Peacock Throne
Also called: Takht-i-Taus · Topic: The Mughal Empire: Babur to Aurangzeb · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Peacock Throne (Takht-i-Taus) was a famous jewelled throne made for the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. It was covered in gold and precious stones. Its canopy was decorated with figures of peacocks. It stood for the wealth and glory of the Mughal court when the empire was at its height. Its later loss also showed how weak the Mughals had become.
Example
In 1739 Nadir Shah, ruler of Persia (Iran), invaded India and sacked Delhi. He carried the Peacock Throne back to Persia along with a huge amount of treasure. The throne was later lost or broken up.
Don't confuse with
- The Persian "Peacock Throne": this name was later used for the throne of Iran's rulers. That throne was a different object, not Shah Jahan's original.
Related concepts
- Jahangir
- Nur Jahan
- Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri
- Chain of justice
- Itimad-ud-Daulah's tomb
- Akbar's tomb, Sikandra
- Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar
- Mughal miniature painting
- Ustad Mansur
- Muraqqa