219. Building The Taj Mahal: Love, Loss, & Splendour (Ep 2)

In this episode of Empire, Afua Hirsch and William Dalrymple discuss Shah Jahan's grief following the death of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, and how he channeled that grief into architectural projects, most notably the Taj Mahal. They share their personal experiences of seeing the Taj Mahal for the first time and delve into its design, symmetry, and the stories surrounding its construction, including debunking myths about the architects' hands being cut off and the existence of a black marble Taj. The conversation shifts to the Peacock Throne, commissioned by Shah Jahan to showcase the Mughal Empire's wealth and power, highlighting the significance of the jewels it contained, such as the Koh-i-Noor and the Timor-Rubi. They also discuss European travelers' accounts, particularly those of Nicola Minucci and Francois Bernier, while questioning their reliability and biases, and touch on Shah Jahan's decision to move the Mughal capital to Delhi and build Shahjahanabad.