RS

What I am writing is matter of history, and my object is to present a faithful account of the manners of this people. Love adventures are not attended with the same danger in Europe as in Asia . In France they excite only merriment ; they create a laugh, and are forgotten : but in this part of the world, few are the instances in which they are not followed by some dreadful and tragical catastrophe.                                                                                                        -  François  Bernier    François  Bernier, who was a French traveller and doctor, visited the Mughal Empire during its heyday. By then, the Mughal harem's administration and protocols were firmly established, b...

French physician and adventurer Francois Bernier travelled to medieval India between the reigns of Mughal rulers Shahjahan (r. 1628-1658) and Aurangzeb (r. 1658-1707). In the beginning, he was employed as a personal physician of Shah Jahan's eldest son and the heir apparent, Dara Shikoh and later, when Aurangzeb assumed power, Bernier served him as his doctor. He witnessed several important events such as the illness of Shah Jahan, the war of succession, the confinement of Shah Jahan, the execution of Dara Shikoh and had firsthand experience of what Mughal court society was like in matters of exchange of embassies, court protocols, power structure, etc. Therefore, his work Travels in the Mogul Empire AD 1656-1668 , as a primary source, is of immense significance since it is an account based on his direct personal observation or experience. This blog article details a foreign embassy that paid a visit to the Mughal court during the early days of Aurangzeb's reign. Bernier's...