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The Genealogical Seal of the MughalEmperors of India1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 September 2009

Annabel Teh Gallop
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Extract

The genealogical seal of the Mughal emperors of Indiawas one of the most potent symbols of Mughalimperial authority. The distinctive design of theseal - a central circle containing the name of theruling emperor, surrounded by a series of smallercircles, like satellites in orbit, containing thenames of his ancestors up to Timūr (1336–1405) eachpreceded by the filiative ibn - wasa self-evident masterpiece of imperial symbolism, inwhich the authority of the ruling emperor was bothlegitimised and enhanced by the deliberate referenceto his illustrious ancestors. The inscription wasdesigned to be read starting with the rulingemperor's name in the middle, then moving into theouter circle to the name of his immediatepredecessor (at 1 o'clock) and, continuingclockwise, finishing up at Timur, who always hadpride of place at the top of the seal. In this way,each ruler was expressed as the son of hispredecessor, while at the same time, from hiscentral position abutting all the smaller circles,the ruling emperor could be read symbolically as the“son” of each of his ancestors.

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Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society , Volume 9 , Issue 1 , April 1999 , pp. 77 - 140
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal Asiatic Society 1999

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Footnotes

1

In venturing so far from my natural habitat ofSoutheast Asia, I have benefited greatly from thekind encouragement and support of many friends andcolleagues. For invaluable advice and comments onthis article I would like to thank Mahmud Haq,Salim Quraishi, Ursula Sims-Williams, Muhammad IsaWaley, Jerry Losty, Venetia Porter, John Seyller,Ulrich Kratz and especially Robert Skelton. I amalso most grateful to Colin Baker, Jacob Harskamp,Barry Bloomfield, Michael Spink, Michael Pollock,Sheila Canby and Rosemary Crill for assistancerendered generously in many forms. Any errorsremain my sole responsibility. This article isdedicated to the memory of my grandmother,Marjorie D.C. Gallop (1900–92), who was bom inBhopal, India.

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