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Badshah Begum ( 1703 – 14 December 1789) was the first wife and chief consort of the Mughal emperor
Muhammad Shah Mirza Nasir-ud-Din Muḥammad Shah (born Roshan Akhtar; 7 August 1702 – 26 April 1748) was the thirteenth Mughal emperor from 1719 to 1748. He was son of Khujista Akhtar, the fourth son of Bahadur Shah I. After being chosen by the Sayyid ...
. She is popularly known by her title Malika-uz-Zamani ("Queen of the Age") which was conferred upon her by her husband, immediately after their marriage. Badshah Begum was a second-cousin of her husband and was a Mughal princess by birth. She was the daughter of Mughal emperor
Farrukhsiyar Farrukhsiyar (; 20 August 16839 April 1719), also spelled as Farrukh Siyar, was the tenth Mughal emperors, Mughal Emperor from 1713 to 1719. He rose to the throne after deposing his uncle Jahandar Shah. He was an emperor only in name, with all ...
and his first wife, Gauhar-un-Nissa Begum. She wielded major political influence in the Mughal court during her husband's reign and was his most influential wife. It was through her efforts that her step-son, Ahmad Shah Bahadur, was able to ascend the Mughal throne.


Family and lineage

Badshah Begum was born c.1703, during the reign of her great-great-grandfather
Aurangzeb Alamgir I (Muhi al-Din Muhammad; 3 November 1618 – 3 March 1707), commonly known by the title Aurangzeb, also called Aurangzeb the Conqueror, was the sixth Mughal emperors, Mughal emperor, reigning from 1658 until his death in 1707, becomi ...
. She was the daughter of the later Mughal emperor
Farrukhsiyar Farrukhsiyar (; 20 August 16839 April 1719), also spelled as Farrukh Siyar, was the tenth Mughal emperors, Mughal Emperor from 1713 to 1719. He rose to the throne after deposing his uncle Jahandar Shah. He was an emperor only in name, with all ...
and his first wife, Gauhar-un-Nissa Begum. Farrukhsiyar was the second son of Prince Azim-ush-Shan born to his wife Sahiba Niswan Begum. Azim-ush-Shan was himself the second son of the seventh Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah I. Badshah Begum's mother, Gauhar-un-Nissa Begum (also known as Fakhr-un-Nissa Begum), was the daughter of Sadat Khan, a Mughal noble of Turkish origin, who had been ''Mir Atish'' (head of
artillery Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...
) under Farrukhsiyar. Being a Mughal princess, Badshah Begum was well educated, intelligent and had been instructed in the nuances of ruling and diplomacy.


Marriage

Muhammad Shah acceded to throne in 1719 and was a son of Prince
Jahan Shah Muzaffar al-Din Jahan Shah ibn Yusuf (; ; 1397 in Khoy or 1405 in Mardin – 30 October or 11 November 1467 near Bingöl) or Abu al-Muzaffar Jahan Shah was the leader of the Qara Qoyunlu Oghuz Turkic tribal confederacy in Azerbaijan (Iran), Azer ...
, the youngest son of Emperor Bahadur Shah I and the younger half-brother of Emperor Farrukhsiyar's father, Prince Azim-ush-Shan. Badshah Begum was therefore a second cousin of her husband through her father. She married Muhammad Shah on 8 December 1721 in
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...
. The marriage was celebrated with great splendour. Accordingly, many of the officers presented
lakh A lakh (; abbreviated L; sometimes written lac) is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to one hundred thousand (100,000; scientific notation: 105). In the Indian 2, 2, 3 convention of digit grouping, it is written as 1,00,000. F ...
s of rupees, and everyone received a dress of honour, jewels, and an increase in pay. Upon her marriage, Badshah Begum was given the title of Malika-uz-Zamani ("Queen of the Age") by which she is popularly known, and further, the exalted title of '' Padshah Begum''. Badshah Begum bore her husband his first son, Shahriyar Shah Bahadur, who died in his childhood. After that, she remained childless.


Consort

Badshah Begum took an interest in several aspects of the state and governance and played an active part in matters of importance. Being the Emperor's chief wife, she was the most influential among all of his wives and exercised influence over him. Muhammad Shah later developed a passion for a dancing girl, Udham Bai, a woman of no refinement, and made her a wife of his, though Badshah Begum remained his favourite. The marriage with Udham Bai resulted in the birth of a son, Ahmad Shah Bahadur. This son was brought up by Badshah Begum as though he were her own son. She loved him greatly, and he grew up to ascend the throne due to her efforts. Later, Badshah Begum also brought up Ahmad Shah's daughter, Muhtaram-un-Nisa. Badshah Begum commissioned elegant mansions in
Jammu Jammu () is a city in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region.The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute ...
and, in typical Mughal style, laid the foundations of pleasure gardens on the banks of the
Tawi River The Tawi is a river that flows through the Jammu region in the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-administered Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The Tawi is a major left bank tributary of the river Chenab. Origin and course of flow ...
.


Dowager

In April 1748, Muhammad Shah died. Badshah Begum, concealing the news of his death, sent messages to her step-son Ahmad Shah Bahadur, who was in camp with Safdar Jang near
Panipat Panipat () is an industrial , located 95 km north of Delhi and 169 km south of Chandigarh on NH-44 in Panipat district, Haryana, India. It is famous for three major battles fought in 1526, 1556 and 1761. The city is also known as ...
to return to
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...
and claim the throne. On Safdar Jang's advice, he was enthroned at Panipat and returned to Delhi a few days later. Badshah Begum was greatly respected by the court and the people as a Dowager, even after the Emperor's death. In February 1756, Badshah Begum's 16-year-old step-daughter, Princess Hazrat Begum, became so famous for her matchless beauty that the Mughal emperor
Alamgir II Mirza Aziz-ud-Din Muhammad (June 6, 1699 – November 29, 1759), better known by his regnal name Alamgir II, was the fifteenth Mughal Empire, Mughal emperor from 1754 to 1759. He was the son of Jahandar Shah. Born Mirza Aziz-ud-Din, the secon ...
, who was then about sixty, used undue pressure and threats to force the girl's mother, Sahiba Mahal, and her guardian, Badshah Begum, to give him Hazrat Begum's hand in marriage. The princess made it clear that she preferred death to marrying an old man, and Alamgir II ultimately failed to win her.


