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The establishment of the Mughal Empire in medieval Indian history has left a distinct mark on Indian society and culture. The rule of the Mughals is currently seen with hatred. There is a section in India that thinks that the rule of the Mughals was a Muslim empire and they associate the Ghulam dynasty with the Lodi dynasty with the Mughals. While the Mughal Empire started from 1526 till the establishment of British rule. The Mughals ruled for about 350 years. Today in this article, we will know the complete history of Akbar the Great, the third and most famous ruler of the Mughal Empire. Must read the article till the end.

 

Complete History of Akbar

Akbar's Brief Introduction

Date of Birth	October 15, 1542 AD
Place of Birth	In Amarkot (Sindh)
Full name	Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar.
Father	Humayun.
Mother	Hamida Banu Begum
First marriage	1551 with Hindal's daughter Rukaiya Begum
Coronation	14 February 1556 AD Kalanaur (Gurdaspur)
Children	Three Sons and Three Daughters
Three sons	Salim, Murad and Daniyal. In this, Salim was born from the womb of Jodha Bai, daughter of King Bihari Mal of Amber. Murad and Daniyal were born to two different concubines of Akbar
Three daughters	Three Daughters Khanum Sultan Shukun Nisha Begum and Aram Banu Begum
Successor- Salim	(Jahangir), while Murad died in 1599 AD and Daniyal died in 1604 AD due to excessive drinking.

Akbar's early life

Akbar whose full name was Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar. He was the child of Humayun and Hamida Banu Begum (Mariam Makani). Akbar was born on October 15, 1542, in Amarkot (Sindh) in the house of a Rajput Sardar named Rana Birsal. At that time Humayun had found refuge at Rana Birsal's place after being evicted from the power of Delhi.

At the time of Akbar's birth, Humayun was away from Amarkot on a campaign against Shah Hussain Arghun at Thatta and Bhakhar. At the same time, one of his horsemen named Tardi Beg Khan told him the good news of the birth of a son. Hearing the news of the birth of a son, Humayun thanked God and celebrated by distributing musk among his companions. But unfortunately, due to differences in some matters, the Rajput soldiers left the side of the Mughals. Meanwhile, a treaty was made between Humayun and Shah Hussain Argoon, according to which Humayun promised to leave Singh, in return, Shah Hussain Argoon provided some financial assistance to Humayun.

On July 11, 1543, Humayun crossed the Sindh River with his newborn baby Akbar, his wife Hamida Banu, and some companions and left for Kandahar. He reached Mustang on the border of Kandahar where his younger brother Askari was ruling on behalf of Kamran, the ruler of Kabul. Kamran ordered Askari to arrest Humayun. So Askari started planning to attack Humayun.

Humayun got information about this but he did not want to fight with his brothers. Therefore, in Mustang itself, leaving his infant Akbar under the protection of two midwives named 'Jiji Anaga' and 'Maham Anaga', he left Kandahar for Iran with his wife Hamida Bano and other companions. Askari treated the child Akbar sympathetically and entrusted his care to his wife Sultan Begum.

When Humayun attacked Kandahar in 1545 AD, Askari sent Akbar to Kabul where Babur's sister Khanzama Begum raised him. In 1546, the child Akbar met his parents. It was here that he was circumcised and was named Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar.

After some time Humayun reached Badakshan and became unwell. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Kamran captured Kabul and took Akbar under his protection. When Humayun came to know about this, he besieged the fort of Kabul. His cannons started shelling the walls of the fort. At the same time, Kamran hanged the child Akbar from the wall of the fort. Recognizing the prince, Humayun changed the direction of his cannons, which saved Akbar. Soon Humayun conquered Kabul, after which Akbar got the protection of his parents.

Akbar's early education

When Akbar was five years old, Humayun made proper arrangements for his education. Two teachers Pir Mohammad and Bairam Khan were appointed for him. But Akbar was not interested in getting an education. His interest was in hunting, horse riding, archery, sword fighting, etc. Although his intelligence was very sharp. He willingly memorized the mystic poems of the famous Sufi poets Hafiz and Jalaluddin Rumi.

When Akbar did not pay any attention to his studies, Humayun started using him in the administration from the very beginning. When he was only nine years old, in 1551 he was given formal responsibility for the first time as the governor of Ghazni. Akbar introduced his talent here. Around this time he was married to Ruqaiya Begum, the daughter of his uncle Hindal.

Succession and patronage of Bairam Khan

Akbar also supported Humayun in the battle of Sirhind on June 22, 1555 AD, and showed his military talent here too. Humayun was pleased with Akbar's bravery in the battle of Sirhind and gave him credit for Sirhind victory. After regaining the throne of Delhi, Humayun declared Akbar as his successor and entrusted him with the responsibility of Subedar of Punjab, and appointed Bairam Khan as his guardian.

Akbar's coronation

Humayun died in an accidental accident (falling from the stairs of the library) on January 24, 1556 AD. At that time Akbar was fighting against Sikandar Sur in Punjab under the protection of his teacher and guardian Bairam Khan. The information on Humayun's death was kept secret for 17 days due to the possibility of any rebellion or disturbance.

Until the formal announcement of Akbar's coronation on the throne of Delhi, a man named Mulla Beksi, who resembled Humayun, was shown to the public from the roof of the palace dressed in royal garb.

Akbar's coronation at Kalanaur

Akbar received the news of his father Humayun's death on February 14, 1556, at a place called Kalanaur in Gurdaspur. Bairam Khan coronated Akbar at this place. At that time his age was only 13 years and 4 months. Khutba was read in his name in Delhi. On this occasion, Akbar assumed the imperial title of Shahanshah and appointed Bairam Khan as his 'vakil-i-sultanat' or prime minister, conferring the title of Khan-i-Khana.

