Capitals, Courts, Titles and Gifts During the Mughal Empire

The Mughal Empire believed strongly in symbols as a token of respect and appreciation. On special occasions, gifts and titles were given as a show of gratitude to others. In the same way, gifts to diplomats were simply a way of showing honour. Titles varied according to the position one held in the empire. Agra was the first capital of the Mughal Rule. This, however, kept changing with time. The Mughal Courts had certain rules such as the restriction of paintings only to the courts. The Mughals are believed to have left a lasting impact on the Indian subcontinent. 

Capital Sites:

• The Mughal Empire’s capital city, where the court convened, was its beating heart
• During the sixteenth and the seventeenth centuries, capital cities were frequently moved
• Babur grabbed control of Agra, the Lodi capital, though his court was constantly on the road
• Akbar planned to construct Fatehpur Sikri, a new capital, in the 1570s
• One reason for development was that Sikri was on the direct route to Ajmer, where Shaikh Muinuddin Chishti’s dargah had become a popular pilgrimage destination
• Mughal monarchs developed close contact with the Chishti silsila’s Sufis
• Next to the grand Friday mosque at Sikri, Akbar commissioned the erection of a white marble tomb for Shaikh Salim Chishti
• The massive arched gateway (Buland Darwaza) was built to honour Gujarat’s victory
• To bring the northwest under Akbar’s control, the capital was moved to Lahore in 1585
• Shah Jahan had amassed sufficient wealth to pursue his passion for construction
• The most visible and palpable symbol of dynasty power, riches, and status was construction activity. It was also regarded as a pious gesture in the case of Muslim kings
• The court, army, and household moved from Agra to Shahjahanabad, the freshly finished imperial capital, in 1648
• With the Red Fort, the Jama Masjid, bazaars (Chandni Chowk), and palatial houses for the nobility, it was a new addition to the city of Delhi

The Mughal Court:

• Shah Jahan had amassed sufficient wealth to pursue his passion for construction
• The most visible and palpable symbol of dynasty power, riches, and status was construction activity. It was also regarded as a pious gesture in the case of Muslim kings
• The court, army, and household moved from Agra to Shahjahanabad, the freshly finished imperial capital, in 1648
• With the Red Fort, the Jama Masjid, bazaars (Chandni Chowk), and palatial houses for the nobility, it was a new addition to the city of Delhi
• Salutations to the king were used to show a person’s position in the hierarchy
• Higher status was associated with more weakness
• Sijda, or total weakness, was the utmost level of submission
• These ceremonies were headed by chahar taslim and zaminbos under Shah Jahan (kissing the ground)
• At the Mughal court, the protocols governing diplomatic envoys were as precise
• An ambassador to the Mughal emperor was supposed to welcome him properly, either by bowing deeply or kissing the ground or by clasping one’s hands in front of the chest, as the Persians did
• The English envoy of James I, Thomas Roe, simply bowed before Jahangir as is customary in Europe, and then surprised the court by seeking a chair
• The emperor began his day with personal religious devotions or prayers at sunrise and then emerged on the jharoka, a tiny balcony facing east
• A throng of people waited below for a glimpse of the emperor, known as darshan
• Jharoka darshan was initiated by Akbar with the goal of increasing popular acceptance of imperial authority
• The Emperor then proceeded to the public hall of the audience (diwan-I am), where state officials delivered reports, to conduct the principal business of his government
• The Emperor had secret audiences and discussed confidential subjects at the diwan-i khas
• State ministers filed petitions, and tax officials presented their financial statements
• The emperor occasionally examined the works of well-known painters or architectural blueprints (Mimar)
• The court was bustling on major occasions like the anniversary of the throne ascension, Id, Shab-i Barat, and Holi
• Three significant festivals were observed by the Mughals each year
• The monarch’s solar and lunar birthdays
• The Iranian New Year, Nauroz, falls on the vernal equinox

Titles and gifts:

• The Mughal rulers assumed grand titles at the time of coronation or after a victory over an adversary
• With the regal procedure, Mughal coins contained the entire title of the reigning emperor
• The bestowal of titles to deserving men was a crucial component of the Mughal government
• Asaf, the prophet king Sulaiman’s mythical minister, inspired the title Asaf khan for one of the top ministers (Solomon)
• Aurangzeb bestowed the title Mirza Raja on his two most powerful nobles, Jaswant Singh and Jai Singh
• Titles can be earned or purchased
• Mir Khan offered Aurangzeb one lakh rupees in exchange for the letter alif, or A, being added to his name, making it Amir Khan

The following awards were also given out:

• The emperor’s robe of honour (khilat), which had been instilled with his benediction previously
• A sash, a hat, and a tunic made up the sarapa (“head to foot”) (patka)
• The emperor frequently bestowed jewelled trinkets as gifts
• The jewel-encrusted lotus blossom (padma murassa) was offered in unusual circumstances
• A courtier never approached the emperor without presenting him with either a modest sum of money (nazr) or a large sum of money (nazr) (peshkash)
• Gifts were seen as a sign of honour and respect in diplomatic relations
• When a ring he had given to Asaf Khan was returned to him because it was only worth 400 rupees, Thomas Roe was dissatisfied

Conclusion

The Mughal Empire introduced various changes in the political as well as cultural practises of India. The capital, initially Agra, kept changing with time and cities such as Fatehpur Sikri, Delhi, and Lahore became a part of this list. The Mughal courts introduced a list of new rules to the administration. Physical proximity defined the titles of the individuals in court, people weren’t supposed to move once the emperor had been seated, and Mughal paintings were restricted to the court itself. Titles and gifts were a way of showing appreciation in the Mughal period. Gifts were sent to diplomats as a way of paying respect. Thus, Mughals introduced changes, some of which are still followed.