Akbar the Great – Life, Reign, Administration, Battles and Achievements

       Learn about Akbar the Great, the Mughal emperor: his early life, major battles, Rajput policy, religious policy, Din-i Ilahi, administration, Mansabdari system, revenue reforms, Navratnas and achievements for TNPSC exams.

Akbar the Great – Life and Family

• Full Name = Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar
• Born = 15 October 1542
• Birthplace = Amarkot (Umarkot), Sindh
• Father = Humayun
• Mother = Hamida Banu Begum
• Grandfather = Babur
• Dynasty = Mughal Dynasty
• Reign = 1556–1605 AD
• Age when he became emperor = 13 years
• Guardian = Bairam Khan
• Capital = Agra; later = Fatehpur Sikri
• Death = 27 October 1605
• Tomb = Sikandra, Agra
• Successor = Jahangir (Prince Salim)

Akbar’s Accession to the Mughal Throne

• Akbar became emperor in 1556, after the death of his father Humayun.
• He was crowned at Kalanaur in Punjab.
• Since Akbar was only 13, Bairam Khan acted as his regent.
• Akbar’s early reign was dominated by the challenge posed by Hemu.
• Akbar the Great – Life, Battles & Achievements

JOIN OUR TELEGRAM CHANNEL – T.ME/TNPSC_WINNERS

Akbar’s Major Battles and Conquests

• 1556 = Second Battle of Panipat
• 1561 = Conquest of Malwa
• 1562 = Establishment of matrimonial alliances with the Rajputs
• 1564 = Conquest of Gondwana
• 1567–68 = Siege and capture of Chittor
• 1569 = Capture of Ranthambore
• 1572–73 = Conquest of Gujarat
• 1574–76 = Bengal and Bihar brought under Mughal control
• 1581 = Invasion of Kabul
• 1586 = Conquest of Kashmir
• 1591–95 = Sindh and Kandahar brought under Mughal dominion
• 1595–1601 = Deccan campaigns; Ahmadnagar and Khandesh
• Akbar the Great – Life, Battles & Achievements

Second Battle of Panipat – 1556

• Hemu had captured Delhi and Agra prior to the battle.
• This battle helped establish Mughal rule in North India.
• Year of the battle: 1556 AD.
• Victor: Akbar.
• Akbar’s commander: Bairam Khan.
• Defeated side: Afghan forces led by the Hindu king Hemu (Vikramaditya). Hemu was the commander of Muhammad Adil Shah.
• Last Hindu king of Delhi: Hemu (Vikramaditya).
• He was the 14th king to assume the title “Vikramaditya.”
• He was the last king to assume the title “Vikramaditya.”
• Akbar the Great – Life, Battles & Achievements

Akbar’s Rajput Policy

• Akbar adopted a combination of military conquest, diplomacy and matrimonial alliances toward the Rajput states.
• Akbar married Harkha Bai, commonly known in later sources as Jodha Bai, daughter of the Rajput ruler of Amber, in 1562.
• Rajput rulers who accepted Mughal authority were generally allowed to retain considerable autonomy in their internal affairs.
• Rajput nobles were incorporated into the Mansabdari system.
• Important Rajput nobles included Raja Man Singh and Raja Bhagwan Das.
• Akbar the Great – Life, Battles & Achievements

Akbar’s Religious Policy

• Akbar is particularly important for his policy of religious tolerance and imperial integration.
• 1562: Prohibition of the enslavement of prisoners of war and conversion of their families.
• 1563: Abolished the pilgrimage tax.
• 1564: Abolished the Jizya tax.
• Promoted the principle of Sulh-i-Kul — “Universal Peace.”
• Encouraged discussions among followers of different religions.
• Invited scholars of Islam, Hinduism, Jainism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism to religious discussions.
• Akbar gifted two villages to Vallabhacharya’s son, Vitthalnath.
• In 1577, Akbar granted 500 bighas of land—which included a natural pool—to the Sikh Guru Ram Das Ji; this site later emerged as the city of Amritsar.
• Akbar the Great – Life, Battles & Achievements

Ibadat Khana

• Established at Fatehpur Sikri in 1575.
• It was initially intended for discussions among Muslim scholars.
• Later, representatives of different religions were also invited.

Mahzar – 1579

• In 1579, Akbar issued the Mahzar.
• It gave the emperor a greater role in deciding religious questions when Islamic scholars disagreed.
• It is associated with the growing independence of Akbar’s religious policy.
• Akbar the Great – Life, Battles & Achievements

Akbar’s Din-i-Ilahi

• It was introduced by Akbar in 1582.
• It is more appropriate to describe it as an ethical or spiritual code of conduct rather than a religion for the masses.
• It emphasized loyalty to the Emperor, moral conduct, and elements drawn from various religious traditions.
• The elements of Din-i-Ilahi were primarily derived from Islam and Hinduism.
• The fundamental objective of Din-i-Ilahi was “Sulh-i-kul” (or “universal harmony”).
• A total of only 18 people embraced this faith.
• The only Hindu to embrace Din-i-Ilahi was Birbal.
• The first and last Hindu to embrace this faith was Birbal.
• Akbar the Great – Life, Battles & Achievements

Akbar’s Mansabdari System

• Akbar developed the Mansabdari system to organize military and civil administration.
• Mansab means rank/position.
• Every mansabdar was assigned a numerical rank.
• Two important terms:
  • Zat → personal rank/status
  • Sawar → number of cavalrymen the mansabdar was required to maintain
• The system helped Akbar control the nobility and organize the army.
• Akbar the Great – Life, Battles & Achievements

