Roshanara Begum
Roshanara Begum, d. 1671, Mughal princess. Fifth child of Emperor Shahjahan and Mumtaz Mahal, she was born at Burhanpur, and was only a year elder than Aurangzeb. She was intensely jealous of her more beautiful elder sister, Jahanara who was a great favourite of the Emperor. She also hated her eldest brother, Dara Shukoh, and during the war of succession in 1657, she was a very intimate of partisan of Aurangzeb. During the trial of Dara for apostasy (1659) she clamoured for his blood, and had him sentenced to death. Roshanara also very badly treated Jahanzeb, the captive daughter of Dara Shukoh, who was placed in her custody. She rose high in favour of Aurangzeb alter his coronation in 1659, but few years later began to lose her influence over him. She died on 11 September 1671 at the age of 56, and is buried at Delhi in a garden, laid out by her. She did not marry, though she probably had a secret love life, of which Aurangzeb had become aware, aid which may be responsible for the loss of her influence over him.
