Author:

Tanisha Sharma
Master of Arts
Department of History
Madhya Pradesh Bhoj (Open) University,
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh,India

Email: tanisha473222@gmail.com

Abstract: The history of the Mughal Empire (1526–1707) is often narrated through the political actions of emperors and their male nobility, while the contributions of royal women remain overshadowed. However, Mughal royal women, from Maham Anaga and Hamida Banu to Nur Jahan, Mumtaz Mahal, and Jahanara Begum, shaped the socio-political framework of the empire through administrative authority, mediation in dynastic conflicts, architectural patronage, and cultural diplomacy. Sources such as the Akbarnama, Baburnama, Tuzuk-I Jahangiri, and European travel accounts reveal that women held jagirs, affixed seals (uzuk) on imperial documents, interceded in political disputes, and acted as patrons of mosques, caravanserais, and educational institutions. Yet, mainstream historiography reduces them to symbols of beauty, seclusion, or romance, neglecting their tangible role in governance and diplomacy. This paper seeks to reconstruct the socio-political agency of Mughal royal women, highlighting unexplored dimensions of their influence and re-situating them as active political agents rather than passive figures confined to the harem. It will reflect how the women of Mughal world came out of the veil and turned into torch bearers, breaching the boundaries of Harem to show their acumen in administration and governance along with their keen interest in society and culture.

Key Words:Administration, Court, Mughal Harem, Royal Women, Socio-Political etc.