Akbar and the Navratnas

1. Abul Fazl (Historian, authored Akbarnama & Ain-i-Akbari)
2. Faizi (Poet laureate; oversaw translations into Persian)
3. Tansen (Legendary musician, born Ramtanu Pandey)
4. Birbal (Mahesh Das; courtier known for wit and counsel)
5. Raja Todar Mal (Finance and revenue reformer)
6. Raja Man Singh (Trusted military commander)
7. Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khana (Poet, son of Bairam Khan)
8. Fakir Aziao-Din (Sufi mystic and advisor)
9. Mullah Do-Piyaza (Chief advisor/counsel)

Akbar’s Important Buildings and Monuments

• Akbar developed Fatehpur Sikri as an imperial city.
• It became the Mughal capital for a period.
• Construction was closely associated with Akbar’s respect for the Sufi saint Sheikh Salim Chishti.
• Akbar’s son Salim, later Emperor Jahangir, was born after Akbar’s association with the saint.
• Buland Darwaza
• Jama Masjid
• Panch Mahal
• Diwan-i-Khas
• Tomb of Salim Chishti
• Buland Darwaza was constructed to commemorate Akbar’s Gujarat victory.

Historians’ Views and Quotes About Akbar

• Jawaharlal Nehru = “Akbar’s success is astonishing, for he created a sense of oneness among the diverse elements of north and central India.”
• Jawaharlal Nehru (The Discovery of India) = “In him the old dream of a united India took shape, not only in the political sense, but also in the realm of culture and faith… He was a dreamer and at the same time a man of action, a tremendous combination in a ruler.”
• Vincent A. Smith = He describes Akbar as the “third and greatest of the Mughal emperors of India”.
• Jadunath Sarkar = “Akbar was not only the architect of the Mughal Empire, but also the builder of the Mughal nation.”
• Akbar the Great – Life, Battles & Achievements

Important Facts About Akbar for TNPSC Exams

• After the death of Bairam Khan, Akbar’s foster mother, Maham Anga, effectively ruled from behind the scenes between 1560 and 1562 AD.
• This period of rule is known as the “Petticoat Government” (Pavadai Aatchi).
• In 1564 AD, Akbar annexed Gondwana after waging war against Queen Durgavati and her son, Bir Narayan.
• Akbar’s Rajput policy = Suppression and Conciliation.
• Akbar married Jodha, the daughter of the Rajput king Bharmal; Jahangir (Salim) was born to them.
• One of Akbar’s major humanitarian acts = Abolishing slavery in 1562 AD and banning the practice of forcibly converting prisoners of war to Islam.
• Akbar built the “Ibadat Khana” (House of Worship) in the city of Fatehpur Sikri in 1575 AD.
• The person who managed the land administration system during Akbar’s reign = Raja Todar Mal.
• The person who introduced the “Zabti” system of land measurement = Raja Todar Mal.
• Raja Todar Mal introduced the “Dah-sala” (ten-year settlement) system—a method of land revenue assessment—in Akbar’s court.
• The person who introduced the Mansabdari system (1575) in India = Akbar (with Raja Todar Mal).
• The first Englishman to visit Akbar’s court = Ralph Fitch.
• The author of the book “Akbarnama” = Abul Fazl.
• The first Mughal emperor to separate religion from politics = Akbar.
• The Sufi saint revered by Akbar = Salim Chishti.
• The Sikh Guru revered by Akbar = Guru Ram Das.
• Akbar the Great – Life, Battles & Achievements

20 Most Important TNPSC Exam Points

1. Akbar’s reign → 1556–1605
2. Father → Humayun
3. Mother → Hamida Banu Begum
4. Regent → Bairam Khan
5. Coronation → Kalanaur, Punjab
6. Second Battle of Panipat → 1556
7. Opponent in Second Battle of Panipat → Hemu
8. Battle of Haldighati → 1576
9. Mewar ruler → Rana Pratap
10. Pilgrimage tax abolished → 1563
11. Jizya abolished → 1564
12. Ibadat Khana → Fatehpur Sikri, 1575
13. Mahzar → 1579
14. Din-i-Ilahi → 1582
15. Sulh-i-Kul → Universal Peace
16. Dahsala revenue system → associated with Raja Todar Mal
17. Mansabdari system → Akbar
18. Akbarnama → Abul Fazl
19. Ain-i-Akbari → Abul Fazl
20. Tomb of Akbar → Sikandra, Agra

Akbar – Key Dates

• Birth of Akbar = 1542 AD
• Ascension to the Mughal throne = 1556 AD
• End of the ‘Petticoat Government’ = 1562 AD
• Abolition of the practice of enslavement = 1562 AD
• Akbar renounced personal indulgences = 1562 AD
• Abolition of the pilgrim tax = 1563 AD
• Abolition of the Jizya tax = 1564 AD
• Introduction of the Mansabdari system = 1567 AD
• Relocation of the capital from Agra to Fatehpur Sikri = 1571 AD
• Ibadat Khana (House of Worship) = 1575 AD
• Battle of Haldighati = 1576 AD
• Permission granted for people of all faiths to enter the Ibadat Khana = 1578 AD
• Division of the empire into 12 Subahs (provinces) = 1580 AD
• Introduction of the Din-i-Ilahi faith = 1582 AD
• Introduction of the Ilahi Era = 1583 AD
• Relocation of the capital back to Lahore = 1585 AD
• Akbar’s final military campaign (Asirgarh Fort) = 1601 AD
• Death of Akbar = 1605 AD