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Salima Sultan Begum

January 28, 2023

Salima Sultan Begum (23 February 1539 – 2 January 1613)[1] was the third wife and chief consort of the Mughal emperor Akbar,[2] and the granddaughter of Babur.

Salima Sultan Begum
Empress consort of the Mughal Empire
Salima Begum and Abdul Rahim being escorted to Ahmedabad after Bairam Khan's assassination in 1561
Born23 February 1539
Died2 January 1613(1613-01-02) (aged 73)
Agra, Mughal Empire
Burial
Mandarkar Garden, Agra
Spouse
  • ​
    ​
    (m. 1557; d. 1561)​
  • ​
    ​
    (m. 1561; d. 1605)​
HouseTimurid (by marriage)
FatherNuruddin Muhammad Mirza of Naqshbandi Khawajas
MotherGulrukh Begum
ReligionIslam

Salima was the daughter of Akbar's paternal aunt, Gulrukh Begum, and her husband, the Viceroy of Kannauj, Nuruddin Muhammad Mirza. She was initially betrothed to Akbar's regent, Bairam Khan, by her maternal uncle, Humayun. The bride was probably a reward for the surpassing services done by Bairam for Humayun. The couple, who had a considerable age difference of approximately forty years, were married in 1557 after Akbar had succeeded Humayun as the third Mughal emperor. However, this brief union, which did not produce any children, lasted for only three years since Bairam Khan was assassinated by a band of Afghans in 1561. After his death, Salima was subsequently married to her first cousin, Akbar. She however remained childless in both her marriages, but she raised the second son of Akbar, Murad Mirza for the first few years.

Salima was a senior-ranking wife of Akbar and had much influence over her husband and his son, Jahangir.[3] As stated by Henry Beveridge, she was entrusted with the charge of the Muslim harem of Akbar. She wielded major political influence in the Mughal court during her husband's reign as well as during his successor's (Jahangir) reign. Her name, however, appears in the histories as a reader, poet, who wrote under the pseudonym of Makhfi (lit. 'Hidden One') and as pleading with Akbar for Jahangir's forgiveness. She was known as the Khadija-uz-Zamani (lit. 'Khadija of the Age') for her wisdom.[4]

Family and lineage

Salima Sultan Begum was the daughter of Mughal princess Gulrukh Begum and her husband, the Viceroy of Kannauj, Nuruddin Muhammad Mirza.[5] Her father was the grandson of Khwaja Hasan Naqshbandi and was a scion of the illustrious Naqshbandi Khwajas,[6] who were held in great esteem and were related to Sultan Abu Sa'id Mirza of the Timurid Empire through his son, Sultan Mahmud Mirza.[7]

Salima's mother, Gulrukh Begum, was the daughter of the first Mughal emperor Babur. The identity of the mother of Gulrukh Begum is disputed. In some sources her mother's name is mentioned as Saliha Sultan Begum, however, this name is not mentioned in the Baburnama written by Babur himself or the Humayun-Nama written by Gulbadan Begum, and therefore the existence of such a woman is questionable. She may also have been the daughter of Dildar Begum, who may have been the same woman as Saliha Sultan Begum.[8][9]

Gulrukh was thus, a half-sister of the second Mughal emperor Humayun and if she was Dildar's daughter a full-sister of Humayun's youngest brother, Hindal Mirza.[10]

Salima was, therefore, a half-cousin of Emperor Akbar. Gulrukh Begum, who was known for her beauty and accomplishments in the imperial household,[10] died four months after giving birth to her daughter.[11]

Education and accomplishments

Salima was a highly educated and accomplished woman,[12][13] has often been described as extremely talented,[14][15] and was tactful.[3] Proficient in Persian,[16] she was a gifted writer and a renowned poet of her time. She wrote under the pseudonym of Makhfi, a pseudonym later adopted by her equally talented step great-great-granddaughter, the gifted poetess, Princess Zeb-un-Nissa.[17] Salima was also a passionate lover of books and was very fond of reading.[18] She not only maintained a great library of her own but freely used Akbar's library as well.[citation needed] Abdus Hayy, the author of Ma'asir al-umara, quotes one of her famous couplets:

In my passion I called thy lock the 'thread of life'
I was wild and so uttered such an expression[19]