Akbar's initial difficulties

When Akbar ascended the throne, he faced many political and economic difficulties. The country was divided into many small states which lacked political unity. The administration had broken down and famine and pestilence had spread disorder all around.

 

Current political situation

When Akbar sat on the throne of Delhi in 1556 AD, the political condition of the Mughal Empire was not strong at that time. Mughal power was confined to Delhi and Agra. The position of the Mughals in Punjab was not satisfactory. Outside India, Kabul, Badakshan and Kandahar were under the Mughal Empire. Kabul was ruled under the patronage of Akbar's half-brother (born of Humayun's wife Manchuchak Begum) Mirza Mohammad Hakim Munim Khan and Mirza Sulaiman had authority over Badakshan.

After the death of Humayun, Mirza Suleman declared himself independent. The Shah of Iran had an eye on Kandahar. Therefore, Akbar had no hope of help from Central Asia.

The independent states of Kashmir and Sindh had been established within India. Bihar and Bengal were under the control of the Afghans. The rulers of Malwa and Gujarat were also ruling independently.

Maldev, the ruler of Jodhpur (Marwar) in Rajasthan was still alive and wanted to establish his single kingdom over the whole of northern India.

Apart from this, the rulers of Mewar, Amber, Jaisalmer, etc. had regrouped their power. Gondwana and Orissa were also independent. Khandesh, Berar, Bidar, Ahmednagar, Bijapur, and Golconda were completely independent of Delhi in South India.

The Vijayanagara Empire was at the height of its progress under powerful rulers. At this time foreign powers had also entered India. The Portuguese had established their authority over the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf. He had captured many ports including Goa and Diu.

Apart from this, the biggest threat to the Mughals was from the Afghans. The Afghans still wanted to regain the power of Delhi under the leadership of Sikandar Sur and Mohammad Adilshah. Sikandar Sur wanted to expand his power from Punjab to the whole of North India. Mohammad Adilshah wanted to establish Delhi Ghar authority from Bihar to Agra, his commander Hemu was marching towards Delhi from Chunar with a huge army.

Hemu was the general of Mohammad Adilshah. Started his life as a market superintendent during the time of Islamshah and reached the top during the time of Adilshah. Adilshah had handed over all the power of his rule in his hands. Hemu had fought 24 battles, out of which he was successful in 22. Adilshah had given him the title of Vikramajit and made him his vizier and entrusted the task of driving out the Mughals.

Current economic situation

At the time of Akbar's accession to the throne, the economic condition of the Mughal state was very pathetic. The source of income was very limited when the boundaries of the state were narrow. The treasury was empty. Around this time, the areas around Delhi, Agra, and Bayana came under the grip of severe famine and plague, due to which the condition of the common people became even more painful. As a result, the administrative machinery had come to a standstill.

Conspiracy of the courtiers

In the beginning, Akbar also had to face the conspiracies of his relatives and nobles. Akbar's half-brother Mirza Muhammad Hakim, who was the administrator of Kabul, had declared himself independent under the protection of his ambitious mother Chuchak Begum, and guardian Munim Khan. With the help of the disgruntled Mughal nobles, wanted to capture the throne of Delhi.

Apart from this, Shah Abulmali, who was Humayun's most trusted person and used to call Humayun Farzand (son), was also expecting the kingship. He refused to attend Akbar's coronation.

Patronage of Bairam Khan (1556-60 AD)

The period from 1556 to 1560 AD was the period of patronage of Bairam Khan. During this period Akbar ruled under the patronage of Bairam Khan, as he had ascended the throne at a young age. Bairam Khan Karakuilu was a Turk (Persian) and a follower of Shia. He was born in Badaksha and educated in Balkh. He came to India as an immigrant in search of livelihood and started his service as a simple soldier of Humayun.

Due to his dutifulness and self-devotion, he soon became Humayun's confidant. He faithfully remained with Humayun from the battlefield till the end of his life. Impressed by his services, Humayun used to call him 'Khanbaba'. After the Sirhind victory (1545 AD), Humayun appointed Akbar as the crown prince and Bairam Khan as his guardian.

Bairam Khan helped Akbar overcome the initial problems and played an important role in expanding the Mughal Empire. Apart from this, he also established family relations with the dynasty by marrying Akbar's cousin Salima Begum. Therefore, Bairam Khan's power increased immensely as Akbar's guardian and supreme administrator.

Second Battle of Panipat

• Date - 5 November in 1556 AD.

• Parties- Akbar and Hemu (Hemchandra).

• Result- Akbar victorious.

Regarding the Second Battle of Panipat, Dr. R.P. Tripathi has said that. Hemu's defeat was an accident, while Akbar's victory was a divine coincidence. Hearing the news of Humayun's sudden death, Hemu set out with a huge army with the aim of capturing Delhi. On the way, he easily captured Agra. At that time the Mughal of Agra was Subedar Iskandar Khan Uzbeg who fled to Delhi without fighting.

After capturing Agra, Hemu proceeded toward Delhi. The Mughal Subedar of Delhi at that time was Tardi Beg. He fought Hemu but was defeated. After being defeated, Tardbeg fled to Punjab along with Iskandar Khan. Hemu captured Delhi and assumed the title of Vikramaditya "Thus he became the only Hindu ruler in medieval India to occupy the throne of Delhi."

Akbar and Bairam received information about Hemu's authority over Delhi in Jalandhar. Due to this incident, concern spread in the Mughal camp. At that time the position of the Mughals was very weak. Therefore, many Sardars advised Akbar to go to Kabul. But Akbar and Bairam Khan did not accept this and boldly decided to snatch Delhi from Hemu. Handing over the responsibility of controlling Sikandar Sur in Punjab to Khizr Khan, Bairam Khan left for Delhi with Akbar.

