Anonymous: The Padshahnama plate 17 - Shah-Jahan receives the Persian ambassador, Muhammad-Ali Beg on 26 March 1631 (1656-1657)

(Royal Collections, UK)

The Padshahnama is a series of books which show the history of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (1594-1666), the Mughal emperor who build the famous Taj Mahal for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. This plate shows a visit of the ambassador of the Persian empire (the Safavid Dynasty of Persia). The ambassador was received during the Persian New Year (Nowruz) on 26 March 1631. The Persian ambassador is shown on the plate dressed in orange and a moustace near the bottom left of the painting (second row from below, third from the left). The ambassador also has present bearers with with (bottom row) who bring various gifts to the Mughal Emperor who is seated in the middle with the aureola. The accompaying text in the book explains: 'Afzal Khan and Sadiq Khan, by imperial command, who had gone to greet Muhammad [-Ali] Beg...escorted the ambassador to pay homage to the imperial presence. After performing the rites of etiquette...he presented a letter Shah Safi (the Safavid shah of Persia) had written in congratulations for the accession.' Plate from 1656-1657.

Another plate from this serie: The Padshahnama plate 39: Mughal Emperor Jahangir presents Prince Khurram a turban ornament (1656-1657)