Hushang Mirza or Hoshang Mirza ( fa, هوشنگ میرزا; March 16042February 1628) was a Mughal prince and grandson of the third
Mughal emperor
The Mughal emperors ( fa, , Pādishāhān) were the supreme heads of state of the Mughal Empire on the Indian subcontinent, mainly corresponding to the modern countries of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The Mughal rulers styled t ...
,
Akbar
Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar (25 October 1542 – 27 October 1605), popularly known as Akbar the Great ( fa, ), and also as Akbar I (), was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Hum ...
. He was the youngest son of
Daniyal Mirza
Shahzada Daniyal Mirza (11 September 1572 – 19 March 1605) was an Imperial Prince of the Mughal Empire who served as the Viceroy of the Deccan. He was the third son of Emperor Akbar and the brother of Emperor Jahangir.
Daniyal was Akbar's ...
and nephew of the fourthMughal emperor,
Jahangir
Nur-ud-Din Muhammad Salim (30 August 1569 – 28 October 1627), known by his imperial name Jahangir (; ), was the fourth Mughal Emperor, who ruled from 1605 until he died in 1627. He was named after the Indian Sufi saint, Salim Chishti.
Ear ...
.
Birth and early years
Born at the beginning of 1012
AH or March 1604
CE, he was given the name Farhang Hushang by his paternal grandfather,
Akbar
Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar (25 October 1542 – 27 October 1605), popularly known as Akbar the Great ( fa, ), and also as Akbar I (), was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Hum ...
. He was the youngest son of
Daniyal Mirza
Shahzada Daniyal Mirza (11 September 1572 – 19 March 1605) was an Imperial Prince of the Mughal Empire who served as the Viceroy of the Deccan. He was the third son of Emperor Akbar and the brother of Emperor Jahangir.
Daniyal was Akbar's ...
and one of twochildren borne by his
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
wife, an
Ujjainiya
The Ujjainiya Parmār (also spelled as Ujjaini or simply Ujjainiya) are a Rajput clan that inhabits the state of Bihar.
They are considered to have played a prominent role in the political history of medieval Bihar with many of their strongholds ...
Paramara
The Paramara dynasty (IAST: Paramāra) was an Indian dynasty that ruled Malwa and surrounding areas in west-central India between 9th and 14th centuries. They belonged to the Parmara clan of the Rajputs.
The dynasty was established in either th ...
princess of
Bhojpur (the other child being a daughter, Mahi Banu Begum).
Though the exact circumstances of his parents' marriage are not recorded, it is known that his maternal grandfather,
Raja
''Raja'' (; from , IAST ') is a royal title used for South Asian monarchs. The title is equivalent to king or princely ruler in South Asia and Southeast Asia.
The title has a long history in South Asia and Southeast Asia, being attested f ...
Dalpat
Ujjainia, had rebelled against Mughal authority in 1599. Daniyal Mirza, who at this point was the
Subahdar
Subahdar, also known as Nazim or in English as a "Subah", was one of the designations of a governor of a Subah (province) during the Khalji dynasty of Bengal, Mamluk dynasty (Delhi), Khalji dynasty, Tughlaq dynasty, Mughal era ( of India who w ...
of
Allahabad
Allahabad (), officially known as Prayagraj, also known as Ilahabad, is a metropolis in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.The other five cities were: Agra, Kanpur (Cawnpore), Lucknow, Meerut, and Varanasi (Benares). It is the administrat ...
, was dispatched to neutralise the rebellion. On the prince's arrival however, Dalpat quickly submitted and offered a tribute of elephants. It is believed that it was at this point that the Raja also gave his daughter in marriage to Daniyal. Dalpat however, was killed a few years later, supposedly on the orders of the then Prince Selim (who later became the Emperor
Jahangir
Nur-ud-Din Muhammad Salim (30 August 1569 – 28 October 1627), known by his imperial name Jahangir (; ), was the fourth Mughal Emperor, who ruled from 1605 until he died in 1627. He was named after the Indian Sufi saint, Salim Chishti.
Ear ...
) as retribution for the death of a Mughal officer during his brief revolt.
