Shah Jahan

Shah Jahan I, also called Shah Jahan the Magnificent, was the fifth Mughal Emperor. He ruled from 1628 until 1658. He was the son of Jahangir and became emperor after defeating his brother Shahryar Mirza.

Shah Jahan is famous for the beautiful buildings he built. These include the Red Fort, the Shah Jahan Mosque, and the wonderful Taj Mahal, where his favorite wife Mumtaz Mahal is buried.

During his rule, Shah Jahan led many military campaigns. He fought against the Sisodia Rajputs of Mewar, the Lodi nobles, and the Deccan sultanates. He also dealt with problems like a big famine.

Later in his life, Shah Jahan had to deal with a fight among his sons over who would be the next emperor. His son Aurangzeb won and became the next ruler. Aurangzeb kept Shah Jahan in the Agra Fort until he passed away in 1666. Shah Jahan was buried next to his wife in the Taj Mahal.

Early life

He was born on 5 January 1592 in Lahore, which is now in Pakistan, as the third son of Prince Salim, later known as Jahangir, and his chief wife, Jagat Gosain. His name, Khurram, was chosen by his grandfather, Emperor Akbar, who was very fond of him.

As a young prince, Khurram received training in skills such as leadership and also learned about arts like poetry and music. He grew up close to his grandfather Akbar and his mother, Jagat Gosain, who he loved very much.

During this time, there were some challenges in the royal family, including a rebellion by his half-brother Prince Khusrau. Khurram stayed safe and continued his education. Later, his stepmother, Nur Jahan, who married Jahangir, became very powerful and sometimes favored her own relatives over Khurram. This caused some difficulties for Khurram, but he eventually became the next emperor after Jahangir's death in 1627.

Ancestry

Marriages

In 1607, Shah Jahan became engaged to Arjumand Banu Begum, also known as Mumtaz Mahal, meaning "The Exalted One of the Palace." They were engaged when they were about 14 and 15 years old and married five years later in 1612. Arjumand Banu came from a noble Persian family. Her father, Abu'l-Hasan Asaf Khan, served the Mughal emperors, and her uncle became Empress Nur Jahan, the chief wife of Emperor Jahangir.

Shah Jahan first married another Persian princess named Kandahari Begum in 1610. His marriage to Mumtaz Mahal when he was 20 years old was very happy. They had fourteen children together, though only seven lived to adulthood. Mumtaz Mahal was not just a wife; she was a wise advisor to Shah Jahan. She helped him with important decisions and even had her own authority to make orders.

Sadly, Mumtaz Mahal passed away in 1631 at the age of 38 while giving birth to their daughter, Gauhar Ara Begum, after a very difficult labor. Her death deeply affected Shah Jahan and inspired him to build the famous Taj Mahal in her memory. Shah Jahan had other wives for political reasons, but his love for Mumtaz Mahal remained the strongest.

Early military campaigns

Prince Khurram showed great skill in fighting. His first big test came when he helped the Mughal army fight against the Rajput state of Mewar. This area had been difficult for the Mughals for a long time.

After a tough and long fight, the leader of Mewar, Amar Singh I, agreed to work with the Mughals. In 1615, Khurram brought Amar Singh’s son to meet Jahangir. Khurram was treated well and given more responsibility.

In 1616, when Khurram went to the southern part of India called the Deccan, Jahangir gave him a new title, Shah Sultan Khurram.

In 1617, Khurram was asked to help control the Lodis in the Deccan. After doing well, Jahangir gave him the title Shah Jahan (meaning "King of the World") and treated him with special honor.

Rebel prince

In the Mughal Empire, the oldest son did not always become the next ruler. Instead, princes often had to prove themselves through military success and gain support at court. This sometimes led to rebellions and wars to decide who would inherit the throne.

Shah Jahan, whose early name was Khurram, felt upset because his stepmother, Nur Jahan, wanted her daughter’s husband, Shahryar, to become ruler instead of him. When Nur Jahan asked Khurram to fight in Kandahar, he refused. This made him worry she might convince his father, Jahangir, to name Shahryar the heir instead. So, in 1622, Khurram rebelled against his father. He was defeated and had to hide in places like Udaipur and Bengal. Eventually, he was forced to give up and was forgiven in 1626, but tensions remained.

