Ruby Lal on Mughal princess Gulbadan Begum, The Humayun Nama, and Annette Susannah Beveridge

In an interview with The Federal, historian Ruby Lal discusses the remarkable life and writings of Gulbadan Begum, a Mughal princess who authored the 16th-century historical chronicle of her half-brother Humayun, named Humayun-Nama. As someone who closely witnessed the making of the Mughal empire under her emperor father Babur, Humayun, and emperor nephew Akbar, Gulbadan’s writing offers a rare, intimate perspective on family life, politics, journeys, and the lived experiences of the early Mughal world. Lal also explores her extraordinary pilgrimage to Arabia, the politics surrounding it, and the story behind Annette Beveridge’s pioneering English translation of Gulbadan's work. The conversation reflects on women’s voices in history, the mobility and influence of Mughal royal women, and why revisiting such texts is crucial in understanding history beyond simplified narratives. #GulbadanBegum #HumayunNama #MughalHistory #RubyLal #IndianHistory #WomenInHistory #SouthAsianHistory #MughalEmpire #HistoryTalk #BookDiscussion --- ▶For the latest news and analysis - https://thefederal.com/  ▶RSS Feed - https://thefederal.com/google_feeds.xml ▶For more explainers, and interesting videos - https://thefederal.com/category/videos ▶To watch The Federal's shows listed together for your easy access, click here:    • The Federal Programmes   Follow The Federal News here - ▶Website: https://thefederal.com/ ▶Facebook:   / thefederal.india   ▶X: https://x.com/TheFederal_News ▶Instagram:   / thefederal_india   ▶LinkedIn:   / thefederal   ▶Whatsapp channel: https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029... ▶Threads: TheFederal India (@thefederal_india) ▶Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3fy3utP... #TheFederal #India #BreakingNews #LatestNews #News #Delhi #Mumbai #Parliament #NarendraModi #RahulGandhi #Politics #Business #Economy Download The Federal App here - ▶Android - http://bit.ly/3DJSkiu ▶iPhone - http://bit.ly/TheFederalios