TAMIL NADU

NATIONAL LAW SCHOOL

B.A.LL.B., (HONS.), SECOND
SEMESTER 2014-15
HISTORY PROJECT
ON
MUGHAL EMPIRE DURING AKBARS REIGN
PROJECT BY:CHAITANYA TEJAS YERRAGUNTLA
BA0140013
SECTION-A
SUBMITTED TO:-

Guest Faculty, Prof. Biju JosephDECLARATION

I, Chaitanya Tejas Yerraguntla, hereby declare that the project work entitled Mughal Empire
during Akbars reign submitted to Tamil Nadu National Law School; Tiruchirappalli, is the
record of a bonafide work done by me under the supervision and guidance of Guest Faculty,
Prof. Biju Joseph, Faculty of History, Tamil Nadu National Law School; Tiruchirappalli.

All information furnished in the project is true to the best of my knowledge devoid of
plagiarism. If plagiarism under the circumstances is truly established then the Law School
may be pleased to proceed with any action against me according to the rules and regulations.

Chaitanya Tejas Yerraguntla

Section- A

SUPERVISORS CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the Research Project entitled: Mughal

Empire during Akbars reign submitted to the Tamil Nadu
National Law School; Tiruchirappalli, in fulfillment of the
requirements for internal component for B.A; LL.B (HONS.),
Second Semester is an original and bonafide research work carried
out by Chaitanya Tejas Yerraguntla under my supervision and
guidance. No part of this study has been submitted to any
University for the award of any Degree or Diploma whatsoever.

Guest Faculty, Prof. Biju Joseph (

Place: Tiruchirappalli

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE

PAGE NO.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

INTRODUCTION

OBJECTIVE OF STUDY

REVIEW OF LITERATIRE

THE MUGHAL EMPIRE

AKBAR- THE GREAT

10

MUGHAL EMPIRE DURING AKBARS REIGN

12

CONCLUSION

24

BIBLIOGRAPHY

25

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

At the outset, I take this opportunity to thank my Guest Faculty, Prof. Biju Joseph
from the bottom of my heart who has been of immense help during moments of
anxiety and torpidity while the project was taking its crucial shape.
Secondly, I convey my deepest regards to the administrative staff of TNNLS who
held the project in high esteem by providing reliable information in the form of
library infrastructure and database connections in times of need.
Thirdly, the contribution made by my parents and friends by foregoing their
precious time is unforgettable and highly solicited. Their valuable advice and
timely supervision paved the way for the successful completion of this project.
Finally, I thank the Almighty who gave me the courage and stamina to confront all
hurdles during the making of this project. Words arent sufficient to acknowledge
the tremendous contributions of various people involved in this project as I know
Words are Poor Comforters. I once again wholeheartedly and earnestly thank all
the people who were involved directly or indirectly during this project making
which helped me to come out with flying colors.

INTRODUCTION
The Mughal Empire is considered to be one of the most powerful and organized empires to rule
the subcontinent from 1526 until the British Colonial Rule took over the country. The Empire
ruled over the most prominent states in the country and established and exhibited one of the best
organized running of the country in the countrys history. The Empire reached its peak during the
rule of Akbar, the great upon whom this project is based on.
The long reign of Akbar, which lasted from 1556 to 1605, has been represented as the golden age
of the Mughal Empire. It was in reality but the beginning of the period of splendor which ended
with the disastrous wars of Aurangzeb. Akbar was the true founder and organizer of the empire,
but it is too often forgotten that it took him twenty years of hard fighting to bring Hindustan
under subjection, and that even at his death the process was incomplete. There was no sudden
and miraculous submission to the boy of thirteen who found himself called to an as yet
unconquered throne by the accident that ended his fathers ineffectual life in the beginning of
15561.
He moved his way up the ladder by fighting several wars and introducing several policies which
won him the support of not just the Muslims but also his Non-Muslim counterparts. Under the
regent of Bairam Khan, the young Akbar grew up to become one of the most promising rulers of
the Mughal Empire and an Emperor which the country had never witnessed.
On his way up the Administrational rule, Akbar introduced several policies, gave birth to the
Mughal style of Architecture and expanded the Mughal Empire all of which have been discussed
in the project.

