Nawab Bai

Nawab bai
Empress consort of the Mughal Empire
Reign 31 July 1658 - 1691
Born 1620
Rajouri, Kashmir
Died 1691
Delhi, Mughal Empire
Burial Moti Masjid (Delhi), Red Fort
Spouse Aurangzeb
Issue Muhammad Sultan
Bahadur Shah I
Badr-un-Nissa Begum
Full name
Rahmat-un-Nissa
House Jarral
Father Raja Tajuddin Khan
Mother Teji Begum
Religion Islam

Rahmat-un-Nissa (Urdu: رحمت النسا بیگم‎) ; died 1691) better known by her title Nawab Bai, was Empress consort of the Mughal Empire as the second wife of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

Early years

Born Raj Mahal in 1620, Nawab Bai was the daughter of Raja Tajuddin Khan who was King of the Rajauri in Jammu and Kashmir, and belonged to the Jarral Muslim Rajput dynasty, coming of the Rajput clan. She married the Prince Aurangzeb, later the emperor of India. She was also the mother of Bahadur Shah I, the Mughal emperor who succeeded Aurangzeb.

Marriage

In 1638, The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan requested the Jarral King Raja Tajuddin Khan for the hand of his daughter Nawab Bai during an evening meal with Shah Jahan, During the meal Raja Tajuddin Khan accepted the proposal of the marriage and thus Nawab Bai was married to Aurangzeb[1][2] and became his secondary wife.[3] After her marriage, she was given the name Rahmat-un-Nissa.[4]

In 1639, she gave birth to Aurangzeb's first son, Prince Muhammad Sultan Mirza. He was born on 30th December 1639, at Mathura.[5] Over the next eight years, she gave birth to two more children. They were Prince Muhammad Muazzam Mirza (future Emperor Bahadur Shah I), and the memorizer of the Quran, Princess Badr-un-Nissa Begum.[6] Although, she had given birth to Aurangzeb's eldest son, but still his first wife, the Persian princess, Dilras Banu Begum, remained his chief consort as well as his favourite.[7]

As Empress

The misconduct of her sons, Muhammad Sultan and Muhammad Muazzam, who disobeyed the Emperor under the influence of evil counsellors, resentted her latter life.[8] In 1659, her eldest son Prince Muhammad Sultan joined his uncle, Prince Shah Shuja, and married his daughter Gulrukh Banu Begum. However, soon he left the prince, and returned to his father in February 1660.[9] On Aurangzeb's orders he was put under arrest and was sent to Salimgarh fort,[10] and was later transferred to Gwalior fort in 1661.[11]

In 1662, during Aurangzeb's illness, his sister Roshanara Begum, dictatorially took charge of him and would not allow anyone except her own confidants, to see him.[12] Believing that there was no hope of her brother's surviving, Roshanara took charge of the state. When Rahmat-un-Nissa learned of this, she said to her that she was not doing right. Roshanara became angry, seized her by hair and dragged her out of Aurangzeb's chamber.

In 1669, a man named Abdullah submitted a petition to her, that after the dismissal of his son, the post of faujdar of pargana Arandole be granted to him. But when the matter was submitted to Aurangzeb, it was rejected.[13] In 1670, Prince Muhammad Muazzam had been instigated by the flatterers to act in a self-willed and independent manner. Aurangzeb's letter of advice which produced no effect. He summoned Nawab Bai from Delhi, in order to send her to her son to bring him on right path. She reached Sikandra in April 1670. Prince Muhammad Akbar, Bakshimulk Asad Khan and Bahramand Khan conducted her to the imperial harem.[14] In May 1670, she started for Aurangabad, and was commanded to spend two days at Gwalior, with her son Prince Muhammad Sultan. After staying there for sometime, Sarbuland Khan conducted her to Prince Muhammad Muazzam.[15]

In 1686, she met the famous Italian writer and traveller, Niccolao Manucci at Goa,[16] who claimed that to bleed Nawab Bai twice every year regularly.[17] In 1687, Muhammad Muazzam duspected contumacy with Sultan Abul Hasan, the ruler of Golkonda.[18] Her advice and even personal entreaty had no effect on him, and at last on Aurangzeb's orders he was placed under arrest.[19] Muazzam's sons,[20] and his first wife and chief consort Nur-un-Nissa Begum were also imprisoned in separate jails.[21]