Akbar's court historian, Bada'uni, in his book Muntakhab-ut-Tawarikh, gives one passage which throws light on Salima's love for books.[18] The passage runs thus: "On account of the book Khirad-afza, which had disappeared from the library and concerning Salima Sultan Begum's study of which the Emperor [Akbar] reminded me, an order was issued that my allowance should be stopped and that they should demand the book of me." He adds that Abu'l Fazl did not lay his refutation before the Emperor, and he does not clear up the awkward doubt as to what he had done with Salima's desired book.[20]

Marriage to Bairam Khan (1557–1561)

 
Bairam Khan is assassinated by an Afghan at Patan, 1561

At the age of 18, Salima Begum was married to the considerably older Bairam Khan (who was in his fifties)[15] on 7 December 1557 in Jalandhar, Punjab.[21] Bairam was the commander-in-chief of the Mughal army and a powerful statesman at the Mughal court, who was acting as Akbar's regent at the time. Salima's maternal uncle, Humayun, had promised Bairam that he would give his niece in marriage to him as soon as India was conquered (which was accomplished in Akbar's reign). The bride was probably a reward for the surpassing services done by Bairam for Humayun. The marriage enhanced his prestige among the Mughal nobles as it made him a member of the imperial family.[22]

It is said that the marriage excited great interest at court. It united two streams of descent from Ali Shukr Beg, that is, the Blacksheep Turkomans from Bairam Khan's side and Timur from Salima's side as Salima was a Timurid through her maternal grandfather, Emperor Babur, and through Mahmud, one of her great-grandfathers.[23] Salima became Bairam's second wife,[24] after the daughter of Jamal Khan of Mewat, who was his first wife and the mother of his son, Abdul Rahim.[25] Salima and Bairam Khan's short-lived marriage did not produce any children.[3]

Shortly before he died in 1561, Bairam Khan lost his prestigious position in the Empire as he was provoked into rebelling against Akbar by conspirators who wanted to ruin him. Khan's rebellion was twice put down by Akbar, and he submitted to him. As punishment for his rebellions, Bairam was stripped of all his privileges and Akbar gave him three options: of a handsome jagir in the sarkar of Kalpi and Chanderi, the post of the emperor's confidential advisor, and a journey to Mecca. Bairam Khan chose the last option.[25]

Marriage to Akbar (1561–1605)

While on his way to Mecca, Bairam Khan was attacked in Patan, Gujarat on 31 January 1561 by a band of Afghans, led by a man named Mubarak Khan, whose father had been killed fighting against Bairam at the Battle of Machchiwara in 1555.[26][27] Bairam Khan's camp was also put to plunder and the newly widowed, Salima Begum, along with her step-son, Abdul Rahim (aged four), reached Ahmedabad after suffering many hardships. Akbar was shocked to hear the sad news of his former teacher and guardian's death. As per his orders, Salima and Abdul Rahim were brought under imperial escort to the Mughal court with great honour and respect. Akbar himself married her on 7 May 1561 as a regard for the astute services offered by her late husband to the Mughal Empire and acknowledging her exalted lineage.[18][26] She was about three and a half years older than him and became his third wife.[2]

The richly talented Salima was Akbar's only other wife apart from Ruqaiya Sultan Begum, who was of the most exalted lineage, being a granddaughter of Emperor Babur through her maternal line. Salima was, thus, a senior-ranking wife of Akbar and became one of the chief consorts.[10] Salima remained childless throughout her marriage, however, some sources mistakenly identify her as the mother of Akbar's son, Sultan Murad Mirza.[28] The Jahangirnama states that Murad was the son of a royal serving-girl.[29] However some sources cite Mariam-uz-Zamani as Murad's birth mother. He was however entrusted to the care of Salima Sultan Begum for the first few years and later returned to the care of his mother as Salima Begum left for Hajj in 1575.

Being an extensive reader, she kept accounts of her encounters with the Emperor and the state of affairs. Salima was, thus, one of the most important ladies in the Mughal court. In 1575, Salima traveled to Mecca to perform the Hajj pilgrimage along with her aunt, Gulbadan Begum, and many other Timurid ladies. She was the only wife of Akbar who accompanied the pilgrims.[30] Akbar himself, was dissuaded from traveling only by the pleas of Abu'l Fazl.[31] The high-ranking female party, under the fortunate auspices of Akbar, left Fatehpur Sikri on 15 October 1575 and after taking a year to get to the sea, set sail for Mecca on 17 October 1576. They were said to have spent three and a half years in Arabia and made the hajj four times, returning home to Agra in March 1582.[32]

