Nur Jahan was the only Empress in the history of the Mughal Empire. Reigning as an equal with her husband Jahangir, she was the only woman to issue executive orders, mint coins, or lead an army — and her tiger-hunting skills were legendary. Though she was one of the most influential leaders in 17th century Asia, for centuries her legacy has been reduced to a love story that ends where her real adventure began–at her marriage to Emperor Jahangir. With our guest Dr. Ruby Lal, author of the new book Empress: The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jahan, we discover the incredible life of this enigmatic and influential ruler.

Guest Ruby Lal is Professor of South Asian Studies at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. She holds a D.Phil. in Modern History from the University of Oxford, UK, and an M.Phil in History from the University of Delhi, India. Her narrative history Empress: The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jahan, was published in 2018. Her first two books were Domesticity and Power in the Early Mughal World and Coming of Age in Nineteenth Century India: The Girl-Child and the Art of Playfulness, both from Cambridge University Press. Olivia’s interview with Ruby Lal was recorded on location at the 2018 Jaipur Literature Festival at the Boulder Public Library.

Music featured in this episode provided by Navatman Music Collective, Ashok Pathak, and Vinod Prasanna, Okey Szoke & Pompey.

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