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Emperor Akbar: A Structured Fact File

Accession & Early Reign

• Place of Enthronement: Kalanaur.
• Reason for Immediate Coronation: Crowned immediately upon receiving news of Humayun’s death from a tragic accident (falling down the stairs at the Din-e-Pannah library).

Administration & Reforms

A. Military Administration (Mansabdari System)

• Introduced the Mansabdari System to organize the military and bureaucracy.
• The system was borrowed from the Mongolian military organization (from Genghis Khan’s time) and then modified.
• The head of the military department was Mir Bakshi.
  • His duties included recruitment, assigning rank (mansab), and setting salaries for soldiers.
  • He was not the commander-in-chief of the army.
• A key feature: Mansabdars had to maintain 20 horses for every 10 cavalrymen to ensure horses could be rested during marches and replaced during war.

B. Revenue Administration

• Zabti system (also known as Dahsala or Bandobast System) was introduced for land revenue collection.
• This system was famously implemented by Raja Todarmal, Akbar’s finance minister (Diwan).
  • Todarmal is historically famous for his land revenue reforms.
  • He is considered the connecting link between the revenue systems of Sher Shah and Akbar.
• The system calculated revenue based on the average produce and average prices from the previous 10 years.
• The state’s share was fixed at one-third of the average production.
• In the Deccan region, a different system called the ‘Number of plows’ was prevalent during Akbar’s reign.

C. Central Administration

• The Persian term ‘Diwan’ referred to the head of the treasury and financial department.
• The first person to be given the proper status of Diwan by Akbar was Muzaffar Khan Turbati.

Relations with Rajputs

• First Matrimonial Alliance:
  • Established with the Kachhwaha clan of Amber.
  • Raja Bharmal (Bihari Mal) offered his daughter, Harkha Bai (Jodha), in marriage to Akbar in 1562.
  • This made Bharmal the first Rajput ruler to accept Akbar’s supremacy.
• Resistance:
  • Mewar (under Rana Pratap) did not accept Akbar’s supremacy willingly.
  • Marwar (under Rao Chandrasena) also continued a struggle for independence and never surrendered.
• Battle of Haldighati (1576):
  • Date: Fought on June 18, 1576 A.D..
  • Akbar’s Commander: Man Singh (with 5000 soldiers).
  • Rana Pratap’s Commander-in-Chief: Hakim Khan Sur (a Pathan/Afghan leader from the Sur dynasty).
  • Akbar’s Aim: To subdue Rana Pratap.
  • Outcome: Rana Pratap was defeated and fled to hide in the Aravali Hills.

Religious Policy & Philosophy

A. General Policies & Beliefs

• Abolition of Taxes:
  • Abolished the pilgrimage tax in 1563.
  • Abolished Jizya (a tax on non-Muslims) in 1564.
• Religious Visits: Frequently visited the mausoleum (Dargah) of the Chishti saint Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti in Ajmer.
• Nationalist Image: His popularity was based on religious tolerance, administrative unity, and social reforms. He did not forsake Islam.
• Theory of Sulh-i-Kul: Promulgated the theory of ‘Sulh-i-Kul’ (Universal Peace and Fraternity), which was a result of political generosity, religious tolerance, and a liberal cultural attitude.

B. Din-i-Ilahi

• Promulgated Din-i-Ilahi (also called Tauhid-i-Ilahi) in 1582.
• It was an eclectic religious movement that aimed to combine elements of various faiths.
• His court historian, Abul Fazl, is called its prophet.
• Among the Hindu courtiers, only Birbal accepted it; Raja Man Singh and Raja Bhagwan Das refused.
• A contemporary writer, Mohsin Fani, argued it was not a new religion but a Sufi-based concept of monotheism.

C. Ibadat Khana & Mahzar

• Constructed the Ibadat Khana (House of Worship) in 1575 for philosophical and theological conversations.
• Initially for Islamic scholars, it was later opened to all religions for discussion.
• These debates led to the Mahzarnama (Infallibility Decree) in 1579.
  • This decree reduced the power of orthodox clerics.
  • It recognized Akbar as the final authority in religious matters, earning him the title Sultani-Adil or Imam-i-Adil.
• His liberal policies provoked opposition; a Fatwa was issued against him from Jaunpur in 1580.