Political influence at the Mughal court

Salima had much influence over Akbar and her step-son, Salim,[3] and wielded major political influence in the Mughal court during both the father-son's respective reigns. She played a crucial role in negotiating a settlement between Akbar and Salim when the father-son's relationship had turned sour in the early 1600s, eventually helping to pave the way for Salim's accession to the Mughal throne.[33] In 1601, Salim had revolted against Akbar by setting up an independent court in Allahabad and by assuming the imperial title of "Salim Shah" while his father was still alive.[13] He also planned and executed the assassination of Akbar's faithful counsellor and close friend, Abu'l Fazl.[34]

This situation became very critical and in the end, it was Salima Sultan Begum and Hamida Bano Begum who pleaded for his forgiveness. Akbar granted their wishes and Salim was allowed to present himself before the Emperor. Salima Begum went to Allahabad to convey the news of forgiveness to the prince. She went with an elephant named Fateh Lashkar, a special horse, and a robe of honour. Salim received her warmly and agreed to go back to Agra with her. The prince was finally pardoned in 1603 through the efforts of his step-mother and his grandmother, Hamida Banu Begum.[13]

During Jahangir's reign, Salima Begum displayed her political influence on several occasions. After the death of Akbar in the year 1605, Salima Sultan Begum alongside Mariam-uz-Zamani and Shakr-un-Nissa Begum secured a pardon for the Khusrau Mirza, the eldest son of Jahangir upon his succession.[35] She also secured a pardon for the powerful Khan-i-Azam, Mirza Aziz Koka. Aziz Koka had been a foster brother of Akbar's and consequently a great favourite in the harem for decades. One of his daughters had married Jahangir's eldest son, Khusrau Mirza, and when Khusrau revolted against his father in 1606, Aziz Koka was discovered to have been in the plot from the very beginning. Aziz Koka would surely have received the death penalty had not Salima Sultan Begum yelled out from behind the screens:

Majesty, all the ladies have assembled in the women's quarters to pledge their support for Mirza Aziz Koka. It would be better if you were to come here – if not, they will come to you![36]

Jahangir was thus constrained to go to the female apartment, and on account of the pressure exercised by revered elderly women of Harem, he finally pardoned him.[37]

Death

Salima died in 1613 in Agra, after suffering from an illness. Her step-son, Jahangir, gives particulars of her birth and descent; her marriages. By his orders, her body was laid in Mandarkar Garden in Agra, which she had commissioned.[38]

Jahangir praises Salima both for her natural qualities and her acquirements, saying "she was adorned with all good qualities. In women, this degree of skill and capacity is seldom found."[1] She creates an impression of herself as a charming and cultivated woman.[38]

