Ruby Lal - Empress: The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jahan — in conversation with Sarada Peri
Perhaps the most powerful woman in Muslim history, Nur Jahan (1577-1645), was the twentieth wife of Jahangir, the fourth Mughal emperor. A strong, fearless, and smart woman who was a noted hunter, accomplished architect, and canny diplomat, Nur Jahan didn’t just support her husband, but actively ruled along with him and even acted for him when he was indisposed. Many historians believe she was more decisive than her husband and consider her to have been the power behind the throne for fifteen years. In her vivid recreation of Nur Jahan’s life and times, Lal, professor of South Asian history at Emory University and author of Domesticity and Power in the Early Mughal World, celebrates a woman who deserves to be as well known to Westerners as her near contemporary, Elizabeth I. Lal will be in conversation with speechwriter and communications analyst Sarada Peri.
