Mirza Aziz Koka

Chausath Khamba, built by Mirza Aziz Koka as his tomb, in Delhi.

Mirzā Azīz Koka (Khan-i-Azam) (ca. 1542 - 1624) also known as Kotaltash, foster brother of Akbar, who remained one of the leading nobles at the courts of the Mughal emperors Akbar and Jahangir.^[1] He also remained Subahdar, governor of the Subah (province) of Gujarat.^[2]

Biography

He was the son of Shams ud-Din Ataga Khan, the Prime Minister of Akbar and Akbar‘s wet-nurse Jiji Anga, hence his Turkish sobriquet “Koka” or “foster-brother.” ^[3][4] Ataga Khan was murdered by Adham Khan, the jealous son of Maham Anga, also one of Akbar‘s wet-nurse in 1562. Thereafter, Aziz Koka built his father tomb next to Nizamuddin Auliya in Delhi in 1566-67. Adham Khan on the other hand, was executed by the orders of Akbar.^[5]

During the rule of Jahangir, however, he lost much of positions, as he along with Raja Man Singh I supported the rebellion of Khusrau Mirza, the eldest son of Jahangir. Mirza rebellion was crushed in 1606, he was first blinded and later executed. Though Jahangir never found any directed evidence against Man Singh and Aziz Koka to get them executed, he however took away much of their powers, and chided them in Jahangirnama. Later in life, Aziz Koka regain his position, but his clan could never regain the royal patronage, as enjoyed during his father's lifetime.^[6]

His daughter, Habiba Banu Begum was married to fourth son of Akbar, Mughal prince Sultan Murad Mirza in 1587, and had two sons Rustam Mirza (b. 1588) and Alam Mirza (b. 1590).^[7]

He built his tomb, Chausath Khamba, literally 64 pillars, during 1623–24, near the Nizamuddin Dargah shrine complex in Delhi.^[8]

Notes

1. Lefèvre, Corinne. "ʿAzīz Koka, Mirzā ." Encyclopaedia of Islam, THREE. Edited by: Gudrun Krämer, Denis Matringe, John Nawas, Everett Rowson. Brill Online, 2013. Reference. 14 August 2013.
2. Kumkum Chatterjee; Clement Hawes (2008). Europe Observed: Multiple Gazes in Early Modern Encounters. Associated University Presse. pp. 52–. ISBN 978-0-8387-5694-2. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
3. Harbans Mukhia (2004). The Mughals of India. Wiley India Pvt. Limited. pp. 55–. ISBN 978-81-265-1877-7. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
4. Burton-Page, J.. "Mīrzā ʿAzīz “Kōka”." Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Edited by: P. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs. Brill Online, 2013. Reference. 16 August 2013.
5. Catherine B. Asher (24 September 1992). Architecture of Mughal India. Cambridge University Press. pp. 43–. ISBN 978-0-521-26728-1. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
6. Faruqui, p. 227
7. "The Timurid Dynasty: Genealogy". Royal Ark. p. 3. Retrieved 2013-08-16.
8. "Mirza 'Aziz Kotaltash Tomb". ArchNet Digital Library. Retrieved 2013-08-15.

Bibliography

• Munis D. Faruqui (27 August 2012). The Princes of the Mughal Empire, 1504-1719. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-107-02217-1. Retrieved 15 August 2013.