In popular culture

References

  1. ^ a b Jahangir (1968). The Tūzuk-i-Jahāngīrī or Memoirs of Jāhāngīr. Munshiram Manoharlal. p. 232.
  2. ^ a b Burke, S. M. (1989). Akbar: The Greatest Mogul. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers. p. 143.
  3. ^ a b c d Henry Beveridge (26 March 1906). "Journal & Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal". II. Calcutta: Asiatic Society.: 509–510. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. ^ Sarkar, Mahua (2008). Visible histories, disappearing women producing Muslim womanhood in late colonial Bengal. Durham: Duke University Press. p. 73. ISBN 9780822389033.
  5. ^ Gulbadan, p. 270
  6. ^ transl.; ed.; Thackston, annot. by Wheeler M. (1999). The Jahangirnama: memoirs of Jahangir, Emperor of India. New York [u.a.]: Oxford Univ. Press. p. 140. ISBN 978-0195127188. {{cite book}}: |last2= has generic name (help)
  7. ^ Kumar, edited by Richard M. Eaton, Munis D. Faruqui, David Gilmartin, Sunil (2013). Expanding frontiers in South Asian and world history: essays in honor of John F. Richards. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 145. ISBN 9781107034280. {{cite book}}: |first1= has generic name (help)
  8. ^ Gulbadan, p. 276
  9. ^ Gulbadan, p. 277
  10. ^ a b c Bose, Mandakranta, ed. (2000). Faces of the feminine in ancient, medieval, and modern India. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 207. ISBN 9780195352771.
  11. ^ Nath, Renuka (1990). Notable Mughal and Hindu women in the 16th and 17th centuries A.D. (1. publ. in India. ed.). New Delhi: Inter-India Publ. p. 55. ISBN 9788121002417.
  12. ^ Mehta, Jaswant Lal (1986). Advanced Study in the History of Medieval India. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 198. ISBN 9788120710153.
  13. ^ a b c Findly, p. 20
  14. ^ Haidar, Mansura (2004). Indo-Central Asian relations: from early times to medieval period. New Delhi: Manohar. pp. 296, 323. ISBN 9788173045080.
  15. ^ a b Eraly, Abraham (2007). Emperors of the Peacock Throne: The Saga of the Great Moghuls. Penguin UK. ISBN 9789351180937. And Biram Khan, who was then in his fifties, married another young cousin of Akbar, the richly talented Salima Begum, daughter of Humayun's sister Gulrukh.
  16. ^ Findly, p. 112
  17. ^ Findly, p. 113
  18. ^ a b c Nath, Renuka (1990). Notable Mughal and Hindu women in the 16th and 17th centuries A.D. (1. publ. in India. ed.). New Delhi: Inter-India Publ. pp. 58, 63. ISBN 9788121002417.
  19. ^ Sharma, Sudha (2016). The Status of Muslim Women in Medieval India. SAGE Publications India. p. 209. ISBN 978-9351505679.
  20. ^ Gulbadan, p. 76
  21. ^ Gulbadan, p. 57
  22. ^ Mehta, Jaswant Lal (1986). Advanced Study in the History of Medieval India. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 198. ISBN 978-8120710153.
  23. ^ Gulbadan, p. 278
  24. ^ Robinson, Annemarie Schimmel (2005). The empire of the Great Mughals : history, art and culture; translated by Corinne Attwood ; edited by Burzine K. Waghmar ; (Revised ed.). Lahore: Sang-E-Meel Pub. p. 34. ISBN 9781861891853.
  25. ^ a b Chandra, Satish (2005). Medieval India: from Sultanat to the Mughals (Revised ed.). New Delhi: Har-Anand Publications. p. 97. ISBN 9788124110669.
  26. ^ a b Edwardes, S. M.; Garrett, H. L. O. (1995). Mughal rule in India. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers and Distributors. p. 27. ISBN 9788171565511.
  27. ^ Mehta, Jaswant Lal (1986). Advanced Study in the History of Medieval India. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 207. ISBN 978-8120710153.
  28. ^ Dodwell, H. H., ed. (1934). The Cambridge Shorter History of India. Cambridge University Press. p. 352.
  29. ^ transl.; ed.; Thackston, annot. by Wheeler M. (1999). The Jahangirnama: memoirs of Jahangir, Emperor of India. New York [u.a.]: Oxford Univ. Press. p. 37. ISBN 9780195127188. {{cite book}}: |last2= has generic name (help)
  30. ^ Lal, Ruby (2005). Domesticity and power in the early Mughal world. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 210. ISBN 9780521850223.
  31. ^ Richards, J.F. (1995). Mughal empire (Transferred to digital print. ed.). Cambridge, Eng.: Cambridge University Press. p. 31. ISBN 9780521566032.
  32. ^ Findly, p. 121
  33. ^ Faruqui, Munis D. (2012). Princes of the Mughal Empire, 1504–1719. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 148. ISBN 9781107022171.
  34. ^ Richards, J.F. (1995). Mughal empire (Transferred to digital print. ed.). Cambridge, Eng.: Cambridge University Press. p. 55. ISBN 9780521566032.
  35. ^ Xavier, Jesuit (1606). "Missoes Jesuitas Na India". British Library London, MS 9854: 44. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  36. ^ Robinson, Annemarie Schimmel; translated by Corinne Attwood; edited by Burzine K. Waghmar; with a foreword by Francis (2005). The empire of the Great Mughals: history, art, and culture (Revised ed.). Lahore: Sang-E-Meel Pub. p. 145. ISBN 9781861891853. {{cite book}}: |first1= has generic name (help)
  37. ^ Findly, Ellison Banks (1993). Nur Jahan, empress of Mughal India. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 122. ISBN 9780195360608.
  38. ^ a b Gulbadan, p. 279
  39. ^ Sundaresan, Indu (2002). Twentieth wife : a novel (Paperback ed.). New York: Washington Square Press. ISBN 978-0743428187.
  40. ^ Talreja, Vinod (19 June 2014). "Jodha Akbar: Rajat Tokas earns the title of Akbar!". Bollywoodlife.com. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  41. ^ "In pics: Meet Manisha Yadav aka Salima Begum of Jodha Akbar in real life". Dailybhaskar.com. 12 May 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  42. ^ IANS (2 February 2015). "Riya Deepsi to enter 'Bharat Ka Veer Putra – Maharana Pratap' – Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 19 February 2017.