Nawab Bai is known to have built a serai at Fardapur, at the foot of the pass, and also founded Baijipura, a suburb of Aurangabad Bihar.[8]

Death

She died at Delhi in the middle of 1691 and was buried in Moti Masjid, Delhi, during her son Muhammad Muazzam's imprisonment. Aurangzeb along with his daughter Zinat-un-Nissa Begum came to Muhammad Muazzam in order to condole him.[22]

References

  1. ↑ Khan, Khafi (1874). Muntakhab al-lubab (Persian) - Part II. Urdoo Guide Press, Calcutta. p. 604.
  2. ↑ Sarkar 1912, p. 62.
  3. ↑ Sarkar, Sir Jadunath (1912). History of Aurangzib Vol. I (PDF). Calcutta: M.C. Sarkar & Sons. p. 61.
  4. ↑ Sarkar 1912, p. 61.
  5. ↑ Sarkar 1912, p. 71.
  6. ↑ Sarkar 1912, p. 72.
  7. ↑ Commissariat, Mānekshāh Sorābshāh (1958). A History of Gujarat: Mughal period, from 1573 to 1758. Longmans, Green & Company, Limited. p. 151.
  8. 1 2 Sarkar 1912, p. 63.
  9. ↑ Elliot, Sir Henry Miers (1877). The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians. The Muhammadan Period: Ed. from the Posthumous Papers of the Late Sir H. M. Elliot ... Trübner and Company. pp. 249–51.
  10. ↑ Sen, Surendra Nath (1949). Indian Travels of Thevenot and Careri: Being the Third Part of the Travels of M. de Thevenot Into the Levant and the Third Part of a Voyage Round the World by Dr. John Francis Gemelli Careri. National Archives of India. p. 370.
  11. ↑ Sarkar 1947, p. 20.
  12. ↑ Eraly, Abraham (2000). Emperors of the Peacock Throne: The Saga of the Great Mughals. Penguin Books India. p. 536. ISBN 978-0-141-00143-2.
  13. ↑ Majid (Prof.), Siddiqui (January 1, 2005). The British Historical Context and Petitioning in Colonial India. Aakar Books. p. 13. ISBN 978-8-187-87950-3.
  14. ↑ Sarkar 1947, p. 63.
  15. ↑ Sarkar 1947, p. 64.
  16. ↑ Manucci 1907, p. 276.
  17. ↑ Eraly, Abraham (January 1, 2007). The Mughal World: Life in India's Last Golden Age. Penguin Books India. p. 145. ISBN 978-0-143-10262-5.
  18. ↑ Sharma, S. R. (January 1, 1999). Mughal Empire in India: A Systematic Study Including Source Material, Volume 2. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. p. 605. ISBN 978-8-171-56818-5.
  19. ↑ Sarkar 1912, p. 64.
  20. ↑ Shashi, Shyam Singh (1999). Encyclopaedia Indica: Aurangzeb and his administrative measures. Anmol Publications. p. 270. ISBN 978-8-170-41859-7.
  21. ↑ Srivastava, M. P. (1995). The Mughal administration. Chugh Publications. p. 247. ISBN 978-8-185-61397-0.
  22. ↑ Sarkar 1947, p. 207.

Bibliography

  • Sarkar, Jadunath (1947). Maasir-i-Alamgiri: A History of Emperor Aurangzib-Alamgir (reign 1658-1707 AD) of Saqi Mustad Khan. Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal, Calcutta.
  • Manucci, Niccolao (1907). Storia Do Mogor: Or, Mogul India, 1653-1708 - Volume 2. J. Murray.
  • Sarkar, Jadunath (1912). History of Aurangzib mainly based on Persian sources: Volume 1 - Reign of Shah Jahan. M.C. Sarkar & sons, Calcutta.
  • Irvine, William. The Later Mughals. Low Price Publications. ISBN 8175364068.
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