Who are some historical figures wrongly portrayed in popular culture

Emperor Akbar and Queen Jodhaa Bai

Those who watch Bollywood movies would never forget the romantic portrayal of Emperor Akbar by Hrithik Roshan in the movie ‘Jodhaa Akbar’ in 2008. The movie portrays Emperor Akbar as a soft romantic and loving husband to his pretty Hindu Rajput wife, Jodhaa Bai, who he wins over with patience and love.

Truth be told, the movie had messed up the facts like anything. Here’s an article from Times of India that talks about this character…

Who was Jodha Bai? Indeed, if she existed at all, it was as Akbar's daughter-in-law (she was married to Jahangir) and not his wife! But, if you go by folktales and K Asif's classic Mughal-e-Azam, she was Amber ruler Raja Bharmal's daughter and Akbar's wife.

Here is what some of the country's top historians have to say: Asserts renowned historian and former chairman of Indian Council of Historical Research, Prof Irfan Habib, There was not any historical character called Jodha Bai.

It’s true that Akbar married Amber ruler Raja Bharmal's eldest daughter but her name is not mentioned anywhere. And she was certainly not Jahangir's mother. Even Jahangir in his memoirs (Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri) does not mention anything about his mother’s side.

Former president of Indian History Congress and chairman of the history department, Aligarh University, Prof Iqtedar Alam Khan corroborates Habib's version: It is only a Punjab historian Sujan Rai Bhandari, who in his book Khulasat-ut-Tawarikh mentions for the first time that the Amber princess whom Akbar married was Jahangir's mother.

But even Rai does not refer to her as Jodha Bai. However, there is another twist in the tale.

Medieval India, an NCERT history textbook for Class XI by Satish Chandra, clearly states on page 165: To strengthen his position, Udai Singh married his daughter, Jagat Gosain or Jodha Bai as she came to be called, to Akbar's eldest son Salim (Jahangir).

N R Farooqi, HoD of Allahabad University History department, confirms this when he says, Jodha was not Akbar's wife but Jahangir's and she was Shahjahan's mother. Bagh-e-Jahan Ara, an 80-acre garden in Agra, used to house her mausoleum till it was sold for Rs 5,000 by the British and subsequently razed to the ground.

Akbar married 15 (?) times. There is a mention of him marrying two Rajput princesses but neither of their names has been mentioned as Jodha Bai anywhere. The woman who gave birth to the eldest surviving son of Akbar, Prince Salim (later Emperor Jahangir) was given the title of Mariam-uz-Zamani, which means ‘Mary of the Age’… probably an honorary title bestowed upon her equating her to the more famous Mary who gave birth to Jesus Christ. And there are some historians who claim that the mother of Jahangir was just one of the concubines in Akbar’s harem.

Anyhow, one thing is clear. Although the movie portrayed Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai sharing a beautiful relationship as man and wife, even giving the impression that she was his only wife due to the obvious absence of any mention of any other wives, the truth was something different.

The Wikipedia page on Akbar has elaborately listed out all his marriages/alliances.

