Sahib Jamal | |
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The tomb of Sahib Jamal in Lahore
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Died |
c. 25 June 1599 Lahore, Pakistan |
Burial | Tomb of Sahib Jamal, Lahore |
Spouse | Jahangir (pre-accession) |
Issue | Sultan Parviz Mirza |
House | Timurid (by marriage) |
Father | Khwaja Hasan |
Religion | Islam |
Sahib Jamal (Persian: صاحب جمال; died c. 25 June 1599) was the third wife of Prince Salim Mirza, the future Mughal emperor Jahangir. She was the mother of Salim's second son, Prince Parviz.
Sahib Jamal was of Turkish origin and was the daughter of a respected Muslim religious personality, Khwaja Hasan of Herat, making her the cousin of Zain Khan Koka, who was a leading official in the Mugal Empire under Akbar, including serving for a time as governor of Kabul. Her father, Khwaja Hasan, was known widely for his scholarship and studies in the techniques of warfare. Akbar held him in high esteem, and often discussed with him the spiritual problems that often agitated his mind.
Sahib Jamal was a beautiful, highly cultured and well educated woman, who was fully conversant with the rules and etiquettes of the palace.
Salim had fallen in love with her and they got married on 3 November 1586 in a lavish and grand marriage ceremony. Upon her marriage, she was given the title "Sahib Jamal", which literally means ("Paragon of Beauty") or ("Mistress of Beauty") which was chosen by Akbar himself, by which name she came to be styled thereafter. A few months earlier in June 1586, Salim had also married (as his second wife) Princess Jagat Gosaini in what was a marriage of political alliance.
Sahib Jamal bore her husband three children: his second son, Sultan Parviz Mirza, as well as a daughter, who died in infancy.
Sahib Jamal died c. 25 June 1599 in Lahore, present-day Pakistan, and was also buried there. Construction of her tomb dates to either 1599 C.E. or 1615 C.E.
There is a popular misconception that the Tomb of Sahib Jamal in Lahore is the tomb of the legendary dancing girl Anarkali. As per the legend, the tomb was said to be built by the Mughal emperor Jahangir for his love Anarkali, who was caught by Emperor Akbar for exchanging glances with Jahangir, at the time known as Prince Salim. Anarkali was reportedly a concubine of Akbar, and this action reportedly enraged Akbar so much, that he had Anarkali interred alive in a wall. When Prince Salim ascended the throne and took the name "Jahangir," he is reported to have ordered the construction of a tomb over the site of the wall in which Anarkali was reportedly buried.