In 1612, one of the world’s greatest love stories began when Mumtaz Mahal, a Muslim Persian princess, married Shah Jehan, known as Prince Khurram before he ascended to the throne in 1628 to become the 5th Mughal emperor. The queen’s real name was Arjumand Banu. In the tradition of the Mughals, important women of the royal family were given another name when they married. Although Mumtaz was Shah Jehan’s second wife, she was considered his ultimate love match. By all accounts, Mumtaz and the emperor were soul mates. Mumtaz accompanied her husband throughout his travels and military expeditions, and was his most trusted political adviser. Unfortunately, as with any legendary love story, tragedy lurked in their future. In 1630, Mumtaz died while giving birth to her 14th child.
The death of Mumtaz reportedly affected the emperor so deeply that his black hair and beard turned snow white in just a few months. The emperor was overcome with grief, and vowed to keep his beloved wife’s memory alive forever. He decided to build her a monument of eternal love. Because Mumtaz had endeared herself to the people with her kindness, the emperor’s subjects were inspired to help build the spectacular monument.