{{Short description|Chief consort of Mughal Emperor Jahangir}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2018}} {{Use Indian English|date=September 2018}} {{Infobox royalty | name = Shah Begum | title = [[Princess|Rajkumari]] of Kingdom of Amber | image = Shahbegum1.jpg | succession = | predecessor = | successor = | caption = French Engraving of Shah Begum at [[Victoria Memorial, Kolkata]] | birth_name = Manbhawati Bai | birth_date = {{circa}} 1570 | birth_place = [[Amer, India|Amber]], [[Amber Kingdom]], [[Mughal Empire]] <br/> (modern-day [[Rajasthan]], [[India]]) | death_date = {{death date and age|1605|5|5|1570|df=yes}} | death_place = Allahabad, [[Awadh Subah]], [[Mughal Empire]] <br/>(modern-day [[Prayagraj]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], India) | consort = yes | spouse = {{marriage|[[Jahangir]]<br/>|13 February 1585}} | issue = {{plainlist| *[[Sultan-un-Nissa Begum]] *[[Khusrau Mirza]]}} | house = [[Kacchwaha]] (by birth)<br />[[Timurid Dynasty|Timurid]] (by marriage) | father = [[Raja Bhagwant Das]] | mother = | image_size = 200px | burial_place = [[Khusro Bagh|Khusrau Bagh]], [[Allahabad]] | religion = [[Hinduism]] }}
'''Shah Begum''' ({{lit|royal lady}}; {{circa}} 1570{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}} – 5 May 1605) was the first wife and chief consort of Prince Salim (later Emperor [[Jahangir]]). She was known as Zan-i-Kalan being the first wife of Salim. She was a Hindu princess by birth and committed suicide shortly before the succession of her husband to the royal throne.<ref>{{Cite web |last=ranasafvi |date=2020-05-14 |title=Shah Begum's Cenotaph in Khusrau Bagh, Allahabad |url=https://ranasafvi.com/shah-begums-cenotaph-in-khusrau-bagh-allahabad/ |access-date=2024-09-20 |website=Rana Safvi |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sarin |first=Hemant |date=2019-03-19 |title=Shah Begum's Tomb in Allahabad {{!}} #TheseMughalWomen |url=https://www.theheritagelab.in/shah-begum-tomb/ |access-date=2024-09-20 |website=The Heritage Lab |language=en}}</ref> She was the mother of the eldest daughter and son of Prince Salim, [[Sultan-un-Nissa Begum]] and [[Khusrau Mirza]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2013-05-25 |title=An impressive empress |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/magazine/an-impressive-empress/article4746049.ece/ |access-date=2024-09-20 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
==Family== '''Manbhawati Bai''',<ref>{{Cite book |last=Others |first=Muzaffar H. Syed & |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=US5gEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA138 |title=History of Indian Nation : Medieval India |date=2022-02-20 |publisher=K. K. Publications |pages=138 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Shams |first=Iftekhar Ahmed |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=poGsEAAAQBAJ |title=The Kingdom of the Moghuls: the rulers, who created history |date=2023-02-07 |publisher=Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Shams |isbn=979-8-4494-7693-7 |pages=66, 133–134 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Fisher |first=Michael |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bhKMDwAAQBAJ |title=A Short History of the Mughal Empire |date=2015-10-01 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-0-85772-777-0 |pages=87, 145–147 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Dhir |first=Krishna S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jVx6EAAAQBAJ |title=The Wonder That Is Urdu |date=2022-01-01 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-4301-1 |language=en |trans-title=87, 90, 93}}</ref> known popularly as ''Man Bai'',<ref>{{cite book|first=Ishwari|last=Prasad|title=The Mughal Empire|publisher=Chugh Publications|year=1974|pages=294}}</ref> was the daughter of Raja Bhagwant Das, the ruler of Amer.