https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=BegumBegum - Revision history2026-07-31T18:03:08ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Begum&diff=455729&oldid=prevPrinceRey4 at 22:21, 13 February 20262026-02-13T22:21:14Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Turkic honorific title for females}}<br />
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[[File:A noble lady, Mughal dynasty, India. 17th century.jpg|thumb|Begum [[Malika-uz-Zamani]], wife of the [[Mughal Emperor]] [[Muhammad Shah]].]]<br />
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'''Begum''' (also '''Begüm''', '''Bagum''', '''Begom''', '''Begam''', '''Baigum''' or '''Beygum''') is an [[honorific]] title from [[Central Asia|Central]] and [[South Asia]], often used by leading women in society, including [[Royal family|royals]], [[aristocrat]]s, [[first lady|first ladies]] and [[prime minister]]s.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hemenway |first1=Stephen Ignatius |title=The Novel of India: The Anglo-Indian novel |date=1975 |publisher=Writers Workshop |page=107 |language=en |quote=Begum (Hindi), Moslem princess or lady of high rank.}}</ref> It is the feminine equivalent of the title ''[[baig]]'' or ''[[bey]]'', which in [[Turkic languages]] means "higher official". It usually refers to the wife or daughter of a ''[[Bey|beg]]''.<ref>{{cite book|author=Yılmaz Öztuna|title=Devletler ve Handeanlar|volume=1|publisher=Ministry of Culture|location=Ankara|year=1996|page=944}}</ref> The related form ''[[begzada]]'' (daughter of a ''beg'') also occurs.<ref name=begzadi>Moazzambaig, [http://www.digg.com/news/world_news/begzadah Begzadi or Begzada] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428113016/http://digg.com/news/world_news/begzadah |date=2019-04-28 }}. [[Digg]].com: Social News. Retrieved July 8, 2011.</ref><br />
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In the [[Indian subcontinent]], particularly in [[Delhi]], [[Hyderabad]], [[Sindh]], [[Punjab]], [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]] and [[Bengal]], ''begum'' has been adapted for use as an honorific for [[Muslim women]] of high [[social status]], accomplishment, or rank, as in English language the title "[[Lady]]" or "[[Dame]]" is used.<br />
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==Title==<br />
{{Main|Begum (name)}}<br />
[[File:A fat Begum inscribed Hur Khanum Mughlani, Deccan, ca.1625.jpg|thumb|A Begum inscribed Hur Khanum Mughlani, Deccan, ca.1625]]<br />
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== In modern society ==<br />
Colloquially, the term is also used in [[Uzbekistan]], [[India]], [[Pakistan]] and [[Bangladesh]] by Muslim men to refer to their own wives, daughters, sisters or as an honorific address to a married or widowed woman.<br />
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In Bangladesh the term has been used for the titles of current and former [[First Lady of Bangladesh]] e.g. Begum [[Khaleda Zia]], Begum [[Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib|Fazilatunnesa Mujib]] and Begum [[Rowshan Ershad]]. It has also been used to refer to women of high social status such as philanthropists, activists, authors and many others such as [[Begum Rokeya]] and [[Begum Sufia Kamal]]. [[Khaleda Zia]] and [[Sheikh Hasina]], who have alternated as Prime Ministers of Bangladesh since 1991, are nicknamed "the battling begums".<ref>{{cite news|last=Rowlatt |first=Justin |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-42999503 |title= Bangladesh grows tired of the Battling Begums |publisher= BBC |date= November 2008 |access-date= 24 September 2019}}</ref><br />
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The term became well known in the West, especially in the [[Francophone world| French-speaking world]], due to [[Jules Verne]]'s 1879 novel ''[[The Begum's Millions]]''.<br />
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The term had earlier become known in [[United Kingdom|Great Britain]] during the [[impeachment]] and [[Parliament of the United Kingdom| Parliamentary]] trial of [[Warren Hastings]], former [[Governor-General of India]], which lasted from 1787 until 1795. One of the major charges against Hastings was that he had unjustly confiscated land (and thus taxes) belonging to the "Begums of [[Awadh|Oudh]]" (the mother and grandmother of [[Asaf-Ud-Dowlah]], [[Nawab of Awadh|Nawab of Oudh]]).{{cn|date=July 2013}}<br />
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[[Begumpet]] is one of the major commercial and residential suburbs of the city of [[Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh| Hyderabad]], India. Begumpet stands on land given by the [[Mahboob Ali Khan | sixth]] [[Nizam of Hyderabad]] (in office: 1869-1911) to his daughter as her wedding present when she married a [[Paigah family |Paigah]] noble.{{cn|date=July 2013}} <br />
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Members of the [[Pakistan]]i community of Toronto refer to [[Mississauga]], [[Ontario]], Canada (a suburb of [[Toronto]]) as ''Begumpura'' ("Ladies' Town"). Mississauga has a large Pakistani immigrant community and many husbands work in the [[Persian Gulf]] and [[Saudi Arabia]] while their wives and children live in Mississauga.<ref name="Begumpura">{{Cite web |url= http://www.mediamonitors.net/tahir1.html |title= Muslim immigrants to Canada facing discrimination and social problems |access-date=2009-06-24 |archive-date=2012-07-04 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120704221737/http://www.mediamonitors.net/tahir1.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><br />
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Among the [[Nizari Ismaili]] people, the title is also used as the official style of the consort of their imam, the [[Aga Khan]].<br />
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==See also==<br />
*[[Khanum]]<br />
*[[Khatun]]<br />
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== References ==<br />
<references/>{{Authority control}}<br />
[[Category:Noble titles of women]]<br />
[[Category:Women's social titles]]<br />
[[Category:Royal titles]]<br />
[[Category:Turkic culture]]<br />
[[Category:Turkish titles]]<br />
[[Category:Pakistani names]]<br />
[[Category:Titles in Pakistan]]<br />
[[Category:Titles in India]]<br />
[[Category:Titles]]<br />
[[Category:Titles of national or ethnic leadership]]<br />
[[Category:Nobility from the Mughal Empire]]<br />
[[Category:History of women in India]]<br />
[[Category:Urdu surnames]]</div>PrinceRey4