Daniyal Mirza died of
delirium tremens
Delirium tremens (DTs) is a rapid onset of confusion usually caused by withdrawal from alcohol. When it occurs, it is often three days into the withdrawal symptoms and lasts for two to three days. Physical effects may include shaking, shiver ...
a little over a year after Hushang's birth, in April 1605, whilst acting as Subahdar of
the Deccan. Akbar, who was deeply affected by his youngest son's death, himself passed away in October of that year. Daniyal's family appears to have remained in his viceregal capital of
Burhanpur
Burhanpur'' is a historical city in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the administrative seat of Burhanpur District. It is situated on the north bank of the Tapti River and northeast of city of Mumbai, southwest of the state's capi ...
following his death, as it was from here in 1606 that they were escorted to the Mughal court by
Jahangir's physician, Muqarrab Khan. Jahangir recorded the arrival of his brother's children in his autobiography, the ''
Tuzk-e-Jahangiri
''Tuzuk-e-Jahangiri'' or ''Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri'' ( fa, ) or Jahangir-nama ( fa, ) is the autobiography of Mughal Emperor Jahangir (1569–1627). Also referred to as ''Jahangirnama'', the ''Tuzk-e-Jahangiri'' is written in Persian, and follows the ...
:''
Conversion to Christianity
By the start of Jahangir's reign,
Jesuit
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
missionaries had been present in India for several decades. Gradual progress had been made in their spreading of
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
, to the point where there were small but ardent communities of converts in
Agra
Agra (, ) is a city on the banks of the Yamuna river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, about south-east of the national capital New Delhi and 330 km west of the state capital Lucknow. With a population of roughly 1.6 million, Agra is ...
and
Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
. There were even hopes that Jahangir himself might be converted, given that he had seemed friendlier to the missionaries than his father had been.
In July 1610, Jahangir summoned twoJesuit priests, Fathers
Jerome Xavier and Emmanuel Pinheiro, to his court in Agra. There, before an assembly of his nobles, Jahangir entrusted Hushang and his twobrothers to the Jesuits to be
baptised
Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost inv ...
and raised as Christians. The priests were reportedly overjoyed, falling to their knees and kissing the emperor's feet.
Sir William Hawkins
Sir William Hawkins (fl. c. 1600) was a representative of the East India Company, English East India Company notable for being the commander of ''Hector'', the first company ship to anchor at Surat in India on 24 August 1608. Hawkins travelled to ...
, a representative of the
East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
present at court, believed that Jahangir had only permitted the conversion to mitigate any support his nephews would have had among the
Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
nobles, which would have otherwise complicated his own progeny's succession to the throne. Alternatively,
James I's ambassador to India,
Sir Thomas Roe
Sir Thomas Roe ( 1581 – 6 November 1644) was an English diplomat of the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods. Roe's voyages ranged from Central America to India; as ambassador, he represented England in the Mughal Empire, the Ottoman Empire ...
, claimed that they were done so that Jahangir would in turn be able to claim a
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
wife.
Nevertheless, after threemonths of preparation the princes were declared ready for baptism.
[ Hushang, his elder brothers Tahmuras and Baysunghar, along with a fourthprince, a grandson of Akbar's brother ]Mirza Muhammad Hakim
Shahzada Mirza Muhammad Hakim (29 April 1553 – 10 October 1585), sometimes known simply as Mirza Hakim, was the third son of the Mughal emperor Humayun. He ruled Kabul in Afghanistan, and often conflicted with his elder brother, Emperor Akbar. ...
, went in a glittering procession through Agra, led by the Christians of the city from the fort
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
to Akbar's Church
Akbar's Church also known as ''Church of Akbar'' is a Roman Catholic Church, built in 1600 by Jesuit Fathers, situated in Agra, India.
History
Jesuit priests were invited by Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great from Portuguese Goa to learn more a ...
. The princes rode on lavishly caparisoned elephants, dressed as Portuguese nobles with gold crosses hung around their necks. The church bells rang as they entered, holding candles and walking through clouds of frankincense. They repeated the vows of baptism said by the priest in Persian and had baptismal water sprinkled over their heads.[ Finally they were given Portuguese names, with Hushang being renamed ]Don
Don, don or DON and variants may refer to:
Places
*County Donegal, Ireland, Chapman code DON
*Don (river), a river in European Russia
*Don River (disambiguation), several other rivers with the name
*Don, Benin, a town in Benin
*Don, Dang, a vill ...
Henrico. Tahmuras, Baysunghar and the fourth prince were given the names Don Philippe, Don Carlo and Don Duarte, respectively.[
However, these conversions were only temporary. Fouryears later (presumably after Jahangir's succession fears were alleviated) the princes were returned to the Muslim fold, with the Jesuits bitterly remarking that they had "rejected the light and returned to their vomit".][
]
Under Shah Jahan's custody and marriage
In 1620, Hushang and his brother, Tahmuras, alongside Jahangir's blinded eldest son, Khusrau were committed to the charge of their cousin, Shah Jahan
Shihab-ud-Din Muhammad Khurram (5 January 1592 – 22 January 1666), better known by his regnal name Shah Jahan I (; ), was the fifth emperor of the Mughal Empire, reigning from January 1628 until July 1658. Under his emperorship, the Mugha ...
