Daughters of the Sun by IRA MUKHOTY [Hardcover]

Daughters of the Sun unveils the influential yet often overlooked lives of the women in the Mughal empire, from its foundation by Babur in 1526 to its zenith in the seventeenth century. These women, including wives, daughters, and foster mothers, wielded significant power behind the scenes and occasionally on the frontlines. Not confined to the zenana, Mughal women like Khanzada Begum, Gulbadan Begum, Noor Jahan, and Jahanara Begum undertook diplomatic missions, commissioned monuments, traded, governed, and even minted coins in their names.

The book brings these exceptional women to life, showcasing Khanzada’s resilience in journeying on horseback for diplomacy, Gulbadan’s unique chronicle of Mughal court life, and Noor Jahan’s rise to co-sovereign power alongside Jahangir. Through these stories, Daughters of the Sun provides the first dedicated chronicle of the Mughal women who helped shape the empire’s legacy, presenting a vibrant and historically rich portrait of the dynasty’s matriarchs, visionaries, and strategists.