Jahangir was born in 1569, the son of Akbar, King of the Mughal Empire of northern India. In 1605, Jahangir inherited the throne, and he married the beautiful and accomplished Nur Jahan in 1611.

During his early life, when he was called Prince Salim, he was uninvolved in the government, overshadowed by his powerful father and his court. As king, he let his wife and her relatives dominate domestic politics, while he focused on his art collection and scientific studies. He especially enjoyed talking with western diplomats and merchant visitors to the court.

Though history often calls him a self-indulgent and weak king, addicted to opium and a heavy drinker, the arts and sciences flourished under his patronage. He was an excellent naturalist who wrote descriptions of the habits of many wild animals and birds, and also an astronomer, studying eclipses and comets. Nur Jahan was his beloved companion as well as his queen.

During Jahangir's reign the Mughal Empire continuted to expand into Bengal, Ahmadnagar, and Mewar.

Shah Jahan, his son, became king after Jahangir's death in 1627; he married Nur Jahan's niece Mumtaz Mahal.

Jahangir wrote and published his memoirs. In them, he tells the story of his life, his feelings about art, philosophy, and poetry -- he includes poems by literary members of his harem.

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