The Timurid Empress

Ruqaiya Sultana Begum was born to Babur's second surviving son, Hindal Mirza, and his wife, Sultanam Begum, in 1542 C.E., merely a few months after Hamida Banu gave birth to the heir Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar. She was well-versed in Persian, Urdu and Arabic and was attracted to poetry and music. Being a proud descendant of the Timurid clan, most of Rukaiya's childhood was spent in Kabul, near the Bagh E Babur, built by Babur himself. From early childhood, she had seen the struggle of her family to regain their lost power in Hind.

Miniature of Rukaiya Begum as Empress

In 1551 C.E., just after her father died young at a battle for Humayun, leaving her and her mother in the harem of the emperor, it was Hamida Banu who wanted the marriage of Rukaiya to her first cousin, Akbar. Theirs was the first in-house marriage of the Mughals, soon to be followed by many more in the generations to come. At the mere age of nine, she had married the crown prince, and when Humayun won back Lahore, she was fifteen. At the mere age of Humayun's sudden death, Akbar was declared the emperor on the 14th of February 1556. Rukaiya Sultana Begum thus became the empress of the Mughal Empire and was to become the longest-serving begum, in Akbar's long reign from 1556 to 1605 A.D.

Ruqaiya Begum was extremely proud of her Timurid blood and was not very much in favour of Akbar's Rajput policy or Din-i-Elahi. When the Mughal harem shifted to Lahore in 1557, where she spent most of her life, a separate palace was built for her use by the emperor. In the year 1561, Rukaiya Begum suffered her last miscarriage of many (often thought to be the deed of Mahamanga). She remained childless all her life, only to be given the custody of Khurram, the third son of Jahangir, and the future emperor Shah Jahan. Rukaiya Begum had palaces in Agra, Fatehpur Sikri and Lahore and also aided the construction and maintenance of Babur's Garden.

Not being in favour of inter-religious marriages, she had supported Jahangir when he wanted to marry her lady-in-waiting, Meherunnisa, who was the later empress Noor Jahan, also of Timurid lineage. His strong opinions and well-read mind, Khurram, were also under her guidance. Surviving Akbar by 18 years, she spent her last days in grace and dignity in the Lahore Palace. She was buried beside her father in the garden of Babur.

Torn between love and duty, childless and alone amidst kins, Rukaiya Begum managed to survive and establish her power in the haram with her intelligence and grace. She was Akbar's most respected wife, fondly remembered by both her stepson and grandson in their memoirs. She also presented herself in the marriages of Shah Jahan in 1607 and 1609 and at the birth of his first two children, one of whom died in infancy. Rukaiya Begum was not as strong a woman as her successor, Noor Mahal, and neither was she as mildly opinionated as Hamida Banu.

In 1626 C.E., upon her death amidst the turmoil of an impending father-son battle between her foster son Khurram and stepson Jahangir, both remember her fondly and hold prayer meets for her soul.

The Jaali around her open tomb beside her father's was built by Shah Jahan in 1638 CE (Source: Kabul Tourism Page)

Rukaiya Begum, though not actively interested in business like Harka Bai or Salima Begum, who owned ships and went on pilgrimages, spent her days attending to the needs of the harem and giving political advice to her husband. The fact that in his last illness, none except her was allowed to be with him proves the amount of trust Akbar had in her. While many fantasise about a non-existent romance between Mariam ur Zamani and Akbar or even Salima Begum and Akbar, the story of Rukaiya Begum remains hidden between the pages of history and fiction, waiting to be told.

Akbar was perhaps personally closest to this Begum than anyone else in his haram (and that is clear when he was on his deathbed, both his son's and grandson's memoirs mention only she was allowed to be with him). And the little political importance of the heirless princess lands her a line or two in books and a simple and humble tomb beside her father.

Like many others in the Mughal haram, Rukaiya Begum's voice remains silent in the walls of time.

This image is wrongly depicted as Akbar and Rukaiya in Wikipedia.