1 http://www.hindunet.org/hindu_history/modern/akbar_vs.html
6

OBJECTIVE OF STUDY
To study the establishment of the Mughal Empire in India post the reign of Babur and
Humayun.
To study the rise of Mughal Empire during Akbars Empire and the establishment of the
Mughal Empire in India and its expansion.
To present a short summary of Akbars early life, his rise to power and his family.
To analyze the working of Akbars policies and its effect on Political, Cultural and Social
relations of the Empire with the citizens under the area controlled by the Empire.
To study the various aspects of improvements in the Indian subcontinent Socially,
Politically and Culturally during Akbars reign in the Mughal Empire.
To throw light on the various wars fought under Akbars reign and its influence on the
other Indian ruling dynasties and its importance in the expansion of the Mughal Empire.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE
The Oxford History of India by Vincent A Smith is the book from which the major part of
the Mughal Empire has been taken from which has been discussed in the project. It talks about
the establishment of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent which is a very important
aspect in this project as Akbar made several changes to the policies put forward by his
predecessors. The sub-topic Akbar, the Great has also been taken from Chapter three of this
book.
Part two of the book History of Medieval India by V.D.Mahajan deals with the Major part of
the project. Sub-topics such as the Second battle of Panipat, Akbars policies and Akbars
Religion: Din-i-Ilahi has been extracted from the book.

THE MUGHAL EMPIRE

7

The Mughal Empire was founded by Babur who was a Central Asian ruler. Babur was ousted
from his ancestral domains in Central Asia; he turned towards India to satisfy his ambitions.
Initially, he established himself in Kabul and pushed southward towards India from Afghanistan.
He was successful in conquering the Northern part of India post battle of Panipat in 1526. The
preoccupation with wars and military campaigns did not allow the emperor to expand his
kingdom. The throne moved on to Humayun under whose rule, the empire became instable and
the restoration of the kingdom in 1555 brought back the Mughal Empire back to India.
The death of Humayun automatically led the passing of the throne to his son, Akbar under whose
reign the empire extended in all directions and most of the Indian subcontinent was under the
Mughal Empire. He created a new class of nobility loyal to him from the military aristocracy of
India's social groups, implemented a modern government, and supported cultural developments.
He also intensified the trade with European trading companies which ultimately led to the
development of a strong and stable economy. Akbar never opposed expansion of religion and
attempted to resolve socio-political and political differences with the establishment of a new
religion called Din-i-Ilahi. He left his successors with an internally stable state.
Akbars son, Jahangir, ruled the Empire at its peak but because of his addiction to opium and his
negligence towards the affairs of the state. Shah Jahan was the successor to Jahangir and under
his reign, the culture and splendor of the luxurious Mughal courts reached its zenith as
exemplified by the Taj Mahal. Mughal Architecture went to a whole new level under his reign
and it came a time when the maintenance cost of the courts began to cost more than the revenue.
Shah Jahans eldest son, Dara Shikoh became regent in 1658 as a result of his fathers illness,
However, his younger son, Aurangzeb, allied with Islamic orthodoxy groups against his brother
who championed a syncretistic Hindu-Muslim culture, and ascended to the throne. Although
Shah Jahan fully recovered from his illness, Aurangzeb declared him incompetent to rule and had
him imprisoned. During Aurangzeb's reign, the empire gained political strength once more, but
his

religious

conservatism

and

intolerance

undermined

the

stability

of

Mughal

society. Aurangzeb expanded the empire to include almost the whole of South Asia, but at his
death in 1707, many parts of the empire were in open revolt. Aurangzeb's son, Shah Alam,
repealed the religious policies of his father, and attempted to reform the administration.
8

However, after his death in 1712, the Mughal dynasty sank into chaos and violent feuds. In 1719
alone, four emperors successively ascended the throne.
There are several explanations for the sudden decline of the Mughal Empire between 1690 and
1720 especially after a century of growth and prosperity. In fiscal terms, the throne lost the
revenues needed to pay its chief officers, the emirs (nobles) and their entourages. The imperial
army, bogged down in long, futile wars against the more aggressive Marathas, lost its fighting
spirit. Finally came a series of violent political feuds over control of the throne. In a religious
interpretation, some scholars argue that the Hindu Rajputs revolted against Muslim rule. Finally
other scholars argue that the very prosperity of the Empire inspired the provinces to achieve a
high degree of independence, thus weakening the imperial court.