Bibliography

January 28, 2023
salima, sultan, begum, february, 1539, january, 1613, third, wife, chief, consort, mughal, emperor, akbar, granddaughter, babur, empress, consort, mughal, empiresalima, begum, abdul, rahim, being, escorted, ahmedabad, after, bairam, khan, assassination, 1561bo. Salima Sultan Begum 23 February 1539 2 January 1613 1 was the third wife and chief consort of the Mughal emperor Akbar 2 and the granddaughter of Babur Salima Sultan BegumEmpress consort of the Mughal EmpireSalima Begum and Abdul Rahim being escorted to Ahmedabad after Bairam Khan s assassination in 1561Born23 February 1539Died2 January 1613 1613 01 02 aged 73 Agra Mughal EmpireBurialMandarkar Garden AgraSpouseBairam Khan m 1557 d 1561 wbr Akbar m 1561 d 1605 wbr HouseTimurid by marriage FatherNuruddin Muhammad Mirza of Naqshbandi KhawajasMotherGulrukh BegumReligionIslamSalima was the daughter of Akbar s paternal aunt Gulrukh Begum and her husband the Viceroy of Kannauj Nuruddin Muhammad Mirza She was initially betrothed to Akbar s regent Bairam Khan by her maternal uncle Humayun The bride was probably a reward for the surpassing services done by Bairam for Humayun The couple who had a considerable age difference of approximately forty years were married in 1557 after Akbar had succeeded Humayun as the third Mughal emperor However this brief union which did not produce any children lasted for only three years since Bairam Khan was assassinated by a band of Afghans in 1561 After his death Salima was subsequently married to her first cousin Akbar She however remained childless in both her marriages but she raised the second son of Akbar Murad Mirza for the first few years Salima was a senior ranking wife of Akbar and had much influence over her husband and his son Jahangir 3 As stated by Henry Beveridge she was entrusted with the charge of the Muslim harem of Akbar She wielded major political influence in the Mughal court during her husband s reign as well as during his successor s Jahangir reign Her name however appears in the histories as a reader poet who wrote under the pseudonym of Makhfi lit Hidden One and as pleading with Akbar for Jahangir s forgiveness She was known as the Khadija uz Zamani lit Khadija of the Age for her wisdom 4 Contents 1 Family and lineage 2 Education and accomplishments 3 Marriage to Bairam Khan 1557 1561 4 Marriage to Akbar 1561 1605 5 Political influence at the Mughal court 6 Death 7 In popular culture 8 References 9 BibliographyFamily and lineage EditSalima Sultan Begum was the daughter of Mughal princess Gulrukh Begum and her husband the Viceroy of Kannauj Nuruddin Muhammad Mirza 5 Her father was the grandson of Khwaja Hasan Naqshbandi and was a scion of the illustrious Naqshbandi Khwajas 6 who were held in great esteem and were related to Sultan Abu Sa id Mirza of the Timurid Empire through his son Sultan Mahmud Mirza 7 Salima s mother Gulrukh Begum was the daughter of the first Mughal emperor Babur The identity of the mother of Gulrukh Begum is disputed In some sources her mother s name is mentioned as Saliha Sultan Begum however this name is not mentioned in the Baburnama written by Babur himself or the Humayun Nama written by Gulbadan Begum and therefore the existence of such a woman is questionable She may also have been the daughter of Dildar Begum who may have been the same woman as Saliha Sultan Begum 8 9 Gulrukh was thus a half sister of the second Mughal emperor Humayun and if she was Dildar s daughter a full sister of Humayun s youngest brother Hindal Mirza 10 Salima was therefore a half cousin of Emperor Akbar Gulrukh Begum who was known for her beauty and accomplishments in the imperial household 10 died four months after giving birth to her daughter 11 Education and accomplishments EditSalima was a highly educated and accomplished woman 12 13 has often been described as extremely talented 14 15 and was tactful 3 Proficient in Persian 16 she was a gifted writer and a renowned poet of her time She wrote under the pseudonym of Makhfi a pseudonym later adopted by her equally talented step great great granddaughter the gifted poetess Princess Zeb un Nissa 17 Salima was also a passionate lover of books and was very fond of reading 18 She not only maintained a great library of her own but freely used Akbar s library as well citation needed Abdus Hayy the author of Ma asir al umara quotes one of her famous couplets In my passion I called thy lock the thread of life I was wild