At the age of nine, Ruqaiya married her first cousin, Akbar, in November of 1551 at Kabul, Afghanistan, shortly after his first appointment as a Viceroy in the province of Ghazni.[14] The marriage took place as per Emperor Humayun's wish and was conducted soon after the untimely death of Ruqaiya's father, Hindal Mirza, who died fighting valorously in a battle against Kamran Mirza's forces in November of 1551.[15] Upon their marriage, Humayun conferred on the young couple, all the wealth, army and adherents of his deceased younger brother, Hindal, and Ghazni, which was one of Hindal's jagir, was given to his nephew and son-in-law, Akba