Jahangir - Mughal Emperor

Jahangir, the Mughal Emperor ascended the throne after the death of his father
Akbar and he assumed the title of Nur-ud-din Muhammad Jahangir. He was the
fourth Mughal emperor who ruled India from 1605 to 1627. Known for his love
of art, Jahangir`s reign was marked by cultural refinement and patronage. He
married Nur Jahan, who wielded significant influence and played an active role
in politics.
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Jahangir
Jahangir, the Mughal Emperor, born in the year 1569, succeeded to the throne a
week after the death of his father Akbar. The coronation of Salim took place in
November 1605 A.D. and he assumed the title of Nur-ud-din Muhammad
Jahangir. Like Akbar, Jahangir managed diplomatic relations on the Indian
subcontinent dexterously, was tolerant of non-Muslims, and was a great patron
of the art. He was greatly assisted by his wife Nur Jahan in administrative affairs.
Jahangir began his reign with the declaration of many liberal laws which
benefited his subjects. Jahangir was a just and kind ruler. He was also a fairly
obedient son, a lovable father, and a good relative. He certainly revolted
against his father but it was more due to his intention to behave as an
independent individual rather than the desire to capture the throne of his father.
Jahangir also possessed some weaknesses. He was easily influenced by his
close relatives. His revolt against his father was also more due to their evil
influences than his personal ambitions. His same weakness was responsible
for his handing over the reins of government in the hands of his beloved queen,
Nur Jahan.

Early Life and Education

Jahangir, whose birth name was Mirza Nur-ud-Din Muhammad Salim, was the
third son of Akbar andMariam-uz-Zamani. He was named after the Indian Sufi saint,
Salim Chishti. His mother had sought the blessings of Salim Chishti for the birth
of a son, and Jahangir's birth brought great joy to Akbar. He grew up fluent in
Persian and premodern Urdu and received education in various subjects,
including strategic reasoning and military warfare.

Expansion of Empire by Jahangir

Jahangir pursued the policy of the extension of the empire like his father. The
conquest of north India was nearly complete during the reign of Akbar. Only a
few petty states and Mewar in Rajasthan could maintain their independence.
Jahangir tried to subdue Mewar and the states in south India. Jahangir desired
the submission of Mewar from the beginning of his reign and dispatched prince
Parwez to conquer Mewar after his accession to the throne in 1605 A.D.
Ultimately the Rana accepted the suzerainty of the Mughal emperor and a
peace treaty was signed between the Mughals and the Rana in 1615 A.D. Thus
the long-drawn war between Mewar and the Mughals ended.

Jahangir tried to complete the conquest of south India. Khandesh and a part of
Ahmednagar were conquered during Jahangir's reign. But the conquest of
Ahmednagar could not be completed while Golkonda and Bijapur were left
untouched so far. Jahangir attempted to conquer them. The campaigns of the
Mughals in the Deccan during the reign of Jahangir, infact brought not much
territorial gain though of course, pressure on the states of south India were
increased. No rulers of the south were prepared to acknowledge the suzerainty
of the Mughals.

Foreign Relations and Expansion

Jahangir was also involved in foreign relations and expansion of the Mughal
Empire. The East India Company sent Sir Thomas Roe as a royal envoy to
Jahangir's court, leading to the establishment of an East India Company factory
in Surat. While no major trading privileges were conceded, this marked the
beginning of a relationship that would develop into something approaching a
partnership between the Mughals and the East India Company.

Jahangir pursued the policy of expanding the empire, following in the footsteps
of his father. He aimed to subdue Mewar and the states in south India, but
while some conquests were made, the rulers of the south did not acknowledge
the suzerainty of the Mughals.

Reign and Challenges

His reign was not without challenges, as his own son, Prince Khusrau Mirza,
attempted to claim the throne based on Akbar's will. Jahangir managed to
defeat his son, who was subsequently imprisoned. Jahangir considered his
third son, Prince Khurram (later known as Shah Jahan), as his favorite. However,
political turmoil ensued when Nur Jahan, Jahangir's wife, married her daughter
to Jahangir's youngest son, Shahryar Mirza. Khurram saw this as a plot to
make Shahryar the successor to Jahangir, leading him to rebel against his
father. The rebellion ended in 1625 after a series of victories by Mahabat Khan
over Khurram.

