Mariam-uz-Zamani (; 1543 – 19 May 1623) was the Chief consort and favourite wife of the third Mughal emperor, Akbar, and the mother of his successor, Jahangir. She was Akbar's most influential wife and the longest-serving Hindu empress in the Mughal Empire, for forty-three years.
Born a Rajput princess of the Kachhwaha dynasty, she was the eldest daughter of Raja Bharmal of Amer and married Akbar in 1562 as part of a political alliance between the Mughal Empire and the Amer. Although widely known in popular culture as Jodha Bai, the name is regarded by modern historians as a historical misnomer and does not appear in contemporary Mughal chronicles.
As Akbar's chief consort and later Queen Mother, Mariam-uz-Zamani occupied one of the highest positions in the imperial harem and exercised considerable influence during the reigns of both Akbar and Jahangir. She was among the few Mughal women granted the exceptional privilege of issuing imperial farmans (royal decrees) in her own name, and was the first recorded Mughal woman to engage in overseas trade through her merchant fleets, which also transported Hajj pilgrims to Mecca.
Early life
Mariam-uz-Zamani was born in 1545 as the eldest daughter of Raja Bharmal of Amer and his chief consort, Rani Champavati, daughter of Rao Ganga of the Solanki clan.L. McJannet; Bernadette Andrea (eds.), Early Modern England and Islamic Worlds. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011, p. 106.Agrawal, C. M. Akbar and His Hindu Officers: A Critical Study. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal, 1986, p. 27. Her paternal grandparents were Raja Prithviraj Singh I and Apurva Devi, a daughter of Rao Lunkaran of Bikaner. She belonged to the Kachawa Rajput clan of Amer.
Her personal name is not recorded in contemporary Mughal sources. Later historical traditions and regional genealogies preserve several different names that have been attributed to her. An eighteenth-century genealogy of the Kachwaha clan refers to her as Harkhan Champavati. Other names appearing in later sources include Harkha Bai, Jiya Rani, Maanmati Bai, Harika Bai, Hira Kunwari, Heer Kunwari, Shahi Bai and Shahi Begum.
Family
Marriage and relationship with Akbar
Raja Bharmal's decision to marry his daughter to Akbar arose from his conflict with Sharif-ud-din Mirza, the Hakim of Mewat and Akbar's brother-in-law. Bharmal had been subjected to repeated pressure from Sharif-ud-din over his dispute with Sujamal. Although he agreed to pay peshkash and surrendered his son Jagannath, together with his nephews Raj Singh and Khangar, as hostages, Sharif-ud-din continued to threaten his position. Bharmal subsequently sought Akbar's protection. The negotiations culminated in Bharmal's submission to the Mughal emperor and the marriage alliance between Akbar and Bharmal's daughter.
The marriage took place on 6 February 1562 at Akbar's imperial camp in Sambhar, Rajasthan, while the emperor was returning to Agra after visiting the tomb of Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer. Contemporary Mughal chronicles, including the Akbarnama, Tabaqat-i-Akbari, and Muntakhab-ut-Tawarikh, record the marriage between Akbar and Raja Bharmal's eldest daughter.: "In order to effect this purpose he thought of a special alliance, to wit that he should by means of those who had the right of entree introduce his eldest daughter, in whose forehead shone the lights of chastity and intellect, among the attendants on the glorious pavilion." and refers to her as "the choicest apple from the garden of paradise".: "When he arrived in the town of Sambar, Raja Bihari Mai, who was one of the renowned Rajas of that country, came with his son, Bhagwan Das, and entered the imperial service, with great loyalty and sincere devotion; and was honoured with various favours and royal benefactions; and his daughter, who was veiled in chastity, was ennobled by a marriage with His Majesty, and was enlisted in the rank of honoured consorts.": "Raja Bharmal then espoused his gentle daughter to Emperor Akbar in honourable wedlock." According to Abu'l Fazl, Akbar accepted the marriage proposal after experiencing a divine vision during his pilgrimage to Ajmer. The alliance strengthened the relationship between the Mughal court and the ruling house of Amer, securing the Kachhwahas' support for Akbar throughout his reign.
Mariam-uz-Zamani gave birth to the future emperor Prince Salim in 1569, an event that further elevated her position within the imperial household. Muni Lal describes her as one of Akbar's closest companions and argues that she remained an influential presence at court throughout the emperor's life. According to Lal, she became associated with the atmosphere of religious tolerance that developed during Akbar's reign and was frequently consulted by the emperor on important matters.
Two years after their marriage, Akbar bestowed upon her the honorific title Wali Nimat Begum (). Following the birth of their son, Prince Salim, she received the title Mariam-uz-Zamani (), by which she became known in contemporary Mughal chronicles, including Jahangir's memoir, the Tuzk-e-Jahangiri.
In addition to Mariam-uz-Zamani, she also bore the titles Mallika-e-Muezamma () and Mallika-e-Hindustan (). Throughout her tenure as empress, she was commonly referred to as Shahi Begum (), while official records refer to her as Wali Nimat Mariam-uz-Zamani Begum Sahiba.
Historical assessments Historian Beni Prasad regarded Akbar's marriage to the daughter of Raja Bharmal as one of the most significant political unions of medieval India. In his view, the alliance marked the beginning of a new phase in Indian politics and secured for successive Mughal emperors the services of several of medieval India's most distinguished Rajput commanders and diplomats.
