The role of women in trade, property ownership and commerce during the Sultanate and Mughal periods
Keywords:
Women’s Economic History, Mughal Empire, Sultanate Period, Property Ownership, Trade and CommerceAbstract
The Sultanate and Mughal periods in India witnessed significant participation of women in economic, commercial, and property-related activities despite the dominance of patriarchal social structures. This study examines the role of women in trade, property ownership, and commerce during these medieval periods with special reference to influential figures such as Nur Jahan, Gulbadan Begum, Jahanara Begum, and Mariam-uz-Zamani. The research analyses how elite women exercised economic authority through ownership of jagirs, estates, maritime trade, commercial investments, and patronage of markets and architecture. It also explores the legal rights available to women under Islamic law regarding inheritance, dowry, and wealth management. The study highlights the Mughal harem as an important political and economic institution rather than merely a domestic space. By comparing the Sultanate and Mughal periods, the paper argues that women, particularly royal and aristocratic women, contributed significantly to trade networks, urban development, and the economic structure of medieval India.
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