The Mulberry Courtesan

In 1857, the shadows are falling thick and fast on what iseft of the Mughal empire. Theast emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, is a broken, bitter man in his eighties who has retreated into religion and poetry. Zafar’s empire extends no further than the precincts of his grand palace, the Red Fort in Delhi, but this hasn’t prevented numerous court intrigues and conspiracies from flourishing within theal Qila; these involve the emperor’s wives, children, courtiers, hangers-on and English functionaries among others. Flung into this poison pit isaale, a young woman from an Afghan noble family, abducted from her home in the mountains and sold into the Mughal emperor’s court as a courtesan. Fiery, independent and beautiful, the ‘mulberry courtesan’ captures the ageing emperor’s heart, giving him hope and happiness in hisast years. Told against the backdrop of India’s great revolt of 1857 and theast days of the Mughal empire, The Mulberry Courtesan is an epic tale of romance, tragedy, courage and adventure.