Maham Begum was the first recipient of the imperial title Padshah Begum, a formal designation of being the first lady of the Mughal court.
22 Facts About Maham Begum
1.
2.
Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak, the vizier of her grandson Akbar, states that Maham Begum was from a noble family of Khorasan, descendants of the 11th century Sufi mystic Sheikh Ahmad Jami.
3.
Maham Begum mentions that she was a relation of Sultan Husayn Bayqara, the Timurid ruler of Herat.
4.
Gulbadan, Maham Begum's adopted daughter, states that the empress was related to the owners of the New Year's Garden in Kabul, originally constructed by Ulugh Beg II, a paternal uncle of Babur.
5.
Maham Begum was mentioned as "the one who was to Babur" what Aisha was to Muhammad.
6.
Maham Begum played an active role in the political affairs of Babur as well as in the royal household.
7.
Maham Begum had the qualities of extreme intelligence and good looks.
8.
Maham Begum accompanied her husband to Badakhshan and Transoxiana and stood by him through thick and thin.
9.
Maham Begum was the chief lady of the royal household.
10.
Maham Begum herself took her own guardianship of, two Dildar Begum's children, Hindal Mirza and Gulbadan Begum in 1521 and 1523 respectively and Babur's affirmation of it, because four of his five children were dead.
11.
Maham Begum would narrate to him stories connected with her ancestor Shaikh Ahmad Jam and other renowned holy personages of his time.
12.
Maham Begum went on post haste from Aligarh to Agra.
13.
Maham Begum met her near the house of Maham's advance camp.
14.
Maham Begum wished to alight, but he would not wait, and fell into her train and walked to his own house.
15.
Nine troopers with two sets of nine horses and the two extra litters which the Emperor had sent, and one litter which had been brought from Kabul, and about a hundred of Maham Begum's servants mounted on fine horses.
16.
Maham Begum was the chief queen and the only one, privileged to sit by the side of Babur on the throne of Mughal Empire.
17.
Maham Begum was powerful, moody and spoil and it seems Babur denied her nothing.
18.
Maham Begum gave this from her own estate during the two and a half years.
19.
Maham Begum continued to be Padshah Begum and participated in the affairs of the imperial household organization of social functions and the maintenance of her husband's tomb, until her death.
20.
Maham Begum gave special robes of honour to 7,000 persons.
21.
Maham Begum seems to have been buried alongside the grave of Babur.
22.
Maham Begum was portrayed by Sahher Bambba in the Hotstar web series The Empire released on 27 August 2021.