Shah Jahan was a member of the Mughal dynasty that most of northern India from the early 16th to the mid 18th century.After the deadth of his father,King Jahangir,in 1627,Shah Jahan emerged the victor of a bitter power struggle with his brothers,and crowned himself emperor at Agra in 1628.
At his side was Arjumand Banu Begum,better known as Mumtaz Mahal("chosen One of the palace"),whom he married in 1612 and cherished as the favourite of his three queens.
In 1631,Mumtaz Mahal died after giving birth tp the couples 14th child.The grieving Shah Jahan,known for commissioning a number of impressive structures throughout the building of a magnificent mausoleum across the Yamuna river from his own royal palace at agra.
Construction began around 1632 and would continue for the next two decades.The cheif architect was probably Ustad Ahmad Lahouri, an indian of Persian descent who would later be credited with designing the red Fort at Delhi.
In all,more than 20,000 workers from india,Persia,Europe and the Ottoman Empire, along with some 1000 elephants, were brought in to build the mausoleum complex.
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