The Reign of Shah Jahan, 1628-1658 Shah Shuja, Aurangzib, and Murad Bakhsh, the three younger sons of Shah Jahan, 1635. Courtesy -- Hambly, G. (1968). "Cities of Mughal India". New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. The Reign of Shah Jahan, 1628-1658 Prince Khurram was 35 years old when he ascended the throne as Shah Jahan (King of the World). Succeeding Jahangir in 1627, Shah Jahan enjoyed the support of experienced administrators and advisors -- like his father-in-law Asaf Khan -- who were holdovers from the previous reign. Shah Jahan, notes Hambly, revived Akbar's policy of pressing southward against the independent Muslim Sultanate of the Deccan. But almost all of his expansion expeditions were unsuccessful. The expenditures resulting from Shah Jahan's failed attempts at frontier expansion, as well as his insatiable appetite for new and grand architecture, were appreciable factors in the empire's eventual financial crisis.

During the early years of his reign, Shah Jahan preferred Agra to Delhi as a place of residence. This preference is reflected in his selection of Agra as the site for a number of building ventures including the world's most famous and beautiful mausoleum, Taj Mahal . Many historians have -- perhaps unfairly -- accused Shah Jahan of building the glorious tomb as a tribute to himself and his rule rather than as a tribute to his wife. Shah Jahan was an exceedingly able man -- although less able than his father Akbar and less conscientious than his son Aurangzeb. Still, Shah Jahan is in the first rank of Indian rulers. Endowed with all the qualities required of a medieval Muslim ruler, he was a brave and competent commander; a generous master who treated his servants with respect, dignity and affability; and a far-sighted leader with a strict sense of justice. Shah Jahan was an active patron of palaces and mosques.

Blair and Bloom write that upon Shah Jahan's accession, the fort at Agra was renovated to include three major courts: Halls of Public and Private Audience (Diwan-i Khass wa 'Am); an area for treasures and private audience (Machhi Bhavan); and a residential court known as the Garden of Grapes (Anguri Bagh). The first court, note Bloom and Blair, is close to the entrance, while the other two courts, which were used by the emperor and his entourage, overlook the river. Inside the fort, write Blair and Bloom, is a congregational mosque known today as the Moti (Pearl) Mosque because of the translucent white marble used on the interior. The mosque, continue Blair and Bloom, comprises a rectangular prayer hall, about 53 by 21 yards, divided by cruciform piers into three aisles of seven bays supported on cusped arches and surmounted by three bulbous domes. The additive system of vaulted bays used in the Moti Mosque at Agra is the type of plan favored for smaller mosques constructed under imperial patronage.

According to Blair and Bloom, the single-aisled plan that had been used for Shir Shah's mosque in Delhi was preferred for large, urban congregational mosques which have immense courtyards with narrow prayer halls fronted by pishtaq and surmounted by three or five domes. The mosque of Vazir Khan at Lahore, constructed by the court physician Hakim Ali of Chiniot in 1635, is but one example of this group. The congregational mosque at Agra, continue Blair and Bloom, was completed in 1648 under the patronage of the emperor's daughter Jahanara. Constructed of red sandstone, the mosque used white marble sparingly for calligraphic bands. In 1638, Shah Jahan moved his capital from Agra to a city in Delhi. Known as Shahjahanabad, the new capital city was laid out under the emperor's auspices from 1639-1648. According to Blair and Bloom, the massive project was designed by Ahmed Lahwari, the chief architect of the Taj Mahal, and by the architect Hamid.

Ghayrat Khan and Makramat Khan, who also worked on the Taj Mahal, supervised the construction. The walled city, note Bloom and Blair, included broad avenues with water channels, souqs (markets), mosques, gardens, houses of the nobility, and the fortified palace known as the Red Fort or Lal Qala. Twice the size of the fort at Agra, the Red Fort was named for the high, red sandstone wall that surrounded the white marble palaces. From Shah Jahan to the end of the Mughal line the famous Red Fort was heart of the empire and the principal residence of the emperors. Hambly writes that in the 17th century, at the height of the Mughals' power, the Red Fort constituted not only the esidence of the emperor and his court but also housed the central dministrative machinery of the empire, a military garrison, an arsenal, the imperial treasury, factories (karkhaneh) for the manufacture of luxury commodities, and much more. Shah Jahan, like his father Jahangir, was a notable patron of gardens, write Blair and Bloom.

Jahangir had developed Kashmir as a summer residence for the court where he constructed a garden around the natural spring at Vernag south of Srinagar. Shah Jahan received an order from his father to dam the stream around Shalimar on Lake Dal at Srinagar. This garden, known as Farah Bakhsh (Joy Giving), became the lower garden of Shah Jahan's famed Shalimar Garden. In 1634, Shah Jahan, note Blair and Bloom, added another quadri-partite garden named Fazd Bakhsh (Bounty Giving) to the northeast. Water was supplied by a canal linking the Ravi River to the city. The canal was dug by Ali Mardan Khan, an Iranian nobleman and engineer who had defected to the Mughal court in 1638. Lahore is also another site of the greatest of the Mughal water gardens known as Shalimar (Abode of Bliss), Brend (1991) notes. The garden was constructed in 1642 . Water flows under the bluster-legged throne and into the tank, whose edge is treated with a lotus ornament.