1. Akbar's first wife and chief consort was his cousin, Princess Ruqaiya Sultan Begum,[27][4] the only daughter of his paternal uncle, Prince Hindal Mirza,[172] and his wife Sultanam Begum. In 1551, Hindal Mirza died fighting valorously in a battle against Kamran Mirza's forces. Upon hearing the news of his brother's death, Humayun was overwhelmed with grief.[23] Out of affection to the memory of his brother, Humayun betrothed Hindal's nine-year-old daughter Ruqaiya to his son Akbar. Their betrothal took place in Kabul, shortly after Akbar's first appointment as a viceroy in the province of Ghazni.[24] Humayun conferred on the imperial couple, all the wealth, army, and adherents of Hindal and Ghazni which one of Hindal's jagir was given to his nephew, Akbar, who was appointed as its viceroy and was also given the command of his uncle's army.[25] Akbar's marriage with Ruqaiya was solemnized near Jalandhar, Punjab, when both of them were 14-years-old.[26]Childless herself, she adopted Akbar's favorite grandson, Prince Khurram (the future emperor Shah Jahan). She died on 19 January 1626.[173]
2. His second wife was the daughter of Abdullah Khan Mughal.[174]The marriage took place in 1557 during the siege of Mankot. Bairam Khan did not approve of this marriage, for Abdullah's sister was married to Akbar's uncle, Prince Kamran Mirza, and so he regarded Abdullah as a partizan of Kamran. He opposed the match until Nasir-al-mulk made him understand that opposition in such matters was unacceptable. Nasir-al-mulk arranged an assemblage of pleasure and banquet of joy, and a royal feast was provided.[175]
3. His third wife was his cousin, Salima Sultan Begum,[174] the daughter of Nur-ud-din Muhammad Mirza and his wife Gulrukh Begum also known as Gulrang, the daughter of Emperor Babur. She was at first betrothed to Bairam Khan by Humayun. After Bairam Khan's death in 1561, Akbar married her himself the same year. She died childless on 2 January 1613.[176]
4. In 1562, he married the daughter of Raja Bihari Mal, ruler of Amer. The marriage took place when Akbar was on his way back from Ajmer after offering prayers to the tomb of Moinuddin Chishti. Bihari Mal had conveyed to Akbar that he was being harassed by his brother-in-law Sharif-ud-din Mirza (the Mughal hakim of Mewat). Akbar insisted that Bihari Mal should submit to him personally, it was also suggested that his daughter should be married to him as a sign of complete submission.[177]She was entitled Mariam-uz-Zamani after giving birth to Akbar's eldest surviving son, Prince Salim (the future emperor Jahangir). She died on 19 May 1623.[178]
5. The same year, Akbar married the former wife of Abdul Wasi, the son of Shaikh Bada, lord of Agra. Akbar had fallen in love with her, and ordered Abdul Wasi to divorced her.[179]
6. Another of his wives was Gauhar-un-Nissa Begum, the daughter of Shaikh Muhammad Bakhtiyar and the sister of Shaikh Jamal Bakhtiyar. Their dynasty was called Din Laqab and had been living for a long time in Chandwar and Jalesar near Agra. She was Akbar's chief wife.[180]
7. His next marriage took place in 1564 to the daughter of Miran Mubarak Shah, the ruler of Khandesh. In 1564, he sent presents to the court with a request that his daughter be married by Akbar. Miran's request was acceded and an order was issued. Itimad Khan was sent with Miran's ambassadors, and when he came near the fort of Asir, which was Miran's residence. Miran welcomed Itimad with honor and dispatched his daughter with Itimad. A large number of nobles accompanied her. The marriage took place in September 1564 when she reached Akbar's court.[181] As dowry, Mubarak Shah ceded Bijagarh and Handia to his imperial son-in-law.[182]
8. He married another Rajput princess in 1570, who was the daughter of Kahan, the brother of Rai Kalyan Mal Rai, the ruler of Bikanir. The marriage took place in 1570, when Akbar came to this part of the country. Kalyan made a homage to Akbar, and requested that his brother's daughter be married by him. Akbar accepted his proposal, and the marriage was arranged.
9. He also married the daughter of Rawal Har Rai, the ruler of Jaisalmer in 1570.[183] Rawal had sent a request that his daughter be married by Akbar. The proposal was accepted by Akbar. Raja Bahgwan Das was despatched on this service. The marriage ceremony took place after Akbar's return from Nagor.[184] She was the mother of Princess Mahi Begum, who died on 8 April 1577.[185]
10. Another of his wives was Bhakkari Begum, the daughter of Sultan Mahmud of Bhakkar.[186] On 2 July 1572, Akbar's envoy I'timad Khan reached Mahmud's court to escort his daughter to Akbar. I'timad Khan brought with him for Sultan Mahmud an elegant dress of honour, a bejewelled scimitar-belt, a horse with a saddle and reins and four elephants. Mahmud celebrated the occasion by holding extravagant feasts for fifteen days. On the day of wedding, the festivities reached their zenith and the ulema, saints and nobles were adequately honoured with rewards. Mahmud offered 30,000 rupees in cash and kind to I'timad Khan and farewelled his daughter with a grand dowry and an impressive entourage.[187] She came to Ajmer and waited upon Akbar. The gifts of Sultan Mahmud, carried by the delegation were presented to the ladies of the imperial harem.[188]
11. His ninth wife was Qasima Banu Begum,[174] the daughter of Arab Shah. The marriage took place in 1575. A great feast was given, and the high officers, and other pillars of the state were present.[189]
12. In 1577, the Rajah of Dungarpur State petitioned a request that his daughter might be married to Akbar. Akbar had regard to his loyalty and granted his request.[190] Rai Loukaran and Rajah Birbar, servants of the Rajah were sent from Dihalpur to do the honour of conveying his daughter. The two delivered the lady at Akbar's court where the marriage took place on 12 July 1577.[191]
13. His eleventh wife was Bibi Daulat Shad.[174] She was the mother of Princess Shakr-un-Nissa Begum, and Princess Aram Banu Begum[192] born on 2 January 1585.[193]
14. His next wife was the daughter of Shams Chak, a Kashmiri. The marriage took place on 3 November 1592. Shams belonged to the great men of the country, and had long cherished this wish.[194]
15. In 1593, he married the daughter of Qazi Isa, and the cousin of Najib Khan. Najib told Akbar that his uncle had made his daughter a present for him. Akbar accepted his representation and on 3 July 1593 he visited Najib Khan's house and married Qazi Isa's daughter.[195]

So the Wikipedia page has also gotten the numbers messed up. He married 15 times (probably more!) and a majority of the alliances were political. He also boasted of an enormous harem teeming with women from kingdoms that he had annexed. None of this is even mentioned in any movie in which he features as a prime character.

And Queen Jodha Bai is probably the biggest question mark ever. Did she even exist? Even if she did, was she really like the character portrayed by Aishwarya Rai who sweeps Emperor Akbar off his feet with her charm and beauty, making him fall head over heels in love with her?

I don’t know. I wish it were true… but I have my reservations.