Latest / The Hidden History of Bengal: Kingdoms, Empires, and Revolution — Fexingo History / Mughal Empress Who Ruled Bengal: Roshanara Begum's Lost Legacy
Transcript
- Lucas: You know, we've talked a lot about the men who ruled Bengal — the nawabs, the Mughal governors, the rebel lords. But there's one ruler we've barely mentioned, and she was a woman. A Mughal princess who actually governed Bengal for a couple of years in the mid-17th century. Luna: A princess? Like, an actual governor? Lucas: Exactly. Her name was Roshanara Begum, and she was the second daughter of Emperor Shah Jahan. You know, the guy who built the Taj Mahal. While her older sister Jahanara is more famous — she was the official 'Empress of the Empire' after their mother Mumtaz Mahal died — Roshanara was no less ambitious. In fact, she served as the subahdar, the governor, of the Bengal Subah from 1649 to 1651. That's a huge deal, because Bengal was the richest province in the Mughal Empire at the time. Luna: Wait, I thought women weren't allowed to hold official positions in the Mughal court. Lucas: That's what makes this so interesting. Officially, the Mughal administration was all male, but royal women often wielded enormous behind the scenes power. Roshanara was different — she was given a formal appointment. Shah Jahan appointed her as the governor of Bengal, which meant she was responsible for the entire province, including tax collection, military oversight, and trade. She even had her own seal. Of course, she didn't travel to Bengal herself; she stayed in the imperial court and administered through deputies. But still, the authority was hers. Luna: So she was like a remote CEO of Bengal. Lucas: Exactly. And she was only in her early twenties at the time. But here's the thing — her tenure coincided with a period of relative stability in Bengal. The Mughals had largely crushed the Baro-Bhuiyans, the twelve zamindars who had resisted them, and Portuguese piracy was being reined in. So her job was mostly about maintaining revenue flows and keeping the peace. But she also patronized architecture. She built the Roshanara Bagh in Delhi, a famous garden that still exists today, though she never set foot in Bengal itself. Lucas: And now, a quick honest thing — if you've been stepping into history with us episode by episode, you might be wondering how we keep making these without ads or sponsors. Well, a handful of listeners chip in monthly through buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo, and that's literally what funds making this many of these episodes. It's a small group, but it keeps the show going. Luna: Yeah, and we really appreciate that. It means we can dig into stories like this without any commercial breaks. Lucas: Right. So back to Roshanara. Her time as governor was cut short in 1651, when she was replaced — probably because her brother Aurangzeb, who was then governor of the Deccan, wanted to consolidate power. But she remained a key player in court politics. When Shah Jahan fell ill in 1657, a succession war broke out between his four sons. Dara Shikoh, the eldest, was the heir apparent, but Aurangzeb was ambitious. Roshanara sided with Aurangzeb, while Jahanara supported Dara. That split the sisters permanently. Luna: So the sisters were on opposite sides. That must have been tense. Lucas: Incredibly tense. Jahanara was the more beloved and powerful sister, but Roshanara was cunning. She acted as a spy for Aurangzeb, sending him intelligence from the harem about their father's condition and Dara's plans. When Aurangzeb defeated Dara at the Battle of Samugarh in 1658, Roshanara was instrumental in securing the palace for him. She even helped him imprison Shah Jahan in the Agra Fort. As a reward, Aurangzeb gave her control of the imperial treasury and a huge annual stipend. Luna: She basically helped her brother seize the throne. Lucas: Exactly. And for a while, she was the most powerful woman in the empire. But her influence eventually waned. By the 1660s, she fell out of favor — some say because she got involved in a conspiracy to overthrow Aurangzeb. Others say she was simply too ambitious. She was placed under house arrest in the Roshanara Bagh, where she died in 1671, possibly poisoned. But her brief rule over Bengal is a fascinating footnote — a moment when a Mughal princess officially held the reins of the empire's richest province. Luna: And what about her connection to the Portuguese in Bengal? You mentioned them earlier. Lucas: Right. During her tenure, the Portuguese presence in Hooghly was still a factor. The Mughals had expelled them from Porto Grande de Hugli in 1632, but they still had trading posts and settlements along the river. Roshanara had to manage relations with them, balancing trade benefits with security concerns. She also dealt with the aftermath of the 1632 siege, which we covered in episode 87. Her policies were pragmatic — she allowed Portuguese merchants to continue operating under strict Mughal supervision, which kept the revenue flowing. Luna: It's amazing that we have so little record of her rule, given how important Bengal was. Lucas: Part of the reason is that Mughal chroniclers often downplayed the roles of women, even princesses. Most of what we know comes from European traveler accounts and a few Persian court histories. For example, the French traveler François Bernier mentioned Roshanara but focused more on Jahanara. Still, her name appears in official records from Dhaka — she had a representative there, and her orders were carried out. So she wasn't just a