Shah Jahan Shah Jahan’s era is considered as the golden age of the Mughal Empire. Muhammad Hadi has written about the reign of his father Jahangir: “When Jahangir sat on the throne of Empire, the world attained the splendor of the divine shadow. Illuminator of crown and throne he was, generous, merciful and lucky.” Early Life Prince Khurram (ever delightful) was born on 1592. He was the youngest prince to be appointed the governor of Deccan. In 1612, he married Arjumand Bano Begum. In 1617, after Ahmednagar campaign, he was conferred the title Shah Jahan and the mansab of 30,000 zat and 17,000 sawar. From 1623 to 1628, he remained in Deccan due to Nur Jahan’s conspiracies. Shah Jahan history began when on 6th February 1628; his coronation took place in the Red Palace of Balban by Asaf Khan. Shah Jahan conferred a mansab of 8000 zat and 8000 sawar on Asaf Khan and 7000 zat and 7000 sawar on Mahabat Khan. Shah Jahan constructed Red Fort in Shahjahanabad in 1639. Shah Jahan Red Fort became the epic centre of Mughal power for the duration of his reign. Abdul Hamid Lahori wrote Padshanama (now preserved in Windsor Museum London). He says that Shah Jahan put Shariat on the strong footings and replaced Sijdah (prostrate before the king) by Chahar Taslim (to bow before the Emperor). Shah Jahan Mughal Emperor renamed Agra Akbarabad in the honour of his grandfather. Shah Jahan introduced Hijri Era and gave it preference over Tarif-i-Afli because he considered the latter calendar unislamic. In March 1628 was celebrated Navroz. Every nook and corner of the Empire was decorated. To mark the event, Asaf Khan’s mansab was increased to 9000 zat and 9000 sawar. In 1629, he transferred his capital from Agra to Delhi which remained the Mughal capital till 1857. Shah Jahan laid the foundation of Red Fort in Delhi in May 1638. Red fort became his official residence for years to come. Most of Shah Jahan portraits show him in the formal Mughal attire with a rose in hand. Several such Shah Jahan images can be found all across the world. Red Fort Delhi covers an extensive area of 103 acres. It is octagonal and the marble, arabesque designs and double domes exemplify the classical Mughal architectural style of the Red Fort Complex. The Lahori and Delhi gates were used by the common people to enter the Red Fort in India while the Emperor used Khizrabad gate of the Red Fort India. Shah Jahan coins are stuck in three metals (gold, silver and copper). His earliest coins bear the real name Khurram. In 1631, Shah Jahan led military campaign against the Portuguese as they had carried away the maid servants of Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan ordered all the Portuguese establishments in Hooghly to be closed down. Shah Jahan Mumtaz story has now become a fable. Bernier, the French doctor has written in the War of Succession: “The massacre of Portuguese reminded him of the horrible massacre by Babur in Sayyidpur.” All the dreams of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal come to a tragic end when Mumtaz Mahal died in 1631 and Shah Jahan laid the foundation of Taj Mahal. Mumtaz Mahal became so popular that several myths were woven around her life. Several hotels and tourists spots are opened in her name. Thousands and thousands of Mumtaz Mahal hotels can be found all around the Indian Subcontinent. The most popular among them are Mumtaz Mahal Agra Hotel and Mumtaz Mahal Arabian Court. Tavernier, the French doctor has written: “It took 22 years, 20,000 labourers and 3 crore Rupees to build Taj Mahal.” The lead Taj Mahal architect was Ustad Ahmed Lahori. Military Campaigns of Shah Jahan: Shah Jahan’s first campaign was against Daulat Khan Lodhi, the Mughal governor of Deccan. While availing the opportunity of a civil war, he declared himself the independent ruler of Deccan and annexed Malwa. Shah Jahan sent a series of military expeditions against him. Daulat Khan was defeated and humbled. He was pardoned and ordered to stay at the Mughal court. He revolted again in 1631 and escaped from Agra. He was finally killed in Kalinjar in 1631. Expedition against Jujhar Singh Bundela: Jujhar Singh Bundela was the son of Bir Singh Bundela, the assassin of Abul Fazal). In civil war in 1627, he left the Mughal court in Agra and declared himself an independent ruler of Bundelkhand. In 1628, Shah Jahan sent a military expedition against Jujhar Singh Bundela. The Bundelas were defeated and a war indemnity of Rupees 50,00,000 was imposed on him. He was forced to surrender 40 elephants and was given a mansab of 2000 zat and 2000 sawar in the royal court. Jujhar Singh Bundela served the Mughal court with great loyalty from 1628 to 1635. In 