as
frequently disturbed by open rebellion on the part of the Prince. In
1623 Shah Jahan actually sacked Agra, and his soldiers committed
fearful atrocities on the inhabitants. He failed, however, to capture
the fort, which contained the imperial treasury, and Jahangir,
no doubt remembering his own father's leniency towards himself,
forgave his unruly son.

Jahangir died in 1627, and was buried at Shahdara, near Lahore,
in a magnificent tomb prepared by Nur Mahal. She herself retired to
Lahore, and, though she lived till 1648, ceased to take any part in
state affairs after his death. She was buried by her husband's side
at Shahdara.

Jahangir's connection with Agra.

Jahangir for a great part of his reign held his court at Lahore,
or at Kabul. The chief monuments of his reign at, or near, Agra
are Akbar's tomb at Sikandra (p. 97), and Itmad-ud-daulah's tomb
(p. 85), already mentioned. Part of the Agra Palace, the Jahangiri
Mahal (p. 63), is named after him, though it is most probable that
it was really built in Akbar's reign.

There are a few minor buildings of Jahangir's time in Agra, such as
the baths of Ali Verdi Khan in Chipitollah Street, the mosque of
Motamid Khan in the Kashmiri Bazar, and the tower known after the
name of Boland Khan, the chief eunuch of Jahangir's palace. These
are of purely archaeological interest.

V. Shah Jahan.

Shah Jahan, on his father's death, though only fourth in right of
succession to the throne, speedily disposed of his brothers by means
very commonly adopted in Oriental royal families, and was enthroned at
Agra in 1648. Immediately afterwards he wreaked his vengeance on the
Portuguese, who had taken part against him in his rebellion against
Jahangir, by destroying their settlement at Hughli. The next year,
while on an expedition to suppress disorder in the Deccan, he lost
his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the lady of the Taj. For a long
time the Emperor abandoned himself entirely to grief, and he remained
faithful to her memory until his death.

The actual building of the Taj commenced in 1632. From this date until
1658, when Aurangzib usurped the throne, was the most magnificent
period of the Mogul dynasty. The whole empire enjoyed comparative peace
and prosperity. Shah Jahan's just and liberal government continued his
father's and grandfather's policy of tolerance towards the Hindus, and
his administration, though conducted with great pomp and splendour,
did not pres