Mirza Badi-uz-Zaman Safavi explained

Consort:yes
Badi-uz-Zaman Safavi
Shahzada of the Safavid Empire
Succession:Viceroy of Gujarat Subah
Reign:1637 – 1659
Death Place:Ajmer, Rajasthan, India
Spouse:Nauras Banu Begum
Issue:Dilras Banu Begum
Sakina Banu Begum
Mirza Muhammad Ahsan Safavi
Mirza Mu‘azzam Safavi
Full Name:Badi-uz-Zaman Safavi
House:Safavid
Father:Mirza Rustam Safavi
Religion:Shia Islam
Place Of Burial:Ajmer Sharif, Ajmer

Badi-uz-Zaman Safavi (died 1659) was a prince of the Safavid dynasty of Persia and a powerful amir at the Mughal court during Emperor Shah Jahan's reign. He is better known by the title Shahnawaz Khan or Mirza Deccan. Shahnawaz Khan was the father-in-law of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and his younger brother Prince Murad Baksh.

Family and lineage

Shahnawaz Khan was the son of Mirza Rustam Safavi,[1] who rose to eminence during Emperor Jahangir's reign. He belonged to the lineage of the old Mashad princes of Iran - his great-grandfather was a son of Shah Ismail I of the Safavid Empire.[2]

He was married to Nauras Banu Begum,[3] the daughter of Mirza Muhammad Sharif. The couple were the parents of two sons and five daughters, including Dilras Banu Begum, who married Prince Muhi-ud-din (later known as Aurangzeb upon his accession), the third son of Emperor Shah Jahan in 1637. Another daughter of his married Aurangzeb's youngest brother, Prince Murad Bakhsh in 1638.[4]

At the Mughal court

Shahnawaz Khan was made viceroy of Gujarat and ataliq to Shah Jahan's son, Prince Murad Baksh, at the time of his assignment to the Deccan.[5] Shahnawaz Khan was imprisoned by his son-in-law, Aurangzeb, in the Burhanpur fort in 1658 for not supporting him in the war of succession. Khan, instead of supporting his son-in-law, chose to support Aurangzeb's oldest brother, Crown Prince Dara Shikoh, the heir-apparent chosen by Emperor Shah Jahan. This resulted in a conflict of interests between Aurangzeb and him. Aurangzeb released him seven months later, upon the intercession of his eldest daughter Princess Zeb-un-Nisa and appointed him the viceroy of Gujarat.[6]

Death

Shahnawaz Khan died in battle at Ajmer on 14 March 1659 and was buried in Ajmer Sharif, Rajasthan by the orders of Aurangzeb.[6]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Koch, Ebba. King of the world: the Padshahnama. 1997. Azimuth Ed. 104.
  2. Book: Annie Krieger-Krynicki. Captive princess: Zebunissa, daughter of Emperor Aurangzeb. 2005. Oxford University Press. 1, 84, 92.
  3. Book: Indian Historical Records Commission. Proceedings of the ... Session, Volume 3. 1921. The Commission. 18.
  4. Book: Waldemar, Hansen. The Peacock Throne: The Drama of Mogul India. 1986. Motilal Banarsidass. 124.
  5. Book: Balabanlilar. Lisa. Imperial Identity in the Mughal Empire: Memory and Dynastic Politics in Early Modern South and Central Asia. 2015. I.B.Tauris. 978-0857732460. 186.
  6. Book: Sir Jadunath Sarkar. Anecdotes of Aurangzib. 1925. M.C. Sarkar & Sons. 35.