Near Sirhind, he found all three fugitives Sardar Tardi Beg, Iskandar Khan Uzbeg, and Ali Quli. At the same time, Bairam Khan secretly got Tardi Beg killed. Regarding the murder of Tardi Beg, scholars have given their different opinion. Some historians have attributed this act of Bairam Khan to personal rivalry and jealousy.

Ferishta, the author of a book named Gulshan-i-Ibrahimi or Tarikh-i-Firishta, published in 1612 during the time of Jahangir, justified the action taken by Bairam Khan against Tardi Beg. Some modern historians say that the killing of Tardi Beg on this occasion was necessary to teach a lesson to the deserters, to increase the morale of the Mughal army, and to eliminate the voice of those advisors who were advising Akbar to go to Kabul.

From Sirhind, the Mughal army reached the famous battle site of Panipat. Hemu sent his artillery forward under simple protection. But under the leadership of Alikuli Khan, the forward detachment of the Mughals captured it. This definitely weakened Hemu's position, yet he came to the ground of Panipat to stop the Mughal army.

 

On November 5, 1556, there was a war between the two armies. Hemu fought very bravely but unfortunately, an arrow hit him in the eye and he got injured and fell into his elephant's pot. As soon as Hemu was injured, his army started running away from the field.

Hemu's mahout tried to take him to a safe place but he was caught by the Mughal officers. He was presented before Akbar where Bairam Khan beheaded him with his sword. With the death of Hemu, the victory of the Mughals over India was confirmed and Delhi and Agra were once again occupied by the Mughals. Thus the defeat of Hemu ended the Afghan power forever. The credit for victory in this battle of Panipat is given to Bairam Khan.

Who Was Hemu?

Its original name was Hemchand. He was a resident of Rewari and was a Vaishya (Bania) by caste. In the early days of his life, he used to sell salt. He started his life as a market superintendent during the time of Sultan Islam Shah and reached the top during the time of Adil Shah. Impressed by his ability, Adilshah appointed him as his vizier and commander.

On behalf of his master Adilshah, he participated in 24 wars, in which he got success 22. He was the only ruler in medieval India who occupied the throne of Delhi. After taking over Delhi, he assumed the title of Vikramaditya. Hemu was the 14th and last ruler to hold the title of Vikramaditya. He was the last Hindu emperor to sit on the Delhi throne.

End of Sur Empire

After re-establishing control over Delhi, Akbar, and Bairam Khan focused on the successors of the Shoor dynasty. Sikandar Sur fled and took refuge in the fort of Mankot and waited for Adilshah for help. The Mughals surrounded the fort. Meanwhile, in 1557 AD, Khizr Khan of Bengal defeated and killed Adilshah. Being forced, Sikandar Sur surrendered. Finally, Akbar forgave him and gave him the jagir of Bihar, where he died in 1559 AD. In this way, all the rivals of Akbar came to an end. Punjab, Ajmer, Gwalior, and Jaunpur were conquered and merged into the Mughal Empire.

Bairam Khan's Fall - Causes and Circumstances

From 1556 to 1560 AD, Bairam Khan served as Akbar's guardian and made his invaluable contribution to strengthening the state in the capacity of Vakil-i-Sultanat (Prime Minister). He supported both Humayun and Akbar in their plight with full honesty and loyalty.

When Akbar sat on the throne, his condition was very weak at that time. Bairam Khan strengthened his position with his military talent and understanding and expanded the state. But only after four years, that is, by 1560 AD, its downfall was confirmed, for which historians have given many reasons-

(1) His personality- Though Bairam Khan was honest, dutiful, and self-devotee at the same time he was angry, conceited, cruel, and suspicious. Due to being in the highest positions in the administration, he started thinking of himself as indispensable. Used to give the harshest punishment for a small crime. On many occasions, he had executed the culprit without consulting Akbar. For example, Tardi Beg was killed for the crime of running away from Delhi. Therefore, due to these actions of Bairam Khan, a section of Mughal nobles gradually became his enemy and started looking for a way to get rid of him.

(2) Biased Policy- Bairam Khan adopted a biased policy regarding appointments and promotions, which is one of the reasons responsible for his downfall. He blamed Pir Muhammad and deprived him of his post and appointed Haji Muhammad Isfahani in his place. Sheikh Muhammad Ghiyas, recognized by the Sunnis, was removed and Shia Matwalambi Sheikh Gadai was appointed to the post of Sandre Sudur. The Sunni class became dissatisfied with this appointment. While on the one hand, the favors of Bairam Khan were being promoted, on the other hand, Akbar's servants were being neglected. Therefore, due to this biased policy of Bairam Khan, dissatisfaction started spreading among the people.

(3) Shia-Sunni differences - Bairam Khan was of Shia faith while a majority of the people in the court were of Sunni class. So the difference between the two was definite. Due to some biased appointments to Bairam Khan, the Sunni class began to fear that Bairam Khan was increasing his influence by eliminating the influence of Sunni followers. These people also focused Akbar's attention on the fact that Bairam Khan wanted to remove him from the throne and put Kamran's Shia son Abul Qasim on the throne. Akbar became suspicious of Bairam Khan and decided to remove him.

(4) Akbar's ambition - Among all the reasons for the downfall of Bairam Khan, the main reason was Akbar's ambition and his own dissatisfaction. Akbar was now an adult. He did not want to remain a nominal ruler under the protection of Bairam Khan but wanted to become the real ruler by concentrating the power of power in his hands. This feeling of Akbar was further ignited by the women of Haram. The ladies of the harem were headed by Maham Anga, who was Akbar's chief nurse.

