The unseen rulers: Exploring the political power of women in the Mughal dynasty

Abstract

The Mughal Age was marked by many distinctive features and developments in almost all fields of art, architecture, learning, economy, and polity. Being the country's first ruling elite, the Mughals ruled over almost all of India. Still, women's contributions to this empire have remained unnoticed, particularly in politics. Despite being frequently restricted to the harem's private quarters, royal ladies in the Mughal court were more than supporting characters. Instead, many of these women held significant political authority, influencing foreign policy, governance, and the internal affairs of the empire. By interrogating the conventional view of women as mere ornaments and emphasizing their substantial influence on imperial politics, this article intends to investigate the sometimes-overlooked political influence of royal ladies in the Mughal Empire.