The patform in the center of the tank, called a mahtabi or place for viewing moonlight, might be used for musicians. The gangways from it lead to pavilions on graceful sandstone columuns. According to Blair and Bloom, these gardens contained more than a hundred species of plants, including evergreens, screwpines and other trees, roses, violets, sunflowers, cockscombs, and several varieties of jasmines. The gardens were not only enchanting places of repose but also yielded a substantial revenue in roses and musk mallow. In the eyes of contemporary French travelers these gardens were the equal of Versailles. During Shah Jahan's reign, the Mughals penetrated deeper into the Deccan and the successful campaign in 1636 forced the state ruled by Adil Shah to acknowledge Mughal dominance. Shah Jahan returned north to concentrate on his new capital at Shahjahanabad, while his son, the young prince Aurangzeb, was appointed viceroy and commander-in-chief of Mughal forces in the Deccan.

During the following two decades, note Blair and Bloom, the Adil Shahis at Bijabur enjoyed peace, and the dynasty's prosperity in the mid-17th century is exemplified by the tomb built for Mohammed Adil Shah. The tomb, known as the Gol Gumbaz, is famous for its formal simplicity, write Blair and Bloom. The tomb has a gigantic hemispherical dome (with an exterior diameter of 46 yards) and rests on an almost cubical mass with a staged octagonal turret at each corner. The dome is supported internally by arches set in intersecting squares. The floor area covered 1,725 square yards, exceeding that of the Pantheon in Rome. At the time of its construction, the tomb was the largest space in the world covered by a single dome, continue Blair and Bloom. From an early age, Shah Jahan's four sons, Dara Shukoh, Shah Shuja, Aurangzeb, and Murad Bakhsh, grew up in an atmosphere of bitter rivalry, writes Hambly, even though they were all children of the same mother, Mumtaz Mahal. In 1657, Shah Jahan became seriously ill.

The expectation of an early death provoked the four sons into making a desperate bid for the throne. Only two candidates, writes Hambly, stood much chance of success -- Dara Shukoh, who was 42 years old, and Aurangzeb, who was 39. Dara Shukoh, Shah Jahan's favorite and his heir, was a man of broad intellectual interests, writes Hambly. He was a Sufi and a religious eclectic who had translated the Upanishads into Persian. Aurangzeb, notes Hambly, was well educated, knowledgeable in the traditional spectrum of Islamic studies, and strict in his religious orthodoxy. Aurangzeb had an acute sense of political realism and a fierce appetite for power. Although Aurangzeb's personality was considered less attractive than that of Dara Shukoh, writes Hambly, Aurangzeb was the superior in both military talent and administrative skills. Aurangzeb easily outclassed his brothers in the bid for power. In the summer of 1658, Aurangzeb held a coronation durbar, or reception, in the Shalimar-Bagh outside Delhi on the Karnal road.

This probably was done in order to strengthen the morale of his supporters. It was not until the summer of 1659 that a second and more glorious ceremony was performed in the Red Fort at which time Aurangzeb became the new emperor and assumed the title of Alamgir (World Conqueror). During his 30-year reign, Shah Jahan had never expected that his last days would be so utterly tragic. With his old age and his poor health, Shah Jahan could only helplessly watch the serious outbreak of hostility among his sons. Shah Jahan was a mere spectator at the savage contest. The emergence of Aurangzeb as the undisputed victor led to the father's imprisonment in the Agra fort. Tended by Jahanara, his eldest daughter, Shah Jahan was confined to the fort for eight years. According to legend, writes Hambly, when Shah Jahan was on his death-bed, he kept his eyes fixed on the Taj Mahal which was clearly visible from his place of confinement. After his death, Shah Jahan was buried there beside his dead queen, Mumtaz Mahal.

Taj Mahal | The Story of India - Photo Gallery | PBS The Story of India Click for detailed map The Taj Mahal is the magnificent white marble tomb of Mughal empress Mumtaz Mahal. One of the most famous buildings in the world, the Taj Mahal is the mausoleum of Mumtaz Mahal, the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan's favorite wife who died unexpectedly during childbirth in 1631. Begun soon after her death, the tomb complex took more than 15 years to complete and is believed to have employed 20,000 laborers. The tomb , located in a walled garden with a central reflecting pool, is found on the north side of the huge complex, overlooking the Yamuna River. With the open sky as its backdrop, it rises up on a marble platform that is placed within a red sandstone terrace, which contains two additional structures—a mosque to the tomb's west and an assembly hall to its east. The giant dome rises on top of the tomb, which is surrounded by four minarets , and on each facade is a grand arch, known as a pishtaq .

Although the Taj Mahal appears completely white from a distance, it is profusely decorated with colorful floral motifs and black marble calligraphy of inscriptions from the Koran. The monument was designed as an earthly representation of the Islamic garden of paradise and its symmetry and precise proportions mark the highpoint of Mughal architecture. You need Flash Player version 9.0.115 or greater to view this video. Video: The Taj Mahal, a monument to love ... and a mystic Sufi map? Shah Jahan Portrait of Shah Jahan Emperor Shah Jahan (1627-58), fifth ruler of the Mughal Empire , became the greatest patron of Indian architecture under the empire, funding magnificent building projects that expressed and celebrated the grandeur of his rule. The Taj Mahal is the most famous of Shah Jahan's projects and was commissioned as a monument and tomb for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631 while giving birth to their 14th child.

