Among the men and women who found favor in Akbar's court was Mirza Ghiyas Beg, a Persian. He was the son of Khwaja Muhammad Sharif, prime minister of Khurasan and Yazd, under the Safafwid Empire of Persia. On his father's death traveled to the Mughal Empire in India, and met Emperor Akbar in Agra. He was excellent in his work and was rising high amongst the ranks in the Mughal Empire. When Jehangir succeeded Akbar, he was made the Wazir, and given the title of Itimad Ud Daulah, which means Pillar of the Government. Jehangir later got married to Mirza's daughter Nurjahan. It was she who later built her father's tomb, 6 years after his death.
As was Mughal tradition, Mirza had already planned his mausoleum before his death. At the Itimad ud daulah, Agra, India, the Charbagh style of Mughal architecture is used- it is a white marble structure with gardens on all sides. and is a white marble structure surrounded by green lawns. The height of the tomb is 21 meters and 4 minarets that are 12 meters tall surround it. As the Taj Mahal was built much after this, this tomb is known as the Baby Taj. Contrarily though, to Mughal design, the marble inlay on the tomb has a depiction of a wine flask having snakes as handles. Normally one does not see depictions of animals in Mughal architecture. This Tomb also contains the cenotaph of Mirza's wife, Asmat Begum, some of Nurjahan's near relations and Nurjahan's daughter, Ladli Begum.
Historical Monuments in Agra
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