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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...