Conspiracy against Bairam Khan and its end

With the advice of Akbar, a conspiracy was hatched against Bairam Khan, in which the most important part was taken by the 'Atka Khail' (a group of women who took care of Akbar and their relatives). Akbar's mother Hamida Banu Begum, Maham Anga, Adham Khan, Jiji Anga, and her husband Shamsuddin Khan were prominent in this group.

Akbar left Agra on the pretext of hunting and took Kamran's son Abul Qasim with him, as he feared that in his absence Bairam Khan would try to place Abul Qasim on the throne. But on the way he reached Delhi where his mother Hamida Banu Begum was ill. Maham Anga in Delhi filled Akbar's ears against Bairam Khan. Therefore, Akbar decided to remove Bairam Khan from the post and take all the power in his hands. He ordered the removal of Bairam Khan from his post through his teacher Yar Latif and asked him to go to Mecca.

On receiving this order, Bairam Khan was surprised and expressed his desire to meet Akbar, which was rejected. Therefore, following the order, Bairam left for Nagaur in April 1560 AD.

 

The Rebellion of Bairam Khan

Obeying Akbar's order, Bairam Khan left for Mecca. Bairam Khan's rivals were not satisfied even with this. They put pressure on Akbar to get Bairam Khan to leave for Mecca soon. For this purpose, Akbar sent a military unit under Pir Muhammad against Bairam Khan.

Bairam Khan considered it an insult because Pir Muhammad had lived under him and had also been exiled by his orders. Therefore, Bairam Khan rebelled leaving his family and property in the fort of Sirhind, and proceeded towards Punjab.

Akbar appointed Shamsuddin Ataga Khan against Bairam Khan. A battle took place between the two in August 1560 AD at a place called Dilwara on the banks of the Beas River in the foothills of Shivalik, in which Bairam Khan was defeated and surrendered. He was presented before Akbar. Bairam Khan fell at Akbar's feet and wept.

Akbar welcomed him with full state honors and made him sit on the right side at the head of the chieftains of the empire. Akbar presented him with clothes of respect and put three options before him for his future life-

1. First- The post of Subedari of Kalpi and Chanderi districts,
2. Second - the position of the emperor's trusted advisor in the royal court and
3. Third- Departure for Mecca.

Bairam Khan expressed his desire to go to Mecca and spend the rest of his life there. The emperor gave him permission to go to Mecca. Bairam Khan left for his journey to Mecca but unfortunately on the way he was killed by an Afghan youth named Mubarak Khan at a place called Patan in Gujarat on January 31, 1561, because Bairam Khan killed his father in the battle of Machhiwara (1555 AD). ) was murdered.

After the murder of Bairam Khan, his camp was looted. His widow Salima Begum along with her four-year-old son Abdur Rahim reached Ahmedabad in a pitiable condition with great difficulty. Akbar was deeply saddened to hear the news of Bairam Khan's murder. His family was brought to the court under the royal guard. Later, Akbar married Salima Begum, the widow of Bairam Khan, and brought up her child, Abdur Rahim, as his own son.

Later, this Abdurrahim became a distinguished commander and scholar, whom Akbar honored by giving his father the title of Khan-e-Khana.

Purda rule or 'Petticoat' rule (1560-1564 AD)

After the fall of Bairam Khan, Akbar came under the influence of the women of the harem and gave them the right to interfere in the administration. For this reason, some historians have termed this period (1560-1564 AD) as curtain rule or petticoat rule.

Rajmata Hamida Banu Begum, Maham Anaga, Adham Khan, Shihabuddin Atka, Mullapir Muhammad, and Munim Khan were among the important members of the harem party under the Parda regime. In this, Shihabuddin Atka was the Subedar of Delhi and the son-in-law of Maham Anga. Mulla Pir Muhammad was a teacher of Akbar while Munim Khan was Humayun's most trusted companion. He was the administrator of Kabul. Bairam Khan considered him as his political rival.

Maham Anga was the most prominent among all these members and he had great influence on other members. After Bairam Khan, all the high posts and military commands were redistributed. Members of the harem party were appointed to most of the top posts.

For some time, the influence of the members of the harem had definitely increased during the reign, but it would be wrong to say that they had a lot of influence on the young Emperor Akbar. Although the members of the harem party played an important role in deciding the governance policy, Akbar did not do any work under the pressure of anyone, nor did he give so much exemption to anyone that he considered his facilities as a right.

Four prime ministers in six months

The post of Vakil-us-Sultanat (Vakil-i-Mutlaq) or prime minister was the highest in the Mughal administration. Bairam Khan was the first to receive this post during Akbar's time. While in this position, he acquired immense power and started behaving like an autocratic administrator. Akbar had to face difficulties to end his influence.

After Bairam Khan, Akbar did not want to repeat this mistake again. So he took over the reins of governance and started controlling the prime ministers. No one was given the freedom to adopt an independent working method. For this purpose, Akbar quickly appointed four persons to this post.

After Bairam Khan, Akbar appointed Subedar Shihabuddin of Delhi as his first Prime Minister on 27 March 1560 AD. Soon after he appointed Maham Anga along with Shihabuddin. In this way, Akbar established the system of appointing two prime ministers. After some time, Bahadur Khan Uzbek was appointed as the Prime Minister in place of Shihabuddin. But Bahadur Khan was not able to run the administration successfully. For this reason, he was dismissed. Bahadur Khan separated from active politics and started living peacefully after receiving the jagir of Etawah.

For a few days, Maham Anga alone remained on the post of Prime Minister, but there was no tradition in the Mughals to rule on the post of a female Prime Minister, so on September 10, 1560, Akbar asked Maham Anga to humbly hand over his work to Munim Khan. Said. Maham Anga built a madrasa named 'Khairul Manajin' in Delhi.