AKBAR- THE GREAT

Abul-Fath Jalad ud-din Muhammad Akbar, popularly known as Akbar or also known as Akbar
the Great or Akbar I was a Mughal Emperor who ruled the Mughal Empire from 1556 until his
death. He was the third and considered to be one of the greatest rulers of the Mughal Dynasty in
India. He succeeded his father, Humayun, under a regent, namely Bairam Khan.
When Humayun was defeated in battles at Chausa and Kannauj in 1539-40 by the forces of Sher
Shah Suri, he fled westward to Sindh where he met and married Hamida Banu Begum, daughter
of Shaikh Ali Akbar Jami, a teacher of Humauyun's younger brother Hindal Mirza. Akbar was
born an year later on 15th October 1542 at the Rajput Fortress of Umerkot in Sindh to Humayun
and Hamida Banu Begum. Akbar was brought up in Kabul by the extended family of his paternal
uncles, Kamran Mirza and Askari Mirza. He spent his youth learning to hunt, run and fight
which made him daring, powerful and a brave warrior. In the year 1555, following the confusion
over the succession of Sher Shah Suris son, Humayun reconqured Delhi along with his army. A
few months later, Humayun died and Akbar was enthroned on 14th February 1556.
Akbar along and under the supervision of Bairam Khan expanded and consolidated the Mughal
Empire in India. During Akbars reign, the Mughal Empire enlarged nearly all of the Indian
Subcontinent because of Mughal military, political, cultural and economic dominance. Akbar
wished to unify the Mughal Empire into one single state and in pursuit of this vision of his, he
established a centralized system of administration throughout his empire and adopted a policy of
conciliating conquered rulers through marriage and diplomacy. Akbar introduced several policies
in order to preserve peace and order in a religious and culturally diverse empire and won the
support of his non-Muslim subjects.
The Mughal Empire took proper shape during Akbars rule. The Empire tripled in size and
wealth. He created a powerful military system and instituted effective political and social
reforms. He abolished the age old sectarian on non-Muslims and appointed them to high civil
and military posts. He is also the first Mughal emperor to win trust and loyalty of the native

10

subjects. He realized that a stable empire depended on the co-operation and the good will of his
subjects and for this laid the foundation for a multicultural empire under Mughal rule.
Akbar was survived by eleven wives namely:

Mariam-uz-Zamani Begum (Jodha Bai)

Ruqaiya Sultan Begum
Salima Sultan Begum
Khandeshi Begum
Begum Raj Kanwari Bai
Begum Nathi Bai
Qismiyah Banu Begum
Kashmiri Begum
Qazwini Begum
Mughli Begum
One of them whose name was unknown

Akbar had eight children: Five sons and three daughters namely:
Jahangir, Sultan Murad Mirza, Daniyal, Hussain, Hassan, Aram Banu Begum, Shahzadi
Khanum, Sakr-un Nissa Begum.
On 3rd October, 1605, Akbar fell ill due to an attack of dysentery from which he was unable to
recover. Though there is a lot of speculation on the date of his death, he is believed to have died
on 27th October, 1605 after which his body was buried at a mausoleum in Sikandra, Agra.
Post his death, his son, Jahangir was his successor to the throne who ruled the Mughal Empire.

11

MUGHAL EMPIRE DURING AKBARS REIGN

ADMINISTRATION
Political government
During Akbars reign, the central government system was based on a system which had evolved
over time ever since the Delhi Sultanate but Akbar made sure that he reorganized the various
departments and laid down regulations for their functioning.

The revenue department was headed by a wazir, responsible for all finances and
management of jagir and inam lands.

The head of the military was called the mir bakshi, appointed from among the leading
nobles of the court. The mir bakshi was in charge of intelligence gathering, and also made
recommendations to the emperor for military appointments and promotions.

The mir saman was in charge of the imperial household, including the harems, and
supervised the functioning of the court and royal bodyguard.