Completed in 1648 and modeled after a paradise garden, the Taj Mahal also includes the largest inscription project of its time, with 25 quotations from the Koran about the Day of Judgment, divine mercy, and paradise depicted on its gate, mausoleum, and mosque. In 1983, the monument was named a UNESCO World Heritage site. Since 1996, excavations by the Archaeological Survey of India have revealed the existence of a lost "Moonlight Garden" mirroring the rectangular enclosure of the Taj on the other side of the river Yamuna: a project aided by the Sackler Gallery in Washington and paleo-botanists from the New York Botanical Garden. Among the magnificent works for which Shah Jahan is known, is the Peacock Throne constructed of gold and hundreds of rubies, emeralds, diamonds (including the famous Koh-i-Noor), and other precious stones. An extensive new capital city, constructed between 1639 and 1648, at Shajahanabad (present-day Old Delhi), included waterways, spacious squares, and bazaars.

It was the site of a royal fortress, the Red Fort, and the largest mosque for its time, the Jama Masjid . Shah Jahan's reign ended in a two-year fight for succession between his sons Dara Shikoh and Aurangzeb that resulted in Shah Jahan's imprisonment, Dara's death by the orders of Aurangzeb, and Aurangzeb’s assumption of the Mughal throne. Mughal Empire Arches in Agra The Mughal Empire was founded in 1526 CE, peaked around 1700 and steadily declined into the 19th century, severely weakened by conflicts over succession. Mughal rule began with Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur , who invaded northern India from his post in Kabul, and overthrew Ibrahim Lodi, the last of the Delhi sultans . At its height, the Mughal Empire included most of the Indian subcontinent and an estimated population of 100 million people. The empire's primary activities of war and expansion were supported by a strong central administrative and political system fully developed under Akbar , the third Mughal emperor.

Under Akbar's rule (1556-1605), the empire expanded north to Kabul and Kashmir, east to Bengal and Orissa, south to Gujarat and southwest to Rajasthan. Establishing himself as a spiritual as well as military and strategic leader, Akbar promoted a policy of tolerance for all religions. His son, Jahangir (1605-27), and Jahangir's wife, Nur Jahan, who was highly influential in court politics, carried on Akbar's policies of centralized government and religious tolerance. India's economy grew under the Mughals as a result of the empire's strong infrastructure, expansion and trade with Europeans, who established bases in various Indian ports. Shah Jahan (1627–58), Jahangir's son, diverted wealth away from the military toward magnificent building projects including the Taj Mahal and a new capital city, Shajahanabad, site of a royal fortress and the largest mosque in India, the Jama Masjid . Shah Jahan's reign marked a turn toward a more Muslim-centered government, which his son Aurangzeb favored in contrast with his other son Dara Shikoh , who favored a more diverse court.

After a two-year fight for succession that resulted in Shah Jahan's imprisonment and Dara's death, Aurangzeb (1658–1707) assumed the throne. He reversed many of Akbar's policies supporting religious tolerance, and Islamic religious law (sharia) became the foundation of Mughal government. By the late 17th century, the empire was in decline, weakened by succession conflicts, an entrenched war waged by Aurangzeb in the south, growing inequality between rich and poor and loss of support from nobles and gentry. By the mid-18th century, the once great Mughal Empire was confined to a small area around Delhi . Tomb of Mumtaz Mahal Sarcophagi of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan The tomb of Mumtaz Mahal is situated on the north end of the funerary complex on a square marble plinth, which is 328 feet on each side and 19 feet high, centered on a sandstone terrace. Set in an enclosed garden that is divided into four quadrants (char-bagh), the tomb is approached from a monumental gateway on the south and overlooks the Yamuna River on the north.

It is made of fine white marble quarried at Makrana in Rajasthan and embellished with carved floral reliefs and intricate inlay work using gemstones, such as lapis lazuli, jasper, turquoise, carnelian, jade, and amethyst. Although square in plan, 187 feet on each side, the tomb's corners are cut away or chamfered, so it appears slightly octagonal. A tall, recessed portal (pishtaq) is found at the center of each of the tomb's four identical sides and is flanked by a two-story alcove, which is also repeated at its corners. Slender pilasters inlaid with a chevron pattern of black and white marble, topped by lotus bud pinnacles, border each section of the facade. Dome Dome of the Taj Mahal The tomb is crowned by a giant onion-shaped double dome, decorated with inverted lotus petals, and culminating in a 30 foot metal finial. The dome sits on a high drum and its total height, from the drum’s base to the top of the finial, measures nearly 146 feet.

Four octagonal chattris (domed kiosk) frame the central dome on all four angles. Minaret Minaret A minaret is found at each corner of the square, raised marble platform on which the main tomb sits. Each of the slender towers is round, with a base circumference of 64 feet, and tapers as it rises to a height of 131 feet. Made of white marble, outlined in inlaid black stone, the minaret has three stories each of with a projecting balcony and topped by an octagonal chattri (domed kiosk) with multi-cusped arches. Although no longer used to call the faithful to prayer, each minaret does include a winding, internal staircase that leads up to its gallery. Pishtaq Pishtaq On each of the four identical facades of the tomb is a grand central portal, known as a pishtaq or iwan. Its recessed arch, which provides a sense of depth, is bordered by a rectangular frame that is inlaid in black marble with inscriptions of Koranic verse.

The spandrels of the pishtaq (the triangular spaces on either side of the point of the arch) are decorated with carved arabesque and floral motifs inlaid with precious stones. On each side of the pishtaq is a two-story alcove, which is replicated at the tomb's corners, and the spandrels of its arches feature delicately inlaid flowers. These decorative patterns, found throughout the tomb, were created by adapting the western pietra dura technique, believed to have been imported to the court during the reign of the emperor Jahangir. Small shards of precious and semi-precious stones are arranged to make a complex floral pattern and inlaid into a marble base. What was the Taj Mahal built to represent? Which architectural aspect do you find most impressive? June 17th 1631: Mumtaz Mahal Dies During Childbirth. June 17 1631 - Mumtaz Mahal Dies During Childbirth On June 17th 1631 Mumtaz Mahal, the beloved wife of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, died while giving birth to their fourteenth child in Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh.