and so uttered such an expression 19 Akbar s court historian Bada uni in his book Muntakhab ut Tawarikh gives one passage which throws light on Salima s love for books 18 The passage runs thus On account of the book Khirad afza which had disappeared from the library and concerning Salima Sultan Begum s study of which the Emperor Akbar reminded me an order was issued that my allowance should be stopped and that they should demand the book of me He adds that Abu l Fazl did not lay his refutation before the Emperor and he does not clear up the awkward doubt as to what he had done with Salima s desired book 20 Marriage to Bairam Khan 1557 1561 Edit Bairam Khan is assassinated by an Afghan at Patan 1561 At the age of 18 Salima Begum was married to the considerably older Bairam Khan who was in his fifties 15 on 7 December 1557 in Jalandhar Punjab 21 Bairam was the commander in chief of the Mughal army and a powerful statesman at the Mughal court who was acting as Akbar s regent at the time Salima s maternal uncle Humayun had promised Bairam that he would give his niece in marriage to him as soon as India was conquered which was accomplished in Akbar s reign The bride was probably a reward for the surpassing services done by Bairam for Humayun The marriage enhanced his prestige among the Mughal nobles as it made him a member of the imperial family 22 It is said that the marriage excited great interest at court It united two streams of descent from Ali Shukr Beg that is the Blacksheep Turkomans from Bairam Khan s side and Timur from Salima s side as Salima was a Timurid through her maternal grandfather Emperor Babur and through Mahmud one of her great grandfathers 23 Salima became Bairam s second wife 24 after the daughter of Jamal Khan of Mewat who was his first wife and the mother of his son Abdul Rahim 25 Salima and Bairam Khan s short lived marriage did not produce any children 3 Shortly before he died in 1561 Bairam Khan lost his prestigious position in the Empire as he was provoked into rebelling against Akbar by conspirators who wanted to ruin him Khan s rebellion was twice put down by Akbar and he submitted to him As punishment for his rebellions Bairam was stripped of all his privileges and Akbar gave him three options of a handsome jagir in the sarkar of Kalpi and Chanderi the post of the emperor s confidential advisor and a journey to Mecca Bairam Khan chose the last option 25 Marriage to Akbar 1561 1605 EditWhile on his way to Mecca Bairam Khan was attacked in Patan Gujarat on 31 January 1561 by a band of Afghans led by a man named Mubarak Khan whose father had been killed fighting against Bairam at the Battle of Machchiwara in 1555 26 27 Bairam Khan s camp was also put to plunder and the newly widowed Salima Begum along with her step son Abdul Rahim aged four reached Ahmedabad after suffering many hardships Akbar was shocked to hear the sad news of his former teacher and guardian s death As per his orders Salima and Abdul Rahim were brought under imperial escort to the Mughal court with great honour and respect Akbar himself married her on 7 May 1561 as a regard for the astute services offered by her late husband to the Mughal Empire and acknowledging her exalted lineage 18 26 She was about three and a half years older than him and became his third wife 2 The richly talented Salima was Akbar s only other wife apart from Ruqaiya Sultan Begum who was of the most exalted lineage being a granddaughter of Emperor Babur through her maternal line Salima was thus a senior ranking wife of Akbar and became one of the chief consorts 10 Salima remained childless throughout her marriage however some sources mistakenly identify her as the mother of Akbar s son Sultan Murad Mirza 28 The Jahangirnama states that Murad was the son of a royal serving girl 29 However some sources cite Mariam uz Zamani as Murad s birth mother He was however entrusted to the care of Salima Sultan Begum for the first few years and later returned to the care of his mother as Salima Begum left for Hajj in 1575 Being an extensive reader she kept accounts of her encounters with the Emperor and the state of affairs Salima was thus one of the most important ladies in the Mughal court In 1575 Salima traveled to Mecca to perform the Hajj pilgrimage along with her aunt Gulbadan Begum and many other Timurid ladies She was the only wife of Akbar who accompanied the pilgrims 30 Akbar himself was dissuaded from traveling only by the pleas of Abu