Shirt of Mail and Plate of Emperor Shah Jahan Object Biography
Shirt of Mail and Plate
This item is a Shirt of Mail and Plate, which belonged to Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, who ruled for 30 years from 1628 to 1658. Based on design patterns, the armor should be attributed to a designer of the Mughal court. The armor piece was gifted to the Emperor by Saif Khan in the years 1632-1633, which is evident in an engraving in the gold plating. Saif Khan served as a prince under the rule of Shah Jahan during the years 1627-1658. The mail body consists of six gold plates, which contain Qur’anic verses and a marking identifying the piece as belonging to Shah Jahan. The armor was constructed using the high-quality method of reverse-technique, meaning the gold leaf covered surface is contrasted with the inscriptions which increases value and creates a stunning, extravagant piece. Incised on the gold plating are flowers and foliate tendrils, linking the aspect of nature and beauty to the piece.
Closeup of Gold Plating
Additionally, the iron rings on the top half of mail making up the armor contains inscriptions that are about the ninety-nine names of God, furthering the religious aspect of this piece. The armor piece was made using woven steel to create the chain mail, which, along with the gold plating, truly heightens the value of the armor. It is not entirely clear if that shirt of mail and gold plates were originally designed to go together, as the chains linking the plate to the armor are newer than the rest of the chain links. It is possible that older armor pieces were used to create a new one, so any ideas are purely hypothetical.
The armor piece was made for emperor Shah Jahan, an emperor who is known for extravagance and high valuation of everything he owned and created. Under his rule, Shah Jahan
Emperor Shah Jahan
created the Taj Mahal, one of the most extravagant pieces of Mughal and Islamic architecture, which Shah Jahan created to show the power, glory, and prosperity of himself and the Mughal empire . Shah Jahan also used Muḥammad Amīn Qazvīnī to create records of the first ten years of the emperors rule. This written history was intended to show Shah Jahan as the greatest ruler ever. Written under his close supervision, one can see the impression that the Shah wished to have perceived upon him . Between the Taj Mahal, his desire to be seen as the greatest emperor, and the Shirt of Mail and Plate, there are many examples showing Shah Jahan’s desire for the best. No matter what way it may be, whether it is architecture, perception, or armor, Shah Jahan always wanted the highest perception upon himself. His desire for the best comes out in the Shirt of Mail and Plate, with the piece still being considered one of the most beautiful surviving pieces of Islamic armor to this date. While the Shah did seek to be sought as the greatest ruler ever, his desire for extravagance was also used to reflect the strength and prosperity of the Mughal empire, a theme common among other emperors across history. With his desire to be seen so positively, it is clear why the emperor would push for extravagance in the items relating to himself.
Helmet with Aventail
One object of comparison to the Shirt of Mail and Plate of Emperor Shah Jahan is this Turkish helmet made in the late 15th or early 16th century. The helmet is made of steel, with silver decorations lining the helmet. At the bottom of the helmet are seven vervelles, allowing for the attachment of an aventail. The fluted section of the helmet has decorations with a floral form, similar to the presence of the foliate tendrils and gold-plated flowers of Shah Jahan’s armor piece. Consistent with other pieces of art and armor from its time and location, it is evident that floral designs were a popular design piece when creating objects during this period. The helmet also contains Qur’anic inscriptions throughout the top and bottom. The inscription of turban helmets was often done in in a writing style known as Eastern Kufic, meaning inscriptions are less regular and more ornate than typical Qur’anic inscriptions. While there is both grammatical and arrangement issues with the inscriptions, they are believed to be matching to Qur’anic verses, another theme similar to that of Emperor Shah Jahan’s amor piece. Even if the accuracy was not there, it can be seen that there was an attempt to add to the extravagance of this object through the use of religious sayings as well as natural and floral designs.
Saber Possibly Belonging to Suleyman the Magnificent
Another object of comparison is this saber from the Ottoman period of Turkey. While it is unknown who exactly the saber belongs to, it is believed to have been created for the Ottoman Sultan Suleyman I. Aside from the time in which it was created matching the idea that it was created for him, the inscriptions reference the religious figure King Solomon, a comparison that would fit Suleyman’s level of conquests. The sword itself is created of steel, and fish skin, with gold running up the blade. The blade contains inscriptions of verses from the Qur’an, serving as a metaphor relating the sword’s owner to King Solomon. With the high levels of gold increasing the saber’s extravagance along with the Qur’anic verses likening the ruler to greatness, this weapon serves as a great match to the themes of the Shirt of Mail and Plate belonging to emperor Shah Jahan.
Shield with Hunting and Landscape Vignettes
A final object of comparison is this shield from the Mughal empire in the 18th century. This convex shield is made of forged steel and has gold in the center as long as the surrounding parts of the shield. The middle of the shield has four bosses, a feature typical of Indo-Persian armor which are surrounded by gold as well. On the outer rim of the shield is a repeated leaf and petal design cut out of the gold that lines the edge of the shield , a theme consistent with the gold-plated flowers and foliate tendrils of the Shirt of Mail and Plate. A landscape scene on the next inner layer uses gold to depict a scene of nature that shows hunters and prey, whether that be humans or animals. The four bosses of the shield also use gold to depict objects of nature, this time being leaves and feathers. This shield strategically uses gold to create a unique design that incorporates nature among the piece of armor, heightening the extravagance, a method similar to the one used in Emperor Shah Jahan’s Shirt of Mail and Plate.
As an armor piece in the theme of Islamic arms and armor, the Shirt of Mail and Plate of Emperor Shah Jahan is surely a piece of extravagance. Gold plating along with high quality woven steel creates a highly valued piece of armor. The Qur’anic verses, floral designs, along with the references to the ninety-nine names of God only increase the extravagance and value. Also, as a man who drove his rule under the idea of extravagance, a piece created for Shah Jahan would be nothing short of beautiful. The emperor created his rule on the basis that he was the greatest ever, and having a piece of armor such as this did nothing but cement the greatness of his rule.
Bibliography
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