Noor Jahan was not a royal daughter, but her fate changed after she married Jahangir after the murder of her husband.
Jahangir had sacrificed his entire kingdom on Malika-e-Hind Noorjahan. There was his picture with Jahangir on the coins. She used to give darshan through the window to the people. She used to issue royal orders directly. Her paintings holding a gun show that she was not ready to lag behind men on any front. Many begums and princesses of the Mughal Empire were in the news but no one had the power like Noorjahan. In the medieval period, it was a miracle for the country’s rule to be reduced to the hands of a woman. Coming out of the curtains of the harem, Noorjahan had given the message that women are not inferior to men in any matter. Read some stories related to Noorjahan.
Thomas Roe was sent by the British King James to the court of Jahangir to acquire trading rights. Thomas was upset due to not being able to reach Jahangir and Noorjahan directly. He made every effort for this work. He even contacted those people who used to pitch their tents near the royal tent during Jahangir’s itinerant court.
Jahangir’s middle son Parvez, who was fond of alcohol, became the first step in taking Thomas to the court. But Parvez’s real interest was in alcohol. Thomas soon realized that it would not be possible to move forward in this big task with the help of Parvez. Thomas had understood that in order to win over Emperor Jahangir, he would have to somehow take Noorjahan into confidence.
For thousands of wives, the king sacrificed for just one.
How to reach Malika? Thomas somehow came in contact with a middleman named “Jadu” from Ajmer. He started the work. Then the king sent one of his people to Thomas. Diplomatic documents reached the court through messengers. But the next morning Thomas received a negative reply. Angered, Thomas held Noorjahan responsible for this.
Thomas wrote, “Jahangir came to the court at night. He sat on the throne from where he used to address the courtiers. Where he used to sit and drink alcohol and where no one could reach without his permission. The king has kept thousands of women. But only one of them controls him. She makes the king dance to her tunes.” Without mentioning her name, Thomas was referring to Noorjahan.
Noorjahan. Photo: Getty Images
The most powerful queen of the Mughal era
Noorjahan was not a royal daughter. But after the murder of her husband and her marriage with Jahangir, her power in the court kept increasing. Among the Mughals, the emperor’s orders were called ‘Farmans’. The orders of the Queen Mother were called ‘Hukam’ and the orders of the royal queens, princes and princesses were called ‘Nishan’. The orders and signs were of less importance or were meant to remind one of following some order of the king. Noor Jahan was the first Mughal woman, who issued orders directly from her authority.
The scope of these orders was very large, which included debt-revenue, crime-military matters and all aspects related to governance and power. Before Noor, the orders issued by the Mughal queens and princesses were signed by the Mughal queens and princesses, who had the name ‘Walida’, ‘Begum’, ‘Daughter’ or ‘Sister’ written in front of them. But Malika Noorjahan used to sign in the name of Padshah (King) Begum. This manner of signing was a declaration that she was taking an equal share in the governance with Jahangir.
Jahangir. Photo: Getty Images
Noorjahan on coins too
Mughal emperors had three privileges. Issuing decrees as a symbol of Islamic sovereignty, including his name in Friday prayers and issuing coins in his name. In 1617, gold and silver coins bearing the name of Jahangir as well as Noorjahan came into circulation. The name of Jahangir was inscribed on the front side of these coins and the name of Noorjahan was inscribed on the back side. On some coins only the name of Noorjahan was recorded.
This was the first time that the name of a Mughal queen appeared on coins. This was clearly a message of Noor Jahan’s growing power. These coins were not only presented to the courtiers but also reached the common people through business transactions. The coins bearing the names of both were inscribed, “On the orders of Shah Jahangir, the value of a hundred has been added to the gold by inscribing the name of Noorjahan Padshah Begum.” It is written on the half-ounce gold coin present in the Lucknow Museum, “By the orders of Jahangir, gold has received hundreds of beauties in the name of Noorjahan Padshah Begum.”
Jahangir and Noorjahan. Photo: Getty Images
Not far behind even in hunting and war
Noor Jahan’s self-confidence and determination were also reflected in the pictures prepared by the court painters. Abul Hasan was a big name among those painters who were contemporaries of Noorjahan. He had seen the ups and downs of Noor’s life. The challenge before him was to create such a portrait of Noor, which would reflect the rise and strength of Noor. Hasan painted a portrait of Noor between 1612-17 which was a departure from the traditional royal pomp. In this, Malika is full of confidence while loading bullets in the gun. Dressed as a hunter, he is wearing a knee-length tunic, waistband, tight trousers and a typically male turban on his head.
Wearing the famous ruby and diamond earrings, she is keeping an eye on the sky. Her well-shaped shoulders, raised chest and entire personality were giving the message of her strength. It was rare in that era to show Noor loading a gun. It was a big deal to show a woman alone at that time. The gun was bigger than Noor’s height but Noor was handling it easily. The picture showed that Noor was proficient in areas like hunting and war, which were limited to men at that time.
Noorjahan in place of Jahangir even in Jharokha Darshan
Noor Jahan remained very ill in 1618. No medicine was working. Doctors and physicians were finding themselves helpless. But meanwhile, Rahim Ruhullah’s treatment showed rapid results. Noorjahan soon recovered. Jahangir got Rahim weighed with silver. Also gave three villages as reward. Noor started giving Jharokha darshan. God-Goddess darshan has been a tradition of Hindus. Emperor Akbar included the ruler in it. Akbar used to give darshan to the public. He might have thought that his male heirs would carry it forward. But perhaps he would not have thought that a Mughal queen would do this. A portrait of that period shows that Noor followed the tradition of public philosophy. His upper body fit snugly through the window and one arm rested on the threshold.
Sacrifice for the throne of Noorjahan
Noor Jahan exercised all the rights of the monarchy except the sermon. Only the name of Emperor Jahangir was read in the main sermon (Khutba) of Friday prayers. According to Noor’s contemporary historian Bhakkari, apart from the sermon, the rule was of Noor Jahan. According to Mutamad Khan, the treasurer who took care of Jahangir’s diary, Noor Jahan was the backbone of the Mughal government.
Jahangir had handed over all the rights of sovereignty and governance to Noorjahan. She would sit in the window. Wazirs, rich people and common people would appear before him. They listened to his orders and bowed their heads. His power had increased to such an extent that the king was left only in name. The emperor himself also repeatedly reiterated that he had surrendered his kingdom to Queen Noorjahan.
Also read: Who ousted the Mughals from their Sultanate? Had to leave Uzbekistan and come to India