Thereafter, Shah Jahan spent more than twenty years building the Taj Mahal in memory of his beloved wife. The Taj Mahal is probably the world’s most recognized building apart from being called one of the "New Seven Wonders of the World". This magnificent, white marbled mausoleum was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as the final resting place for his wife Arjuman Banu (also known as Mumtaz Mahal), who died during childbirth on June 17th, 1631. Mumtaz Mahal was born on April 6th, 1593 in Agra to Abdul Hasan Asaf Khan, a Persian Nobleman, which made Mumtaz Mahal the niece of Empress Nur Jehan and later her daughter-in-law. At the age of fourteen, Mumtaz Mahal was engaged to Prince Khurram (also known as Shah Jahan) who fell in love with her at first sight. The year was 1607. The couple had to wait for five years after their engagement to get married - the date of their wedding was to be decided by an astrologer, which would be instrumental in ensuring a happy married life for the couple.

Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan finally got married in 1612 and she became the love of his life. After their marriage, Shah Jahan gave his new wife the title of Mumtaz Mahal which means the “chosen one of the palace”. Shah Jahan had two wives previously before he married Mumtaz Mahal. Ever since his marriage to Mumtaz, however, Shah Jahan showed little interest in his earlier wives. Shah Jahan had deep love and great respect for Mumtaz Mahal and gave her his complete, undivided attention. Mumtaz Mahal was renowned for her beauty and grace and was the source of inspiration for many poets and writers who wrote about her ethereal beauty and charm. Some poets even went so far as saying that so great was the beauty of Mumtaz that even the moon hid its face in her presence. Shah Jahan and Mumtaz shared a very loving relationship and Mumtaz was Shah Jahan’s trusted companion who, despite her many pregnancies, travelled with her husband around the country during his military campaigns. Shah Jahan trusted his wife so deeply that he gave her his Imperial Seat - the Muhr Uzah.

Historical records portray Mumtaz Mahal to be a woman who nurtured no political ambition, a sharp contrast to her aunt and mother-in-law, Empress Nur Jehan who had controlled the previous reign strongly. A gentle and compassionate person, Mumtaz Mahal took up the cause of the poor and helpless. She requested her husband Shah Jahan to provide aid to his poorer subjects. Mumtaz Mahal was fond of architecture and used to spend a lot of time tending to a riverside garden in Agra, she also enjoyed watching combat fights in court. Mumtaz Mahal bore Shah Jahan fourteen children, including popular (and, at times, controversial) historical figures such as Dara Shikoh, Shah Shuja, Roshnara Begum, Jahanara Begum and Aurangzeb, among others. Mumtaz died in Burhanpur (in present day Madhya Pradesh), on June 17th 1631 while giving birth to their fourteenth child, a daughter, Gauhara Begum. Legend has it that while on her deathbed, Mumtaz asked Shah Jahan to build her the most beautiful tomb the world has ever seen.

Mumtaz’s body was initially buried in a walled garden in Burhanpur, known as Zainabad and situated on the banks of the River Tapti. Shah Jahan was visibly devastated at the death of his beloved wife and was inconsolable. It is believed that Shah Jahan went into isolated mourning for a year and when he returned, all his hair had turned white and his face was ravaged with sadness. The emperor’s eldest and most favourite daughter, Jahanara Begum helped her father though this difficult phase of grief and gradually brought him out of this period of mourning. Following this, Jahanara Begum took the place of her mother Mumtaz Mahal in the royal court. Since Shah Jahan had never intended for Mumtaz to be buried at Burhanpur, he had her body exhumed in the December of 1631 and transported back to Agra in a golden coffin which was escorted by the Emperor’s son, Shah Shuja.

Back in Agra, Mumtaz Mahal’s body was buried in a small building on the banks of the River Yamuna and Shah Jahan began planning the royal mausoleum which he would build for his deceased wife, the Taj Mahal. Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632 AD and was completed in 1648 AD. Located in Agra (Uttar Pradesh), on the right bank of the River Yamuna, this enormous and beautiful tomb made out of white marble is a gem of Mughal architecture in India and was supposed to be Shah Jahan’s vision of Mumtaz’s home in paradise. The architecture of the Taj Mahal combines elements of Islamic, Indian, Persian, Ottoman and Turkish styles of art. The principal architect of the Taj Mahal was Ahmed Shah Lahauri and thousands of artisans and craftsmen were employed during the construction of this monument. Materials from all over India and Asia were used to construct the Taj Mahal and over 1000 elephants were used to carry building material. The white marble used to construct the monument was sourced from Makrana in Rajasthan.

Turquoise was sourced from Tibet, Lapis Lazuli from Afghanistan, Jade and Crystal from China and Sapphire from Sri Lanka and Arabia. The white marble of the Taj Mahal, in contrast with the green of the surrounding gardens and the blue of the sky, provides a beautiful hue to the monument. It is believed that the Taj Mahal was constructed in a manner that the white marble would reflect the sky and hence the monument changes its colours during the day. In the early hours of the morning the Taj appears pinkish, milky white at noon, a sparkling golden at sunset and shimmering silver in the moonlight. The Taj Mahal has been a source of inspiration to poets and writers over the years. One of the most moving descriptions of the Taj was by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore who described the Taj Mahal as “a teardrop on the cheek of Time”. A fitting tribute to a building as beautiful and meaningful as the Taj Mahal, which speaks volumes of a man’s deep and unending love for his wife. It has very appropriately come to be known as “the monument of love”.