The judiciary was a separate organization headed by a chief qazi, who was also
responsible for religious beliefs and practices

Taxation
Akbar reformed the administration of empires land revenue system by adopting a system that
had been used by Sher Shah Suri. A cultivated area where crops grew well was measured and
taxed through fixed rates based on the area's crop and productivity. However, this placed
hardship on the peasantry because tax rates were fixed on the basis of prices prevailing in the
imperial court, which were often higher than those in the countryside. Akbar adopted a
decentralized system of annual assessment but this ultimately led to corruption among local
officials and hence was abandoned in 1580. This system was replaced by a system called
dahsala. Under the system of dahsala, revenue was calculated as one-third of the average
produce of the previous ten years, to be paid to the state in cash. This system was later refined,
12

taking into account local prices, and grouping areas with similar productivity into assessment
circles. Remission was given to peasants when the harvest failed during times of flood or
drought. While the revenue assessment system showed concern for the small peasantry, it also
maintained a level of distrust towards the revenue officials. Revenue officials were guaranteed
only three-quarters of their salary, with the remaining quarter dependent on their full realization
of the revenue assessed.
He also abolished a tax called the Jizya which was a tax levied on the conscientious faith of any
man. This measure helped in removing the deep rooted bitterness amongst the Hindus against the
Muslim rulers.
Military Organization
Akbar organized his army as well as the nobility by means of a system called the masabdari.
Under this system, each officer in the army was assigned a rank (mansabdar), and assigned a
number of cavalry that he had to supply to the imperial army. The mansabdars were divided into
33 classes. The top three commanding ranks, ranging from 7000 to 10000 troops, were normally
reserved for princes. Other ranks between 10 and 5000 were assigned to other members of the
nobility. The Empires standing army was small and the imperial forces consisted of contingent
forces which maintained the mansabdars. Each mansabdar was required to maintain a certain
number of cavalrymen and twice that number of horses. The number of horses was greater
because they had to be rested and rapidly replaced in times of war.
Capital
Akbar was a follower if Samil Chishti, a holy man who lived in the region of Sikri near Agra.
Akbar believed this area to be lucky and constructed a mosque for the local priests. He
celebrated the victories over Chittor and Ranthambore by laying a foundation stone for a new
walled capital in 1569 which was named Fatehpur, translated as town of victory. After the
Mughal Empire conquered Gujarat in 1573, it subsequently came to be known as Fatehpur Sikri.
The capital was abandoned and the new capital was moved to Lahore in 1585, though reasons
unknown. In 1599, Akbar shifted his capital back to Agra from where he reigned until his death.

13

ARCHITECTURE
Akbars reign began the Mughal style of building in India. The architecture of the Akbar period
is characterized by a strength made elegant and graceful by its rich decorative work which
reflects traditional Hindu elements2. The style is best exemplifies by the fort at Agra and the
magnificent town of Fatehpur Sikri but fine examples are also found in the gateway to the Arab
Sara, the Ajmer fort and the Lahore Fort. The fortress palace of Agra is notable for its massive
enclosure wall; its entire length of 1.5 miles is faced with dressed stone. The main entranceway,
known as the Delhi gate is decorated with white marble against the warm red sandstone. It was
the first location in India to be designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983. The capital
town of Fatehpur Sikri which was named a World Heritage Site in 1986 is one of the most
notable achievements of Mughal Architecture. The Hall of Private Audience (Diwan-i-Khas) is
arresting in its interior arrangement, which has a single massive column encircled by brackets
supporting a stone throne platform, from which radiate four railed balconies. The most imposing
of the buildings at Fatehpur Sikri is the Great Mosque, The Jama Masjid which has served as a
model for all further mosques byuilt under the Mughal Empire.
Akbars Architectural Legacy:

Humayuns Tomb, Delhi (1560)

Arab Sarai, Delhi (1560)
Khair-ul Manazil Masjid, Delhi (1561)
Adham Khans Tomb, Delhi (1562)
Dargah of Nizam-ud-din, Delhi (1562)
Ataga Khans Tomb, Delhi (1566)
Afsarwala Mosque and Tomb, Delhi (1566)
Agra Fort, Agra (1570)

2 http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/11458/Akbar-period-architecture
14