Thus Munim Khan became the fourth prime minister with the title of Khan-e-Khana. Munim Khan was also a member of the Haram Dal. After returning from the Malwa campaign, Akbar dismissed Munim Khan in 1561 and appointed Shamsuddin Terror as his fifth prime minister.

Shamsuddin was the husband of Jiji Anga, another foster mother of Akbar. Maham Anga, Adham Khan, Munim Khan, and Shihabuddin were not satisfied with the appointment of Shamsuddin Atak. Now Maham Anga's influence in the administration started decreasing. So Adham Khan killed Shamsuddin Atka with the help of his associates.

Death of Adham Khan

Adham Khan was the son of Maham Anga, the foster mother of Akbar. He was also brought up along with Akbar. Akbar treated him like a brother. After the fall of Bairam Khan, the harem rule (Pardashasan) was established for some time during which Adham Khan's mother Maham Anga was the chief. For this reason, Adham Khan also had influence in the administration. But the arrogance of the post blinded him for some time.

On May 16, 1562 AD, he along with some associates killed Shamsuddin Atka. After that, he tried to enter Akbar's bedroom with an open sword, but did not succeed, Adham Khan was arrested. By the order of Akbar, his hands and feet were tied and thrown under the roof of the palace, due to which he died (1562 AD). The dead bodies of both Shamsuddin and Adham Khan were sent to Delhi. Where he was buried near Qutub Minar.

Death of Maham Anga

At the time of Adham Khan's death, Maham Anga was ill in Agra. Akbar briefly informed Maham Anga about the incident of Adham Khan's death. But it was not clearly told that his son Adham Khan had died. Maham Anga replied that "whatever the gentleman did was right."

But when she got the news of her son's murder, she could not bear this trauma and forty days after this incident she also died (1562 AD). His body was sent to Delhi and buried where his son Adham Khan was buried. After this incident, Akbar treated the dependents and relatives of the dead generously. Munim Khan was forgiven and he was again appointed as the prime minister of the state.

 

Death of Mullapir Muhammad

Mullapar Muhammad was appointed Subedar of Malwa in place of Adham Khan, but he proved to be an inept administrator. Due to his oppressive and cruel behavior, the feeling of rebellion started awakening in the public. Taking advantage of the situation, Malwa's ruler Baj Bahadur attacked Malwa with the help of the rulers of Khandesh and Berar.

Pir Muhammad fought him but was defeated and ran away. While crossing the river Narmada, he fell from his horse and died by drowning. Mullapir Muhammad was the last pillar of Parda's rule. With his death, the curtain rule also came to an end.

Suppression of Khwaja Moazzam

Khwaja Muazzam was the maternal uncle of Akbar. Akbar had given him a jagir for his living. But he was of evil nature. Even during the time of Humayun, he had done many heinous acts, even after repeated warnings from Akbar, he did not desist from his misdeeds.

In 1564, he killed his wife Zora Agha Begum. Akbar became very angry with this incident and ordered Khwaja Muazzam to be killed by drowning him in the river. Even after this, he remained alive. After that, he was taken prisoner and sent to the fort of Gwalior, where he died.

Revolts of Akbar's time

Akbar had to face some rebellions at the beginning of his reign. Prominent in these rebellions were-

(1) Revolt of Abdullah Khan Uzbeg
(2) Revolt of Khanzamin and
(3) Rebellion of Mirza Hakim
(4) Revolt of the Afghan Baluchis or Yousafzais and
(5) Revolt of Prince Salim

1- Revolt of Abdullah Khan Uzveg (1564 AD) -

During Akbar's time, in 1564, the Uzbegs revolted. This was the first rebellion of his time. Abdullah Khan Uzbeg was one of the trustees of Akbar, Akbar made him the Subedar of Malwa after Pir Muhammad. He got the credit for Malwa's victory from Baj Bahadur.

After taking over Malwa, he made Mandu his capital and tried to establish order in Malwa. But he was ambitious and greedy in nature. In a few years, he acquired enormous wealth and increased the number of armies manifold, and finally rebelled.

To punish the rebels, Akbar left for Malwa in July 1564 AD. After getting the information of the arrival of the emperor, Abdullah Khan went to the shelter of the ruler of Gujarat of the Uzbeg part. The Mughal army captured Malwa. Akbar appointed Bahadur Khan as the Subedar of Malwa and returned to Agra in October 1564 after making proper arrangements for the administration.

Revolt of Uzbegs and Mirza-

Abdullah Khan Uzbeg fled to Gujarat after a failed rebellion in Malwa. From there he somehow came to Jaunpur. At that time the Subedar of Jaunpur was Ali Quli Khan (Khane Zaman) who was a famous Uzbeg Sardar. In 1565 AD, he revolted in Jaunpur along with Abdullah Khan and other Uzbeg Sardars. The rebels wanted to overthrow Akbar and install Mirza Kamran's son Abul Qasim on the throne in his place.

Akbar sent an army to suppress the rebels but the royal army was defeated. So Akbar himself left for the suppression of the rebels. At the same time, Akbar's half-brother Hakim Mirza revolted. This situation was very difficult for Akbar as he now had to face two rebellions. Therefore, for some time, Akbar made a compromise with Uzvegs with the help of Munim. After that, he left against Mirza Hakim.

Mirza Muhammad Hakim got scared after getting the information about Akbar's arrival. He immediately raised the siege of Lahore and fled towards Khyber. Taking advantage of Mirza Hakim's rebellion, the Uzbeg rebel Khan Zaman revolted again and got the Khutba read in the name of Mirza Hakim. After expelling Mirza Hakim from Kabul, Akbar proceeded toward Agra to finally suppress the Uzbegs. On the other hand, the Uzbeg rebels had also crossed the river Ganges and moved forward.

