Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c5.s2.t1.11

c5.s2.t1.11

2. *Haram.*—The Sultans (as also the Hindu Rajas), on the whole, were extremely sensual. Women and concubines, as far as we can gather, occupied much of their time; some of them even maintained a regular department for the supply of choice beauties, without being very much satisfied in their sexual appetite.³ The monarchs, both Hindu and Muslim, had one chief queen whose children succeeded to the throne, or rather, to put it more correctly, had a prior right where a peaceful and undisputed succession was possible. She had other considerable privileges besides, for instance, the right of guardianship of a minor son who succeeded to the throne.¹ There was no fixed rule of choice among other queens, mistresses or concubines.² It is difficult to decide exactly how far female honour was safe from the approaches and the encroachments of a monarch within his kingdom. We might say on the whole that the Sultans considered it better policy not to offend delicate sentiments of the Hindu masses. All this, however, depended on the personal views of the monarch, for in cases of misbehaviour on the part of the monarch, there were no means of redress.³ The case of the women of a deposed monarch was on a different footing. The victor had a perfectly valid right of marrying the wives of the deposed Sultan, and there are records of such marriages against the express wishes of the wife or mistress in question.⁴ The Hindu Rajas probably followed the old and cherished traditions of paternal monarchs, though this can by no means be laid down as a rule of general application.⁵