For Historical Fiction on her life:

Chittorgarh: The First Jauhar

The concept of Jauhar holds a profound place in Rajputana history. It is a ritual where Rajput women willingly choose death by jumping into a fire altar, invoking the gods, and embracing honour rather than living under the humiliation of enemy conquest. Unlike Sati, Jauhar was never forced or compulsory; it was considered the most honourable death a Rajputani could choose when their men lost battles and the enemy laid siege. The Historical Setting: Jauhar Gate and Chittorgarh Fort Chittorgarh Fort once housed the palace of Rana Ratan Singh near the famed Vijay Stambh and his Jal Mahal at the fort’s main gate. When Alauddin Khilji invaded Chittor, much of this was destroyed. However, later ruler Rana Kumbha rebuilt the Jal Mahal and re-established the Jauhar Sthal to honour Queen Padmavati (also known as Padmini). Ratan Singh, who ruled Mewar during Khilji’s reign as Sultan of Delhi, was known to be a peace-loving monarch who enjoyed music and poetry. One of his court poets, Ragha...

Maharana Pratap: The Sun of Mewar

Many of you have read my fan fiction as well as historical representations of the life and times of Maharana Pratap Singh of Mewar. I provided small details of his life in many articles. But never have I ever made a separate historical post on him. It is very difficult to put together his life without the help of folklore because historical evidence is scarce. This one was requested, and hence here it goes. Needless to say, this one is very special. This is a blend of history and folklore. Leave your love. ❤️ Background and Birth: The year was 1540. Mewar was under a cloud of uncertainty. Banbir, their ruler for four years now, was a very incompetent ruler who always spent his time in luxury, drinking and dancing with girls. The crown prince Udai Singh was rumoured to have been killed by him. Chittorgarh was in darkness. Around March 1540, Mewar once again saw hope as some trusted generals, along with Kunwar Udai Singh, attacked Chittorgarh, taking Banbir by surprise. He was soon t...

Haldighati: The Battlefield

The year was 1576 CE. Four years had passed since Maharana Pratap’s coronation as the ruler of Mewar in 1572 CE. In those years, the land simmered not just with heat but with tension. The Timurid emperor Akbar, determined to fulfil his imperial vision, had sent not one, but three peace emissaries with Man Singh and Bhagwan Das leading them, between 1573 and 1575 CE, offering reconciliation in carefully worded treaties. But the wounds of Chittorgarh’s fall in 1568 CE were fresh for Pratap. With the blood and tears of Jauhar and Saka still alive, with the thousands mercilessly killed, there would be no peace without freedom. Pratap was no ordinary king, to be driven just by his zeal. He was a strategist, steeped as much in statecraft as in pride. When Man Singh came in 1575 CE with yet another offer, he was quick to realise that Akbar was reluctant to an out-and-out battle with Mewar. Pratap chose not to appear himself, sending his heir, Amar Singh, instead, stating that kings met kings...

The Cortege That Shook The Raj: Kanailal Dutta

10th November, 1908 Around late morning, a procession of lacs made their way through the streets of Calcutta (Kolkata), India. Some were chanting “Vande Mataram”, others blew conch shells, and Ululation filled the air. Flowers were being showered from all directions, and garlands made their way through the crowd, being thrown at the procession in the middle. Bhagwat Gita and Ananda Math (Novel by Bamkim Chandra) were offered. No, this was no “ Sobha Jatra ” or celebration. There were no religious festivities either. That dawn, the Alipore Jail, which opened only two years back, witnessed the hanging of Kanailal Dutta, a twenty-year-old member of the “Jugantar Dol”, an anarchist group that was set up primarily by Aurobindo Ghosh (Later Rishi Aurobindo), his brother Barindra and their associates. Kanailal hailed from Chandannagore, and although he was not present in most of their meetings in Kolkata, he was still one of their early members from Chandannagore, then a French province. ...

Sisodiya: Kings, Queens and Princes (1538 - 1597)

I am back with another History post, this time it is on the wives and sons of Rana Udai Singh II of Mewar, his son and heir Maharana Pratap and Rana Amar Singh. This is a continuation of the Sisodia Family History I posted some time back. The information has been taken from Annals of Mewar by James Todd, Maharana Pratap by B.N. Rana, and Maharana Pratap by Rima Hooja. Udai Singh II was the son of Ranisa Karnawati and Rana Sangram Singh. He was born on 4th August 1 522, at Chittorgarh and died on 28th February 1 572 at Gogunda . He was the Ruler of the Sisodia Dynasty. He is believed to have 56 sons and 2 5 wives, apart from the many insignificant queens in his Rani Mahal. Here is a list of his main queens and their sons. Maharani Jaivanta Bai Songara of Jalore was his chief queen and consort. Her son is Maharana Pratap. He was married to her before he went to war with Banbir, as her father, Akshayraj Rao, was a friend and ally of his father, Rana Sanga. Saj...

