Rulers were very conscious of their image and chose to project it in the eyes of their subjects by adopting symbols that enhanced their status. These symbols not only expressed power but also the glamour, resources and wealth of the rulers. With the help of these symbols, they attempted to change their personality and display their glory.The Mughal rulers inherited symbols of royalty that evolved and developed during the time of the Umayyid and Abbasid Caliphate, and were originally modelled on the pattern of the Byzantine and Sasanid dynasties. The Mughal rulers not only inherited them, but also added the Changizi and the Indian royal symbols to make their person and court more glamorous and resplendent. The two early rulers, Babur and Humayoun, did not get time to incorporate these symbols and traditions in the court ceremonies, due to their preoccupation with political instability.
Akbar, the third ruler of the dynasty, completed the task of making the court a centre of power by displaying symbols of royalty to legitimise the rule. Though no new symbol was invented by the Mughals, they made these symbols more elaborate and magnificent. There was also no serious religious challenge to their display. They not only impressed observers by showing the power and grandeur of their rulers but also got the people emotionally and psychologically involved as part of the display. This was why symbols of royalty were seldom criticised or condemned by the ulema.
The throne, the pledge of allegiance to the sovereign in the khutba, assumption of royal titles, issuance of new coins and the inscription of name and titles on the royal seal were the symbols of royalty during the Mughal period in India. After his succession, the new emperor sat on the throne, assumed high and pompous titles, caused his name to be included in the khutba, struck his name and titles on the seal, and issued a farman (royal decree) proclaiming himself the emperor. If there was more than one claimant to the throne, all tried to fulfil these conditions and to be recognised as the legal ruler. In this event, only power and diplomatic manoeuvring decided the issue. Shahjahan (1628-1658) succeeded to the throne through the diplomacy of Asif khan (d.1641) and Alamgir (1658-1707) won his throne through his victory over Dara Shikoh (d.1659).
As these were symbols of royalty, nobody else in the kingdom was allowed to use them. To sit on the throne was a royal prerogative; princes, as provincial governors, were sometimes allowed to sit on a throne but its height could not be above three feet. To have his name read in the khutba and to strike new coins were purely royal prerogatives, and any violation of them was regarded as high treason against the sovereignty of the reigning monarch. Banners and military standards were awarded to princes and high nobles for their meritorious services. The signet-ring or royal seal remained in the personal possession of the emperor, or was entrusted for safe keeping to the lady of the harem or to a trusted noble.
Besides these symbols, there were other royal prerogatives that were jealously guarded by the emperor.
In the early period of Islamic history, the mimber or high seat at the mosque used to be a symbol of political authority. Only the Caliph had the privilege to use it. In ancient Arabia, it was the seat of Qazi or the judge. When he proceeded to sit on it, he struck its steps with his staff and then sat on it (the ritual is still performed by the leader of prayer (Imam). When the holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) migrated to Madina, he adopted the Qazi's and khatib's (who delivers the sermon) symbols of mimber and staff as symbols of authority. In 08AH he got a new mimber built which had two steps.
During the period of the first four Caliphs, it was the symbol of the government. Other mosques did not have any high seat, and the prayer leader used to deliver khutba standing on the ground. When Umr bin Aas constructed a mimber at the Friday mosque in Egypt, Hazrat Umar (614-644), the second Caliph, upon learning about it, ordered him to demolish it as it was against the principle of Islam to stand high above other Muslims. When Mu'awiya (661-680) assumed power, he tried to bring the Prophet's (PUH) staff and mimber to Damascus in order to legitimise his rule. He was the first Muslim ruler who started the tradition to sit on a throne. Since then, the importance of mimber slowly came to an end, and the throne replaced it as the royal symbol.