Social Initiatives & Reforms

• Marriage Law: Decreed that a man could marry only one wife and could marry another only if the first wife was barren.
• Abolition of Practices: Worked to abolish slavery (1562), child marriage, and the practice of Sati.
• Widow Remarriage: Encouraged and supported the remarriage of widows.
• Age of Marriage: Tried to fix the age of marriage (girls at 14 and boys at 16).
• Marriage Freedom: Advocated for girls to have the freedom to marry of their own will, without parental pressure.
• Causes of Popularity: His Mansabdari system, Religious policy, Land Revenue System, and Social reforms were all key factors.

Military Campaigns and Conflicts

• Against Gondwana:
  • Fought against Rani Durgavati, the queen of Mandla (Gondwana), who acted as regent for her young son, Vir Narayan.
• In Kashmir:
  • Exiled Yousuf Shah Chak (the last Muslim ruler of Kashmir) to Bihar.
  • Yousuf Shah Chak was buried in Nalanda (Bihar).
• Internal Conflict:
  • Personally killed Adham Khan in 1562 for the murder of his prime minister, Atgah Khan.
• Expansion in the East:
  • Merged Bengal and Bihar into his empire after defeating Daud Khan in 1576.

Court, Culture, and Learning

A. Translation Projects

• Established a Translation Department.
• The Mahabharata was translated into Persian and called ‘Razmnama’ (Book of Wars).
  • Supervised by Faizi.
  • A collaborative effort by Badauni, Abul Fazl, and Faizi.
• The Ramayana was translated into Persian by Abdul Qadir Badauni.
• Other translations:
  • Faizi translated the mathematical work ‘Leelavati’.
  • Abul Fazl translated ‘Kaliyadaman’.

B. Art and Culture

• Daswant was a famous painter in Akbar’s court.
• Abul Fazl’s Ain-i-Akbari lists 15 exceptional painters, including Daswant and Basawan.
• European paintings were first introduced to the Mughal court during Akbar’s reign.
• The famous musician Tansen’s original name was Ram Tanu Pandey.

C. Scholars and Figures

• Muhammad Hussain of Kashmir was a famous calligrapher awarded the title “Zari Kalam” (Golden Pen) by Akbar.
• Nizamuddin Ahmed was the author of Tabaqat-i-Akbari.
• Abul Fazl was the author of Ain-i-Akbari and also referred to the discovery of America in his works.
• Jain Scholars:
  • Hari Vijay Suri was honored with the title Jagadguru.
  • Jin Chandra Suri was given the title “Yug Pradhan”.

Architecture

A. Fatehpur Sikri

• The site of Akbar’s finest monuments. Key structures include:
  • Ibadat Khana: Hall for inter-faith discussions.
  • Buland Darwaza: Built to commemorate Akbar’s victory over Gujarat.
  • Panch Mahal: A five-storied pavilion modeled after a Buddhist monastery.
  • Jodha Bai Palace.

B. Forts

• Akbar constructed the Agra Fort, Allahabad Fort, and Lahore Fort.
• He did not construct the Red Fort in Delhi (built by Shah Jahan).
• The Jahangir Mahal is located within the Agra Fort.
• The Akbari Mahal is located within the Agra Fort, not at Fatehpur Sikri.

C. Tombs

• Akbar’s Tomb is located in Sikandara (near Agra). It was started by Akbar and completed by Jahangir. It is a unique, four-tiered pyramid structure without a dome.
• Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi is noted as a synthesis of Persian and Indian architectural styles.
• Quick Reference of Mughal Tombs:
  • Babur: Kabul
  • Humayun: Delhi
  • Akbar: Sikandara
  • Jahangir: Lahore
  • Shah Jahan: Taj Mahal, Agra

Foreign Relations & Europeans

• Contemporary Ruler: Akbar (1556-1605) was a contemporary of Queen Elizabeth I of England (1558-1603).
• East India Company: The English East India Company was formed in 1600 during their reigns.
• First English Visitor: Ralph Fitch was the first Englishman to visit Akbar’s court (Agra and Fatehpur Sikri).

Succession & Later Reign

• Death of Abul Fazl:
  • Prince Salim (later Jahangir) was responsible for the death of Abul Fazl in 1602.
  • The assassination was carried out by Vir Singh Bundela on Salim’s orders.

Historical Reputation

• Known as an “enlightened despot,” a ruler with absolute power who used it to implement policies for the welfare and equality of his subjects.

Know More About the Mughal Dynasty : Akbar:

• Mughal Dynasty: Akbar– Old Year Questions and Answers
• Mughal Dynasty: Akbar One Liner Questions & Answers