growing population.[4] and unrest in the North-West.[5] Today, the complex of
buildings, including the extant royal palaces, courts and the Jama Masjid is a popular
tourist attraction, and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.[6] The
site itself is a ghost town, though the city has a population of 28804 as per 2001
census.
History
Sikri is built upon a rocky ridge, an extension of the upper Vindhya ranges, which are
older rounded mountains and hills. It is situated on the bank of a large natural lake,
now mostly dried, and abundance of water, forest and raw material, made it suitable
for habitation, in the pre-historic period, evident by the existence of rock shelters with
paintings found on the periphery of the lake. Stone age tools have been found in this
area, apart from pottery and other items suggesting the habitation of the Ochre
Coloured Pottery culture, dating c. 2nd millennium B.C. and the Painted Grey Ware
culture, Iron Age culture of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, dating around 1200-800 B.C.[2]
It is mentioned in the epic Mahabharat as Saik, defined in the lexicons as a region
surrounded by water. After an archaeological excavation in December 1999, at the
Bir Chhabili ki teela, a mound about 200 metres from the Fatehpur Sikri complex,
further suggestions of continuous habitation in the region after the prehistoric period
were found. Remains amongst of an ancient Jain temple was a 'Jain Saraswati' stone
sculpture, dated 1067 Vikram Samvat i.e. 1010 AD, with an inscription mentioning the
place as Sekrikya, which has a similar meaning to one mentioned in the Mahabharat.
Plus, most of the Jain tirthankara icons also found in the same pit were dated 977 -
1044 AD.
Architecture of Fatehpur Sikri
Fatehpur Sikri sits on rocky ridge, 3 km. in length and 1 km. wide, and palace city is
surrounded by a 11 km wall on three side with the fourth being a lake at the time. [17]
The buildings of Fatehpur Sikri show a synthesis of various regional schools of
architectural craftsmanship such as Gujarat and Bengal. This was because
indigenous craftsmen from various regions were used for the construction of the
buildings. Influences from Hindu and Jain architecture are seen hand in hand with
Islamic elements. The building material used in all the buildings at Fatehpur Sikri,
palace-city complex, is the locally quarried red sandstone, known as 'Sikri sandstone'.[18][19] It is accessed through gates along the five-mile long fort wall, namely, Delhi
Gate, the Lal Gate, the Agra Gate, Birbal's Gate, Chandanpal Gate, The Gwalior
Gate, the Tehra Gate, the Chor Gate and the Ajmere Gate.[
Administrative establishment
Fatehpur Sikri is one of the fifteen Block headquarters in the Agra district[28] it has 52
Gram panchayats (Village Panchayat) under it.[29]
The Fatehpur Sikri, is a constituency of the Lok Sabha, Lower house of the Indian
Parliament , and further comprises five Vidhan Sabha (legislative assembly) segments [30],:
1. Agra Rural
2. Fatehpur Sikri
3. Kheragarh
4. Fatehabad
5. Bah
In all there are 12 villages of Sisodia Rajputs near Fatehpur Sikri fort in Agra district.
These are Daultabad, Nayavas, Satha, korai, Behrawati, Byara, Undera, Kachora,
Singarpur, Vidyapur, Onera, Arrua.