This Mughal princess once stood up against the Ottoman Empire in Turkey, challenged them by..., her connection with Emperor Akbar was...

The tensions between India and Turkey made headlines recently. But now a story from history has caught people’s attention — the story of Gulbadan Begum, a Mughal princess who once stood up to the powerful Ottoman Empire. Gulbadan Begum was the daughter of Emperor Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire in India, and the sister of Emperor Humayun. She is best remembered for writing the Humayun-Nama, a detailed account of her brother’s life, which she wrote at the request of her nephew, Emperor Akbar.

But beyond her writing, Gulbadan Begum had another story — one of courage, pride, and dignity. She was a strong-willed woman who dared to defy the world’s most powerful empire of her time, the Ottoman Caliphate, which controlled regions across the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Europe.

Gulbadan Begum had a deep love for travel and once set out on a pilgrimage to Mecca to perform Hajj. Known for her kindness and generosity, she began distributing money and goods to the poor upon her arrival in the holy city.

At the time, the Mughal Empire was wealthy and influential, and her generous actions quickly caught the attention of the Ottoman rulers. The Ottomans saw her acts as a challenge to their authority. Unhappy that a foreign royal was giving charity to their people, the Ottoman Caliphate issued a series of four official orders demanding that she leave the region.

But Gulbadan Begum refused. She stayed on, freely moving about the holy lands, offering help and comfort to those in need.

When even a fifth decree — filled with insults — was sent against her, Emperor Akbar was deeply angered. He found the language used against his beloved aunt disgraceful. Out of respect for her and to prevent further insult, he asked Gulbadan Begum to return to India.

Though the Mughal princess eventually left Arabia, her bold stand against the mighty Ottoman Empire is remembered as a powerful tale of courage. At a time when women’s voices were often silenced, Gulbadan Begum not only wrote history, she lived it.