l Fazl 31 The high ranking female party under the fortunate auspices of Akbar left Fatehpur Sikri on 15 October 1575 and after taking a year to get to the sea set sail for Mecca on 17 October 1576 They were said to have spent three and a half years in Arabia and made the hajj four times returning home to Agra in March 1582 32 Political influence at the Mughal court EditSalima had much influence over Akbar and her step son Salim 3 and wielded major political influence in the Mughal court during both the father son s respective reigns She played a crucial role in negotiating a settlement between Akbar and Salim when the father son s relationship had turned sour in the early 1600s eventually helping to pave the way for Salim s accession to the Mughal throne 33 In 1601 Salim had revolted against Akbar by setting up an independent court in Allahabad and by assuming the imperial title of Salim Shah while his father was still alive 13 He also planned and executed the assassination of Akbar s faithful counsellor and close friend Abu l Fazl 34 This situation became very critical and in the end it was Salima Sultan Begum and Hamida Bano Begum who pleaded for his forgiveness Akbar granted their wishes and Salim was allowed to present himself before the Emperor Salima Begum went to Allahabad to convey the news of forgiveness to the prince She went with an elephant named Fateh Lashkar a special horse and a robe of honour Salim received her warmly and agreed to go back to Agra with her The prince was finally pardoned in 1603 through the efforts of his step mother and his grandmother Hamida Banu Begum 13 During Jahangir s reign Salima Begum displayed her political influence on several occasions After the death of Akbar in the year 1605 Salima Sultan Begum alongside Mariam uz Zamani and Shakr un Nissa Begum secured a pardon for the Khusrau Mirza the eldest son of Jahangir upon his succession 35 She also secured a pardon for the powerful Khan i Azam Mirza Aziz Koka Aziz Koka had been a foster brother of Akbar s and consequently a great favourite in the harem for decades One of his daughters had married Jahangir s eldest son Khusrau Mirza and when Khusrau revolted against his father in 1606 Aziz Koka was discovered to have been in the plot from the very beginning Aziz Koka would surely have received the death penalty had not Salima Sultan Begum yelled out from behind the screens Majesty all the ladies have assembled in the women s quarters to pledge their support for Mirza Aziz Koka It would be better if you were to come here if not they will come to you 36 Jahangir was thus constrained to go to the female apartment and on account of the pressure exercised by revered elderly women of Harem he finally pardoned him 37 Death EditSalima died in 1613 in Agra after suffering from an illness Her step son Jahangir gives particulars of her birth and descent her marriages By his orders her body was laid in Mandarkar Garden in Agra which she had commissioned 38 Jahangir praises Salima both for her natural qualities and her acquirements saying she was adorned with all good qualities In women this degree of skill and capacity is seldom found 1 She creates an impression of herself as a charming and cultivated woman 38 In popular culture EditSalima Sultan Begum is a character in Indu Sundaresan s award winning historical novel The Twentieth Wife 2002 39 Salima was portrayed by Manisha Yadav in Zee TV s fictional drama Jodha Akbar 40 41 Riya Deepsi portrayed Salima in Sony TV s historical drama Bharat Ka Veer Putra Maharana Pratap 42 Parvati Seghal portrayed Salima in Colors TV s frictional drama Daastan E Mohabbat Salim Anarkali References Edit a b Jahangir 1968 The Tuzuk i Jahangiri or Memoirs of Jahangir Munshiram Manoharlal p 232 a b Burke S M 1989 Akbar The Greatest Mogul Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers p 143 a b c d Henry Beveridge 26 March 1906 Journal amp Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal II Calcutta Asiatic Society 509 510 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Sarkar Mahua 2008 Visible histories disappearing women producing Muslim womanhood in late colonial Bengal Durham Duke University Press p 73 ISBN 9780822389033 Gulbadan p 270 transl ed Thackston annot by Wheeler M 1999 The Jahangirnama memoirs of Jahangir Emperor of India New York u a Oxford Univ Press p 140 ISBN 978 0195127188 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a last2 has generic name help