Mumtaz Mahal Survives The Birth of Her 14th Child (1631)

Shah_Jahan_and_Mumtaz_Mahal.jpg


Point of Divergence ... One of the greatest love stories in the world is that of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. Born in Agra, India, Mumtaz was betrothed to Shah when she was thirteen and five years later they were married. When Shah met Mumtaz, it was a love match, which is rare in any royal marriage. Although Shah married two other women and sired a child on each, he did not love them as he did Mumtaz. In the nineteen years that he and Mumtaz were together, they had thirteen children, six of whom survived into adulthood. Shah made her his empress upon his accession to Emperor in 1628. However. this story had a tragic end. While travelling with Shah on campaign in 1631, Mumtaz gave birth to a baby girl and died. Shah Jahan was grief stricken and could not be consoled. He went into a year of secluded mourning, and emerged much aged, looking much greater than his 40 years. He spent the rest of his life in mourning for Mumtaz, eventually building the Taj Mahal in her name and burying her there. He would eventually join her there upon his death in 1666, 35 years after her death.

What if this story had a happy ending. Lets say after the birth of her daughter, Mumtaz was able to rally and survived. How does this change the course of both India and the world at large?
 
Shah Jahan was not the name given by his parents. His given name was Khurram. He took the name of Shah Jahan when he ascended the throne. The meaning of the name is King (Shah) of the World(Jahan). Similarly the name of his father Jahangir also was an adopted name. Prince Salim, the only surviving son of Akbar took the name 'Jahangir'(The World Conqueror) when he ascended the throne. The official title of the Mughal emperor was "Badshah". The empress was called "Badshah Begum".
The love story of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal is very famous. It is also recorded that the emperor was so aggrieved that he attempted to commit suicide and his servants had kept a twenty four hour watch over him for several days. But once he recovered from his grief after a period that might have been weeks or months he returned to his normal lifestyle.
He was a person who celebrated his life with all kinds of pleasures available to one of the richest emperors on earth in his period. His harem was filled with more than seven thousand maidens, most beautiful girls specially picked up from all parts of the empire and also from foreign lands. There was a hall of mirrors and pools in which large ice pieces floated in his palace where he indulged in all types of sexual orgies with his maidens. Not satisfied with the women in his harem he also picked the wives and daughters of the officials of the empire if they caught his attention.
 
Biggest changes I see concern the Taj Mahal (Mumtaz's tomb)

1) it doesn't get built until several years later
2) it doesn't get built at at all.
3) it gets built but under a different name for a different purpose
 
Top