Emperor Akbar/Mughal Empire’s Orthodox Christian connection.

Emperor Jehangir with a portrait of St Mary

The city of Agra is synonymous with the Taj Mahal, however unknown to many, there exists in this city (as also in some other Indian cities like Kolkata, Chennai, Gwalior, Hyderabad, Surat and Mumbai) the reminiscences of the Armenian Orthodox Christian community who made India their home.

India hasn’t been an alien nation for Armenians. It is believed that the Armenians first came to Indian in around 2000 BCE as faithful allies along with Semimaris, the warrior queen of Assyria, who had invaded India. They have also believed to come to India as auxillary elements in the army of Alexander of Macedonia. By 7^th century their settlements appeared in Kerala and were known as ‘The Merchant Princes of India’.²

However, in the northern part of this country they were, as their chronicler Mehsorvb Jacob Seth calls, the birds of passage who came all the way from the land of Ararat of Biblical fame to purchase spices and fine muslins for which India was famous for. It was the Mughal emperor Akbar who invited them to settle in his province. The first notable Armenian there was a merchant called Hakob (Armenian-Jacob), originally from Aleppo. He settled in Agra upon the invitation of the Mogul emperor Akbar in 1560, serving in the Mogul court. Soon a small Armenian community was established in Agra, where it built a church in 1562.³

Akbar was aware that Armenians were a religious race of ancient Christians and would not settle in a place where they could not freely exercise the practice of their religious duties. (In the early 4th century, the Kingdom of Armenia became the first state to adopt Christianity as a state religion. Saint Gregory the Illuminator is the patron saint and first official head of the Armenian Apostolic Church).

The Armenian tradition very strongly propounds that Akbar had a Christian wife -an Armenian lady named Mariam (the Armenian nomenclature for Mary)- Mariam Zamani Begum. Henry George Keene (1781–1864), an East India Company employee and a historian mentions, also quoted in Seth’s works- “Besides the daughter of Amber, Akbar subsequently married at least two other foreign ladies, an Armenian and a princess of Marwar. Preserving unmolested in their palace their chapels and chaplains, these ladies would necessarily have their share in promoting the catholicity of Emperor’s mind and predisposing him to regard with favor Hindus and Christians” ( A Sketch of the history of Hindustan- From The First Muslim Conquest To The Fall Of The Mughol Empire, London, 1885, Pg-98).

However, the accepted viewpoint amongst Indian scholars is that Begum Maryam was the daughter of Raja Bihari Mal and mother of Jehangir (popularized in tradition as Jodha Bai).

Fr Hosten SJ’s findings, based on the assessment of two historical paintings assessed by (which was published in the Statesman, 14 Nov 1916), points the lady in the paintings to the Christian wife of Akbar. Mehsorvb Seth further comments that the lady in the paintings alongwith having Armenian features rather than European, wears a plain cross rather than a crucifix for a crucifix is never worn by an Armenian Christian. An Orthodox Armenian Christian wears a plain gold or silver cross.

Akbar’s court had several notable Armenian Christians- one of them Mirza Zul Qarnain who was an adopted son of Akbar. Zul Qarnain grew up in the palace and was one of the favorites of the Emperor. The records of the Jesuit fathers who visited Akbar’s court state that Akbar would be seen at the window with the young Zul Qarnain in his arms. The young boy had worn a cross around his neck which Akbar kissed and made the boy kiss too before the public gaze.

Akbar and his son Jehangir had great reverence for the Cross. Once the Jesuits solicited Emperor’s protection, to which he replied- “What would you have? See! I have more crosses on my palace than you have in your churches”.

Akbar’s son Jahangir once rebuked an Armenian for not wearing a cross on his head or on his breast.

Akbar’s adopted Christian son- Mirza Zul Qarnain grew up to be the Grandee (Amir) of the Mughal court through his merit. He was also a singer and poet of repute. Mirza Zul Qarnain was a philanthropist par excellence and he took great interest in the spiritual needs of the Christian subjects ensuring there is a presence of Armenian Orthodox priests (some of these priests are buried in the Agra Martyrose Chapel cemetery). So impressed were the Jesuit fathers from Goa who visited the Mughal court that they termed Zul Qarnain as the ‘pillar of Christianity in India’. Lady Juliana was another Armenian Christian and a doctor in the Mughal Court. 

About an hour’s drive from Agra is Fatehpur Sikri which was founded by Akbar in 1570 as a thanks offering for the birth of son (Salim, later Emperor Jehangir) obtained through the prayers of the famous Sufi saint-Shaikh Salim Chisti. Adjoining the Emperor’s palace is the residence of his christian Queen.

Amongst the majestic ruins of Fatehpur Sikri lies the Buland Darwaza or the High Gate, erected by Akbar in 1601 to commemorate his victory in the Deccan. It is the highest gateway in India and across the front of this gate is the following inscription- “Jesus, on whom be peace said: the world is a bridge, pass over it, but build not thereon. The world endureth but an hour, spend it in devotion”.

It is strange that Akbar, who was well acquainted with the teachings of Christ could have ascribed the above teaching to Jesus however the emperor seems to direct the readers to the thought-“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal”. St Matthew 6:19-20

It is interesting to note that one of the Queen’s relatives built the St Peter’s Armenian Church in Colaba, Mumbai which was visited by St Gregorios of Parumala and St Dionysius Vattasseril (the Fr Geevarghese Vattasseril Malpan) enroute to Holy Land pilgrimage. Owing to diminishing Armenians in Mumbai and that it shouldn’t be closed forever, this church has opened its doors for the faithful of the Malankara Orthodox Church to celebrate Divine Liturgy. One of the Armenian members Mrs. Zabel Joshi is the mother of the Hindi film actress Ms. Tulip Joshi.

Perhaps inter-religious marriages amongst the ruling class wasn’t a big deal and would have been a means of securing political mileage during those times. However, it is improbable to think that an Emperor of Islamic faith, though very benevolent to other religions, would show great interest in the learning of the Holy Scripture, reverence to the cross and have a child brought up in the palace nourished spiritually in the religion of his birth whom the Jesuits named as ‘father of Christianity in (northern) India’ had there not been an important woman behind the scenes- this woman being the Emperor’s Queen and foremost an Orthodox Christian woman. Though she is grossly under-researched by historians, her legacy lives on.

Oh, and by the way- Happy International Women’s Day in advance!

In Christ,

Rincy John

P.S: This article does not provide a comprehensive account of the major historical aspects of the Armenian christian community in India. You can read the books below for more information.

References: 

1) Mesrovb Jacob Seth, Armenians in India from the Earliest times to present day, Calcutta.
2) B. S. Ahloowalia, Invasion of the Genes Genetic Heritage of India, Eloquent Books, Pg 155, © 2009
3) Razmik Panossian, The Armenians- From Kings and Priests to Merchants and Commissars, C. Hurst & Co. (Publishers) Ltd,  Pg 80, 81, Copyright © by Razmik Panossian, 2006
4) Vasundara R-A Forgotten Church and Community: Meet Mumbai’s Last Surviving Armenian, Zabel Joshi, at https://www.idiva.com/career/advice/meet-mumbais-last-surviving-armenian-zabel-joshi-and-her-forgotten-church/15100671 (Accessed 06 March 2020)
5) Image courtesy: https://www.theheritagelab.in/christian-art-india/