User:Anusha Raza 99/sandbox/Shah Jahan

SHAH JAHAN Early Life: Shah Jehan, also called (until 1628) Prince Khurram, original name Shihāb al-Dīn Muḥammad Khurram Later on he changed his name to A'la Azad Abul Muzaffar Shahab ud-Din Mohammad Shah Jahan. He was born on 5 January 1592 in Lahore, in modern-day Pakistan, was the seventh child and third son of Prince Salim (later known as 'Jahangir' upon his accession) but second (and only surviving) of the three children born to his mother, the Rajput princess from Marwar, Princess Jagat Gosaini. The name "Khurram" (joyous) was chosen for the young prince by his grandfather, Emperor Akbar, with whom the young prince shared a close relationship

His Family Background: He was the son of Jahangir. His mother was Jagat Gosaini

How he got the throne: When Jahangir died in 1627, his elder son "Shah Jehan" was fighting in Deccan and could not return to Agra for several weeks. He sent a message to the Chief Minister, his father-in-law, to have every male relative killed. This was done and Shah Jahan became an Emperor easily by putting down all the Rebellions.

Religious Influences: In religion, Shah Jehan was a more orthodox Muslim than Jahangir or his grandfather Akbar but a less orthodox one than Aurangzeb. He proved a relatively tolerant ruler toward his Hindu subjects. His reign is known for doing away with the liberal policies initiated by Akbar it was during his time that Islamic revivalist movements like the Naqshbandi began to shape Mughal policies. Naqshbandi is one of the orders of Sufism in Islam. In the beginning, he was tolerant to all religions but then in 1632 he destroyed Hindu temples, persecute Christians, etc.

Political Scenario: His cultural and political initial steps have been described as a type of the Timurid Renaissance, in which he built historical and political bonds with his Timurid heritage mainly via his numerous unsuccessful military campaigns on his ancestral region of Balkh. In various forms, Shah Jahan appropriated his Timurid background and grafted it onto his imperial legacy. During his reign the Marwari horse was introduced, becoming Shah Jahan's favorite, and various Mughal cannons were mass-produced in the Jaigarh Fort. 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 their citizens. But due to his measures in the financial and commercial fields, it was a period of general stability—the administration was centralized and court affairs systematized. The Mughal Empire continued to expand moderately during his reign as his sons commanded large armies on different fronts. India at the time was a rich center of the arts, crafts, and architecture, and some of the best of the architects, artisans, craftsmen, painters, and writers of the world resided in Shah Jahan's empire	In 1632, Shah Jahan captured the fortress at Daulatabad, Maharashtra and imprisoned Husain Shah of the Nizam Shahi Kingdom of Ahmednagar. Golconda submitted in 1635 and then Bijapur in 1636. Shah Jahan and his sons captured the city of Kandahar in 1638 from the Safavids, prompting the retaliation of the Persians led by their ruler Abbas II of Persia, who recaptured it in 1649. The Mughal armies were unable to recapture it despite repeated sieges during the Mughal–Safavid War. Shah Jahan also expanded the Mughal Empire to the west beyond the Khyber Pass to Ghazna and Kandahar. Shah Jahan gave orders in 1631 to Qasim Khan, the Mughal viceroy of Bengal, to drive out the Portuguese from their trading post at Port Hoogly. The post was heavily armed with cannons, battleships, fortified walls, and other instruments of war. The Portuguese were accused of trafficking by high Mughal officials and due to commercial competition, the Mughal-controlled port of Saptagram began to slump. Shah Jahan was particularly outraged by the activities of Jesuits in that region, notably when they were accused of abducting peasants. On 25 September 1632, the Mughal Army raised imperial banners and gained control over the Bandel region, and the garrison was punished. On 23 of December 1635, Shah Jahan issued a Farman ordering the Agra Church to be demolished. The Church was occupied by the Portuguese Jesuits. However, the Emperor allowed the Jesuits to conduct their religious ceremonies in privacy. He also banned the Jesuits from preaching their religion and making converts from both Hindus and Muslims.

Architectural Details: The emperor's love for architecture is legendary; some of the nation's most well-known architectural and artistic accomplishments were undertaken during his reign. The Taj Mahal, the Red Fort and the Jama Masjid in Delhi, and the Shalimar Gardens of Lahore are examples of Mughal architecture that survive to this day. Famous Buildings he built: 	Taj Mahal 	Agra Fort 	Khaas Mahal 	Sheesh Mahal 	Diwan-i-Khaas 	Diwan-i-Aam 	ShahJahanabad 	Red fort 	Jama Masjid The period of his reign is considered as the golden age of Mughal art and architecture. Shah Jahan is best known for erecting many splendid monuments, the most famous of which in all the world, is the Taj Mahal at Agra, built in 1632–1648 as a tomb for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

Interesting Facts about him: 	 Shah Jahan was born as Khurram. 	 The full title of Shah Jahan as an emperor was Shahanshah Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram, Malik-ul-Sultanat, Ala Hazrat Abu'l-Muzaffar Shahab ud-din Muhammad Shah Jahan I, Sahib-i-Qiran-i-Sani, Padshah Ghazi Zillu'llah, Firdaus-Ashiyani, Shahanshah-E-Sultanant Ul Hindiya Wal Mughaliya. 	His fourth wife, Mumtaz Mahal, was married to another man who was killed by Shah Jahan so that he could marry her. 	Mumtaz was Shah Jahan favorite wife out of 7 wives’. 	Mumtaz died during her 14th delivery. 	After Mumtaz Died Shah Jahan married her sister. 	Shah Jahan's army consisted of 911,400 infantries, musketeers, and artillerymen, and had 185,000 members in his cavalry regiment.