Shah Jahan - Mughal Emperor of India Shah Jahan By Kallie Szczepanski Updated August 09, 2016. From the often chaotic and fratricidal court of India's Mughal Empire sprang perhaps the world's most beautiful and serene monument to love - the Taj Mahal . Its designer was the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan himself, a complex man whose life ended in tragic circumstances. Early Life: The child who would become Shah Jahan was born on March 4, 1592 in Lahore, now in Pakistan . His parents were Prince Jahangir and his wife Manmati, a Rajput princess who was called Bilquis Makani in the Mughal court. The baby was Jahangir's third son. He was named Ala Azad Abul Muzaffar Shahab ud-Din Muhammad Khurram, or Khurram for short. As a child, Khurram was a particular favorite of his grandfather, Emperor Akbar the Great , who personally oversaw the little prince's education. Khurram studied warfare, the Koran, poetry, music, and other subjects suitable for a Mughal prince.

In 1605, the 13-year-old prince refused to leave his grandfather's side as Akbar lay dying, despite the potential threat from his father's rivals for the throne. continue reading below our video Profile of Aurangzeb Jahangir succeeded to the throne, after crushing an uprising led by one of his other sons, Khurram's half-brother. The incident brought Jahangir and Khurram closer; in 1607, the emperor awarded his third son the fiefdom of Hissar-Feroza, which court observers took to mean that 15-year-old Khurram was now the heir apparent. Also in 1607, Prince Khurram was engaged to marry Arjumand Banu Begum, the 14-year-old daughter of a Persian nobleman. Their wedding did not take place until five years later, and Khurram would marry two other women in the meantime, but Arjumand was his true love. She later became known as Mumtaz Mahal - "The Chosen One of the Palace." Khurram dutifully sired a son by each of his other wives, and then neglected them almost entirely.

He and Mumtaz Mahal had 14 children, seven of whom survived to adulthood. When descendents of the Lodi Empire rose up on the Deccan Plateau in 1617, Emperor Jahangir sent Prince Khurram to deal with the problem. The prince soon put down the rebellion, so his father granted him the name Shah Jahan, meaning "Glory of the World." Their close relationship broke down, however, over court intrigues by Jahangir's Afghan wife, Nur Jahan, who wanted Shah Jahan's youngest brother to be Jahangir's heir. In 1622, with relations at their zenith, Shah Jahan went to war against his father. Jahangir's army defeated Shah Jahan's after a four year fight; the prince surrendered unconditionally. When Jahangir died just one year later, in 1627, Shah Jahan became the Emperor of Mughal India. Emperor Shah Jahan: As soon as he took the throne, Shah Jahan ordered his stepmother Nur Jahan imprisoned and his half-brothers executed, in order to secure his seat.

Shah Jahan faced challenges and uprisings all around the edges of his empire, as well. He proved equal to the challenges from Sikhs and Rajputs in the north and west, and from the Portuguese in Bengal . However, the death of his beloved Mumtaz Mahal in 1631 nearly shattered the emperor. Mumtaz died at the age of thirty-eight after giving birth to her 14th child, a girl named Gauhara Begum. At the time of her death, Mumtaz was in the Deccan with Shah Jahan on a military campaign, despite her condition. The distraught emperor reportedly went into seclusion for an entire year, and was only coaxed out of mourning by his and Mumtaz's eldest daughter, Jahanara Begum. Legend says that when he emerged, the forty-year-old emperor's hair had turned white. He was determined to build his empress "the most magnificent tomb the world had ever known." It took the next twenty years of his reign, but Shah Jahan planned, designed, and oversaw the construction of the Taj Mahal , the world's most famous and beautiful mausoleum.

Made of white marble inlaid with jasper and agates, the Taj is decorated with Koranic verses in lovely calligraphy. The building occupied 20,000 workers over the course of two decades, including craftsmen from far-off Baghdad and Bukhara, and cost 32 million rupees. In the meantime, Shah Jahan began to rely increasingly on his son Aurangzeb , who proved an effective military leader and an Islamic fundamentalist from a young age. In 1636, Shah Jahan appointed him viceroy of the troublesome Deccan; Aurangzeb was just 18. Two years later, Shah Jahan and his sons took the city of Kandahar, now in Afghanistan , from the Safavid Empire . This sparked on-going strife with the Persians, who recaptured the city in 1649. Shah Jahan fell ill in 1658, and appointed his and Mumtaz Mahal's eldest son Dara Shikoh as his regent. Dara's three younger brothers immediately rose up against him and marched on the capital at Agra.

Aurangzeb defeated Dara and his other brothers, and took the throne. Shah Jahan then recovered from his illness, but Aurangzeb declared him unfit to rule and had him locked up in the Agra Fort for the rest of his life. Shah Jahan spent his last eight years gazing out the window at the Taj Mahal, attended by his daughter Jahanara Begum. On January 22, 1666, Shah Jahan died at the age of 74. He was interred in the Taj Mahal, beside his beloved Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan Shah Jahan The Garden Emperor Shah Jahan was the emperor of the Mughal empire in the Indian Subcontinent from 1628-1658. The name Shah Jahan is derived from Persian and it means Emperor of the world. He was born on 5th January 1592 in Lahore India and he died in 22nd January 1666 in Agra, India. He was the third son of Emperor Jahangir. His full name was Khurran Shihab-ud-din-Muhammad.

