Female practitioners of the medical arts were active in the ancient world and one of the earliest known female physicians in Shahjahan court was Sati al-Nisa of Amul, a city in the Caspian province of Mazandaran in Northern Iran. Sati al-Nisa was a sister of Talib Amuli, the port laureate of the court. She was a sister-in-law of Hakim Rukha.
Sati al-Nisa had an extra ordinary affection for her brother, Talib Amuli and had visited India to see him. She entered the court after the death of her husband and served as one of the personal female attendant to the Queen Mumtaz Mahal
Sati al-Nisa was a brilliant and sharp gentlewoman, well versed in household affairs and skilful in medicine. Due to her ability and conduct she was soon promoted to the office of “Seal Keepers”.
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As she was well-versed in Persian prose and poetry and the art of recitation of the Holy Qur’an, she was also entrusted with the task of teaching Princess Jahanara, the esteemed daughter of the Emperor.
Sati al-Nisa certainly attracted the attention of Queen Mumtaz Mahal. She also gained remarkable influence in the palace due to her managing abilities. Sati al-Nisa was later appointed as a secretary of Queen Mumtaz.
After the death of Queen Mumtaz Mahal in June 1, 1631, the emperor appointed Sati al-Nisa as Sadr-e-kul (officer in a court of public records) of the royal apartments.
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Her duties ranged from the organization of the Emperor’s meals to the nursing of princes and princesses. According to Muhammad Saleh Kanbuh, she was also well-versed of the medical knowledge of her time and was proficient in treating several acute and chronic diseases.
Sati al-Nisa passed away in the year 1646. Her body was kept in Lahore for one year, then it was interned in a mausoleum built by the Emperor. There is no record of Sati al-Nisa’s exact year of birth.
