Gulbadan's Chronicle: A Vagabond Princess in the Mughal Empire

A new edition of the only existing work of prose written by a woman of the magnificent Mughal court of India

Ruby Lal's Vagabond Princess unearths an extraordinary historical treasure-the only surviving history of the magnificent Mughal Empire written by a royal woman. Penned in the late sixteenth century by Princess Gulbadan Begum, this remarkable chronicle reveals a life defined by daring travel and migration, thrilling encounters with foreign cultures, and the exceptional influence she wielded with confidence and grace. Her groundbreaking account-which illuminates the unexpected freedoms enjoyed by both royal and common people-transforms our understanding of her era.

Now, as a companion to Vagabond Princess, Gulbadan's Chronicle presents Victorian scholar Annette Susannah Beveridge's masterful English translation of Gulbadan's history. In a compelling introduction, Lal traces Beveridge's intellectual journey and her deep connection to Gulbadan's pivotal work. This edition brings a lost voice back to life, deepening our understanding not only of the Mughal world but of how two brilliant women-centuries apart-joined forces to preserve an irreplaceable piece of history.