Muztal Sultan Begum

Muztal Sultan Begum (5 January 917 - 16 May 977), was the empress and second wife of the fifth emperor Shawekki of Hafra Dynasty in Baland, and the mother of his successor, Sushweteti the Great. She served as regent of the Empire in 951, 969 and 973 when her husband and son went out to fight. Muztal is a princess from an unknown Sultanate in Bangladesh. She was originally a Muslim. Because of religious issues, her marriage with the emperor caused great controversy. However, she later converted to Mahaism and gave birth to an heir-apparent, by which she was finally accepted by the imperial court of Baland. Although she gave up her belief in Islam, she was deeply influenced by Islamic culture and art, and brought them to Baland, which opened the prelude to the cultural prosperity of the middle Hafra Dynasty. After that, part of Islamic style culture was integrated into Balish culture. Because of her son Sushweteti IV's great achievements, her education was considered successful, and she also got the title of "mother of the great emperor". As a pagan from abroad, Muztal's influence has surpassed that of almost all empresses during the Hafra dynasty. To some extent, she is as famous as some of the most well-known female rulers in Baland's history.

Background
There is no detailed record of Muztal Sultan Begum's specific life experience and early experience. She comes from Bangladesh and is a princess of a local Sultanate. According to the historical records of Baland, her motherland is "one of the oldest Sultanates" and "guarding a crucial geographical location". However, there are no documents giving the name and specific geographical location of this country, and her parents and other relatives are not known. Therefore, some historians speculate that the so-called "The Sultanate" is just a kind of gilded saying. Muztal may just be the daughter of a sultan chief from an Islamic tribe in Bangladesh. However, in any case, there is no doubt that Muztal's hometown believes in Islam. In her name, "Sultan" and "Begum" are titles of noble women in Islamic society, so it can be judged that she comes from the top class of her country. As for the meaning of "Muztal", there is no specific explanation. Her date of birth is recorded in detail in Baland's official history book, which is 5 January 917. Some people doubt this date, but there is no evidence to refute it. Two ladies accompanying her in Baland from the Sultanate, Setkya Sultan and Muz-un-nissa Begum, who later became influential in the imperial court, may be her sisters. Growing up in an Islamic environment, Muztal was deeply influenced by Islam. Not surprisingly, she became a Muslim. She had a lot of research on Islamic culture and artistic style, which can be reflected in her later transformation of fashion and art in Baland.