Mumtaz Mahal 427th Birth Anniversary: Interesting Trivia About The Great Queen and Inspiration Behind Taj Mahal

Mumtaz Mahal needs no elaborate description. It’s a known fact that she was the wife of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, who later built Taj Mahal in his admiration for her. However, when it comes to Mumtaz Mahal, there are so many things and interesting facts that not many people know about. For example, her real name, birth date, cause of death, and other intriguing details. It will be the 427th birth anniversary of Mumtaz Mahal this year, on April 27, i.e. Monday. As people observe the birth anniversary of decorated Empress consort, we at LatestLY, present you some of the most amazing trivia of Mumtaz Mahal, that will surprise you for sure. Travel Plans Cancelled Due to COVID-19? From White House to Taj Mahal, Take Virtual Tours of These 5 Popular Tourist Destinations at the Comfort of Your Home.

1. Mumtaz Mahal was born on April 27, 1593. in Agra, in a rich and affluential Persian family. She was the daughter of Diwanji Begum, and Abu’l-Hasan Asaf Khan, who held a high position in the Mughal Empire.

2. Not many people know that Mumtaz Mahal’s real name was ‘Arjumand Banu’ at the time of her birth. It was Shah Jahan who gave her the title of Mumtaz Mahal later.

3. It is said that Mumtaz Mahal was a very learned lady in her times. She excelled in Arabic and Persian languages and even wrote poems.

4. Mumtaz Mahal was engaged with Prince Khurram (later came to be known as Shah Jahan) when she was only 14 years old, and he was 15, in 1607.

5. After being betrothed to Shah Jahan for 5 years, Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan married in the year 1612.

6. It is a little-known fact that Shah Jahan, after their wedding celebrations, conferred the title of ‘Mumtaz Mahal’ Begum, which roughly translates into ‘the Exalted One of the Palace’.

7. Mumtaz Mahal was also given the title of ‘Malika-e-Jahan’ (Queen of the World), and ‘Malika-uz-Zamani’ (Queen of the Age), after Shah Jahan designated her as his Chief Empress after he became the Emperor in 1628.

8. Historians have said that Shah Jahan loved her second wife, i.e. Mumtaz Mahal, the most amongst his three wives.

9. Mumtaz Mahal was a constant travel companion of Shah Jahan. She used to travel with him, during his military expeditions, even when she was pregnant.

10. It is said that no other Queen enjoyed the luxuries as much as Mumtaz Mahal did. Her palace was decorated with gold, precious stones, rose-water fountains etc. among other luxurious items.

11. In 19 years of marriage, Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan gave birth to 14 children, of which 8 were sons and 6 daughters. Unfortunately, 7 of them died young or at birth.

12. Shah Jahan built ‘Taj Mahal’ in love and adoration of Mumtaz Mahal. Unfortunately, the, now, one of the 7-wonders of the world wasn’t completed until she died in 1631.

13. Mumtaz Mahal breathed her last due to postpartum haemorrhage while giving birth to her 14th child. It is said that the prolonged labour, of nearly 30 hours, was one of the reasons that caused the haemorrhage.

Disclaimer: The above information is collated from several sources on the Internet; the author and LatestLY do not vouch for its authenticity. We hope you would have enjoyed reading them and would love to share with your friends.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 27, 2020 10:39 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).