When Jahangir died in 1627, Asaf Khan, Nur Jahan’s brother, helped Khurram become the new ruler. Khurram then took control and made sure his rivals could not challenge him.

Reign

During Shah Jahan's time, the army was very large, with many soldiers and leaders. He worked hard to build strong ties with his family history and made many changes to make the government more organized.

Shah Jahan's rule saw the Mughal Empire grow a little, and India became a wonderful place for artists and builders. Many talented people lived there during his time.

Famine of 1630

Main article: Deccan famine of 1630–1632

In 1630 to 1632, there was not enough food in some parts of India because the crops failed three times. Many people went hungry, and Shah Jahan helped by setting up free kitchens to feed those in need.

Successful military campaigns against Deccan sultanates

In 1632, Shah Jahan captured the fortress at Daulatabad, Maharashtra and took control of a nearby kingdom. Later, other areas also came under his rule. He sent one of his sons to lead in these places, and they continued to expand the empire.

Relations with the Safavid dynasty

Shah Jahan and his sons took some areas from nearby rulers, but lost one place called Kandahar. They tried to take it back but were not successful.

Military campaign in Central Asia

Main article: Mughal Central Asia Campaign

Shah Jahan led soldiers into lands far away, but after facing difficulties, they returned home.

Relations with the Ottoman Empire

Shah Jahan sent a message to a faraway ruler, hoping for help against a common enemy. They exchanged gifts, but Shah Jahan was not happy with the reply he received.

War with Portuguese

Shah Jahan asked his leaders to remove people from a faraway trading place. After some fighting, the area came under his control. He also asked that a church be torn down but allowed private religious activities. He also banned efforts to change people's religions in his lands.

Revolts against Shah Jahan

The Kolis people in Gujarat did not agree with Shah Jahan's rule and rebelled. In 1622, Shah Jahan sent a leader named Raja Vikramjit to deal with the Kolis in Ahmedabad. Over the years, several leaders were sent to manage the situation.

In 1644, Prince Aurangzeb was sent to help but got into disagreements about religion, so he was replaced by Shaista Khan, who also struggled to control the Kolis. Finally, Prince Murad Bakhsh was sent in 1654 and was able to restore peace and defeat the Koli rebels.

Illness and death

Shah Jahan became unwell in 1658, and his son Dara Shikoh took charge while he recovered. This made his other sons unhappy. Two of them, Shuja and Murad Baksh, tried to take control by moving toward Agra. Another son, Aurangzeb, led an army and faced Dara near Agra, winning the battle at the Battle of Samugarh. Even though Shah Jahan got better, Aurangzeb decided he could no longer rule and kept him in house arrest in Agra Fort.

Jahanara Begum Sahib, Shah Jahan’s daughter, stayed with him during his time in confinement and cared for him. In January 1666, Shah Jahan became very ill and passed away at the age of 74 after speaking kind words to the people in his court and sharing thoughts from the Quran.

Princess Jahanara had wanted a grand funeral for her father, but Aurangzeb did not allow it. Instead, Shah Jahan’s body was taken to the Taj Mahal to rest beside his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

Contributions to architecture

Shah Jahan created many wonderful buildings during his time as a leader. He was a big supporter of beautiful designs and is remembered for some of the most famous places in the world. The most well-known is the Taj Mahal, which he built to honor his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It took twenty years to finish and is made of white marble with a strong brick base.

Other important buildings from his time include the Red Fort in Delhi, parts of Agra Fort, the large Jama Masjid mosque, and beautiful gardens like the Shalimar Gardens. Shah Jahan also built mosques and tombs, such as the Wazir Khan Mosque and his father's tomb. These buildings show his love for art and his wish to create lasting memories through design.

Coins

Shah Jahan made coins from three types of metal: gold (called mohur), silver (called rupee), and copper (called dam). Before he became emperor, his coins had the name Khurram on them.

Issue

Inscriptions

A writing from the year 1651, found in Makrana in Nagaur District, talks about a man named Mirza Ali Baig. He may have been a leader in the area during the time of Shah Jahan. The writing describes a notice he put up on a step-well, saying that some people from certain groups could not use the same well as others.