Role in Afghan invasions of Delhi

In April 1757, the Durrani king
Ahmed Shah Abdali Ahmad Shāh Durrānī (; ; – 4 June 1772), also known as Ahmad Shāh Abdālī (), was the first ruler and founder of the Durrani Empire. He is often regarded as the founder of modern Afghanistan. Throughout his reign, Ahmad Shah fought ov ...
, after sacking the imperial capital of
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...
, desired to marry Princess Hazrat Begum. Badshah Begum again resisted handing over her tender charge to a fierce Afghan of "grandfatherly age", but Ahmad Shah forcibly wedded Hazrat Begum on 5 April 1757 in Delhi. After their wedding celebrations, Ahmad Shah took his young wife back to his native country of
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
. The weeping bride was accompanied by her mother, Sahiba Mahal, and by her step-mother, Badshah Begum, along with a few other ladies of note from the imperial harem. During Ghulam Kadir's two-month occupation of Delhi, from 18 July to 2 October 1788, emperor
Shah Alam II Shah Alam II (; 25 June 1728 – 19 November 1806), also known by his birth name Ali Gohar, or Ali Gauhar, was the seventeenth Mughal emperor and the son of Alamgir II. Shah Alam II became the emperor of a crumbling Mughal Empire. His power w ...
was deposed on 30 July 1788 and blinded ten days later. Prince
Bidar Bakht Muhammad Bidar Bakht (; 4 August 1670 – 20 June 1707) was a Mughal Empire, Mughal prince. His father, Muhammad Azam Shah, briefly reigned as Mughal emperor in 1707. Bidar was noted for being a gallant, skilful and successful general and was ...
, the son of emperor Ahmad Shah Bahadur, was released from the imperial prison and made a puppet emperor with the regnal name ''Nasir-ud-din Muhammad Jahan Shah.'' Bidar Bakht was the step-son of Badshah Begum, who wanted to see Shah Alam deposed because his father
Alamgir II Mirza Aziz-ud-Din Muhammad (June 6, 1699 – November 29, 1759), better known by his regnal name Alamgir II, was the fifteenth Mughal Empire, Mughal emperor from 1754 to 1759. He was the son of Jahandar Shah. Born Mirza Aziz-ud-Din, the secon ...
had blinded and killed her step-son Ahmad Shah Bahadur to seize the throne in 1754. Bidar Bakht's enthronement was secured through a payment of 12 lakhs of rupees to Ghulam Kadir. Ghulam Kadir tortured the Mughal royal family, and it is said that 21 princes and princesses were killed. The dishonouring behaviour towards the women of the imperial family is noted as especially cruel in the eyes of its time. Even Badshah Begum's fate turned as her palace was raided and she was placed on a river bank. The Mughal royal family were freed from captivity by the Maratha armies led by Mahadji Shinde which captured
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...
after defeating Ghulam Qadir and his army. On 16 October 1788, the now blind Shah Alam II was reinstated as Mughal emperor under Maratha suzerainty and on 17 October 1788 ''
khutbah ''Khutbah'' (, ''khuṭbah''; , ''khotbeh''; ) serves as the primary formal occasion for public sermon, preaching in the Islamic tradition. Such sermons occur regularly, as prescribed by the teachings of all legal schools. The Islamic traditio ...
'' was read in his name. His formal coronation happened on 7 February 1789.


Death

Badshah Begum died in 1789 in
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...
and was buried in the ''Tis Hazari Bagh'' (Garden of Thirty Thousand). The garden had been commissioned by the Mughal emperor
Shah Jahan Shah Jahan I, (Shahab-ud-Din Muhammad Khurram; 5 January 1592 – 22 January 1666), also called Shah Jahan the Magnificent, was the Emperor of Hindustan from 1628 until his deposition in 1658. As the fifth Mughal emperor, his reign marked the ...
during his reign. Emperor
Aurangzeb Alamgir I (Muhi al-Din Muhammad; 3 November 1618 – 3 March 1707), commonly known by the title Aurangzeb, also called Aurangzeb the Conqueror, was the sixth Mughal emperors, Mughal emperor, reigning from 1658 until his death in 1707, becomi ...
's daughter, Princess Zeenat-un-Nissa, had also been buried in the ''Tis Hazari Bagh'' upon her death in 1721.


Ancestry


See also

*
Mughal Empire The Mughal Empire was an Early modern period, early modern empire in South Asia. At its peak, the empire stretched from the outer fringes of the Indus River Basin in the west, northern Afghanistan in the northwest, and Kashmir in the north, to ...
*
Muhammad Shah Mirza Nasir-ud-Din Muḥammad Shah (born Roshan Akhtar; 7 August 1702 – 26 April 1748) was the thirteenth Mughal emperor from 1719 to 1748. He was son of Khujista Akhtar, the fourth son of Bahadur Shah I. After being chosen by the Sayyid ...
* Padshah Begum


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Begum, Badshah Mughal royal consorts Mughal princesses Timurid princesses 1700s births 1789 deaths Daughters of emperors 18th-century Indian women 18th-century Mughal Empire people