Royal Lineage As a young price, he commanded his father’s army leading to many campaigns, and it was not until 1623 that he rose in rebellion. When his father died in 1627, he went to Agra to claim the throne after killing all potential rivals the following year, he was crowned and he assumed the throne on 24th January 1628. Shah Jahan was the 5th Mogul emperor of India. He was an able ruler and a competent administrator who aimed at expanding the Mughal Empire. He was a staunch Muslim who was intolerant to Hindus. He did not support other religions. He employed many non-Muslims at his court but nonetheless showed considerable intolerance to Hinduism and Christianity. During his reign, the empire reached its zenith in luxury and prosperity. Marriage He married Mumtaz Mahal in 1607, who was 14 at the time. Mumtaz Mahal was a name given by her husband after finding her appearance and character outstanding among all the women of the time. Her original name was Arjumandu Banu Bergum. She was a granddaughter of a Persian noble.

Despite her pregnancies, Mumtaz Mahal traveled with her husbands entourage throughout his earlier military campaigns and the subsequent rebellions against his father. Love for Art & Architecture Shah Jahan was a student of architecture and art, who took care of even the least detail in any construction that he ordered and lived a lavish life. The perfect and most famous example of his is the Taj Mahal. This is a white marble mausoleum that was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of this 3rd wife Mumtaz Mahal. Mumtaz Mahal died at the age of 39 while giving birth to their 14th child. The Taj Mahal is the most beautiful tomb in the world where every least detail had been carefully thought out and executed with precision. The tall doorways have text inscribed on them from the Koran. Precious stones such as Onyx, Jasper, Cornelian, Carbuncle, and Malachite among others are studded in the mosaic. Masterpieces Two other masterpieces built by Shah Jahan are the Jama mosque of Delhi, and the Pearl mosque of Agra. He also built a new capital near the city of Old Delhi called Shahjahanabad with its outstanding Red Fort.

This emperor also built the Peacock throne which was made out of gold and precious stones. The legs of the peacock were made out of solid gold and twelve emerald pillars supported by an emerald canopy. Each pillar had been intricately carved with 2 peacocks that were studded with diamonds and rubies, and from between the peacocks there was a tree emerging. This tree was covered in pearls, rubies and diamonds. In 1658, Shah Jahan was overthrown by his son Aurangzeb and locked away in a port that he himself had constructed known as the Octagonal Tower. Due to his age and weakness, he was unable to put up a fight and when he died, his eyes were fixed on the Taj Mahal. Shan Jahan was buried in the glorious tomb next to his wife. One response to “Shah Jahan” Hudu Mohammed skido I want to know why shah jahan was overthrown by his son Leave a Reply Shah Jahan (1592 - 1666) - Find A Grave Memorial Agra Uttar Pradesh, India The Fifth Mighul Emperor or India.

He had the Taj Mahal built as a tomb for his wife, Mumtaz, who died giving birth to her 14th child. Taj Mahal Tomb Taj Mahal Tomb The stunning Taj Mahal in Agra, India, is among the most stunning architectural achievements in history. Although its primary function is that of a mausoleum, the structure is actually a complex with a variety of functions. The Tomb The heart of this palace-like structure is the Taj Mahal Tomb, which contains two exquisite cenotaphs representing the occupants of the tomb, Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. A cenotaph is tomb which is empty and meant to represent the people who have been interred. The actual bodies of Shah Jahan and his wife are buried beneath their cenotaphs in a lower chamber. Both cenotaphs are elegantly carved and inlaid with semi-precious stones. Shah Jahan was the emperor of the Mughal Empire. He began building the Taj Mahal in 1632 upon the death of his much beloved wife Mumtaz, who died giving birth to his 14th child.

It took nearly 20 years and thousands of workers to complete the Taj Mahal and the magnificent tomb – all of it in memory of Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal tomb itself is basically a cube-shaped structure measuring about 180 feet per side. It has chamfered corners and it topped by a large dome and “moon-cusp” finial. The whole structure sits atop a square plinth and has an arch-shaped doorway, called an iwan. The Dome The onion-shaped marble dome surmounting the structure is a marvel in itself. It’s about 115 feet high, which is the same as the length of its base. This is perched atop a cylindrical column about 23 feet high. At the top of the dome is a lotus design. Smaller domes positioned at the corners of this primary dome design create a pleasing symmetrical effect. At the top of the dome is a finial spire thrusting an upturned crescent moon toward the sky. The moon cusp is a common Muslim motif. When first built, the finial was covered in gold, but is plated with bronze today.

You might say that the Taj Mahal Tomb is a work of architectural brilliance within a work of architectural brilliance. Leave a Reply Welcome To Official WebSite of Taj Mahal-U.P.Tourism Religious beliefs Islam Shahab Uddin Muhammad Shah Jahan I (full title: Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram, Abu'l-Muzaffar Shahab ud-din Muhammad, Sahib-i-Qiran-i-Sani, Shah Jahan I Padshah Ghazi Zillu'llah [Firdaus-Ashiyani]) ruled India from 1628 until 1658. From ‘Khurram’ to Shah Jahan: The blue-eyed of the Mughal Royals, the young ‘Khurram’ impressed his father the Emperor Jahangir with his intense military successes of 1617 against the Lodi in the Deccan, which effectively secured the southern border of the empire.The grateful father rewarded him with the prestigious title 'Shah Jahan Bahadur ', which implicitly sealed his inheritance.