Ajmer Fort, Ajmer (1572)

Lahore Fort, Lahore
Jama Masjid, Fatehpur Sikri (1571)
Shaikh Samil Chisthis Tomb, Fatehpur Sikri (1580)
Islam Khans Tomb, Fatehpur Sikri(1585)
Buland Darwaza, Fatehpur Sikri (1576)
Allahabad Fort, Allahabad (1583)
Hari Parbat Fort, Srinagar (1586)
Nasim Bagh, Srinagar

DIPLOMACY
Matrimonial alliances
The practice of giving Hindu princesses to Muslim kings in marriage was known much before
Akbar's time, but in most cases these marriages did not lead to any stable relations between the
families involved, and the women were lost to their families and did not return after marriage.
However, Akbars policy of matrimonial alliances marked the beginning of a new practice in
which marriage itself marked the beginning of a new order of relations, where in Hindu Rajputs
who married their relatives would be treated on par with his other relations. These Rajputs were
made members of his court and their daughters' or sisters' marriage to a Muslim ceased to be a
sign of degradation, except for certain proud elements that still considered it a sign of
humiliation.
The political effect of these alliances was significant. While some Rajput women who entered
Akbar's harem converted to Islam, they were generally provided full religious freedom, and their
relatives, who continued to remain Hindu, formed a significant part of the nobility and served to
articulate the opinions of the majority of the common populace in the imperial court. The
interaction between Hindu and Muslim nobles in the imperial court resulted in exchange of
thoughts and blending of the two cultures. Further, newer generations of the Mughal line
represented a merger of Mughal and Rajput blood, thereby strengthening ties between the two.
As a result, the Rajputs became the strongest allies of the Mughals, and Rajput soldiers and
generals fought for the Mughal army under Akbar, leading it in several campaigns including the
15

conquest of Gujarat in 1572. Akbar's policy of religious tolerance ensured that employment in
the imperial administration was open to all on merit irrespective of creed, and this led to an
increase in the strength of the administrative services of the empire.
ECONOMY
Trade
Akbars reign in Mughal Empire characterized the commercial expansion
under the Empire. The Mughal administration encouraged traders and
provided protection and security for transactions. In order to prevent the
theft of goods while in the territory, bands of highway police called rahdars
were enlisted to patrol roads and ensure safety of traders. Other active
measures include the construction and protection of routes of trade and
communication. Akbar also took efforts to improve road conditions to
facilitate the use of wheeled vehicles through the Kyber Pass, the then most
popular route chosen by trader and travelers in journeying from Kabul to
India.
Coins
Akbar was a great innovator as far as coinage is concerned. The coins of
Akbar set up a new chapter in Indias numismatic history. Though coins were
introduced by Humayun and Babur, the coins were basic and devoid of any
innovation as the former were busy setting up the Empire in India. Akbars
relatively long reign of 50 years allowed him to experiment with coinage.
Akbar introduced coins with decorative floral motifs, dotted borders,
quatrefoil and other types. His coins were both round and square in shape
with a unique 'mehrab' (lozenge) shape coin highlighting numismatic
calligraphy at its best. The tolerant view of Akbar is represented by the 'RamSiya' silver coin type while during the latter part of Akbar's reign, we see
coins portraying the concept of Akbar's newly promoted religion 'Din-e-ilahi'
with the Ilahi type and Jalal-Hu type coins.
16

FOREIGN RELATIONS
Relations with the Portuguese
During Akbars ascension to the throne, the Portuguese had established several factories and
fortresses on the Western coast of the subcontinent and largely controlled navigation and sea
routes in the region. In 1572, when the Mughals conquered Gujarat and acquired access to the
sea, Akbar was informed by the local officials that the Portuguese had started to exercise their
control over the Indian Ocean which worried Akbar because of the possible threat by their
presence and was happy with obtaining a permit from them for sailing in the Persian Gulf region.
During the initial phase, Potuguese, recognizing the strength of the Mughal Army, adopted
diplomacy instead of war. Akbar's efforts to purchase and secure from the Portuguese some of
their compact Artillery pieces were unsuccessful and that is the reason why Akbar could not
establish the Mughal navy along the Gujarat coast. Akbar accepted the offer of diplomacy, but
the Portuguese continually acknowledged their authority and power in the Indian Ocean.
Relations with the Ottoman Empire
In 1555, while Akbar was still a child, Ottoman Admiral Seydi Ali Reis visited
Humayun, the then Mughal Emperor. In 1569, Ottoman Admiral Kurtoglu Hizir
Rei arrived on the shores if the Mughal Empire and sought to end the growing
threat of the Portuguese. During his reign Akbar himself is known to have
sent

