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Loading... Nur Jahan: Empress of Mughal India (edition 1993)by Ellison Banks Findly (Author)
Work InformationNur Jahan: Empress of Mughal India by Ellison Banks Findly
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Nur Jahan was one of the most powerful and influential women in Indian history. Born on a caravan traveling from Teheran to India, she became the last (eighteenth) wife of the Mughal emperor Jahangir and effectively took control of the government as he bowed to the effects of alcohol and opium. Her reign (1611-1627) marked the highpoint of the Mughal empire, in the course of which she made great contributions to the arts, religion, and the nascent trade with Europe. An intriguing, elegantly written account of Nur Jahan's life and times, this book not only revises the legends that portray her a No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)954.02History and Geography Asia India and South Asia 647–1875LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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It is good for the Mughal Empire that Jahangir fell in love with her, and while she and the "junta" may have concentrated power in themselves, it is also conceivable that were it not for her, Jahangir would have been ousted as a ruler, and that would have been the end of the Mughal Empire in India.
I did not know that she was a trader, as was Jahangir's mother. This makes her even more fascinating as a person, as is her skill in the hunt, and is also her patronage of the arts.
When I first went to her father's tomb in Agra, I was fascinated by the design; when I went back, I was fascinated by the fact that this design marked a turning point in Mughal architecture, and would have definitely influenced the design of the Taj Mahal.
While Ellison Banks writing style is a bit dry, I must say that she presents a rather balanced view of Nur Jahan. The lady deserves more recognition in our history books, and the author has done us a great service in writing this book. ( )