ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Mughal Harem

Imagine a big house with a lot of rooms where a very important person, like a king, lives with many women. This house is called a harem. The Mughal Empire was a big empire that existed a long time ago in India and the Mughal harem was the place where the Mughal kings lived with their women.

Now, you might be wondering why the kings had so many women living with them. In those times, it was considered prestigious to have a large harem because it showed the king's wealth and power. The women who lived in the harem were not just any women. They were carefully selected from different parts of the empire and were called ‘concubines’ or ‘wives’.

The concubines were not actually married to the king but they lived in the harem with him and had his children. The king also had a few wives who were usually from royal families and they were considered to be his official wives.

The harem was managed by a woman, known as the ‘chief queen’ or ‘head wife’ who was responsible for the daily activities and the needs of the other women in the harem. The women were provided with clothes, food, toiletries, and everything else they needed to live comfortably.

The harem was also a place where the king entertained his guests and held important ceremonies. The king also spent time in the harem with his wives and concubines and had children with them. The children born in the harem were considered to be of royal descent and had special privileges.

In summary, the Mughal harem was a large house where the Mughal kings lived with their women. It was considered prestigious in those times and the women in the harem were carefully selected from different parts of the empire. The harem was managed by a woman known as the ‘chief queen’ and was a place where the king entertained his guests and spent time with his wives and concubines.