Akbar crossed the river Ganges with his troops and suddenly attacked the camp of the Uzbegs located at Mankuwal near Allahabad. Khan Jama was killed on the battlefield itself. His brother Bahadur was taken prisoner and given a death sentence. The helpers and associates of the rebels were severely punished. In this way, Akbar successfully suppressed the rebellion of the Ujvegs.

Revolt of Afghan Baluchis Yusufzais (1585 AD)-

After the conquest of Kabul by Akbar, the Yusufzais or the Afghan Baluchis revolted. Birbal died in suppressing this rebellion. Later the rebellion was suppressed by Mansingh and Todar Mal.

Revolt of Shahzada Salim (1599 AD)-

Emperor Akbar loved Salim very much. Because of being pampered, he was luxurious and comfortable. In 1577 he was given the 'Mansab' of ten thousand. Akbar lived for a long time, and because of this Salim became impatient to sit on the throne. Before leaving for the southern campaign, Akbar instructed Salim to control the situation in northern India and to attack Med. But Salim disobeyed his father's order and went from Agra to Allahabad and rebelled.

There he started behaving like an independent ruler. At this time Akbar was busy besieging Asirgarh. So he pacified Salim's rebellion and forgave him.

Salim revolted again in 1601 AD. During this, he took control of the revenue of 30 lakh rupees from the treasury of Bihar, minted coins in his name, and gave jagirs to his followers.

On receiving the information of this rebellion, Akbar soon returned to Agra from the south in 1601 AD. After receiving the news of Akbar's presence in Agra, Salim left for Agra with his three thousand horsemen, but on persuasion by Akbar, he apologized for his rebellions and again left for Allahabad.

Meanwhile, Akbar issued a decree appointing Prince Salim as the Subedar of Bengal and Orissa. But this decree had no effect on Salim and he continued to look after the administration of Allahabad.

In the end, saddened by the behavior of his son, Akbar called Abul Fazl from the south for his help. But on the way, at the behest of Salim, Bundela Sardar Veer Singh Dev of Orchha killed Abul Fazl in 1602 AD. Akbar was deeply saddened and enraged by the murder of Abul Fazl. He decided to give severe punishment to Salim.

Meanwhile, Salim's grandmother Salima Begum went to Allahabad and explained to Salim. Salim came forward and apologized to his father. So Akbar forgave him. In 1603, Akbar appointed Salim to conquer Mewar. But this time again Salim showed indifference and made an excuse and went to Allahabad where he got engrossed in drinking and dancing.

Akbar again decided to punish Salim and planned to leave for Allahabad. But due to the death of his mother, he could not leave Agra. On the other hand, Salim also came to Agra on the death of his grandmother. He apologized to the father. Akbar once again forgave him. After that Salim remained with his father.

 

Mughal Empire Expansion by Akbar

After overcoming the initial difficulties, Akbar turned his attention to the expansion of the empire. He was the first Mughal ruler who tried to establish the kingdom of Mughal dynasty all over India. With the aim of expanding the empire, he started his conquest campaign.

Conquest of Malwa

In order to expand the empire, Akbar's first attack was against Malwa in 1561 AD. In the time of Akbar, the ruler of Malwa were Baj Bahadur and his capital was Sarangpur. Both Baj Bahadur and his wife Roopmati were music lovers.

Reasons for Malwa victory - There were three main reasons for Malwa victory by Akbar

1. Baj Bahadur used to spend most of his time in music and his wife Roopmati. He had less opportunity to pay attention to the administration.

2. After capturing Ajmer and Gwalior, Akbar's frontier reached Malwa, so it became necessary for Akbar to conquer it.

3. After conquering Malwa, the path of Gujarat and South victory would have become easier.

With the above objectives, Akbar started a campaign against Malwa. Due to the influence of Maham Anga, his son Adham Khan was selected for the army in the Malwa campaign. Adham Khan attacked Malwa on March 29, 1961 AD. Baj Bahadur fought him near the capital Sarangpur but was defeated and fled. Adham Khan captured Malwa.

Baj Bahadur's entire property and his wife Roopmati got into his hands. Roopmati committed suicide by consuming poison to avoid Adham Khan's evil intentions. Adham Khan kept most of the looted property of Baj Bahadur to himself. Due to this Akbar got angry. He himself went to Sarangpur and got Adham Khan deposed by taking possession of the booty.

Pir Muhammad was appointed in his place but Pir Muhammad proved to be an inept ruler. He started torturing the public, due to which the feeling of rebellion started awakening in them. Taking advantage of the situation, Baj Bahadur tried to regain Malwa with the help of the southern states of Khandesh and Berar.

Pir Muhammad had to run away after being defeated. Pir Muhammad died after falling from a horse while crossing the Narmada River. Baj Bahadur regained control over Malwa. But his victory was temporary. Akbar sent Abdullah Uzbeg to take control of Malwa again, who defeated Baj Bahadur and took control of Malwa. Baj Bahadur first wandered here and there in search of refuge. In the end, he accepted Akbar's subordination, as a result, Akbar made him first a Hazari and later a two-thousand Mansabdar.

Chunar victory

The Afghans were active in Chunar. The fort here was very important as it served as a border guard between Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. In 1561 AD, Akbar sent Asaf Khan to win the fort of Chunar, who took control of the fort. After the victory of Chunar, the way for Akbar to move towards Bihar and suppress the Afghans became easy.

Rajasthan victory

Akbar campaigned against the following princely states of Rajasthan-

1-Amer (Jaipur)-

● King Bharmal (Bihari Mal) of Amber was the first Rajput king who voluntarily accepted the suzerainty of Akbar.

● The first Rajput to establish a matrimonial relationship with Akbar was the Kachwaha dynasty Bharmal (Bihari Mal).