six

documents

addressing

the

Ottoman Sultan Suleiman

the

Magnificent. According to some accounts Mughal Emperor Akbar expressed a

desire to form an alliance with the Portuguese, mainly in order to advance his
interests, but whenever the Portuguese attempted to invade the Ottomans,
the Mughal Emperor Akbar proved abortive. In 1587 a Portuguese fleet sent
to attack Yemen was ferociously routed and defeated by the Ottoman
Navy; thereafter the Mughal-Portuguese alliance immediately collapsed

17

mainly

because

of

the

continuing

pressure

by

the Mughal

Empire's

prestigious vassals at Janjira.

Relations with the Safavid Dynasty
The Safavids and the Mughals shared a long history of Diplomatic
relationship. The Safavid ruler, Tahmasp I provided refuge for Humayin when
he had fled the Indian subcontinent post his lost to Sher Shah Suri. In th 16 th
and 17th centuries, both the empires, along with the Ottoman Empire to the
west, were the site of major power struggles in Asia. While the Mughals and
Ottoman followed Sunni Sect of Islam, the Safavids practiced Shia Sect of
Islam. Diplomatic relations continued to be maintained between the Safavid
and Mughal courts until the end of Akbar's reign.
Relations with other contemporary kingdoms
Vincent Arthur Smith observes that the merchant Mildenhall was employed in 1600 while the
establishment of the Company was under adjustment to bear a letter from Queen Elizabeth to
Akbar requesting liberty to trade in his dominions on terms as good as those enjoyed by the
Portuguese.
Akbar was also visited by the French explorer Pierre Malherbe.

18

MILITARY CAMPAIGNS
Military innovations
Akbar was given the epithet Great due to his accomplishments which
includes his record of unbeaten military campaigns during his reign which
established and strengthened the Mughal rule in the Indian subcontinent.
This is because of his Akbars skillful, structural and organizational calibration
of the Mughal army. Organizational reforms included innovations in cannons
and use of elephants. Akbar was also interested in matchlocks and
effectively employed them during war times.
Struggle for North India
Akbar was only thirteen when he was ascended to the throne in 1556. His
father, Humayun was successful in regaining control of Punjab, Delhi and
Agra. Post his death, the control in these areas became weak. Bairam Khan
wished to regain control of these areas and suggested to Marshall the
Mughal forces into these states to which the Chieftains disagreed. However,
Bairam Khan went against them and decided to march into Punjab. The
gravest threat came from Hemu, a minister and general of one of the Sur
rulers. Bairam Khan took the Mughal forces before Hemu could consolidate
his position and defeated his army at the Second Battle of Panipat. Soon
after the victory, Mughal forces occupied Delhi and Agra.
Expansion into Central India
19

In 1559, the Mughals launched a drive to conquer Rajputana and Malwa.

However, Akbars disputes with his regent, Bairam khan, put an end to his
plan of expansion. The plans resumed in 1560. A Mughal Army under the
control of his foster brother, Adham Khan was sent to invade Malwa and
though the Army succeeded in conquering Malwa, the campaign proved to
be a disaster from Akbars point of view. His foster brother retained all the
spoils and there was mass killing. Akbar had to personally ride to Malwa to
relieve him of command. Despite the success, the conflict exposed cracks in
Akbars personal life. When another dispute arose in 1562, Akbar killed
Adham Khan with his own hands.
Akbar created specialized ministerial posts relating to imperial governance
and no member of the Mughal nobility was allowed to have a post.
In 1564, Mughal forces conquered Gondawana Kingdom which was a thinly
populated hilly area in Central India which was of interest to the Mughals
because of the presence of Wild Elephants. The territory was ruled over by
Raja Vir Narayan, a minor, and his mother, Durgavati, a Rajput warrior queen
of the Gonds. Akbar did not personally lead the campaign because he was
preoccupied with the Uzbek rebellion, but left the expedition in the hands of
Asaf Khan, the Mughal governor of Kara. Durgavati committed suicide after
her defeat at the Battle of Damoh while Raja Vir Narayan was slain at the Fall
of Chauragarh, the mountain fortress of the Gonds. The Mughals seized
immense wealth, an uncalculated amount of gold and silver, jewels and 1000
elephants.
Conquest of Rajputana
Having established Mughal rule over northern India, Akbar turned towards
the conquest of Rajputana. No imperial power in India based in the IndoGangetic plains could be secure if a rival centre of power existed. Having
established domination in parts of northern Rajputana in Mewar, Ajmer and
Nagor, Akbar was determined to conquer the areas which were never
20

