There are no actual indications that Jehangir was close to Ruqaiah and not to Muz
When you read jehangirnama you must read it with the context Jehangir mentions her
Jehangir says- My dad gave my son Khurram to Ruqaiah to bring up and she loved khurram 1000 times more than a mother
A garden in Agra had been left by Shah Quli Khan Mahram, and as he had no heirs I handed it over to Ruqayya Sultan Begam, the daughter of Hindal Mirza, who had been the honoured wife of my father. My father had given my son Khurram into her charge, and she loved him a thousand times more than if he had been her own.
This is again I think an hint that she was possessive of his son Khurram and he did not like it
If you read psychology and analyse jehangirnama(or any auto bio book) there are a lot of such interpretations you can make
See an emperor cannot usually directly say whatever he wants about family especially a step mother either in house or in public platforms and books. But every human while writing gives hints that we can dissect.
If you read jehangirnama he usually says Ruqaiah name with respect to some event like visit to Kabul babar grave, khurram wedding, khurram getting horses in honour etc Never he mentions only her separately to describe her like he does with his father, brothers and sisters even friends.
Yes Jehangir mention Ruk more but its only wrt to khurram and it can more be interpreted as he is reminding himself that Khurram was given to Ruq and not with his own mom.
Yes Jehangir had issues with his mom because one she supported Akbar decision be it against marrying his childhood friend meherunissa aka nur jahan or his rebellion while the other harem ladies spoke on his side with Akbar. See these harem ladies may not have supported Jehangir out of real love they were just safeguarding their future and to remain in good books of Jehangir the next emperor and not out of real love. May be a salima, hamida must have been done that out of love to him not other harem members.
So you know salim aka Jehangir thought from heart usually he was an emotional fool what we call now and not street smart like dad Akbar. So he must have felt Okkk these people supported me and not my mom and must have been angry on mom for sometime. . But that happens with every child when we rebel and father becomes strict and unforgiving we expect moms to side with us not fathers but usually moms support dads only as they know this rebellion is a phase that shall pass and that kids are wrong. Finally when child realizes his mistake he will come back to parents only.
So finally Jehangir must have realized mom wanted my well being I was wrong mom was right at some stage in life and must have started loving and respecting his mom even more than before. I guess this was during khusrau rebellion when a Jehangir realized how parents feel when a son rebels against them especially a father who is not only his father but first an emperor.
Edited by myviewprem - 10 years ago