AKBAR THE GREAT (1556 -1605) (PART -1)

 

AKBAR THE GREAT (1556 -1605)

       

PART-1

Akbar was the third Mughal Emperor, reigning from 1556 to 1605. He is widely regarded as the greatest Mughal ruler of India and is popularly known as "Akbar the Great." His full name was Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-Din Muhammad Akbar. After Mughal Emperor Humayun was defeated at Chausa (1539) and Kannauj (1540) by Sher Shah Suri, he fled westward to present-day Sindh. During his exile, he met and married 14-year-old Hamida Banu Begum. The following year, on October 25, 1542 (the fifth day of Rajab 949 AH), Akbar was born at the Rajput fortress of Amarkot in Rajputana (now in Sindh, Pakistan). His parents had been given refuge by the local Hindu ruler, Rana Prasad.

During Humayun's prolonged exile, Akbar was raised in Kabul by his paternal uncles, Kamal Mirza and Askari Mirza, and their wives, particularly Kamal Mirza’s wife. He spent his early years learning hunting, running, and combat skills. Although he never formally learned to read or write, he had books read to him every evening. On November 20, 1551, Humayun's youngest brother, Hindal Mirza, died in battle. Overcome with grief, Humayun decided to honour his late brother by arranging Akbar’s marriage to Hindal's daughter, Ruqaiya Sultan Begum. At just nine years old, Akbar was appointed Governor of Ghazni and was given command of Hindal’s troops. He also inherited Hindal’s wealth, granted to him by Humayun.

Akbar’s marriage to Ruqaiya Sultan Begum was solemnized in Jalandhar, Punjab, when both were 14 years old. Following a period of chaos over the succession of Sher Shah Suri’s son, Islam Shah, Humayun reconquered Delhi in 1555 with the help of an army partly provided by his Persian ally, Tahmasp I. However, just a few months later, Humayun died. His death was initially concealed by his trusted advisor, Bairam Khan, to ensure a smooth transition of power for the young Akbar. On February 14, 1556, while engaged in a war against Sikandar Shah to reclaim the Mughal throne, Akbar succeeded Humayun. In Kalanaur, Punjab, the 14-year-old Akbar was formally enthroned by Bairam Khan on a specially constructed platform and was proclaimed Shahanshah (Emperor). Since Akbar was still a minor, Bairam Khan ruled on his behalf until he came of age.

Akbar gradually expanded the Mughal Empire to include much of the Indian subcontinent, using military strength, political strategy, cultural influence, and economic dominance. To unify his vast empire, he established a centralized administrative system and pursued a policy of diplomatic conciliation, marrying into Rajput families and forming alliances with regional rulers. To maintain peace and order in his religiously and culturally diverse empire, Akbar introduced policies that earned him the loyalty of his non-Muslim subjects. He abolished the Sectarian tax (Jizya) and appointed Hindus and other non-Muslims to high-ranking civil and military positions.

 

Under Akbar, Mughal India developed into a strong and stable economy, which tripled in size and wealth. This economic prosperity led to significant commercial expansion and increased patronage of Indo-Persian culture. His royal courts in Delhi, Agra, and Fatehpur Sikri became centres of art, literature, and learning, attracting scholars, poets, architects, and artisans from different backgrounds. During Akbar’s reign, Timurid and Perso-Islamic culture merged with Indian traditions, giving rise to a distinct Mughal style in art, painting, and architecture.

Disillusioned with orthodox Islam and aiming to promote religious harmony, Akbar introduced Din-i-Ilahi, a syncretic faith that combined elements of Islam and Hinduism, along with influences from Zoroastrianism and Christianity. Akbar’s court was filled with brilliant minds, and the most notable among them were known as the Navaratnas (Nine Jewels). These included scholars, poets, musicians, and advisors who played a crucial role in shaping Akbar’s policies and cultural achievements.

   Akbar’s system of central government was based on administrative principles that had evolved since the Delhi Sultanate. He reorganized the administration with a detailed set of regulations to improve efficiency and governance. The Revenue Department was headed by a Wazir, who was responsible for finance, taxation, and the management of Jagir and Inam lands. The military was overseen by the Mir Bakshi, a high-ranking noble who was responsible for intelligence gathering and made recommendations for military appointments and promotions. The Mir Saman was in charge of the imperial household, including the royal harem, and supervised the court’s functioning as well as the royal bodyguard. The judiciary was an independent institution headed by a Chief Qazi, who was responsible for legal affairs and religious matters.

Akbar reformed the land revenue system by adopting and modifying the system previously implemented by Sher Shah Suri. Villages remained the primary units of revenue assessment, with cultivated lands being measured and taxed based on fixed rates determined by the imperial court. The taxation was based on the type of crop and its productivity. However, this system often burdened the peasantry, as prices at the imperial court were generally higher than those in rural areas. To address corruption among local officials, Akbar initially introduced a decentralized system of annual assessment. However, due to widespread misuse, this system was abandoned in 1580 and replaced with the Dahsala system. Under this system, land revenue was calculated as one-third of the average produce over the previous ten years and was to be paid in cash. This method was further refined by considering local prices and grouping regions with similar productivity into assessment circles.

During times of floods or droughts, peasants were granted remissions to prevent excessive hardship. The Dahsala system was formulated by Raja Todar Mal, who had previously served as a revenue officer under Sher Shah Suri. He presented his detailed revenue reforms to Akbar between 1582-1583. However, some regions continued using traditional methods of land assessment. Uncultivated or fallow lands were assessed at concessional rates to encourage agricultural expansion. Akbar also promoted agricultural development by requiring zamindars (landlords) to provide loans, tools, and high-quality seeds to farmers in times of need. In return, zamindars were granted a hereditary right to collect a share of the produce. Peasants, in turn, had hereditary rights to cultivate land as long as they paid the land revenue. Revenue officials were only guaranteed three-quarters of their salary, with the remaining quarter being dependent on the full realization of the assessed revenue, ensuring accountability in tax collection.

