Historical Figures of Armenian Descent in the Mughal Indo-Turkic Islamic Empire Palace

Some sources date back to the first contact of Armenians with Indian geography until the Indian expedition of Alexander. In the history of the Middle Ages, it is known that the first mass arrival of Armenians, who had become famous for their mercantile skills, to the Indian subcontinent took place around the XVII century, i.e., during the Mughal era. This study provides a descriptive analysis of the emergence of bilateral relations with a deep-rooted history in the era of the Mughal (Indo-Turkic Islamic) Empire. In this context, historical figures of Armenian descent who served in high positions in the Mughal court or were even honored with imperial titles are discussed. These historical figures are Prince John Philip Bourbon, Captain William Hawkins, interpreter Domingo Pires, Mirza Zulkarneyn, and Mariam (Maryam) Zamani Begum. Prince John Philip Bourbon, a member of the French royal family of Armenian descent who had been exiled to India, served the Mughal dynasty in high positions at Akbar's court. William Hawkins was an agent of the British East India Company and captain of the first ship to dock in Surat, India. Domingo Pires, who had served as a translator and interpreter at the Mughal court, was personally appointed by Akbar to attend the negotiations with the Portuguese in Goa. Mirza Zulkarneyn and Mariam Zamani Begum held higher positions in the Mughal court than the others. While Zulkarneyn, as a member of the divan raised in the harem, served as faujdar and governor, Mariam Zamani Begum is known as the chief queen of Akbar. Although claims about her descent and religion differ, for this study the views in the literature that she was of Armenian descent will be emphasized. Thus, with this study, in which we present a cross-section of the Mughal era, we have attempted to provide a historical background to Indo-Armenian relations from the perspective of the discipline of Area Studies, as it reflects the development of present-day India-Armenia bilateral relations in the historical process