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Proceedings of the Indian History Congress - Volume 64|publisher=Indian History Congress|year=2004|pages=598}}</ref> She was a sister of Raja Madho Das and daughter-in-law of Mariam-uz-Zamani.<ref>{{cite book|first=Jorge|last=Flores|title=The Mughal Padshah: A Jesuit Treatise on Emperor Jahangir's Court and Household |publisher=Brill|date=20 November 2015|pages=91 n. 23|isbn=978-9-004-30753-7}}</ref>
When she was young, Man Bai's was betrothed to her 15-year-old first cousin Prince Selim, a match arranged by his mother [[Mariam-uz-Zamani]], consort of Emperor [[Akbar]] and her father, Mariam's brother [[Bhagwant Das|Rajah Bhagwan Das Kacchwaha]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mehta |first1=Jaswant Lal |title=Advance Study in the history of Medieval India:Mughal Empire |publisher=Sterling Publisher Private Limited |year=1984 |isbn=978-81-207-1015-3|volume=II|page=411}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=Muni|last=Lal| title=Mughal Glory|publisher=Konark Publishers, Delhi|year=1988|isbn=8122000762| page=87}}</ref> Man Bai was considered a desirable bride, endowed with beauty, grace, and high ideals as well as royal lineage.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Beveridge |first=H. |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.55650 |title=The Akbarnama Of Abul Fazl Vol. 3 |date=1907 |pages=678 |quote=At this time it was represented to H.M. that Rajah Bhagwan Das Kacwaha, who held high office, and who had lofty lineage and abilities, had a daughter whose purity adorned her high extraction, and was endowed with beauty and graces; and that it was the wish of her family that she should be united to the prince.}}</ref>
The marriage settlement was fixed at twenty million [[History of the taka|tankas]].<ref>{{cite book|first=P. N|last=Ojha|title=North Indian social life during Mughal period|publisher=Oriental Publishers & Distributors|year=1975|pages=131}}</ref> As the Imperial procession travelled along roads covered with rare and choice cloth, the Emperor scattered gold and jewels over the bridal litter. To honour her household, Akbar and Salim themselves carried the bride's palanquin on their own shoulders for some distance.{{sfn|Prasad|1930|p=29-30}} Mariam Zamani presented the couple with gifts valued at ₹12,000,000.<ref>{{cite book|last=Lal|first=Muni|title=Mughal Glory|publisher=Konark Publishers Pvt Ltd|date=1988|page=87}}</ref>
The couple had two children, Sultan-un-Nissa Begum (25 April 1586 and died on 5 September 1646)<ref>{{cite book|first1=Emperor |last1=Jahangir|first2=Wheeler McIntosh|last2=Thackston|title=The Jahangirnama: memoirs of Jahangir, Emperor of India|url=https://archive.org/details/jahangirnamamemo00jaha |publisher=Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; New York: Oxford University Press|year=1999|pages=[https://archive.org/details/jahangirnamamemo00jaha/page/7 7] n. 20, 29 n. 36|isbn=978-0-19-512718-8 }}</ref> and a son, [[Khusrau Mirza]] (16 August 1587 – 26 January 1622). On the birth of her son, birth, Man Bai was bestowed the prestigious title of ''Shah Begum'' meaning "royal lady".<ref>{{cite book|first=S. R.|last=Sharma|title=Mughal Empire In India: A Systematic Study Including Source Material, Volume 2|publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist|year=1999|pages=310|isbn=978-8-171-56818-5}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Nicoll, Fergus|author-link=Fergus Nicoll|title=Shah Jahan: The Rise and Fall of the Mughal Emperor|publisher=Penguin Books India|year=2009|pages=26|isbn=978-0-670-08303-9}}</ref>