Conquests of Jahangir
Jahangir was well trained in arms and was an expert rider. But he was not
prepared to undergo hardships of battlefield. He did not participate in any major
battle during the reign of his father and, during his own reign all important
battles were fought either under the command of his son Shah Jahan or under
other talented officers. Jahangir neither tried to improve the military system
which he inherited from his father nor increased the fighting strength of his
army in any way. As regards religious beliefs and policy, Jahangir stands
midway between his father, Akbar and his son, Shah Jahan. He believed in
God and normally pursued the basic principles of Islam.

Jahangir's reign was a period of cultural and artistic flourishing, with his court
attracting poets, artists, and scholars. His memoir, Tuzuk-i-Jah narrates the
establishment of the "Chain of Justice" where petitioners could get his direct
attention of any issue.

Marriages of Jahangir
Jahangir had a remarkable and extensive history of marriages. These
marriages, which took place during the late 16th and early 17th centuries,
played a significant role in shaping Jahangir's personal life and his reign as the
fourth Mughal Emperor.

Salim's first wife was Shah Begum, the daughter of his maternal uncle Raja
Bhagwant Das. Betrothed at a young age, their marriage took place in 1585, and
Salim's Mansab, a rank in the Mughal administrative system, was raised to
Twelve Thousand to commemorate the occasion. Shah Begum was highly
regarded as a suitable princess for Salim, described by Abul Fazl in Akbarnama
as a paragon of virtue and extraordinary beauty.

Shortly after, Salim married Man Bai, a Rajput princess and the daughter of Raja
Udai Singh Rathore of Marwar. The marriage ceremony was held in 1585, in
Amer, the native town of Salim's mother, Mariam-uz-Zamani. Another notable
wife of Salim was Jagat Gosain, also known as Manavati Bai, who hailed from
the prestigious Rajput lineage of Raja Udai Singh Rathore. Their marriage took
place in 1586, and Jagat Gosain later gave birth to Prince Khurram, who went
on to become the renowned Emperor Shah Jahan.

Salim's matrimonial alliances extended beyond Rajput princesses. In 1586, he

married a daughter of Raja Rai Singh, the Maharaja of Bikaner. In addition, he
wedded Malika Shikar Begum, the daughter of Abu Sa'id Khan Chagatai, and
Sahib-i-Jamal Begum, the daughter of Khwaja Hassan of Herat, who was a
cousin of Zain Khan Koka. These alliances solidified connections with various
regions and families across the Mughal Empire.

In 1587, he married Malika Jahan Begum, the daughter of Bhim Singh, the
Maharaja of Jaisalmer, and the daughter of Raja Darya Malbhas. In 1590, he
married Zohra Begum, the daughter of Mirza Sanjar Hazara, and Karamsi, the
daughter of Raja Kesho Das Rathore of Merta. His marriage to Kanwal Rani,
the daughter of Ali Sher Khan, took place in 1592. Jahangir also wedded a
daughter of Husain Chak of Kashmir in 1592, and Nur un-Nisa Begum, the
daughter of Ibrahim Husain Mirza, in 1593. Furthermore, he married a daughter
of Ali Khan Faruqi, the Raja of Khandesh, and a daughter of Abdullah Khan
Baluch.

In 1596, Salim married Khas Mahal Begum, the daughter of Zain Khan Koka,
who held the position of Subadar of Kabul and Lahore. In 1608, Salim married
Saliha Banu Begum, the daughter of Qasim Khan, a senior member of the
Imperial Household. Saliha Banu Begum held the esteemed title of Padshah
Begum and retained this title for most of Jahangir's reign. After her passing, the
title was passed on to Nur Jahan, who would become one of Jahangir's most
influential wives.
In 1608, Jahangir married Koka Kumari Begum, the eldest daughter of Jagat
Singh, the Yuvraj of Amber. Additionally in 1610, he married the daughter of
Ram Chand Bundela, expanding his matrimonial alliances even further.

Among Jahangir's numerous wives, one notable consort was the daughter of
Mirza Muhammad Hakim, the son of Emperor Humayun. This particular wife held
a prominent position as one of Jahangir's chief consorts, and her influence
within the imperial harem was significant. However, one of Jahangir's most
renowned and influential wives was Mehr-un-Nissa, later known as Nur Jahan.