The name Shah Jahan comes from Persian meaning "King of the World." His early years saw him receive a cultured, broad education and distinguish himself in the martial arts and as a commander of his father's armies in numerous campaigns, where he became responsible for most of the territorial gains of his father's reign. Khurrum also demonstrated a precocious talent for building, impressing his father at the age of 16 when he built his own quarters within Babur's Kabul fort and redesigned several buildings within Agra fort. He was the fifth Mughal ruler after Babur, Humayun, Akbar, and Jahangir. While young, he was a favourite of Akbar. Like Akbar, he was eager to expand his empire. Even while very young, he could be pointed out to be the successor to the Mughal throne after the death of 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. Shah Jahan erected many splendid monuments, the most famous of which is the Taj Mahal at Agra.

The Pearl Mosque at Agra, the palace and great mosque at Delhi. The celebrated Peacock Throne, said to be worth millions of dollars by modern estimates. He was the founder of Shahjahanabad, now known as 'Old Delhi'. Other creations of Shah Jahan also include the Diwan-i-Am and Diwan-i-Khas within the Red Fort in Delhi. Taj Mahal Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal in Agra is indisputably the most famous example of Mughal architecture. Described by Rabindranath Tagore as "a tear on the face of eternity", it is in popular imagination a veritable "wonder of the world". Emperor Shah Jahan built the white-splendored tomb in the memory of his favorite wife, Arjumand Banu Begum, better known as Mumtaz Mahal ("Chosen of the Palace"). She married Shah Jahan in 1612 to become his second wife and inseparable companion, and died in childbirth at Burhanpur while on a campaign with her husband in 1629. Shah Jahan was, it is said, inconsolable to the point of contemplating abdication in favor of his sons.

The court went into mourning for over two years; and Shah Jahan decided to commemorate the memory of Mumtaz with a building the like of which had never been seen before. Detail of carving on wall of Taj Mahal The dead queen was brought to Agra and laid to rest in a garden on the banks of the Jamuna River. A council of the best architects was assembled to prepare designs for the tomb. Though some attribute the design to Geronimo Verroneo, an Italian in the Mughal service, evidence suggests that Ustad Isa Khan Effendi, a Persian, who assigned the detailed work to his pupil Ustad Ahmad, designed it. Ismail Khan designed the dome. The tomb that is higher than a modern 20-storey building took 22 years to complete with a workforce of 20,000. Craftsmen from as far as Turkey came to join in the work. The marble was quarried at Makrana near Jodhpur in Rajasthan. Precious stones were imported from distant lands. A two-mile ramp was built to lift material up to the level of the dome.

It is alleged that on its completion, Shah Jahan ordered the right hand of the chief mason to be cut off so that the masterpiece could never be recreated. As one might expect, numerous other legends are associated with the Taj Mahal: thus, according to one story, Shah Jahan desired to have another Taj built across the river, this one entirely in black marble. The tomb was provided with sumptuous fittings and furnishings, including rich Persian carpets, gold lamps and candlesticks. It is reliably reported and documented that two great silver doors to the entrance were looted and melted down by Suraj Mal in 1764, and Amir Husein Ali Khan carried off a sheet of pearls that covered the sarcophagus in 1720. In a manner of speaking, the pillage of the Taj continues unabated: more recently, the fumes from the surrounding industries have started deteriorating the marble, though various court orders have resulted in industries around the Taj being moved to more distant points.

The latest desecration of the monument took place, ironically, in celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of Indian independence, when the mediocre rock star Yanni, whose elevator music has attracted a worldwide audience, was allowed to give a live and certainly unprecedented performance at the Taj. The surroundings of the Taj Mahal have been restored to the original designs of Ali Mardan Khan, a noble at Shah Jahan's court. A red sandstone channel set between rows of cypress trees accentuates the main vista. The main entrance is from the west, but there are two other entrances -- from the east and from the west. The main gateway is a large three-storey sandstone structure with an octagonal central chamber with smaller rooms on each side. The walls are inscribed with verses from the Quran. The Makrana white marble of the Taj Mahal assumes subtle variations of light, tint, and tone at different times of the day. At dawn it assumes a soft dreamy aspect; at noon, it appears to be a dazzling white, and in the moonlight the dome looks like a huge iridescent pearl. Not surprisingly, then, the Taj Mahal is today regarded all over the world as a supreme labor of love.

Though the architectural history of the Taj has received much attention, a cultural and political interpretation of the Taj has never been attempted. While it never fails to move and dazzle, one can scarcely forget that its history, like that of other monumental achievements of pre-modern (and even modern) states, is bound to oppression and slavery. Who thinks of the large force of serfs whose labor was exploited to satisfy the love of one man, and how brutal was the repression of the peasantry in order to increase the revenues of the state? Or consider this: is it not oppressive that the Taj charges an admission fee of Rs. 100, an amount that the majority of Indians still do not make in one day's work, for the luxury of viewing it by moonlight? The monument remains the supreme icon of India to the rest of the world, along with the over-population, notorious poverty, and "mysticism" of this ancient land. It is one of India's largest tourist-revenue earners, and no tourist image predominates as that of the visitor snapped in front of the Taj. The image of the Taj appears in countless advertisements, and the Taj has taken on another life of its own.

