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ABD AL-HAMID LAHAWRI
The Padshahnama
1656-57RCIN 1005025
The fifth Mughal emperor Shah‑Jahan (r. 1628 – 58) commissioned the Padshahnama (Book of Emperors) to celebrate his reign and his dynasty. Several copies were written during Shah‑Jahan’s lifetime but the Royal Collection’s manuscript is unique, being the only illustrated imperial Padshahnama volume to survive from the period.
The Padshahnama’s forty-four illustrations are among the finest Mughal paintings ever created.They are now separated from the book.
The Persian text of the Padshahnama is a combination of prose and verse written in an ornate style. Its long introduction narrates the Mughal imperial genealogy from the fourteenth century ruler Timur to Emperor Shah-Jahan. The names of Shah-Jahan’s ancestors are written in gold ink.
The Padshahnama’s forty-four illustrations are among the finest Mughal paintings ever created.They are now separated from the book.
The Persian text of the Padshahnama is a combination of prose and verse written in an ornate style. Its long introduction narrates the Mughal imperial genealogy from the fourteenth century ruler Timur to Emperor Shah-Jahan. The names of Shah-Jahan’s ancestors are written in gold ink.
