The Mughal Court at Agra

Overview

Shah Jahan moved the capital of the Mughal Empire to Delhi but spent much of the 1630s and 40s in Agra, where his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal had died and where her mausoleum, the Taj Mahal, was being built in inlaid white marble.

Historical Context

The Mughal Empire under Shah Jahan reached extraordinary heights in architecture and the arts, with workshops attracting Persian, Central Asian, and Indian masters. The empire ruled most of the Indian subcontinent.

What to Notice

• White-marble Taj Mahal with scaffolding still in place.
• Courtiers in long robes with patkas and turbans.
• Persian-style gardens with water channels.