Kumar edited by Richard M Eaton Munis D Faruqui David Gilmartin Sunil 2013 Expanding frontiers in South Asian and world history essays in honor of John F Richards Cambridge Cambridge University Press p 145 ISBN 9781107034280 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a first1 has generic name help Gulbadan p 276 Gulbadan p 277 a b c Bose Mandakranta ed 2000 Faces of the feminine in ancient medieval and modern India New York Oxford University Press p 207 ISBN 9780195352771 Nath Renuka 1990 Notable Mughal and Hindu women in the 16th and 17th centuries A D 1 publ in India ed New Delhi Inter India Publ p 55 ISBN 9788121002417 Mehta Jaswant Lal 1986 Advanced Study in the History of Medieval India Sterling Publishers Pvt Ltd p 198 ISBN 9788120710153 a b c Findly p 20 Haidar Mansura 2004 Indo Central Asian relations from early times to medieval period New Delhi Manohar pp 296 323 ISBN 9788173045080 a b Eraly Abraham 2007 Emperors of the Peacock Throne The Saga of the Great Moghuls Penguin UK ISBN 9789351180937 And Biram Khan who was then in his fifties married another young cousin of Akbar the richly talented Salima Begum daughter of Humayun s sister Gulrukh Findly p 112 Findly p 113 a b c Nath Renuka 1990 Notable Mughal and Hindu women in the 16th and 17th centuries A D 1 publ in India ed New Delhi Inter India Publ pp 58 63 ISBN 9788121002417 Sharma Sudha 2016 The Status of Muslim Women in Medieval India SAGE Publications India p 209 ISBN 978 9351505679 Gulbadan p 76 Gulbadan p 57 Mehta Jaswant Lal 1986 Advanced Study in the History of Medieval India Sterling Publishers Pvt Ltd p 198 ISBN 978 8120710153 Gulbadan p 278 Robinson Annemarie Schimmel 2005 The empire of the Great Mughals history art and culture translated by Corinne Attwood edited by Burzine K Waghmar Revised ed Lahore Sang E Meel Pub p 34 ISBN 9781861891853 a b Chandra Satish 2005 Medieval India from Sultanat to the Mughals Revised ed New Delhi Har Anand Publications p 97 ISBN 9788124110669 a b Edwardes S M Garrett H L O 1995 Mughal rule in India New Delhi Atlantic Publishers and Distributors p 27 ISBN 9788171565511 Mehta Jaswant Lal 1986 Advanced Study in the History of Medieval India Sterling Publishers Pvt Ltd p 207 ISBN 978 8120710153 Dodwell H H ed 1934 The Cambridge Shorter History of India Cambridge University Press p 352 transl ed Thackston annot by Wheeler M 1999 The Jahangirnama memoirs of Jahangir Emperor of India New York u a Oxford Univ Press p 37 ISBN 9780195127188 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a last2 has generic name help Lal Ruby 2005 Domesticity and power in the early Mughal world Cambridge Cambridge University Press p 210 ISBN 9780521850223 Richards J F 1995 Mughal empire Transferred to digital print ed Cambridge Eng Cambridge University Press p 31 ISBN 9780521566032 Findly p 121 Faruqui Munis D 2012 Princes of the Mughal Empire 1504 1719 Cambridge Cambridge University Press p 148 ISBN 9781107022171 Richards J F 1995 Mughal empire Transferred to digital print ed Cambridge Eng Cambridge University Press p 55 ISBN 9780521566032 Xavier Jesuit 1606 Missoes Jesuitas Na India British Library London MS 9854 44 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Robinson Annemarie Schimmel translated by Corinne Attwood edited by Burzine K Waghmar with a foreword by Francis 2005 The empire of the Great Mughals history art and culture Revised ed Lahore Sang E Meel Pub p 145 ISBN 9781861891853 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a first1 has generic name help Findly Ellison Banks 1993 Nur Jahan empress of Mughal India New York Oxford University Press p 122 ISBN 9780195360608 a b Gulbadan p 279 Sundaresan Indu 2002 Twentieth wife a novel Paperback ed New York Washington Square Press ISBN 978 0743428187 Talreja Vinod 19 June 2014 Jodha Akbar Rajat Tokas earns the title of Akbar Bollywoodlife com Retrieved 19 February 2017 In pics Meet Manisha Yadav aka Salima Begum of Jodha Akbar in real life Dailybhaskar com 12 May 2014 Retrieved 19 February 2017 IANS 2 February 2015 Riya Deepsi to enter Bharat Ka Veer Putra Maharana Pratap Times of India The Times of India Retrieved 19 February 2017 Bibliography EditBegum Gulbadan 1902 The History of Humayun Humayun Nama Royal Asiatic Society ISBN 8187570997 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Salima Sultan Begum amp oldid 1131070386, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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