Excess Information: 	Date of Birth: January 5, 1592 	Place of Birth: Lahore, Pakistan 	Birth Name: Shahab-ud-din Muhammad Khurram 	Date of Death: January 22, 1666 	Place of Death: Agra, India 	Reign: January 19, 1628 to July 31, 1658 	Spouses: Kandahar Mahal, Akbarabad Mahal, Mumtaz Mahal, Fatehpuri Mahal, Muti Begum 	Children: Aurangzeb, Dara Shukoh, Jahanara Begum, Shah Shuja, Murad Bakhsh, Roshanara Begum, Gauhara Begum, Parhez Banu Begum, Husnara Begum, Sultan Luftallah, Sultan Daulat Afza, Huralnissa Begum, Shahzadi Surayya Banu Begum, Sultan Ummid Baksh 	Father: Jahangir 	Mother: Jagat Gosaini 	Shah Jahan (Shahab-ud-din Muhammad Khurram) was one of the most successful emperors of the Mughal Empire. He was the fifth Mughal ruler after Babur, Humayun, Akbar and Jahangir. After winning the war of succession post the demise of his father Jahangir, Shah Jahan successfully ruled the empire for 30 years. During his reign, the Mughal Empire thrived, making his reign the golden era of the empire. Though Shah Jahan was an able administrator and commander, he is best known for the construction of the Taj Mahal, which he built in the memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Architecture in general saw the best of Mughal construction during his time. He is credited with constructing many beautiful monuments throughout the landscape of North India. Shah Jahan is also the founder of ShahJahanabad in Delhi. The exquisite ‘Peacock Throne’, which he got built for himself, is believed to be worth millions of dollars by modern estimates. During his final days, he was held captive by his son Aurangzeb, who went on to succeed him to the throne

Legend Associated with His Birth Emperor Akbar’s first wife Ruqaiya Sultan Begum was childless throughout her marriage. Though she couldn’t give birth to a royal prince or princess, she was told by a fortune teller that she would be responsible in raising a future Emperor. The prediction was such that Akbar’s favorite grandson, who would go on to become the fifth Mughal Emperor, would be brought up by the childless Empress. So, when Jahangir’s third son was born, Akbar instinctively knew that he would be raised by his childless Empress.

Childhood As per the prediction of the fortune teller, Shah Jahan was born on 5thJanuary 1592, to Emperor Jahangir and his second wife, Jagat Gosaini (a Rajput princess). After naming him Khurram (the joyous one), his grandfather, Emperor Akbar took him away from his mother and handed him over to his Empress Ruqaiya Sultan Begum. Khurram, who was just six days old, started growing up under the care of Akbar and Ruqaiya Sultan Begum. Quite naturally, young Khurram was fond of Akbar and his foster mother more than his biological parents. Ruqaiya Sultan Begum raised him with love and care and made that her top priority. In fact, Jahangir once famously said that he (Khurram) was showered with more love by Ruqaiya Sultan Begum than he or his wife ever could have. He received a traditional princely education that involved training in martial arts and cultural arts which included music and poetry. While Akbar would instill in him the different techniques of warfare and leadership, his foster mother would narrate him the importance of moral values. In 1605, post the demise of Akbar, a 13-year-old Khurram returned to his biological parents.

Engagement with Mumtaz Mahal: In 1607, the 15-year-old Khurram got engaged to Arjumand Banu Begum (Mumtaz Mahal). However, the court astrologers had predicted that the couple should not marry until 1612, for their marriage wouldn’t be pleasant otherwise. Paying heed to the astrologers, Khurram’s parents and well-wishers decided to put off his wedding with Mumtaz until 1612, making the couple wait for another five years.

Shah Jahan’s Army: Shah Jahan invested most of his time in building a massive army. It is said that his army included more than 911,400 soldiers and 185,000 horsemen. He was also responsible in manufacturing cannons in huge numbers. During his 30-year reign, Shah Jahan transformed his empire into a well-oiled military machine.

Final Days Shah Jahan became seriously ill in September 1658. During his days of recovery, Dara Shikoh, one of his sons, assumed the role of the ruler. This made his brothers furious and almost immediately, Shuja and Murad Baksh sought independent provinces and claimed their rightful share. Meanwhile, Aurangzeb had formed an army of his own and went on to defeat his brother Dara Shikoh. He then killed rest of the contenders and declared himself as the emperor. Though Shah Jahan later recovered from his illness, Aurangzeb deemed him unfit to rule and imprisoned him in the citadel of Agra. He also imprisoned his sister Jahanara Begum Sahib who wanted to stay with her father in order to take care of him. Shah Jahan is said to have spent eight long years of his imprisonment by staring at the tomb of his beloved wife – the marvel that he built in her memory.

Death In the first week of January 1666, Shah Jahan once again fell ill and never recovered. On January 22, he is said to have summoned Akbarabad Mahal and requested her to take care of his daughter, Jahanara Begum. He is then said to have recited a few lines from the holy Quran before breathing his last, aged 74. The emperor who once ruled the whole of India and more had died a prisoner. Princess Jahanara Begum wanted a procession with the state’s noblemen carrying her father’s body all over Agra so that the subjects could waive a final goodbye to their beloved emperor. However, Aurangzeb was in no mood for such an extravagant funeral. In the end, Sayyid Muhammad Kanauji and Kazi Qurban moved the body of Shah Jahan out of the prison, washed it and placed it in a coffin made out of sandalwood. The coffin was then brought to the Taj Mahal through the river, where he was laid to rest, next to his beloved wife, Mumtaz.