After the beloved wife of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan died at the age of 38, he built the Taj Mahal in her honor. Emperor Shah Jahan ruled from 1628 to 1658. He married Mumtaz Mahal in 1612.
Mahal became an influential figure in the empire, loved by both the people and the emperor himself. So, when she died, Shah Jahan wanted to remember his wife in the most beautiful way.
The Taj Mahal is an impressive white marble monument that still towers over the city of Agra, India, to this day. It is considered one of the seven wonders of the world.
The structure receives millions of visitors every year. Here’s some more information about the woman who inspired the amazing Taj Mahal.
Mumtaz Mahal was born on April 27, 1593, to a wealthy and powerful Persian family. Her family had ties to royalty. Her grandfather was the trusted advisor of Mughal emperor Akbar (1556 to 1605), and her aunt married Mughal emperor Jahāngīr in 1611.
When Mahal was around 14 years old, she met Jahāngīr’s son and heir, Prince Khurram. They fell in love quickly and were engaged in 1607.
They married five years later. When the prince became the emperor Shah Jahan in 1628, Mahal became the empress consort. The emperor had two other wives, but Mahal was his favorite.
They traveled together across the empire, and she served as his loyal advisor. She also supported those in need by supplying them with food and spent her spare time writing Persian poetry.
Mahal and the emperor had 14 children together. Sadly, she died during childbirth at 38 years old. She was heavily pregnant with her 14th child when she embarked on the 400-mile trek to Burhanpur alongside her husband and his army. During the journey, she went into labor and struggled for 30 hours.
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Finally, she gave birth to a baby girl. But then, she suffered from postpartum hemorrhage. Her doctor and midwives could not save her.
On January 17, 1631, Mahal died in her husband’s arms. Shah Jahan was heartbroken and went into mourning. He reportedly wept for eight days and isolated himself for about a year.
When he emerged from his seclusion, he began planning the construction of a massive monument to represent his undying love for Mahal. It took 22 years and 20,000 workers to complete construction of the Taj Mahal.
Over a period of two decades, workers transported white marble from a quarry 200 miles away. A master calligrapher etched verses into the marble, and stonecutters carved elegant floral designs.
Precious stones from all over the world were embedded into the designs, including jade from China, turquoise from Tibet, and malachite from Russia.
The Taj Mahal also has a garden divided by rivers that flow into a pool. The empress’s body was buried in a crypt beneath the monument. A tomb was built for her under the building’s dome.
Shortly after the Taj Mahal’s completion, Shah Jahan fell ill. His sons took the opportunity to fight each other for power. Eventually, his third son won and confined him in Agra Fort, from where he could enjoy the view of the Taj Mahal. He died in 1666.
He did not plan on anyone else being interred in the Taj Mahal, but his son had him buried there.
To this day, Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal are the only people buried in the imposing structure.
By Emily Chan
Emily Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in... More about Emily Chan