         Akbar organized his army and the nobility through a system called the Mansabdari. Under this system, each officer in the army was assigned a rank and a specific number of cavalry, which he was required to supply to the imperial army. The Mansabdars were divided into 33 classes. The top three commanding ranks, ranging from 7,000 to 10,000 troops, were normally reserved for princes. Ranks between 10 and 5,000 were assigned to other members of the nobility. The empire’s permanent standing army was small, and the imperial forces mostly consisted of contingents maintained by the Mansabdars. Individuals were usually appointed to a low Mansab and then promoted based on merit and the emperor’s favour. They were 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 during times of war.

Akbar implemented strict measures to ensure that the quality of the armed forces remained high. Horses were regularly inspected, and typically only Arabian horses were employed. The Mansabdars received the highest military salaries in the world at the time. Akbar was a follower of Salim Chishti, a holy man who lived in the region of Sikri, near Agra. Believing the area to be auspicious, Akbar had a mosque built there for the priest’s use. Subsequently, he celebrated his victories over Chittor and Ranthambore by laying the foundation of a new walled capital, 23 miles west of Agra, in 1569. It was named Fatehpur (Town of Victory) after the conquest of Gujarat in 1573. Later, it became known as Fatehpur Sikri to distinguish it from other similarly named towns. However, the city was soon abandoned, and the capital was moved to Lahore in 1585. Historians suggest several reasons for this shift, including an insufficient or poor-quality water supply, Akbar’s military campaigns in the north western regions, or simply his loss of interest. In 1599, Akbar moved his capital back to Agra, where he ruled until his death. He also built Sikandra, which was completed by Jahangir. Due to Akbar’s personal interest in administration, every aspect of the empire functioned efficiently.

 Akbar was a patron of the arts and culture. He had Sanskrit literature translated and actively participated in native festivals. Akbar also established the Library of Fatehpur Sikri, exclusively for women, and decreed the establishment of schools for the education of both Muslims and Hindus throughout the empire. He encouraged bookbinding to develop as a highly refined art. Akbar’s government prioritized commercial expansion, encouraging trade, providing protection and security for transactions, and imposing low customs duties to stimulate foreign commerce. Local administrators were required to compensate traders for goods stolen while in their territories. To minimize such incidents, bands of highway police, called Radars, were enlisted to patrol roads and ensure the safety of merchants. Additional measures included the construction and protection of trade routes and communication networks.

 

Akbar took significant steps to improve road infrastructure, facilitating the use of wheeled vehicles through the Khyber Pass, the most frequently used route for traders and travellers journeying from Kabul into Mughal India. He strategically fortified the north western cities of Multan and Lahore in Punjab and constructed key fortifications, such as the Attock Fort, near the crossing of the Grand Trunk Road and the Indus River. To further secure overland trade routes with Persia and Central Asia, he built a network of smaller forts called Thanas along the frontier. Additionally, Akbar established an international trading business for his chief consort, Mariam-uz-Zamani, who managed an extensive trade network involving indigo, spices, and cotton, exporting goods to Gulf nations via merchant vessels.

Akbar also introduced coins with intricate decorative features, including floral motifs, dotted borders, and quatrefoil designs. His coins were minted in both round and square shapes, including a unique 'Mehrab'-shaped coin. The gold Mohur coin bearing Akbar’s portrait is generally attributed to his son, Prince Salim, who had rebelled but later sought reconciliation by minting and presenting his father with these gold coins. During the latter part of Akbar’s reign, his coins reflected his newly promoted religious ideas, featuring Ilahi-type and Jalla Jalal-Hu inscriptions as a representation of his spiritual philosophy.    

    Prior to Akbar's reign, marriages between Hindu princesses and Muslim kings often failed to establish stable relations between the families involved. The women were separated from their families and did not return after marriage. Akbar departed from this practice by ensuring that Hindu Rajputs who married their daughters or sisters to him would be treated equally to his Muslim fathers and brothers-in-law, except that they would not be allowed to dine or pray with him or take Muslim wives. Akbar also included these Rajputs as members of his court. However, some Rajputs viewed marriage to Akbar as a sign of humiliation.

One of the earliest Rajput alliances was with Raja Bharmal of the Kachwaha Rajputs, the ruler of the small kingdom of Amer. Bharmal allied with Akbar by giving his daughter, Mariam-uz-Zamani, in marriage to the emperor. She would go on to become Akbar’s favorite wife. Bharmal was elevated to a high-ranking noble position in the imperial court, and his son, Bhagwant Das, and grandson, Man Singh, also rose to high ranks within the nobility. Other Rajput kingdoms also established matrimonial alliances with Akbar, but he did not make marriage a precondition for forming alliances. For example, when Akbar sought an alliance with Surjan Hada, the Hada Rajput leader, Surjan agreed on the condition that Akbar would not marry any of his daughters. As a result, no matrimonial alliance was formed, but Surjan was still made a noble and placed in charge of Garh Katanga. However, two major Rajput clans—the Sisodiyas of Mewar and the Hadas of Ranthambore—remained aloof and did not ally with Akbar.

The political impact of these alliances was significant. While some Rajput women in Akbar’s harem converted to Islam, they were generally granted full religious freedom. Their Hindu relatives, who remained in their faith, formed a significant part of the nobility and represented the views of the Hindu majority in the imperial court. The interaction between Hindu and Muslim nobles led to an exchange of ideas and a blending of both cultures.

Thank you!

 

                 

                 Asna Fathima. A

                  6 th standard

                 KVUPS Pangode