Friday, August 21, 2026

Why did Jodha Bai marry Akbar?


Maryam Uz Zamani Begum

The painting is AI generated and inspired by the original painting of Arif un Nissa Begum, one of the lesser known Wives of Akbar. This painting is not an original Mughal painting of Maryam Zamani Begum.

Jodha Bai was not a wife of any Mughal Emperor having the title of Akbar. Jodha Bai is a fictional woman made by James Tod as he confused Jagat Gosain (Jodh Bibi) , Princess of Jodhpur with mother of Jahangir when Jagat Gosain was actually wife of Jahangir.

Her original name is unknown and alleged to be either Harka Bai or Hira Kunwar.

Harka Bai (allegedly her name before her marriage)

Harka Bai was unwillingly offered to Akbar in a peace alliance in which Raja Bharmal enters service of Mughals and Abul Fazl praises Raja and his daughter as devoted. He calls the daughter of Bharmal as intellectual and chaste woman, the qualities Rajput royalty naturally possessed i.e. morality, good character, courage and devotion towards family.

Maryam Uz Zamani Begum

After their marriage, she was given many titles like Wali Nimat Begum, Malika-i-Hindustan and Maryam Uz Zamani Begum. She is recorded to have three children, Hasan and Hussain (unfortunately died in infancy) and Salim who later inherited the throne and adopted the title of Jahangir. After her marriage she was known in the Empire with her new name Maryam Uz Zamani Begum given by her husband just like Hamida Banu Begum was given the title of Maryam Makani.

Enhanced version of Mughal miniature of Maryam resting after giving birth to Salim

Maryam Uz Zamani Begum was involved in trading and she owned ships and earned her own money. She wasn't Padishah Begum but had power to issue some farmans but in limits (unlike Nur Jahan who had unlimited power till Khurram consolidated his position).

Jodha Bai didn't exist in Akbar’s life, if indeed a woman who was called Jodha as corruption of Yoddha or a woman belonging from Jodhpur, it's not mentioned anywhere in the available sources.

The only woman who is shown with a sword who was wife of Akbar is Arif un Nisa Begum. The identity of Arif un Nisa Begum remains ambiguous because in literary sources Maryam Uz Zamani Begum didn't hold this title.