During the time of Akbar, the king of Amer was Bharmal (Biharimal who was a Kachwaha Rajput. His nephew Suja wanted to expel him from Amer with the help of Subedar Mohammad Shafuddin of Mewat. In such a situation Bharmal tried to get help from Akbar. At the time when Akbar was going to visit the dargah of Khaja Moinuddin Chishti of Ajmer, on January 20, 1562, Raja Bharmal appeared in the service of Akbar near Sanganer and surrendered before him for the security of his position.

At the same time, he voluntarily proposed the marriage of his daughter to Akbar, which was accepted by Akbar. While returning from Ajmer, on February 6, 1562, Akbar married 'Harkhabai' alias Jodhabai, daughter of Raja Bharmal in Sambhar. Akbar's successor Salim (Jahangir) was born from this Harkhabai's womb.

This was the first marriage of a Rajput princess with Akbar. Akbar got many political benefits from this matrimonial relationship and later influenced his Rajput policy. After this marriage, Bihari Mal got a Mansab of 5 thousand in the Mughal army. His son Bhagwan Das and grandson Mansingh were also appointed to high positions.

Merta Victory (1562 AD)

Merta was the neighboring state of Amer. During the time of Akbar, the fort of Merta was under the control of Jaimal Rathor, a vassal of Rao Maldev of Jodhpur. Akbar appointed Sharfuddin to take over the fort of Merta. He surrounded the ram. The Rajputs fought bravely, finally in March 1562, the Mughals captured Merta. Jaimal ran away and took refuge with Rana Udai Singh of Mewar.

Garhkatanga (Godwana) victory (1564 AD)-

The Hindu state of Gadkatanga (Gondwana) was present from the northern districts of Madhya Pradesh to the border of southern India, that is, it included the Narmada valley and the northern part of modern Madhya Pradesh.

The founder of this mighty empire was Amandas Gond. It helped Bahadur Shah, the ruler of Gujarat, to conquer Raisen, who gave him the title of Sangramshah. Sangramshah married Durgavati, a princess of the famous Chandela dynasty of Mahoba. Its capital was Chauragarh.

In the time of Akbar, the widow of Sangram Singh and the Chandela princess of Mahoba, Rani Durgavati, ruled here under the protection of her young son Veer Narayan. Veer Narayan was a minor so the real power of the kingdom was in the hands of Rani Durgavati. Akbar sent Asaf Khan in 1564 AD to take over Gadkatanga.

Rani Durgavati fought the huge army of Mughals near Chauragarh. She fought valiantly for two days. Finally, considering defeat as certain, he committed suicide by stabbing himself to protect his honor.

In 1564 AD, the Mughals got the right over the fort. Asaf Khan got immense wealth in this war. But Akbar did not merge this state with the Mughal state and handed over the throne to Chandrashah belonging to the dynasty.

Mewar Conquest (1568 AD)

Mewar was ruled by the Sisodiya dynasty. The then ruler there was Uday Singh, son of Rana Sanga, who refused to accept Akbar's subordination. He looked down upon the Kachwaha dynasty of Amer because this dynasty had established a matrimonial relationship with Akbar. Its capital was Chittor.

The fort of Chittor was considered the gateway to central Rajasthan. Akbar's strongest resistance in Rajasthan was done by the rulers of Mewar, he could neither join Mewar in his kingdom nor surrender. There were many reasons for Akbar's attack on Chittor, two of which were major-

 

1- Rana Uday Singh had provided protection to Akbar's enemy Baj Bahadur and rebellious Mirzas.

2. Mewar used to fall in the way of Delhi and Gujarat, so Mewar's victory was necessary for Gujarat's victory.

On October 20, 1567 AD, Akbar reached Chittor, the capital of Mewar, and laid siege to the fort. This encirclement lasted for several months. On the advice of his Sardars, Rana Udai Singh handed over the responsibility of protecting the fort to Jaimal and Fatta (Fateh Singh) and he went towards the nearby hills. One night when Jaimal was repairing the broken wall of the fort, Akbar hit him with his gun and injured him, which led to his death.

In the morning, under the leadership of his mother and wife, the Rajputs attacked the Mughal army. But he was defeated and killed on the battlefield itself. The Mughals took control of the fort. Akbar ordered a massacre in the fort, in which thirty thousand Rajputs were killed.

In this war, Akbar was so impressed by the bravery and bravery of his opponent Rajputs that in memory of their bravery, two stone statues of Jaimal and Fatta sitting on elephants were erected on both sides of the inner state gate of the main gate (Delhi Darwaza) in Agra Fort. Got it made

Akbar left for Agra after handing over the responsibility of the fort to Asaf Khan. Rana Udai Singh made Udaipur his new capital and continued to fight against the Mughals till his death on March 3, 1572. After that, his son Maharana Pratap continued the war.

Ranthambore Conquest (1569 AD)

Encouraged by the Chittor victory, Akbar turned his attention to other states of Rajputana. At that time Hada Rajputs were ruling in Ranthambore. The ruler here was Surjan Rai who was a vassal of Mewar. Akbar attacked Ranthambore in February 1569 AD. Surjan Rai fought the Mughal army but in the end, he surrendered to Akbar with the mediation of Raja Bhagwan Das and Mansingh.

On March 18, 1569, he handed over the fort to the Mughals and joined the royal service. His two sons Duda and Bhoj also joined the service of Akbar. Surjan Rai was the only Rajput king who was allowed to play the tavwara (instrument) by Akbar.

Kalinjar victory (1569 AD)

The fort of Kalinjar (present-day Bonda district, Uttar Pradesh) was considered an impregnable fort. It was under the authority of Raja Ramchandra of Rewa. In August 1569 AD, Akbar sent an army under the leadership of Majnu Khan Kakshah to conquer Kalinjar. Initially, King Garachandra decided to resist the royal army but later surrendered and handed over the fort to the Mughals.

