1631
Mumtaz Mahal, beloved
empress consort of Shah
Jahan, dies giving birth to
her 14th child while on a
military campaign with
the emperor.
ca 1638
Shah Jahan begins
building the walled
city of Shahjahanabad
(Old Delhi) with its
Red Fort and the huge
Jama mosque.1653
After two decades, the
Taj Mahal in Agra is
completed. It will become
one of the best-known and
most admired architectural
sites in India.1658
Shah Jahan’s third son,
Aurangzeb, seizes power,
kills his brothers, and
imprisons their father in the
Agra Fort. Shah Jahan will
die there in 1666.ABOVE AND BELOW
After entering the
monumental gate, the
main facade of the Taj
Mahal can be seen in the
waters of the reflecting
pool in a show of
impressive symmetry.
GIORDANO CIPRIANI/9X12 PHOTO LIBRARY