Page:The Diwan of Zeb-un-Nissa.djvu/19

 INTRODUCTION 13 troversial religious points. One of Aurungzebe's sons, Muhammad Ma'uzam, was a Shiah, and when sectarian disputes took place in the court the prin- cess was often asked to settle them. Her decision in one dispute is famous, for it was copied and sent to Iran and Turan, and many scores of Begums are said to have been converted to the Sunni cause on that occasion. At first she took great pleasure in the Tazia celebration- ^ .. gave them up at her father's wish when he uame to the throne, and adopted a simpler form of faith. Much of her personal allowance of four lakhs a year she used in encouraging men of letters, in providiQg for widows and orphans, and in sending every year pilgrims to Mecca and Medina. She collected a fine library and em- ployed skilled caligraphers to copy rare and valuable books for her ; and, as Kashmir paper and Kashmir scribes were famous for their excellence, she had a scriptorium also in that province, where work went on constantly. Her personal interest in the work was great, and every morning she went over the copies that had been made on the previous day. She had contemporary fame as a poet, and literary men used to send their works for her approval or criticism, and she rewarded them according to their merits. In personal appearance she is described as