figurehead. Luna: I wonder if she ever wanted to visit Bengal herself. Lucas: Probably not. Royal Mughal women rarely left the harem, and traveling to Bengal would have been a massive undertaking — weeks by river and road, through dangerous terrain. But she did commission buildings in Bengal. There's a mosque in Dhaka called the Roshanara Mosque, though it's debated whether she actually ordered it. Still, the name suggests a connection. And her brother Shah Shuja, who was the governor of Bengal before and after her, built extensively in Rajmahal and Dhaka. So the family had a footprint there. Luna: Wait, Shah Shuja was the governor of Bengal? That's the same Shah Shuja who rebelled against Aurangzeb, right? Lucas: Yes, exactly. Shah Shuja was Shah Jahan's second son, and he governed Bengal from 1639 to 1660, with a brief interruption when Roshanara took over. He was a capable administrator but also ambitious. During the succession war, he declared himself emperor and marched on Agra, but Aurangzeb defeated him. Shuja retreated to Bengal, raised another army, and was finally crushed at the Battle of Khajwa in 1659. He fled to Arakan, in present-day Myanmar, where he was killed or died in exile. So Bengal was a key battleground in the Mughal civil war. Luna: So Roshanara's governorship happened right in the middle of that — between Shuja's two stints. Lucas: Exactly. She governed from 1649 to 1651, then Shuja came back. That's why her tenure was so short — Shuja was the rightful heir to the Bengal subah, and Shah Jahan probably just gave her a temporary appointment to keep the province under imperial control. But it still shows that the emperor trusted her with real power, which was unusual for a woman at the time. Luna: Did she have any rivals among other women in the court? Lucas: Her biggest rival was her own sister, Jahanara. Jahanara was the elder, more beloved daughter — she was given the title 'Empress of the Empire' and served as Shah Jahan's closest confidante after Mumtaz's death. She was also a patron of the arts and wrote poetry. Roshanara was more political and maybe more ruthless. The two sisters clashed over influence, and their rivalry mirrored the conflict between Dara and Aurangzeb. When Aurangzeb won, Roshanara won, and Jahanara was sidelined. But ultimately, both women lost — Jahanara died in obscurity, and Roshanara died under house arrest. Luna: That's a tragic end for someone who helped Aurangzeb become emperor. Lucas: It is. But it also shows how precarious power was for women in the Mughal court, even princesses. Roshanara played the game and won for a while, but eventually, she became a threat. Aurangzeb was paranoid about anyone who might challenge him, and his sister was no exception. Still, her legacy as the only Mughal princess to officially govern a province is unique. She wasn't just a figurehead — she made decisions, signed documents, and shaped policy in Bengal for two years. That's more than most Mughal women ever achieved. Luna: I'd love to know more about what those policies were. Did she change anything significant in Bengal? Lucas: Unfortunately, the records are sparse. We know she confirmed land grants to temples and mosques, which was standard practice. She also maintained the revenue system that the Mughals had set up. One interesting detail: she appointed a Hindu zamindar, Raja Sitaram Ray, to a high post in Bengal, which suggests she was pragmatic about religion. But beyond that, her administration was largely a continuation of Shuja's policies. The real story is the symbolic importance of a woman holding that title. Luna: It makes me wonder how many other women in history had similar roles but were written out. Lucas: That's a great point. The Mughal Empire had several powerful women — Nur Jahan, Mumtaz Mahal, Jahanara — but they were usually consorts or daughters, not governors. Roshanara is an exception that proves the rule. And even she is mostly forgotten. The Roshanara Bagh in Delhi is now a public park, but most visitors don't know who it's named after. So in a way, this episode is about reclaiming her story. Luna: I'm glad we did. She deserves to be remembered. Lucas: Absolutely. And her story connects to so many threads we've explored in previous episodes — the Mughal conquest of Bengal, the Portuguese presence, the role of the zamindars, and the civil wars that shaped the region. She's a reminder that history isn't just about kings and battles; it's also about the people who worked behind the scenes, including women who wielded power in unexpected ways. Luna: So what happened to Bengal after Roshanara's governorship ended? Lucas: Shah Shuja returned as governor and ruled for another decade until his rebellion. After his defeat, Aurangzeb appointed a series of loyal governors, and Bengal remained firmly under Mughal control for the next century. The province grew even richer, becoming the center of the muslin trade and a hub for European companies. But the seeds of decline were also sown — excessive taxation, corruption, and the growing power of the zamindars. By the 18th century, Bengal was ripe for the taking by the British. But that's a story for another episode. Luna: We'll have to do that one soon. But for now, this was a great look at a forgotten figure. Lucas: Thanks, Luna. And if you want to support more deep dives like this, you know where to find us — buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Every little bit helps us keep the show ad-free and focused on stories that matter. Luna: Until next time, keep exploring history with us.