Papers by Amanda Caterina Leong
Iranian Studies, 2024
The mischievous quote making up this article's title comes from the Humayunnamah, a chronicle wri... more The mischievous quote making up this article's title comes from the Humayunnamah, a chronicle written around 1587 in Persian by Gulbadan Begum (1523-1603). Gulbadan was a Mughal princess of Timurid heritage and the daughter of the founder of the Mughal dynasty, Zahir al-Din Muhammad Babur (1483-1530). 1 In the Humayunnamah, Gulbadan recounts the response Hamidah Begum (1542-1605) gives upon being chastised by her future mother-in-law, Dildar Begum: "Look whether you like it or not, in the end, you are going to be married to somebody. Who could be better than the Emperor?" "Yes, you are right. But I'd rather marry someone whose collar my hand can reach." 2 Hamidah Begum's refusal to be impressed by the status of the second Mughal emperor, Humayun (1508-1556), and her explicit declaration of intent to marry someone she could control, or share some equality of relationship, provides an example of when elite women from the Mughal empire perceived themselves as equal, or even superior, to their male counterparts. It also further highlights the active role elite women played in challenging the patriarchal norms that governed their lives. 3 How were some Mughal women more powerful than their male counterparts? One answer lies in the concept of javānmardī (youngmanliness). In the Humayunnamah, Gulbadan devotes significant attention to remembering the multifaceted ways elite Mughal women embodied javānmardī. Her recollection of this event raises another critical question: to what extent was Gulbadan effective in harnessing literature, specifically the "mirror for princesses" genre, as a weapon to assert women's authority and navigate the prevailing male-centric order? 4 Gulbadan was ordered by her nephew, Akbar, the third Mughal emperor and son of Humayun and Hamidah Begum, to construct the Humayunnamah. Akbar wanted Gulbadan
South Asia, Jul 9, 2024
Royal Mughal women have been acknowledged as powerful historical figures in the early modern Pers... more Royal Mughal women have been acknowledged as powerful historical figures in the early modern Persianate world. This article provides a more concrete understanding of the extent and nuances of their power by carrying out a close reading of Mughal princess Gulbadan Begum’s the Humayunnamah, specifically her recollection of the different ways in which royal Mughal women from the sixteenth century used grief as a form of political rhetoric to undergird and even contest power within the imperial family. The Humayunnamah emerges as a pivotal text inviting a re-evaluation of the early Mughal empire as an integrated matriarchy, while also advocating for a deeper exploration of the history of emotions in the early modern Persianate context, particularly from a female-centered perspective.
Correction: On page 12, "in Gujarat" should be removed.
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Papers by Amanda Caterina Leong
Correction: On page 12, "in Gujarat" should be removed.
Correction: On page 12, "in Gujarat" should be removed.