Nur Jahan, Wife of Jahangir

Jahangir married Mehr-un-Nissam later called “Nur Jahan†(light of the
world) in 1611 and she was previously the widow of Sher Afgan. Nur Jahan
played an instrumental role in Jahangir's reign, wielding considerable political
power and influencing important decisions of the empire. Nur Jahan was an
educated, social, generous, intelligent and cultured lady and was fond of
poetry, music and painting. She was interested in administration and had the
capacity to tackle the relevant problems. She participated in administration,
interfered in the politics of her time, increased her influence and tried to keep
the power of the state in her hands. Therefore, she influenced the history and
politics of during Jahangir's reign.

In 1613 A.D. Nur Jahan was elevated to the rank of Badshah Begum or the first
lady of the realm. Nur Jahan's tremendous influence was the cause of
disappointment among certain Mughal nobles, like Mohabbat Khan, and
Jahanghir's son Prince Khurram, who struggled his way to the throne. Nur
Jahan voted for Shariyar, another son of Jahangir as the next ruler. Her hostility
propelled Prince Khurram to revolt in 1622.This revolt snatched away Kandahar
from the Mughal Empire. Thus, the interference of Nur Jahan in the politics of
the state resulted in two major rebellions during the last years of the reign of
Jahangir which weakened the empire and harmed its prestige.

Development of Art and Culture

Jahangir was a well-educated and cultured person. He had good command
over Persian and Turki language and was well-versed in other languages as
well like Hindi and Arabic. He wrote his autobiography entitled Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri
himself for seventeen year and later on got it prepared by others under his
personal guidance. The description is fairly creditable and proves that Jahangir
had not only varied interests but also knowledge of different subjects and fine
arts. Jahangir was keenly interested in painting which reached to its zenith of
progress during his rule.

Development of Architecture
Jahangir was interested in architecture as well. The tomb of Akbar at
Sikandrabad near Agra was constructed by him and it is one among the
beautiful buildings erected by the Mughal emperors. The mosque in Lahore,
which was constructed in his reign, has been compared with the Jami Masjid,
constructed by Shah Jahan, in Delhi. One of the most striking buildings
constructed during his sovereignty, is the tomb of Itimad-ud-daula near Agra, which
was constructed by Nur Jahan. Jahangir laid out many beautiful gardens in
Kashmir and Lahore.

Legacy and Personal Life

Jahangir is famous for his "Chain of Justice," which allowed his subjects to
appeal to him if they were denied justice at any level. He was known for his
tolerance of non-Muslims and his patronage of the arts. Jahangir had multiple
marriages, including with Shah Begum, Manavati Bai, and Nur Jahan, who
played a significant role in administrative affairs. He had a complicated
relationship with his sons, with Prince Khurram eventually succeeding him as
Emperor Shah Jahan.

Death of Jahangir
Jahangir, known for his indulgence in opium and wine, experienced frequent
bouts of illness during the 1620s. Seeking to restore his health, he embarked
on journeys to Kashmir and Kabul. However, due to a severe cold, he decided
to return to Lahore.

Tragically, while traveling from Kashmir to Lahore, Jahangir passed away near
Bhimber in October, 1627. In order to preserve his body, the internal organs
were removed and buried within Baghsar Fort near Bhimber, Kashmir. The
remains were then transported by palanquin to Lahore, where they were
interred in Shahdara Bagh, a suburb of the city. The construction of Jahangir's
tomb was commissioned by his son, Shah Jahan. His tomb is currently a
popular tourist attraction.

Jahangir's demise triggered a minor succession crisis. Nur Jahan, his influential
wife, supported her son-in-law, Shahryar Mirza, as the heir to the throne. Her
brother, Abu'l-Hassan Asaf Khan, in a bid to counter Nur Jahan's influence,
installed Dawar Bakhsh as a puppet ruler and confined Nur Jahan in Shahdara.
Upon Prince Khurram's arrival in Agra in February 1628, he executed both
Shahryar and Dawar, to claim his power to the throne. He adopted the name
Shihab-ud-Din Muhammad Khurram, popularly known as Shah Jahan, began his
reign as the fifth Mughal Emperor