Shah Jahan

Shah Jahan, on his father's death, though only fourth in right ofsuccession to the throne, speedily disposed of his brothers by meansvery commonly adopted in Oriental royal families, and was enthroned atAgra in 1648. Immediately afterwards he wreaked his vengeance on thePortuguese, who had taken part against him in his rebellion againstJahangir, by destroying their settlement at Hughli. The next year,while on an expedition to suppress disorder in the Deccan, he losthis favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the lady of the Taj. For a longtime the Emperor abandoned himself entirely to grief, and he remainedfaithful to her memory until his death.

The actual building of the Taj commenced in 1632. From this date until1658, when Aurangzib usurped the throne, was the most magnificentperiod of the Mogul dynasty. The whole empire enjoyed comparative peaceand prosperity. Shah Jahan's just and liberal government continued hisfather's and grandfather's policy of tolerance towards the Hindus, andhis administration, though conducted with great pomp and splendour,did not press hardly upon the people. It was one of the greatestepochs of Indian architecture; besides the Taj Mahal, the buildingserected during these years include four of the masterpieces of theMogul period--the Jami Masjid, or Cathedral Mosque, of Delhi; theMuti Masjid, or Pearl Mosque, of Agra; part of the Agra Palace, andthe great palace at Delhi, of which only a small portion now exists.

It is said that as Shah Jahan advanced towards old age he abandonedhimself more and more to a life of pleasure and self-indulgence,but his last years were darkened by the same kind of family intriguesthrough which he himself had gained the throne. In 1657 the seriousillness of the Emperor brought these intrigues to a head. His eldestson by Mumtaz Mahal, called Dara Shikoh, a gracious and generousPrince, but headstrong and intolerant of advice, was appointedRegent. On receiving this intelligence, his younger brothers, Shuja,Viceroy of Bengal, and Murad, Viceroy of Gujarat, declared theirindependence, and marched upon Agra. Aurangzib, the third son,a religious bigot, but the ablest and most virile of the brothers,hastened to join them, and being placed in chief command, attackedDara's army close to Agra and completely defeated him. Three daysafterwards he entered the city. Shah Jahan sent his chamberlain toorder him to leave the city at once and return to his post in theDeccan, but Aurangzib, affecting to believe that his father was dead,disregarded the order. He succeeded by bribes and promises in bringingover some of the principal nobles to his side, and being well informedby Rushanara, his younger sister, who was his equal in cunning andartifice, of all that went on in the palace, he baffled Shah Jahan'sattempts to lay hands on him. At last, under pretence of arrangingan amicable meeting with his son Mahmud, Aurangzib beguiled ShahJahan into withdrawing his troops from the Fort. Mahmud immediatelyforced his way in with a picked body of men and seized the person ofthe Emperor. The plan succeeded so well that no attempt at a rescuewas made.

The French traveller Tavernier, who has left a complete record ofthe time, writes of this event: "It is most surprising that not oneof the servants of the grand King offered to assist him; that all hissubjects abandoned him, and that they turned their eyes to the risingsun, recognizing no one as king but Aurangzib. Shah Jahan, thoughstill living, passed from their memories. If, perchance, there wereany who felt touched by his misfortunes, fear made them silent, andmade them basely abandon a king who had governed them like a father,and with a mildness which is not common with sovereigns. For althoughhe was severe enough to the nobles when they failed to perform theirduties, he arranged all things for the comfort of the people, by whomhe was much beloved, but who gave no signs of it at this crisis."

Shah Jahan remained confined in a set of apartments of the AgraPalace for seven years. He died in 1666, and was buried by the sideof Mumtaz Mahal in the Taj. His captivity was shared by his favouritedaughter, Jahanara, who since the death of her mother had ruled theimperial household and taken a prominent part in state affairs. Shehad actively supported the cause of Dara, and thus incurred theresentment of Aurangzib. On her father's death she retired to Delhi,and she lived there until 1681. Her simple grave, covered with grass,is in a quiet corner of the courtyard of Nizamudin's tomb, near Delhi,where the memory of her filial piety adds to the poetic charm of allthe surroundings.

The Monuments of Shah Jahan's Reign at Agra:

The Taj Mahal, The Jami Masjid and the followingbuildings in the Fort: The Muti Masjid; the Diwan-i-am ;the Diwan-i-khas ; the Khas Mahal.