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Mumtaz Mahal was the empress consort of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and the inspiration for the Taj Mahal. Learn about her life, family, marriage, children, and legacy from this comprehensive article.
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Mumtaz Mahal, (born c. 1593—died June 17, 1631, Burhanpur, India), wife of Shah Jahān, Mughal emperor of India (1628–58). Having died at a young age only a few years into her husband’s reign, her memory inspired the construction of the Taj Mahal, where she is entombed.
Born Arjumand Banu, she was a member of a family that came to command the inner court of the Mughal dynasty in the 17th century. Her family’s high status was secured when her aunt Mehr al-Nesāʾ married Shah Jahān’s father, Jahāngīr, in 1611 (and thereafter she was known as Nūr Jahān). Arjumand’s grandfather Mirzā Ghiyās Beg (known also as Iʿtimād al-Dawlah, “Pillar of the State”), who had entered the royal court during the reign of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605), was then appointed the grand vizier of the empire. Abū al-Ḥasan Āṣaf Khan, Arjumand’s father and Nūr Jahān’s brother, also attained a high rank within the court and later became grand vizier under Shah Jahān.
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Arjumand was betrothed to Prince Khurram (the pre-regnal name of Shah Jahān) in 1607, but it was not until 1612—the date chosen by the court astrologers—that they were permitted to marry. In the meantime, he had taken another wife, and Arjumand thus became his second wife. She bore 14 children during their marriage, seven of whom survived to adulthood. Their third son was Aurangzeb, the last great Mughal emperor (1658–1707).
Shah Jahān acceded the throne in 1628 and conferred on Arjumand the title of Mumtāz Maḥall (“Chosen One of the Palace”). Though she did not assert authority to the extent her aunt had done, she used her position to promote humanitarian programs for the needy. In 1631, though pregnant, she accompanied Shah Jahān on a military campaign in the Deccan....
Mumtaz Mahal was the wife of Mughal emperor Shah Jahān and the inspiration for the Taj Mahal mausoleum. Learn about her life, family, marriage, and death, as well as her role in Mughal history and culture.
Jul 17, 2018 · Mumtaz Mahal was the chief consort and empress of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. She died in 1631 while giving birth to their 14th child, and Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal as her mausoleum.
Learn about the Mughal empress who inspired the Taj Mahal, the ultimate monument to love and beauty. Discover her biography, her relationship with Shah Jahan, her burial and her legacy.
Mumtāz Mahal (April 1593 - June 17, 1631) (Persian, Urdu: ممتاز محل; pronunciation / mumtɑːz mɛhɛl /; meaning "beloved ornament of the palace") is the common nickname of Arjumand Banu Begum, an Indian-Persian Empress in the Mughal Dynasty. She was born in Agra, India.
Mumtaz Mahal was the favorite wife of Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal emperor, and the inspiration for the Taj Mahal. Learn about her life, marriage, children, and legacy as a Shi'a Muslim empress and a patron of architecture.
Feb 21, 2018 · The Taj Mahal is a white marble mausoleum built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal in Agra, India. Learn about its history, architecture, and significance as a World Heritage site and a symbol of India's culture and beauty.
