Ruby Lal with Somini Sengupta

Four centuries ago, a Muslim woman ruled an empire – though once lost, her legendary story is revived by acclaimed historian Ruby Lal in Empress: The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jahan. A hunter, a dress designer, an architect, and an astute politician of military acumen and diplomatic skill, Nur Jahan was the only woman to acquire the stature of empress in a male-dominated world, who ruled the vast Mughal Empire in the 17th Century. In Empress, Lal uncovers the rich life and world of Nur, rescuing this dazzling figure from patriarchal and Orientalist clichés of romance and intrigue, and giving new insight into the lives of women and girls in the Mughal Empire. Empress is a deeply researched and evocative biography that awakens us to a leader whose confident assertion of authority and talent is revelatory. Lal presents her new book in conversation with Somini Sengupta, foreign correspondent for The New York Times and author of The End of Karma: Hope and Fury Among India’s Young. A wine reception follows to celebrate the book’s launch.