submitted to the Delhi Sultanate. Most Rajput states accepted Mughals

conditions and subjugated to the empire but Raja Udai Singh remained
outside the imperial fold. Unless Udai Singh was reduced to submission, the
authority of the Mughals over Rajputana would be lessened.
In 1567, Akbar moved to reduce Chittorgarh fort in Mewar which was of great
strategic importance as it laid the shortest route from Agra to Gujarat.
Chittorgarh fell to the Mughal Empire on February 1568.
Annexation of Western and Eastern India
Akbars next objectives were to conquer Gujarat and Bengal which connected
India with the rest of the central Asia. Moreover, Gujarat has always been
rebels who opposed Mughal nobles in Bengal and the Afghans still held
considerable influence under their ruler. Akbar moved to Gujarat as it lay
crooked against the Mughal provinces of Rajputana and Malwa. Gujarat, with
its coastal regions, possessed areas of rich agricultural production and an
impressive output of textiles. Morever, Akbar had received invitations from
cliques in Gujarat to oust the reigning king, which served as justification for
his military expedition. In 1572, he moved to occupy Ahmedabad, the
capital, and other northern cities, and was proclaimed the lawful sovereign of
Gujarat. By 1573, he had driven out the Mirzas who, after offering token
resistance, fled for refuge in the Deccan. Surat, the commercial capital of the
region and other coastal cities soon capitulated to the Mughals. Having
established his authority over Gujarat, he moved towards defeating the
Afghans in India. The only centre of Afghan power was Bengal where
Sulaiman Khan reigned. Though Sulaiman avoided any offence to Akbar, his
son Daud Khan went against him. Akbar set out to Bengal to gain control of
the east and this was an opportunity for him to bring the trade under Mughal
control. The Mughal army was subsequently victorious at the Battle of
Tukario in 1575, which led to annexation of Bengal.
RELIGION
21

Akbar, as well as his mother and other members of his family, are believed to have
been Sunni Hanafi Muslims. His early days were spent in the backdrop of an atmosphere in
which liberal sentiments were encouraged and religious narrow-mindedness was frowned upon.
From the 15th century, a number of rulers in various parts of the country adopted a more liberal
policy of religious tolerance, attempting to foster communal harmony between Hindus and
Muslims. Further, his

