Shah-Jahan – ‘King of the World’ – ruled the Mughal Empire from 1628 to 1658. His is a complex and conflicted tale of romance and violence, of marital fidelity and fratricidal betrayal, of exquisite artistry and ugly intolerance. For the Mughal court was a world where brutally violent politics, internecine conflict, pedantic quadruplicate bureaucracy and high art all coexisted under the same royal roof. Before his usurpation by his own son, Shah-Jahan reigned for thirty-two years as an enlightened despot: a man seen variously as a virtuous supporter of Sharia law and a monster of moral depravity. Between these extremes lies the truth of the man.
In his book Shah Jahan: The Rise and Fall of The Mughal Emperor Fergus Nicoll has reconstructed this intriguing tale from contemporary biographies, edicts and correspondence, putting together an original portrait that challenges many established legends to bring the man and the emperor to life.
Here are some things you didn’t know about the Mughal emperor.
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