Between the 16 and 18 centuries, there was an empire in India called the Mughal Empire. In 1607, the 15-year-old Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, met a 15-year-old girl named Mumtaz Mahal. It was love at first sight for both of them. They married a few years later, and were inseparable companions for 19 year. When Mumtaz Mahal died giving birth to their fourteenth child,Shah Jahan is said to have locked himself in his rooms and refused to eat for eight days. The grieving emperor decided to honor her memory by beginning construction of the Taj Mahal-one of the most beautiful monuments in the world. It took 20,000 workers and 1,000 elephants nearly 20 years to complete this monument. Both Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal were buried in this monument.