Mariam-uz-Zamani, also known as Heer Kunwari, Jodha Bai, Hira Kunwari or Harka Bai, was an Empress of the Mughal Empire. She was the wife of Mughal Emperor Akbar. She was his first and chief Rajput wife, and the mother of the next Mughal Emperor,Jahangir, and grandmother of the following Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Mariam-Uz-Zamani was referred to as the Queen Mother of Hindustan, during the reign of the Great Mughal, Emperor Akbar. She was the longest serving Hindu Mughal Empress. Her tenure, from 6th February 1562 to 27 October 1605, is that of over 43 years.Her marriage to Akbar led to a gradual shift in his religious and social policy. Akbar's marriage with Rajkumari Heer Kunwari was a very important event in Mughal history. She is widely regarded in modern Indian historiography as exemplifying Akbar's and the Mughal's tolerance of religious differences and their inclusive policies within an expanding multi-ethnic and multi-denominational empire.Heer Kunwari was born a Rajput princess (Rajkumari) and was the eldest daughter of Raja Bharmal, of Amer(modern day Jaipur). She was the granddaughter of Raja Prithvi Singh I of Amer. Rajkumari Heer Kunwari was also the sister of Raja Bhagwan Das ofAmer, and the aunt of Raja Man Singh I of Amer, who later became one the Nine Jewels (Navaratnas) in the court of Akbar. Later, both occupied highest offices in Akbar's court.Akbar's marriage with Heer Kunwari had far-reaching results. It led Akbar to take a much more favorable view of Hinduism and his Hindu subjects. In a marriage of political alliance, Heer Kunwari was married to Akbar on February 6, 1562 at Sambhar near Jaipur,Rajasthan, India. Heer Kunwari became the third wife of Akbar after Ruqaiya Sultan Begum, who was Akbar's first wife, and Salima Sultan Begum, the widow of his most trusted general, Bairam Khan. Mariam, as mother of the heir-apparent, took precedence over all the other wives of Akbar. Though she remained a Hindu, Heer Kunwari was honoured with the...