Begum Om Habibeh Aga Khan
Encyclopedia
Begum Om Habibeh Aga Khan (February 15, 1906 – July 1, 2000), born Yvette Blanche Labrousse in the town of Sète
, France
, was the fourth and last wife of Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, Aga Khan III
. The couple married thirteen months after the Aga Khan III and his third wife were divorce
d by mutual consent. The Begum was well known for her generosity towards and compassion for the impoverished and the elderly. Her Egyptian Om Habibeh Foundation worked towards the alleviation of poverty and the improvement of quality of life in the area surrounding Aswan, Egypt, and in Le Cannet she established a retirement home. She was particularly interested in women’s issues and, an accomplished artist and sculptor, she was also interested in the arts including classical music, ballet, and the opera. The Begum died at the age of 94 and was buried in the mausoleum of her husband at Aswan.
In 1954, Om Habibeh was given the title of Mata Salamat, which literally means serene or peaceful mother. Of his marriage to Begum Om Habibeh, the Aga Khan III wrote in his memoirs, “I can only say that if a perfectly happy marriage be one in which there is a genuine and complete union and understanding, on the spiritual, mental, and emotional planes, ours is such.” Shortly before his death, the Aga Khan III chose a location on the West Bank of the Nile as his final resting place. The location was highly symbolic, for centuries earlier the Aga Khan’s ancestors had founded the Fatimid dynasty with its capital in Cairo. The Fatimids represented one of the apogees of Muslim culture, being patrons of the arts, architecture, literature, pluralism and scientific endeavors, all fields that were equally dear to the Aga Khan III and Om Habibeh. Immediately after her husband's death, she oversaw the building of a mausoleum, a task that took 16 months and the help of architect Farid El-Shafie and contractor Hassan Dorra.
, he also indicated in his will that he desired Begum Om Habibeh to offer her wise counsel during the first seven years of the Imamat of Karim Aga Khan IV. The Aga Khan III stated in his will that the Begum had been familiar for many years with the issues facing his followers and he had confidence in her wise judgment. After the death of her husband, the Begum predominantly lived in Aswan and Le Cannet, but also stayed in Geneva and Paris.
Sète
Sète is a commune in the Hérault department in Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France. Its inhabitants are called Sétois....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, was the fourth and last wife of Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, Aga Khan III
Aga Khan III
Sir Sultan Muhammed Shah, Aga Khan III, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, GCVO, PC was the 48th Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims. He was one of the founders and the first president of the All-India Muslim League, and served as President of the League of Nations from 1937-38. He was nominated to represent India to...
. The couple married thirteen months after the Aga Khan III and his third wife were divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
d by mutual consent. The Begum was well known for her generosity towards and compassion for the impoverished and the elderly. Her Egyptian Om Habibeh Foundation worked towards the alleviation of poverty and the improvement of quality of life in the area surrounding Aswan, Egypt, and in Le Cannet she established a retirement home. She was particularly interested in women’s issues and, an accomplished artist and sculptor, she was also interested in the arts including classical music, ballet, and the opera. The Begum died at the age of 94 and was buried in the mausoleum of her husband at Aswan.
Early life
Yvette Labrousse was the daughter of Adrian Labrousse, a tramway conductor, and Marie Brouet, a seamstress. Her family soon moved to Cannes and later on to Lyon where the young Yvette spent most of her childhood. In 1929, at the age of twenty-four, she became Miss Lyon and one year later she was named Miss France. As a beauty queen and a representative of France, she traveled to many countries around the world. She found herself particularly taken by Egypt and, in the late 1930s, she moved to Cairo and adopted the faith of Islam.Married life
Yvette Labrousse met Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, Aga Khan III in Egypt and the couple was married on October 9, 1944 in Switzerland. The new Begum assumed the name of Om Habibeh after one of the Prophet Muhammad’s wives. Her husband playfully nicknamed her “Yaky”, which was composed from the initials of “Yvette”, “Aga” and “Khan”. The Begum designed their villa at Le Cannet near Cannes and it was named “Yakymour”, combining her nickname “Yaky” and “Amour”, the French word for love. As is clear from such indications, the couple was very close and the two loved each other dearly.In 1954, Om Habibeh was given the title of Mata Salamat, which literally means serene or peaceful mother. Of his marriage to Begum Om Habibeh, the Aga Khan III wrote in his memoirs, “I can only say that if a perfectly happy marriage be one in which there is a genuine and complete union and understanding, on the spiritual, mental, and emotional planes, ours is such.” Shortly before his death, the Aga Khan III chose a location on the West Bank of the Nile as his final resting place. The location was highly symbolic, for centuries earlier the Aga Khan’s ancestors had founded the Fatimid dynasty with its capital in Cairo. The Fatimids represented one of the apogees of Muslim culture, being patrons of the arts, architecture, literature, pluralism and scientific endeavors, all fields that were equally dear to the Aga Khan III and Om Habibeh. Immediately after her husband's death, she oversaw the building of a mausoleum, a task that took 16 months and the help of architect Farid El-Shafie and contractor Hassan Dorra.
Later life
When the Aga Khan III appointed his grandson, Karim, to succeed him to the title of Aga Khan IVAga Khan IV
Prince Karim, Aga Khan IV, NPk, NI, KBE, CC, GCC, GCIH, GCM is the 49th and current Imam of the Shia Imami Nizari Ismaili Muslims. He has held this position under the title of Aga Khan since July 11, 1957, when, at the age of 20, he succeeded his grandfather, Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan...
, he also indicated in his will that he desired Begum Om Habibeh to offer her wise counsel during the first seven years of the Imamat of Karim Aga Khan IV. The Aga Khan III stated in his will that the Begum had been familiar for many years with the issues facing his followers and he had confidence in her wise judgment. After the death of her husband, the Begum predominantly lived in Aswan and Le Cannet, but also stayed in Geneva and Paris.