With her fidelity and sincere devotion to Jahangir, she won a special place in his heart. Jahangir was extremely fond of her and had her designated as his chief consort, and he wrote of his attachment and affection for her in his memoirs.<ref name=Beveridge1909>{{cite book|title = The Tūzuk-i-Jahāngīrī or Memoirs of Jahāngīr, Volume 2|year=1909|publisher=Royal Asiatic Society, London|editor-first=Alexander|editor-last=Rogers|editor-first2= Henry|editor-last2=Beveridge|page=13}}</ref>
==Death== [[File:Allahabad, Khusru bagh, Shah Begum tomb 2015-11-12.jpg|thumb|[[Khusro Bagh|Khusru bagh]], Shah Begum tomb, in [[Prayagraj]].]] By 1605, Shah Begum's son Khusrau Mirza was in open rebellion against his father, Akbar's rule, as was her own brother, Madho Singh. Shah Begum, who suffered from periodic from bouts of madness tried to encourage Khusrau's loyalty to his father. In the end, she was unable to cope with the conflict. She took a fatal overdose of opium on 5 May 1605.<ref>{{cite book|first1=Emperor |last1=Jahangir|first2=Wheeler McIntosh|last2=Thackston|title=The Jahangirnama: memoirs of Jahangir, Emperor of India|url=https://archive.org/details/jahangirnamamemo00jaha |publisher=Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; New York: Oxford University Press|year=1999|pages=[https://archive.org/details/jahangirnamamemo00jaha/page/51 51]|isbn=978-0-19-512718-8 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland|publisher=Cambridge University Press for the Royal Asiatic Society|year=1907|pages=604}}</ref>
[[Jahangir]] was devastated by her death.<ref>{{cite book|first=Guru|last=Dutt|title=Ganga ki Dhara|isbn=9386336065|page=79}}</ref> He ordered the construction of her tomb by Aqa Reza, the principal artist at Allahabad court. The tomb, located in [[Khusro Bagh|Khusrau Bagh]], Allahabad, was completed in 1606-07.<ref>{{cite book|first=Catherine B.|last=Asher|title=Architecture of Mughal India, Part 1, Volume 4|publisher=Cambridge University Press|date=24 September 1992|pages=104|isbn=978-0-521-26728-1}}</ref>
== Issue == With Jahangir, Shah Begum had at least two children: *[[Sultan-un-Nissa Begum|Sultan-un-Nissa]] (25 April 1586, Mughal Empire – 5 September 1646, Mughal Empire, buried in Tomb of Akbar, Sikandar, Agra) *[[Khusrau Mirza]] (16 August 1587, Lahore, Mughal Empire – 26 January 1622, Deccan, Mughal Empire, buried in Mausoleum of Khusrau Mirza, Khusro Bagh, Allahabad)
==In popular culture== *[[Krutika Desai Khan]] essayed her role in the Indian television series [[Noorjahan (TV series)|''Noorjahan'']], on [[Doordarshan]]. *[[Neetha Shetty]] portrayed Shah Begum in [[EPIC (TV channel)|EPIC]] channel ''[[Siyaasat]]'' (based on the ''Twentieth Wife''). *Heli Daruwala portrayed her role in [[Colors TV|Colors]] Channel's [[Dastaan-E-Mohabbat Salim Anarkali]] *[[Jyotsna Chandola]] portrayed her role in [[Jodha Akbar]] on [[Zee TV]]. *Anushka Luhar portrayed Man Bai in [[ZEE5|ZEE5's]] web series [[Taj: Divided by Blood]].
==See also== *[[Kingdom of Amber]] *[[Khusro Bagh]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Bibliography== *{{cite book|first=Beni|last=Prasad|title=History of Jahangir|publisher=The Indian Press, LTD, Allahabad|year=1930}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Begum, Shah}} [[Category:1570s births]] [[Category:1605 deaths]] [[Category:Indian Hindus]] [[Category:People from Jaipur]] [[Category:16th-century Mughal Empire people]] [[Category:16th-century Indian women]] [[Category:Wives of Jahangir]] [[Category:Rajput princesses]] [[Category:Royalty who died by suicide]]