[I 001 / MUMTAZ MAHAL] - SHAH JAHAN'S FAVORITE WIFE:
Mumtaz Mahal was the granddaughter of Jahangir's chief minister, Mirza Ghiyas Beg. She was given the title Mumtaz Mahal: the 'Light of the Palace'. A year younger than he, she was not Shah Jahan's first wife, although she was most definitely his favorite.
Mumtaz Mahal, in contrast to her celebrated aunt or daughter, was a mysterious figure. A woman thought to have been gentle and generous and known to have helped widows and orphans, she died three years after her husband became emperor.
A more comprehensive account of her life and marriage says her death was particularly tragic as, after years of struggling and hardship, the time had finally come for Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal to settle down and live a proper family life. During their marriage, she apparently bore every turn of fate stoically, and traveled with her husband wherever he went, including into battle. She also stood by him when he rebelled against his father.
It was at Burhanpur, while giving birth to the couple's 14th child, that Mumtaz Mahal died. They had been married for 19 years.
