Shah Jahan

 

ONE-LINER HISTORY NOTE FOR COMPETITIVE EXAMS

Shah Jahan

1.       Shah Jahan was born on 5th January 1592 at Lahore.  

2.      His mother was Jagat Gosain and his childhood name was Khurram.  

3.      He married Arjumand Benu Begum, daughter of Asaf Khan, brother of Noor Jahan. She later came to be known as Mumtaz Mahal which means beloved of the Palace.  

4.      Shahjahan destroyed the Portuguese settlements at Hoogly.  

5.      Shah Jahan’s period is considered as the Golden Age of Mughal Architecture and Shah Jahan is known as the Prince of Builders.  

6.      In 1631 he started the construction of Tajmahal in memory of his wife and completed in 1653. It is Tulasidas Jahangir Shah Jahan situated on the banks of Yamuna river in Uttar Pradesh. Utad Iza a Turkish/ Persian was its architect. British administrator Furgurson called it ‘a love in marble’. Now Sulphur Dioxide, emitted by oil refinaries in Madhura after mixing with moisture in the atmosphere forms Sulphuric Acid and damages the marble of Tajmahal.  

7.      In 1638 Shah Jahan built his new capital Shah Jahanabad in Delhi and shifted the capital from Agra to there.  

8.      In 1639 he started the construction of Red fort in Delhi on the model of Agrafort built by Akbar. Its construction was completed in 1648. The Diwani- Am, Diwan-i-Khas and the Moti Masjid are situated inside the Red fort. The Mothi Masjid in Agra was constructed by ShahJahan.  

9.      The INA Trial in 1945 was conducted at the Red Fort.  

10.    The Gateway of Redfort is the Lahore Gate. It is here at the Lahore Gate that the Prime Minister of India hoists the National Flag and addresses the nation on the independence day.  

11.      In 1656 ShahJahan constructed the Juma Masjid in Delhi. It is the biggest masjid in India. First masjid in India was constructed at Kodungallur in Kerala (Cheraman Palli) in 644 AD by Malik Ibn Dinar.  

12.    Shah Jahan’s period is known as the Golden Age of Mughal Empire.  

13.    The Portuguese introduced European painting in India during the reign of Shah Jahan  

14.    In 1658 Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son Aurangazeb and he died in 1666, after eight years. His daughter Jahan Ara was also kept in prison along with him at the Agra fort.  

15.    Shah Jahan’s son Dhara Shukoe was a famous scholar. He translated Bhagavat Gita and Sixty Upanishads into Persian. He also wrote a book titled Mujm-ul-Behrain (Mingling of the Oceans) He also translated Atharva Veda into Persian.  

16.    ShahJahan was a famous Lyricist. He wrote Lyrics in Hindi.  

17.     The famous Peacock Throne was built by Shah Jahan. It was abducted from here by Nadirsha in 1739 during his Indian invasion (Persian conqueror). Now it is kept at the London Tower Museum, Britain.  

18.    French travellers Bernier and Tavernier and Italian traveller Manucci visited India during ShahJahan’s period.