History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v3.c37.s6: §6. Princess Raushanara.
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v3.c37.s6
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§6. Princess Raushanara.
v3.c37.s6.1
Her younger sister, Raushanara Begam,* had been the warm partisan of Aurangzib during the War of Succession, and had ably intrigued from within the harem at Agra to checkmate his rivals. The day of Aurangzib's triumph was naturally the day of Raushanara's exaltation. At his grand coronation (June 1659) she was presented with five lakhs of Rupees,—a larger sum than his gift to any of his daughters,—and she continued to enjoy her brother's favour, and exercise control over his children and wives, till the return of her elder sister to Court on their father's death. Thereafter we hear nothing more about Raushanara, and she evidently fell to the background, dying on 11th September, 1671, at the age of fifty-six.
v3.c37.s6.2
During the critical stage of Aurangzib's illness (May 1662) Raushanara is said to have misused the royal privy seal in her keeping, to get together a party of nobles in favour of the succession of the boy prince Azam, and thus contributed to the public alarm. As Manucci writes, "Meanwhile it was terrible to see the city of Delhi in such confusion...Raushanara Begam was the causer of all this uproar. She allowed no one to see the sick Aurangzib, except one eunuch belonging to her faction.'' On his recovery, Aurangzib ''was much annoyed at her having written letters to the viceroys, governors and generals in order to gain them over to serve Sultan Azam and at her having sealed them with the royal seal...Raushanara lost much of the love that Aurangzib had borne her, he being now angered at her behaviour.'' (*Storia*, ii. 54-55, 59-60).
v3.c37.s6.3
∗ *Storia*, ii. 54-60 (usurps authority during Aurangzib's illness; echoed by Bernier, 123-125); *A. N.* 368 (rewarded by Aurangzib); character in Bernier 132, *Storia*, ii. 35, 189-190.
v3.c37.s6.4
The scandalous gossip reported about her by Manucci (ii. 189) on the veracious testimony of a Portuguese half-breed slave woman of the palace and his story that Aurangzib, angered at her profligacy, shortened her life by poison and that she died ''swollen out like a hogshead,'' are unsupported by sober history and may have been examples of the young Italian's credulity. The official history gives her a good character :—''She had noble qualities and admirable traits, and greatly loved her brother (the Emperor). He gave away large sums in charity for the benefit of her soul and showed kindness to her servants.'' (*M.A.*, 110.)
v3.c37.s6.5
The other sisters of Aurangzib had no influence on history, but lived quietly in the palace enjoying their pensions.
v3.c37.s6.6
Aurangzib made a number of matrimonial connections* between his family and those of his unhappy brothers. We have seen how his eldest son Muhammad Sultan had been married to Shuja's daughter Gulrukh Banu in 1659, and to Murad Bakhsh's daughter Dostdar Banu in 1672. Of his other sons, Muhammad Azam was wedded to Dara's daughter Jahanzeb Banu in 1669, and Muhammad Akbar to Sulaiman Shukoh's daughter, Salima Banu, in 1672. Two of the Emperor's daughters, Mihr-un-nisa and Zubdat-un-nisa, were married to Izad Bakhsh and Sipihr Shukoh, the sons of Murad and Dara respectively (in 1672 and 1673), while later in the reign two daughters of the fugitive Akbar were married to two sons of Shah Alam (1695). Thus in the third generation from Aurangzib his blood became inextricably mingled with the blood of his murdered brothers.
v3.c37.s6.7
∗ Marriages. *M. A.* 124 (Sultan). 77 (Azam). 119 (Akbar). 120 and 125 (Mihr and Zubdat). 372 (sons of Shah Alam).