Mariam-uz-Zamani

Who was Mariam-uz-Zamani?

Mariam-uz-Zamani, also known as Heer Kunwari, Hira Kunwari or Harka Bai, was an Empress of the Mughal Empire. She was the first and chief Rajput wife of Emperor Akbar, and the mother of the next Mughal Emperor, Jahangir. She was also the grandmother of the following Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan.

Mariam-Uz-Zamani was referred to as the Queen Mother of Hindustan, during the reign of the Great Mughal, Emperor Akbar. She was the longest serving Hindu Mughal Empress. Her tenure, from 6 February 1562 to 27 October 1605, is that of over 43 years.

Her marriage to Akbar led to a gradual shift in his religious and social policy. Akbar's marriage with Rajkumari Heer Kunwari was a very important event in Mughal history. She is widely regarded in modern Indian historiography as exemplifying Akbar's and the Mughal's tolerance of religious differences and their inclusive policies within an expanding multi-ethnic and multi-denominational empire.