Rani Padmini: The Valiant Queen

This story is a retelling of some parts of Malik Mohammad Jayasi's Padmavat, which was a historical fiction poem written in 1540, about 200 years after the siege of Chittorgarh by Allauddin Khilji. Historically, the Rajputs of Mewar didn't keep accounts of their queens, even by name, so the name Padmini or Padmavati was made up by Jayasi to represent the women of Chittor who chose the Jauhar. Historically speaking, Allauddin Khilji wanted the trade route to Surat for himself, which went through Mewar and Rana Ratan Singh, a patron of art, was not known for his military skills. So when Khilji surrounded the fort, the only way out was the Saka and Jauhar. Rani Padmini's Jauhar, as it is now popularly called, is also not the first Jauhar Khilji witnessed. The Jauhars of Ranthambore and Jaisalmer happened before he attacked Chittorgarh. Also, the act of Jauhar happened as early as the Greek invasions of Porus's state, when it is described as the "Mass immolation of Sat...

Chawand: The Maharana's Capital

The road from Udaipur quickly fades into quiet countryside as you head toward Jaisamand Lake and Chavand, a journey that few package tours offer, but one that is forever imprinted on my memory. Just shy of an hour and 59km from the city bustle, you reach Jaisamand (Dhebar Lake), the “Ocean of Victory,” sprawling as Asia’s once-largest man-made lake . Built in 1685 by Maharana Jai Singh, who followed his father’s legendary tradition of dam-building, this vast sheet of water shimmers in the sunlight. I watched local ferries pass, and marble stairs dip into blue shallows, imagining bygone queens slipping into cooling water beneath the massive embankment. Even today, friendly boatmen linger, eager to usher you onto the lake for a breezy ride. They tell you stories of how once a Maharana roamed these dense forests in search of freedom. Do pause here and soak in the peaceful air before venturing further southwest, toward the forgotten echoes of Mewar’s pride. The drive to Chavand, ...

The Lady Sultan

Indian History, or subcontinental History, is incomplete without speaking of the women who left a mark in their own significant ways. The first woman who comes to mind is perhaps the only woman Sultan to rule Delhi, Raziya (Razia). It’s been over a year since I had been trying to read and understand the mystery of Raziya Bint Iltutmish . Attributed as the only Woman Muslim Monarch of India, she is a name of many assumptions, imagination and speculations. The few books that have been written on her or the historical accounts of the Slave Dynasty mentioning her have always been about the turbulence of the government and the various rebels and uprisings that took place among the prominent chiefs of Iltutmish, who wanted to rise in power. No documentation or portrayal is found about her look, character or early days from her contemporary times. The only relevant historical book I found solely on her was by Dr Karunapada Dutta, while she finds a chapter in Heroines by Ira Mukhoty or Th...

Etched In Stone

This historical short story is a fictitious account of Ashoka, the Mauryan Emperor and his first wife Devi, who finds no place in Magadhan History. There is another fiction about her in the blog as well. This story stemmed from a merge of two ideas, one was to mention the cave inscription found in Saru Maru that mentions Asoka spending some days there with his lover (presumed to be Devi), the other idea of how if words did not immortalise a lot of battles and achievements, the names of many great men would be lost in time. The prince stood on the edge of the cliff, looking at the horizon. Dawn arrived as the birds started leaving their nests, wings fluttering, eager to discover the world. He looked up at them, the thought of once again going back to exploring the length and breadth of his state making him feel a little restless as he eyed his healing wounds. He was left to die; his enemies wished so. Yet by some miracle of fate, as if his purposes were yet to be fulfilled, here he was ...

Battle of Haldighati

There have been a lot of talks going on regarding who won the Battle of Haldighati. While some want to change what we read and say that the Maharana won it, many oppose the point with a Mughal victory. Here, I compile every account I found of the Battle and its Aftermath and make my unbiased conclusion on the topic. PS. The dates vary from book to book; I gave the ones I found in most sources. The Background: Relation with Mughals Mewar was one of Rajputana's strongest individual kingdoms, along with the likes of Marwar and Kacchawar (Jaipur). Long before the Mughals under Akbar, Mewar under Rana Sangram Singh had successfully managed to keep the "Turk Invaders" under Babar at bay, fighting 17 wars, big and small. The relationship was further questioned when, during the invasion from Saurashtra, Sanga's widow, Rani Karnavati, had written to Mughal Emperor Humayun for help, sending him a rakhi. Contrary to popular belief, Humayun had rested on his way from Gaur (Beng...

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