Dirk Collier likewise considers the marriage a defining moment in the consolidation of the Mughal Empire. While matrimonial alliances between Hindu rulers and Muslim sovereigns were not unprecedented, he notes that Akbar departed from established practice by allowing his Rajput consort to continue practising Hinduism and maintain a shrine within the imperial residence. He further regards the alliance with the Kachhwahas of Amer as a cornerstone of Mughal military strength and political cohesion.
J. L. Mehta writes that the marriage strengthened relations between the Mughal court and the ruling house of Amer. He notes that Akbar subsequently admitted Man Singh into imperial service, elevated Mariam-uz-Zamani to the position of chief consort, and that she went on to exercise a lasting influence on the social and cultural life of the imperial household.
Muni Lal describes the marriage as an important turning point within the Mughal court. He writes that Mariam-uz-Zamani entered the imperial household without being required to convert to Islam and continued to practise her Hindu faith while maintaining a temple within the palace. Lal further argues that she became one of Akbar's closest companions and that her liberal outlook contributed to the changing cultural atmosphere of the imperial court and, in his assessment, to the success of Akbar's reign.
Birth of children Twins son On 19 October 1564, Mariam-uz-Zamani gave birth to twin sons, Mirza Hassan and Mirza Hussain, at Agra. Akbar had returned to Agra on 9 October in anticipation of the birth.
Both infants died within a month of their birth. Hussain died on 29 October 1564, followed by Hassan on 5 November 1564. Following the birth of the twins, Akbar bestowed upon Mariam-uz-Zamani the title Wali Nimat Begum ("Blessing of God").
After the death of the twins, Akbar took Mariam-uz-Zamani with him on campaign. On his return to Agra, he visited the Sufi Sheikh Salim Chisti at Fatehpur Sikri, who is said to have foretold that the imperial couple would later be blessed with three sons who would survive to adulthood.
Prince Salim (Crown Prince) A few years before the birth of Prince Salim, Akbar and Mariam-uz-Zamani made a barefoot pilgrimage to the shrine of Ajmer Sharif Dargah to pray for a son.
In 1569, Mariam-uz-Zamani became pregnant again. According to contemporary accounts, Akbar hoped that this child would be the first of the three sons foretold by the Sufi Sheikh Salim Chisti after the death of the imperial couple's twin sons. During the final months of her pregnancy, she was sent to Salim Chishti's residence at Fatehpur Sikri, while Akbar travelled frequently from Agra to visit her. A royal palace, later known as the Rang Mahal, was constructed there for her residence.
According to Jahangir's memoirs, he stopped moving while still in his mother's womb. When informed of this, Akbar vowed that if the child survived, he would never hunt cheetahs on Fridays. Jahangir later wrote that Akbar observed this vow throughout his life and that he himself followed the same practice out of respect for his father.
On 31 August 1569, Mariam-uz-Zamani gave birth to a son at Fatehpur Sikri. He was named Salim in honour of Salim Chishti, whose prayers Akbar believed had been instrumental in the birth of his heir. The emperor marked the occasion by holding celebrations for seven days, ordering the release of prisoners, and distributing gifts throughout the empire. Although he intended to visit Fatehpur Sikri immediately, his courtiers advised him to postpone the visit in accordance with the contemporary belief that a father should not see the face of his long-awaited son immediately after birth. Akbar eventually visited Mariam-uz-Zamani and the infant prince forty-one days later.
After the birth, Akbar presented Mariam-uz-Zamani with jewellery valued at one lakh gold coins and placed a Rajvanshi pat upon her head. She subsequently received the title Mariam-uz-Zamani. On the same occasion, the ranks of Raja Bhagwant Das and Raja Man Singh were each increased by 2,000 horse, and both were presented with robes of honour ranked immediately below those reserved for members of the imperial family.
Family advancement
Mariam-uz-Zamani's marriage strengthened the position of the Kachhwaha rulers of Amber within the Mughal nobility. Her family became some of the highest-ranking nobles at Akbar's court, while the rulers of Amber emerged among the principal Rajput allies of the Mughal Empire. Of the twenty-seven Rajput mansabdars listed by Abu'l-Fazl, thirteen belonged to the Amber clan, several of whom attained ranks comparable to those of imperial princes.
Following her marriage to Akbar, her father, Raja Bharmal, was appointed commander of 5,000 cavalry, the highest military rank then held by a noble at court. In 1585, her brother Bhagwant Das attained the same rank and received the title Amir-ul-Umra (Chief Noble). Her nephew Man Singh I later became the first noble during Akbar's reign to be promoted to the rank of 7,000, a distinction later shared only with Mirza Aziz Koka. According to Muni Lal, Akbar's exceptionally close relationship with the Amber ruling family was due in no small part to his affection for Mariam-uz-Zamani.
Akbar's respect for the family of Mariam-uz-Zamani was profound. As per Badani, Akbar shared an intimate relationship with the Amer clan. After the death of the fiancé of one of the daughters of Raja Bharmal and younger sister of Mariam-uz-Zamani, Sukanya, in the Battle of Paronkh in October 1562, Akbar personally took responsibility for her marriage to a Rajput clan and adopted her as her own daughter.