childhood tutors, who included two Irani Shias, were largely

above sectarian prejudices, and made a significant contribution to Akbar's later inclination
towards religious tolerance.
Association with the Muslim aristocracy
During his early days, Akbar was against Muslim sects which was condemned
by the orthodox as heretical. Akbar increasingly came under the influence of
pantheistic Sufi mysticism from the early 1570s which caused a great shift
in his outlook and there was a shift from orthodox Islam as traditionally
professed in favor of a new concept of Islam transcending the limits of
religion. Consequently, during the latter half of his reign, he adopted a policy
of tolerance towards the Shia Muslims and declared a prohibition on ShiaSunni conflict, and the empire remained neutral in matters of internal
sectarian conflict.
Din-i-Ilahi
Akbar was interested in religious and philosophical matters though he was an orthodox Muslim,
under the influence of Sufi mysticism, he moved away from orthodoxy and appointed several
talented people with liberal ideas in his court. In 1575, he built a hall called the Ibadat
Khana ("House of Worship") at Fatehpur Sikri, to which he invited theologians, mystics and
selected courtiers renowned for their intellectual achievements and discussed matters
of spirituality with them. Upset by the chaos in these discussions, Akbar opened the Ibadat
Khana to people of all religions as well as atheists, resulting in the scope of the discussions
broadening and extending even into areas such as the validity of the Quran and the nature of
God. Akbar's effort to evolve a meeting point among the representatives of various religions was
not very successful, as each of them attempted to assert the superiority of their respective
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religions by denouncing other religions. Meanwhile, the debates at the Ibadat Khana grew more
acrimonious and, contrary to their purpose of leading to a better understanding among religions,
instead led to greater bitterness among them, resulting to the discontinuance of the debates by
Akbar in 1582. However, his interaction with various religious theologians had convinced him
that despite their differences, all religions had several good practices, which he sought to
combine into a new religious movement known as Din-i-Ilahi.
Relation with Hindus
Akbar decreed that Hindus who had been forced to convert to Islam could reconvert to Hinduism
without facing the death penalty. Akbar in his days of tolerance was so well liked by Hindus that
there are numerous references to him and his eulogies are sung in songs and religious hymns as
well. Akbar practiced several Hindu customs. He celebrated Diwali. He allowed Brahman priests
to tie jeweled strings round his wrists by way of blessing and, following his lead, many of the
nobles took to wearing rakhi (protection charms). He had renounced beef, and forbade the sale of
all meats on certain days. Also his royal queen-consort was a Hindu princess, Harkha Bai.
Even his son Jahangir and grandson Shah Jahan maintained many of Akbar's concessions, such
as the ban on cow slaughter, having only vegetarian dishes on certain days of the week, and drink
only Ganges water.
Relation with Jains
Akbar regularly held discussions with Jain scholars and was also greatly impacted by some of
their teachings. He held several debates and discussions on religion and philosophy in his courts.
Arguing with Jains, Akbar remained skeptical of their views on God and creation, and yet
became convinced by their philosophy of non-violence and vegetarianism and ended up
deploring the eating of all flesh. Akbar also issued many imperial orders that were favorable for
Jain interests, such as banning animal slaughter.

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CONCLUSION
The Mughal Empire, for which the foundation stone was laid by Babur and Humayun who were
Akbars Grandfather and father was handed over to Akbar when he was 14 years old. The
Mughal Empire was still in its nascent stage when Akbar ascended the throne. During his reign
he enlarged his kingdom of Northern India, Afghanistan and Persia, and although he was a
Muslim he had Hindus in his government 3. From the project it is clearly evident that he was
known for his princely manners and he loved literature and art, and encouraged both. Though he
was illiterate, he enjoyed serious discussion. He also had many fine buildings built and gave rise
to the Mughal style of Architecture. He was known for the firmness and wisdom of his rule and
was given the title 'Guardian of Mankind'. Akbar was truly an enlightened ruler, a philosopherking who had a genuine interest in all creeds and doctrines at a time when religious persecution
was prevalent throughout Europe and Asia. Understanding that cooperation among all his
subjects Muslims, Hindus, Persians, Central Asians and indigenous Indians would be in his
best interest, he even tried to establish a new religion that encouraged universal tolerance. In
such a vast empire it was necessary to be accepted and have support from all these kinds of
people. Only then could the administration of the state run smoothly and peacefully. With the
policy of Sulah Kul, the minds of all kinds of people could be inclined in favour of the emperor.
This policy was also continued by the Mughal emperors who came after Akbar4.

3 http://islamicart.com/library/empires/india/akbar.html
4 http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/taj_mahal/tlevel_2/t1mughal_2akbar.html
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BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mughal_Empire
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akbar
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/11458/Akbar-period-architecture
http://www.ibiblio.org/britishraj/Jackson4/chapter01.html
http://www.hindunet.org/hindu_history/modern/akbar_vs.html
http://islamicart.com/library/empires/india/akbar.html

http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/taj_mahal/tlevel_2/t1mughal_2akbar.html
Smith, Vincent. The Oxford History of India. New Delhi. Oxford University Press. 1958.
Print
Mahajan, V.D. History of Medieval India. New Delhi. S.Chand and Company Private
Limited. 1991. Print.

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