Salima Sultan Begum

Salima Sultan Begum, born on March fifth, fifteen thirty-nine, was a prominent figure in the Mughal Empire, known for her role as the third wife and chief consort of Emperor Akbar. A granddaughter of Babur, she was the daughter of Gulrukh Begum and Nuruddin Muhammad Mirza, the Viceroy of Kannauj. Her early life was marked by a betrothal to Bairam Khan, Akbar's regent, arranged by her maternal uncle, Humayun, as a reward for Bairam's services to the Mughal dynasty.

Salima's marriage to Bairam Khan in fifteen fifty-seven came after Akbar ascended to the throne. Despite their significant age difference of approximately forty years, the union was short-lived, lasting only three years before Bairam was assassinated in fifteen sixty-one. Following his death, Salima married her first cousin, Akbar, although she remained childless in both marriages. Nevertheless, she played a maternal role in the early life of Akbar's second son, Murad Mirza.

As a senior-ranking wife of Akbar, Salima wielded considerable influence in the Mughal court, impacting both her husband's reign and that of their son, Jahangir. Her political acumen and presence were notable, and she was recognized not only for her status but also for her literary contributions. Writing under the pseudonym Makhfi, meaning 'Hidden One,' she was known as a poet and a reader, often advocating for Jahangir's forgiveness from Akbar.