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India: A miniature painting (c. 1650 CE) of Shah Jahan the Magnificent and two of his sons watching from windows as elephants battle in the courtyard of the Red Fort in Delhi.

India: A miniature painting (c. 1650 CE) of Shah Jahan the Magnificent and two of his sons watching from windows as elephants battle in the courtyard of the Red Fort in Delhi.

Shahab-ud-din Muhammad Khurram Shah Jahan I (1592–1666) was the emperor of the Mughal Empire in India from 1628 until 1658. The name Shah Jahan comes from Persian meaning ‘king of the world’. He was the fifth Mughal ruler after Babur, Humayun, Akbar and Jahangir. While young, he was a favourite of his legendary grandfather Akbar the Great. Even while very young, he was pointed out to be the successor to the Mughal throne after the death of Emperor Jahangir. He succeeded to the throne upon his father's death in 1627 and is considered to be one of the greatest Mughals. His reign has been called the Golden Age of Mughals. Like Akbar, he was eager to expand his empire. In 1658 he fell ill, and was confined by his son Emperor Aurangzeb in the citadel of Agra until his death in 1666.

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