QUEENS, PRINCESSES, AND POWER: REASSESSING WOMEN IN MUGHAL POLITICS

The Mughal Empire (1526-1857) is also a significant and popular research on its administrative systems, military conquests, and cultural accomplishments. Nevertheless, the political contributions of women and the same imperial setup have generally been downplayed. This paper investigates the role of royal women of the Mughal dynasty in politics and how queens, princesses, and empresses could shape administration by means of diplomacy, patronage, succession problems, and economic powers. The paper identifies leaders in the history of Mughal politics, including Hamida Banu Begum, Mariam-uz-Zamani, Nur Jahan, Jahanara Begum, and Roshanara Begum, through the narratives of history, memoirs, and the teaching of secondary scholars. The results indicate that, even though Mughal women were not formally employed in administrative offices, women had a strong informal influence, and the zenana is an important location of political bargaining.