. However, in 1625 Hushang escaped Shah Jahan's custody while the latter prince was distracted by his rebellion against the emperor. Whilst Shah Jahan and his ally Malik Ambar
Malik Ambar (1548 – 13 May 1626) was a Siddi military leader and prime minister who became a kingmaker and de facto ruler of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate in the Deccan region of India.
Born in the Adal Sultunate, in present-day Ethiopia, Malik ...
were lifting a failed siege of Burhanpur, Hushang absconded to Rao Rattan of Bundi
Bundi is a city in the Hadoti region of Rajasthan state in northwest India and capital of the former princely state of Rajputana agency. District of Bundi is named after the former princely state.
Demographics
According to the 2011 Indian cens ...
, before making his way to his uncle's court at Lahore.
Here Hushang, along with Tahmuras (who had arrived in similar circumstances) paid homage to Jahangir, who welcomed both and enrolled them into his household. Further to this, Jahangir honoured them by marrying each of the brothers to a Mughal princess, with Tahmuras marrying Jahangir's daughter, Bahar Banu Begum
Bahar Banu Begum ( fa, بهار بانو بیگم; 9 October 1590 - 8 September 1653), meaning "The Blooming Lady", was a Mughal princess, the daughter of Mughal emperor Jahangir.
Birth
Bahar Banu Begum was born on 9 October 1590, during the rei ...
and Hushang, his granddaughter, Hoshmand Banu Begum.[
]
War of succession and execution
Jahangir died of illness in October 1627. His chief consort Nur Jahan
Nur Jahan, born Mehr-un-Nissa P ersian: نورجهان (; – 18 December 1645) was the wife and chief consort of the Mughal emperor Jahangir from 1620 until his death in 1627.
Nur Jahan was born Mehr-un-Nissa, as the daughter of a Mirza Ghi ...
immediately sent word to her favoured successor to the throne, Jahangir's youngest son (as well as her son-in-law), Shahryar Mirza
Salef-ud-din Muhammad Shahryar (6 January 1605 – 23 January 1628), better known as Shahryar Mirza , was the fifth and youngest son of the Mughal emperor Jahangir. After Jahangir's death, Shahryar made an attempt to become emperor, supported b ...
. Shahryar proclaimed himself emperor at Lahore and seized the cities provincial treasury, distributing it to the army and nobility in order to gain their allegiance. Hushang, along with his brothers Tahmuras and Baysunghar all proclaimed their support of the prince, with Baysunghar being appointed Shahryar's '' Sultan Sipah Salar'' (commander-in-chief).
At the same time Asaf Khan, Nur Jahan's brother and father-in-law to Shah Jahan, sent word to the latter (who was still in the Deccan) of the emperor's death. To safeguard Shah Jahan's succession while he was making his way back from the Deccan, Asaf Khan named Dawar Bakhsh
Dawar Bakhsh ( fa, داور بخش; died 23 January 1628), which means "God Given", was the ruler of the Mughal Empire for a short time between 1627–1628, immediately after the death of his grandfather Jahangir (r. 1605–1627).
Dawar was the ...
, son of the late Khusrau Mirza
Khusrau Mirza (16 August 1587 – 26 January 1622) was the eldest son of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir and his first wife, Shah Begum.
He was beloved of his grandfather, Mughal Emperor Akbar and his grandmother, Mariam-uz-Zamani. The young ...
and brother-in-law to Hushang, as a stop-gap emperor. As Asaf Khan led his armies towards Lahore, Shahryar sent his troops under the command of Baysunghar across the Ravi River
The Ravi River () is a transboundary river crossing northwestern India and eastern Pakistan. It is one of five rivers associated with the Punjab region.
Under the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, the waters of the Ravi and two other rivers were ...
to meet them. However, Baysunghar's soldiers were unable to oppose them and were defeated after a single charge. Shahryar retreated to the citadel of Lahore, but was betrayed by his own men and brought before Dawar Bakhsh to do homage, before being blinded soon after. When Shah Jahan received word of the events at Lahore, he sent a command to Asaf Khan that his royal captives be executed:
Shah Jahan sent an assassin named Raz Bahadur to carry out the executions. Hushang, Tahmuras, Shahriyar, Dawar and Dawar's younger brother Garshasp were beheaded on the night of the 2February 1628 (Baysunghar's final fate was not mentioned). The heads were afterwards brought to Shah Jahan in Agra.
Ancestry
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mirza, Hushang
1604 births
1628 deaths
Mughal princes
Converts to Islam from Christianity
Executed Indian people
People from Burhanpur district
Converts to Roman Catholicism from Islam
People executed by the Mughal Empire