Taj al-Malika

Taj al-Malika (lit. 'Crown among queens'; 26 May 765-14 June 843) was Queen consort of the Assalamia empire as the chief wife of Ehsan Khan, 2nd King of Assalamia empire. She had played a prominent role in the revenge of Axiamih, her step grandson.

Life
There's no offcial record about Queen Taj al-Malika, however, her life can be found in epitaphs of some her relatives and documents from surrounding countries.

She was born on 26 May 765 in an upper aristocratic family of the Assalamia empire, according to a report of Itisham de Charlais, Ambassador of the Eadien empire, in which he reported the wedding situation of Taj al-Malika and Ehsan Khan to Emperor Isatal II, on 9 January 781. Her birth name might be Shabana Rana.

She was not the first wife of her husband, but the chief wife who acted as the highest lady in Ehsan's harem, and that's why she was entitled "Taj al-Malika". She didn't bear any recorded children.

When Ehsan Khan died, his son Jibumih was crowned king, and Jibumih's mother Maryam al-Daulah replaced Taj al-Malika as the first lady in the royal court, but the latter was still well-respected by the king and whole court. In offcial occasions, she was the second to pay homage to by the king only after Maryam al-Daulah.

King Jibumih had fallen in love with a court lady named Ibuji, future mother of his successor Axiamih. The great love received by Ibuji had aroused jealousy of Queen Saunnaji, who started persecutions towards Ibuji, enraging the king. Jibumih downgraded Saunnaji to a lesser wife, while elevated Ibuji to the queen. Saunnaji and her father, Khan of Satedulleh, declared a war on the Assalamia empire and gained the victory. Saunnaji became the queen again, meanwhile Ibuji lost her title, later her life in persecutions from Saunnaji and her followers. Jibumih also committed suicide after he heard Ibuji's death.

Ibuji's son young Axiamih was crowned king and Saunnaji, as his stepmother, served as his regent. As the Grand Queen Dowager, Taj al-Malika still held a high position, but she was not in a harmony relationship with Saunnaji. Taj al-Malika secretly told the truth about his parents' deaths to Axiamih, which was the reason although Axiamih was raised by Saunnaji, he still hated her. Saunnaji died in 830, and it was said she was poisoned dead by Axiamih in some documents. In 838, King Axiamih declared a war on Satedulleh, destroying this country and beheading its king, to avenge his parents.

Taj al-Malika died on 14 June 843, and was entombed in Rapziz.