Mumtaz Mahal (1593- 1631)
Born with
the name Arjumand Banu, Mumtaz Mahal was the woman in whose memory the Taj Mahal was built.
As the 14 year old daughter of Asaf Khan she married Mughal Prince Khurran, also known as Shahjahan.
In 1612 She became Mumtaz Mahal when they quickly married. She remained a very faithful, loyal companion to her husband, and bore him fourteen children. She received the highest honor of the land - the royal seal - Mehr Uzaz from her emperor husband. It is said that she gave allowances to widows and orphans. The stories of her virtue spread all over the empire.
During the year 1630, the emperor and his pregnant empress journeyed to what is now known as Maharashtra to suppress the Lodi empire. Mumtaz never saw home again, she died on the eighth of June, in 1631, in the city of Burhanpur, only one day after giving birth to another daughter.
It took her husband 22 years and most of his royal treasury, but the queen empress did get her wish. In her name stands the most beautiful building in the universe, that monument of love, purity and unparalleled beauty called the Taj Mahal.
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