Thus a history of the representations of the Taj Mahal is still wanting. Taj Mahal: A memorial of love Long long ago, in a land called Hindustan, reigned a dynasty of Kings as cultured as they were courageous... It isn't that they were without fault they could be cruel and cunning warriors but they were also men of exceptionally good taste, and blessed with the bountiful means to express their vision, they built a splendid empire of beauty, knowledge and grace beyond any known before. Now there was one among them, known as "King of the World," whose heart's passion burned like fire, and who built a monument for the sake of love that would capture the imagination of the world... At the age of fifteen, the prince who would be called King of the World met a refined and highborn young girl at a bazaar within the walls of the royal palace in Agra. Court poets celebrated the girl's extraordinary beauty. "The moon," they said, "hid its face in shame before her." For both, it was love at first sight. Five years would pass before the auspicious day chosen for their wedding, and from that moment, they became inseparable companions.

Prince Khurram was the fifth son of the Emperor Jahangir, who ruled in the country now known as India in the sixteenth century. Although the prince was not the eldest son, he soon became the favorite. But in this world, there is an ancient tradition: sweet pleasure is not without bitterness In 1631, in the fourth year of his reign, Shah Jahan set out for Burhanpur with his armies to subdue a rebellion. Even though Mumtaz Mahal was in the ninth month of a pregnancy, she accompanied him as she had done many times before. On a warm evening of April in 1631, the queen gave birth to their fourteenth child, but soon afterwards suffered complications and took a turn for the worse. According to legend, with her dying breath, she secured a promise from her husband on the strength of their love: to build for her a mausoleum more beautiful than any the world had ever seen before. The King cried out with grief, like an ocean raging with storm... He put aside his royal robes and for the whole week afterward, His Majesty did not appear in public, nor transact any affairs of state...

From constant weeping he was forced to use spectacles, and his hair turned gray... Shah Jahan grieved for two years. By official opinion, he never again showed enthusiasm for administering the realm. His only solace would be found in the world of art and architecture, and an obsession with perfection that would last his lifetime. Six months after the death of his wife, he laid the foundation for her memorial across the Jamuna River near his palace in Agra... the jewel of India, the far-famed Taj Mahal. Pearly pink at dawn and opalescent by moonlight, Mumtaz Mahal's tomb is so delicately ethereal that it threatens to disappear during Agra's white-heat afternoons. In the center of the mausoleum lie the remains of the Empress. Subdued light filters through the delicate screens surrounding her cenotaph and mullahs chant verses from the Koran. It is here that Shah Jahan came with his children to honor the memory of his beloved wife. Here, at last, he found solace. Shah Jahan created his vision of the world, not as it is, but rather as it should be harmonious, graceful and pure.

Inspired by love and shaped to perfection, the Taj Mahal immortalizes one man's love for his wife and the splendor of an era. Let the splendor of the diamond, pearl and ruby vanish like the magic shimmer of the rainbow. Only let this one teardrop, the Taj Mahal, glisten spotlessly bright on the cheek of time... (Poet Rabindranath Tagore) The postcard picture of Taj Mahal does not adequately convey the legend, the poetry and the romance that shroud what Rabindranath Tagore calls "a teardrop on the cheek of time". Taj Mahal means "Crown Palace" and is in fact the most well preserved and architecturally beautiful tomb in the world. It is best described by the English poet, Sir Edwin Arnold, as "Not a piece of architecture, as other buildings are, but the proud passions of an emperors love wrought in living stones." It is a celebration of woman built in marble and thats the way to appreciate it.

When Mumtaz Mahal was still alive, she extracted four promises from the emperor: first, that he build the Taj; second, that he should marry again; third, that he be kind to their children; and fourth, that he visit the tomb on her death anniversary. He kept the first and second promises. Construction began in 1631 and was completed in 22 years. Twenty thousand people were deployed to work on it. The material was brought in from all over India and central Asia and it took a fleet of 1000 elephants to transport it to the site. It was designed by the Iranian architect Ustad Isa and it is best appreciated when the architecture and its adornments are linked to the passion that inspired it. It is a "symbol of eternal love". The Taj rises on a high red sandstone base topped by a huge white marble terrace on which rests the famous dome flanked by four tapering minarets. Within the dome lies the jewel-inlaid cenotaph of the queen. So exquisite is the workmanship that the Taj has been described as "having been designed by giants and finished by jewellers".

The only asymmetrical object in the Taj is the casket of the emperor, which was built beside the queens as an afterthought. The emperor was deposed by his son and imprisoned in the Great Red Fort for eight years but was buried in the Taj. During his imprisonment, he had a view of the Taj. As a tribute to a beautiful woman and as a monument for enduring love, the Taj reveals its subtleties when one visits it without being in a hurry. The rectangular base of Taj is in itself symbolic of the different sides from which to view a beautiful woman. The main gate is like a veil to a womans face, which should be lifted delicately, gently and without haste on the wedding night. In Indian tradition the veil is lifted gently to reveal the beauty of the bride. As one stands inside the main gate of Taj, his eyes are directed to an arch that frames the Taj. The dome is made of white marble, but the tomb is set against the plain across the river and it is this background that works its magic of colors that, through their reflection, change the view of the Taj. The colors change at different hours of the day and during different seasons.

Like a jewel, the Taj sparkles in moonlight when the semi-precious stones inlaid into the white marble on the main mausoleum catch the glow of the moon. The Taj is pinkish in the morning, milky white in the evening and golden when the moon shines. These changes, they say, depict the different moods of a woman. Different people have different views of the Taj but it would be enough to say that the Taj has a life of its own that leaps out of marble, provided you understand that it is a monument of love. As an architectural masterpiece, nothing could be added or substracted from it.

Question: Shah Jahan of India had what built as his wife's tomb?
Answer: The Taj Mahal