Abdul Hasan Asaf Khan

Abdul Hasan Asaf Khan was the father of Arjumand Banu Begum, also known as Mumtaz Mahal, who was the wife of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, the Emperor of India. Asaf Khan was also the elder brother of Mehrunissa, (better known as Nur Jahan), the empress of Shah Jahan's father, Jahangir. Many scholars have been researching on the origins of Asaf Khan's clan. Some researches claim they are descending from Armenia, but most likely from Persia. His other daughter Parwar Khanam was married to Mohtashim Khan, the son of jahangir's foster brother Qutubuddin Koka. Her masoleun is located in Sheikhpur, Badaun

Asaf Khan was appointed Governor of Lahore by Emperor Jahangir in 1625. After the demise of Jahangir in 1627, he was instrumental in securing the accession of his son-in-law Shah Jahan by colluding with Dawar Bakht (Jahangir's other son) and defeating the rival claimant Prince Shahryar (Nur Jahan's son-in-law, married to her daughter by her previous marriage to Sher Afghan) in a battle near Lahore. Asaf Khan enjoyed a position even more elevated than in the preceding reign and retained it until 1632, when he failed in the siege of Bijapur, from which time he seems to have lost favour.

Asaf Khan died on 12 June 1641 while engaged in fighting against the forces of rebel Raja Jagat Singh Pathania. His tomb was commissioned to be built in Shahdara tomb complex in Lahore by Shah Jahan. It is built to the west of Jahangir's mausoleum, facing it. The tomb is built entirely of brick. It...
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