In attaining the throne of Mughal empire nothing was left for imagination . As Akbar was one of the heroes of medieval India & others were Chhatrapati Sivajee & Hyderali parse . They did every thing right with the prevalent morality of time . But in Mughal succession of thrones after Akbar spawned intrigue & gory murder of kith & kin & it was common. It got even more murky after the regime of Aurangzeb .Khusrau Mirza was 1st personality in the of the Mughal history who tried for the throne but never succeeded .
When Jehagir's wrath of retribution ebbed Kusrau was given liberty to sit in the court aka Diwan-e-Khas with the help of senior begums who were instrumental in bestowing throne to Jehangir at the time of Akbar .Now, semblance of morality was tried by them but harem was full of new begums bringing new ethos &culture with ego & interest brought from their parent's home . Jehangir had twenty legally wedded wives & last one was Noorjehan . In Jehangir's twenty wives majority of them were Hindu princess given by vassal Rajput kingdoms . They had seen the ascendancy of Raja Man Singh in the court of Akbar from 1562 . Now it was 1610 ,roughly forty- fifty years had elapsed , mood had changed & to give a Hindu princess to Mughal king or nobles was guarantee against any invasion of any type . Religion was subservient to power !
Prince Khurram was son of Taj Begum aka Jagat Gosain but she was only made biological mother & the boy was handed to senior Begum Rukkya at the time of birth of Khurram. Perhaps this action of Jehangir made her forlorn & she was named Jagat Gosain .When prince Khurram observed his elder half brother was sitting in the royal court inviting lot of sympathy . He considered him still a potential competetior to the throne . Jehangir addiction to opium & wine was now manifested in his health & his begum Noor Jehan was the real power behind the throne . Prince Khurram & Noorjehan were two antagonist in the game of power played in the court of Jehangir in his last five year of rein . Marriage, battles, nobles & hangers on in the form of fortune hunters , all were counters on the chessboard of power when the emperor was not keeping good health.
Noorjehan was instumental in getting her brother Asaf Khan as Mir- Bakhsi, the priminister to the emperor , married her daughter Ladli Begum from her 1st husband as wife of prince Saharyar, son of Jehagir . Her all these actions were to stop prince Khurram attaining the throne of Mughal empire .
But prior to marrying Ladli begum to Saharyar, she wanted Ladli begum to Kusrau Mirza for the safety of life to Khusrau Mirza . But Khusrau Mirza refused to marry 2nd time as he was staunchly loyal to his 1st wife . A Jesuite of the court recorded in his diary , 1st wife of Khusrau Mirza beseeched him on bended knees to remarry for his life's safety but Khusrau refused to yield .Noor Jehan lost her interest in Khusrau Mirza & allowed his custody to Asaf Khan. Prince Khurram was married to Anjumand Banu Begum who became famous as Mumtaz Mahal .She was niece of Noor Jehan & her mausoleum Taj Mahal of Agra we all know.
Khusrau Mirza was brought to Deccan & at Burhanpur henchman of Khurram , murdered Khusrau Mirza in midnight breaking open his door of the chamber, throttled his throat with his accomplice, declaring he died due to colic pain of his stomach .In the morning shriek of his wife brought this news in whole establishment. Emperor Jehangir ordered his body exhumed from Burhanpur , brought back to Agra & finally put to rest in Allahabad by the side of Manwati Bai. His mausoleum in Khusrau Bagh of Allahabad is still there. In 1627 Jehangir died & prince Khurram with the help of Asaf Khan got murdered his half brother prince Saharyar & his sons . family & sons of prince Daniyal his uncle & all those who might be potential claimant of Mughal throne in future .This always raises question who was more cruel Sahjehan or Aurangzeb !
When Jehagir's wrath of retribution ebbed Kusrau was given liberty to sit in the court aka Diwan-e-Khas with the help of senior begums who were instrumental in bestowing throne to Jehangir at the time of Akbar .Now, semblance of morality was tried by them but harem was full of new begums bringing new ethos &culture with ego & interest brought from their parent's home . Jehangir had twenty legally wedded wives & last one was Noorjehan . In Jehangir's twenty wives majority of them were Hindu princess given by vassal Rajput kingdoms . They had seen the ascendancy of Raja Man Singh in the court of Akbar from 1562 . Now it was 1610 ,roughly forty- fifty years had elapsed , mood had changed & to give a Hindu princess to Mughal king or nobles was guarantee against any invasion of any type . Religion was subservient to power !
Prince Khurram was son of Taj Begum aka Jagat Gosain but she was only made biological mother & the boy was handed to senior Begum Rukkya at the time of birth of Khurram. Perhaps this action of Jehangir made her forlorn & she was named Jagat Gosain .When prince Khurram observed his elder half brother was sitting in the royal court inviting lot of sympathy . He considered him still a potential competetior to the throne . Jehangir addiction to opium & wine was now manifested in his health & his begum Noor Jehan was the real power behind the throne . Prince Khurram & Noorjehan were two antagonist in the game of power played in the court of Jehangir in his last five year of rein . Marriage, battles, nobles & hangers on in the form of fortune hunters , all were counters on the chessboard of power when the emperor was not keeping good health.
Noorjehan was instumental in getting her brother Asaf Khan as Mir- Bakhsi, the priminister to the emperor , married her daughter Ladli Begum from her 1st husband as wife of prince Saharyar, son of Jehagir . Her all these actions were to stop prince Khurram attaining the throne of Mughal empire .
But prior to marrying Ladli begum to Saharyar, she wanted Ladli begum to Kusrau Mirza for the safety of life to Khusrau Mirza . But Khusrau Mirza refused to marry 2nd time as he was staunchly loyal to his 1st wife . A Jesuite of the court recorded in his diary , 1st wife of Khusrau Mirza beseeched him on bended knees to remarry for his life's safety but Khusrau refused to yield .Noor Jehan lost her interest in Khusrau Mirza & allowed his custody to Asaf Khan. Prince Khurram was married to Anjumand Banu Begum who became famous as Mumtaz Mahal .She was niece of Noor Jehan & her mausoleum Taj Mahal of Agra we all know.
Khusrau Mirza was brought to Deccan & at Burhanpur henchman of Khurram , murdered Khusrau Mirza in midnight breaking open his door of the chamber, throttled his throat with his accomplice, declaring he died due to colic pain of his stomach .In the morning shriek of his wife brought this news in whole establishment. Emperor Jehangir ordered his body exhumed from Burhanpur , brought back to Agra & finally put to rest in Allahabad by the side of Manwati Bai. His mausoleum in Khusrau Bagh of Allahabad is still there. In 1627 Jehangir died & prince Khurram with the help of Asaf Khan got murdered his half brother prince Saharyar & his sons . family & sons of prince Daniyal his uncle & all those who might be potential claimant of Mughal throne in future .This always raises question who was more cruel Sahjehan or Aurangzeb !
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