1635, Jujhar Singh annexed Gondwana. He was ordered by Shah Jahan to declare this annexation in the name of the Mughal emperor which Bir Singh refused. Aurangzeb invaded Bundelkhand and entered its capital Orcha. Several Hindu temples were demolished and two of his sons were converted to Islam. The third son who refused to convert was executed. This event is considered as the great departure from Akbar’s policy of Sulh- i-Kul and led to the rise of political Islam. North West Frontier Policy: Shah Jahan was an imperialist ruler was determined re-annex Kandhar. He started huge military preparation. Persia at that time was ruled by the most capable ruler of the Safavid dynasty Shah Abbas II. In 1628, Ali Mardan, the Persian governor of Kandhar, requested his master Shah Abbas II for more military assistance as he was expecting a Mughal attack. The Persian Shah took it as a mischief and dispatched an army to arrest him, provoking Ali Mardan to turn his loyalty to Shah Jahan. In 1638, Ali Mardan handed over Kandhar to the Mughals. He was first made the governor of Kashmir and later was transferred to Punjab. He planted Shalimar and Nishat Gardens. Shah Abbas II made huge military preparations and made Heart his military base. On 16th December 1648, Shah Abbas II laid siege of Kandhar. The Mughal governor Ali Mardan resisted the siege for 57 days. On 11th December 1649, he surrendered the fort and India lost Kandhar forever. Shah Jahan sent three military expeditions to recapture Kandhar: 1. In 1649, the first expedition was sent under the command of Saadullah Khan (PM) and Prince Dara Shikoh. He was forced to life the siege. 2. In 1652, another expedition was sent under the command of Saadullah Khan and Aurangzeb. It was failure. 3. In 1653, the third expedition was sent under the command of Dara Shikoh. It was also a failure. India lost Kandhar forever in 1649 during the reign of Shah Jahan. J.N. Sircar has written: “The North west frontier policy of Shah Jahan was a disaster.” Professor Edward Garrett has written: “The biggest implication of this expedition was that it exposed the military weakness of the Mughal India to the outside world.” In 1739, Nadir Shah, the Persian Shah, attacked India. He defeated the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah Rangila in the battle of Karnal and took away Shah Jahan’s Peacock throne and Koh-i- Noor. Central Asian Policy of Shah Jahan Shah Jahan was the second Indian ruler to invade India. The first ruler was Kanishka. J.N. Sircar has written: “The economic prosperity of the Empire and flattery of the courtiers turned his head and he began to cherish utopian dreams.” Abdul Hamid Lahori in Padshanama has written that the basic motive of Shah Jahan was to capture Samarqand, the traditional land of the Mughals. Ishwari Prasad has written: “It was a worthless expedition and was bound to fail.” In 1646, the civil war between Nazir Muhammad Khan, the ruler of Balkh, Bukhara and Badkshan and his son Abdul Aziz, the ruler of Samarqand requested Shah Jahan for military assistance. Shah Jahan agreed because of twin purposes: 1. To assist Abdul Aziz to capture Samarqand. 2. To annex Kabul, Kandhar and Badkshan to the Mughal state. Shah Jahan sent military expedition under the command of Prince Murad and Ali Mardan. They annexed Balkh and Bukhara. But on his way to Samarqand, prince Murad fell ill and requested his father to return back to Agra. Murad returned to Agra and the Mughals lost both the regions. Shah Jahan sent another expedition under the command of Aurangzeb and Prime Minister Saadullah Khan. Aurangzeb annexed Balkh, Bukhara and Badkshan defeating strong Uzbek opposition. Aurangzeb entrusted these territories to Rajput Madho Singh and proceeded to capture Samarqand. He received message from his father to return because Shah Jahan was expecting renewed Persian attacks on Kandhar. Aurangzeb made peace with Nazir Muhammad Khan and retreated. The terms of the treaty are as follows: 1. Nazir Muhammad Khan accepted Shah Jahan as his overlord and allowed Mughals to collect land revenue from his regions. 2. He promised to surrender two grandsons as a guarantee of his good conduct. J.N. Sircar has written: “The Central Asian expedition cost Mughals Rupees 4 crores and the revenue earned was Rupees 22.5 Lakh. “ Deccan Policy of the Mughals: Shah Jahan’s Deccan policy was shaped by two factors: 1. Shah Jahan was an imperialist ruler. 2. He was a Sunni Muslim who could not tolerate the existence of the independent Shia states in the Deccan. Annexation of Ahmednagar: In 1627, the brilliant Prime Minister of Nizam Shahi dynasty Malik Ambar died. He was succeeded by his incapable son Fateh Khan.