Jahangir
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| Birth name: | Nuruddin Jahangir |
| Family name: | Timurid |
| Title: | Emperor of Mughal Empire |
| Birth: | August 31, 1569 |
| Place of birth: | Fatehpur Sikri, India |
| Place of death: | Lahore, Pakistan |
| Death: | October 28, 1627 |
| Succeeded by: | Shah Jahan |
| Marriage: | Nur Jahan |
| Children: | Nisar Begum, daughter |
Nuruddin Salim Jahangir (Persian/Urdū: نور الدین جهانگیر; Hindī: नूरुद्दीन जहानगीर; nūruddīn jahāngīr) (August 31, 1569 – October 28, 1627) was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1605 until 1627. The name Jahangir is from Persian جهانگير, meaning "Conqueror of the World", "World-Conqueror", or "Dominant over the World". Alternative spellings of the name include Jehangir, and Cihangir (in Turkish). Nuruddin or Nur al-Din means "the Light of the Faith"
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Birth
He was born as Prince Muhammad Salim on 30 August 1569. He was the third and eldest surviving son (Akbar's twin sons, Hasan and Hussain, died in infancy) of Mughal Emperor Akbar. His mother was the Rajput Princess of Amber(i.e. Jodhabai, born Rajkumari Hira Kunwari, eldest daughter of Raja Bihari Mal or Bharmal, Raja of Amber, India).
It is said to be by blessing of Shaikh Salim Chisti(one of the revered sage of his times)that Akbar's first surviving child,the future Jahangir, was born.He was born at the dargah of the Sheikh Salim Chishti, in the village Sikri near Agra. The child was named Salim after the darvesh and was affectionately addressed by Akbar as the Sheikhu Baba.
Akbar developed emotional attachment with the village Sikri(abode of Chishti). Therefore, he developed the town of Sikri and shifted his imperial court and residence from Agra to Sikri,later renamed as Fatehpur Sikri.
Education
Akbar ensured that his son received the best education possible. Salim started his studies at the age of four and was taught Persian, Turkish, Arabic, Urdū, history, arithmetic, geography and other sciences by important tutors like Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khanan, a renowned soldier and scholar.
Marriage
Salim was made a Mansabdar of ten thousand(Das-Hazari), the highest military rank of the empire, after the emperor. He commanded,independently, a regiment in Kabul campaign of 1581, when he was barely twelve. His Mansab was raised to Twelve Thousand, in 1585, at the time of his betrothal to his cousin Man Bai, daughter of Bhagwan Das of Amber. Bhagwan Das(son of Bihari Mal) was the brother of Akbar's wife Jodhabai nee Rajkumari Hira Kunwari.
The marriage with Man Bai took place on February 13,1585. Thereafter, Salim was allowed to marry , in quick succession , a number of accomplished girls from the aristocratic Mughal and Rajput families. One of his favourite wives was a Rajput Princess, known as Jagat Gosain, who gave birth to Prince Khurram, the future Shah Jahan,the successor of Jahangir.
Jahangir married his twentieth and last wife, the extremely beautiful and intelligent Mehr-un-Nisa, in May 1611. She was the widow of Sher Afghan. Mehr-un-Nisa was given the title of Nur Jehan afterwards.
Revolt
Salim raised a standard of revolt against Akbar in 1599. Prince Salim finally succeeded to the throne on November 3, 1605, eight days after his father's death. Salim ascended to the throne with the title of Nuruddin Muhammad Jahangir Padshah Ghazi, and thus began his 22 year reign at the age of 36. Having seized power, he had to fend off his own son's, Prince Khusraw, claim to the throne. Khusraw/Khusrau was defeated in 1606 and confined in the fort of Agra. Later on, unearthing a conspiracy for his murder, Jahangir had Khusraw blinded as punishment; afterwards, however, Jahangir's parental love lead him to summoning the best of psysicians to cure him, and after a lot of effort vision in one of Khusrau's eyes was restored.
In 1622, Khurram (Shah Jahan), younger brother of Khusrau, in a conspiracy to eliminate all possible contenders to the throne had Khusrau murdered.
His Reign
Jahangir started his reign with several popular acts. He released prisoners of war, promised to protect Islam and granted general amnesty to his opponents. He set up a "Chain of Justice" outside his palace. Anyone in trouble could simply pull the chain and receive a hearing from the Emperor.
Jahangir was fond of ease and comfort. He was an alcoholic and could be found day and night with wine goblets in his hands. He was also susceptible to the influence of others, a weakness exploited by many. Because of his constantly inebriated state, Nur Jehan became the actual power behind the throne.
It was during Jahangir's reign that the British got formal permission to trade freely in the Mughal Empire. This is often said to be his greatest blunder, for these traders went on to become the rulers of South Asia.
His Autobiography
Jahangir was a good writer and loved nature. He recorded all sorts of wildlife in his autobiography Tuzk-e-Jahangiri. He liked paintings and collected many of them in his palace. Some of them are still found in museums.
Death
He died in 1627 and was buried in Shahdara, a suburb of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. He was succeeded by his third son, Prince Khurram who took the title of Shah Jahan. Jahangir's elegant mausoleum is located in the Shahdara locale of Lahore and is a popular tourist attraction in Lahore.
See also
External links
| Preceded by: Akbar | Mughal Emperor 1605–1627 | Succeeded by: Shah Jahan |
Categories
1569 births | 1627 deaths | Mughal emperors | Persian names | Muslims