The Taj Mahal was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to their 14th child. Construction took over 20 years, involving thousands of artisans and laborers. The main structure was completed around 1643, while the surrounding buildings and gardens took another ten years. Legend has it that Shah Jahan intended to build a black Taj Mahal across the river for himself, but this was never realized. He was later imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb in Agra Fort, where he could gaze upon his beloved's tomb until his death.