Emperor Akbar treated Raja Ramchandra leniently and gave him a jagir near Allahabad. Majnukhan Kakshah was appointed as the first Mughal Subedar of Kalinjar. With the fall of Kalinjar, the foundation of Rajput's resistance was destroyed. This was an important victory for Akbar as Kalinjar was located in North India.

Jodhpur and Bikaner (1570 AD)

With the fall of Kalinjar, most of the Rajput chieftains accepted the suzerainty of Akbar. When Akbar was staying in Nagaur, in November 1570 AD, two Rajput rulers, Chandra Sen, son of Raja Mandev of Jodhpur, and Rai Kalyanmal of Bikaner and his son Raisingh accepted Akbar's submission through Raja Bhagwan Das.

King Kalyanmal also got his daughter married to Akbar. After establishing matrimonial relations, Akbar returned Raikalyanmal back to Bikaner and recruited his son Raisingh to the royal service.

In 1570 itself, Rawalharrai of Jaisalmer also accepted Akbar's subordination and married his daughter to him. Thus, by the end of 1570 AD, except for Mewar and its subordinate states Dungarpur, Banswara, and Pratapgarh, the whole of Rajputana became a part of the Mughal territory.

Battle of Haldi Ghati and Mewar victory

Although Akbar had captured Chittor, the capital of Mewar by defeating Udai Singh in 1568 AD, still a large area of the state was outside his jurisdiction.

After the death of Uday Singh in 1572, the feudatories of Mewar coronated Rana Pratap Singh at Gogunda on March 3, 1572. On this occasion, Rana Pratap took a pledge to protect the freedom and honor of his motherland. He made Kumbhalgarh his capital situated on an inaccessible hill about forty miles away from Udaipur. 

He also made changes in the administration as per the need. After the conquest of Bihar and Bengal (1574-76 AD), Akbar turned his attention to Mewar.

In April 1576 AD, he shifted his headquarters temporarily to Ajmer and appointed the royal forces there. Raja Mansingh was made the commander-in-chief and Mirbakshi (Army Chief) of the empire and Asaf Khan was made the deputy commander.

Badayuni, who participated in this war as a warrior under Asaf Khan, has presented an eyewitness account of the Battle of Haldi Ghati in his book Muntkhab-ut-Tawarikh. The royal army marched towards Gogunda under the leadership of Mansingh in April 1576. Rana Pratap alias Kika also proceeded with his army to counter the royal army. He divided his army into two parts. The commander of one was the Rana himself and the leadership of the other part was handled by one of his confidants, Hakim Sur Afghan.

On June 18, 1576 AD, a battle took place between Rana Pratap and the Mughals in the Haldi Valley ground near Gogunda in which Rana Pratap was defeated. He fled and took refuge in the ranges of Aravali. The Mughal army captured Gogunda but failed to establish its power over Mewar completely. After defeating Rana Pratap, Akbar decided to suppress his supporters, the kings of Jalore, Sirohi, and Idar.

First of all, he captured Jalore. Sent Kuli Khan against Rai Narayan of Inder. The Mughal army captured Inder. Rawal Pratap Singh of Biswada and Rawal Ashkaran of Dungarpur accepted the submission of Akbar. Apart from this, Bundi and Sirohi were also occupied by the Mughals. In this way, leaving only Mewar, almost the entire Rajputana came under Mughal power.

 

In 1577 AD, Akbar again appointed Bhagwan Das, Mansingh, and Shahnawaz Khan against Mewar, who successfully conducted military operations against Rana Pratap. Meanwhile, Shahnawaz Khan had to go there to calm the disturbance in Bihar. On the other hand, Akbar also got busy in the North-West Frontier. Taking advantage of the situation, Rana Pratap again tried to win Mewar but did not succeed.

Rana Pratap died on January 19, 1997. After that, his son Amar Singh became the ruler. Like his father, he also never accepted Akbar's submission. In 1599, Akbar appointed Prince Salim as the Subedar of Ajmer and ordered him along with Mansingh to suppress Amarsingh. But Salim did not get success.

(1572-7330) Gujarat Conquest (1572-73 AD)

It was during the Gujarat campaign that Akbar sailed for the first time on a ship at Cambay. After the conquest of Gujarat, Akbar established the city of Fatehpur Sikri in 1573 AD. Gujarat was a prosperous state situated on the coast of India. It was a major center of trade with Western countries.

In the time of Akbar, the ruler here was Gujaffar Shah III. He was an inept ruler. During his period, anarchy and chaos prevailed all around in Gujarat. In such a situation, a powerful noble named Itimad Khan invited Akbar to attack Gujarat. Apart from this, there were other reasons for Akbar's invasion of Gujarat-

Reasons for the invasion of Gujarat- The main reasons for the invasion of Gujarat were-

1. Gujarat was a prosperous state of India. Most of the trade with Western countries was done from Gujarat only.

2. The Portuguese dominated the coastal areas of Gujarat. They used to loot the Mughal ships going for Haj. As a result, it was necessary to curb them. 3. The rebellious Mirzas had taken refuge in Gujarat.

4. Due to the disqualification of Muzaffar Shah, a situation of civil war had arisen due to mutual enmity among the nobles. So Gujarat was as easy for Akbar.

 

In July 1572 AD, Akbar along with his army left for Ahmedabad, the capital of Gujarat. He reached Ahmedabad via the route of Rajasthan. Muzaffar Shah III surrendered without any fight. Itimad Khan handed over the keys of the fort of Ahmedabad to Akbar.

On November 21, 1572, AD, the Khutba in the name of Akbar was read and coins were issued. After taking over Gujarat, Akbar appointed Mirza Aziz Koka as the subedar of northern Gujarat and Etimad as governor of southern Gujarat.

After Ahmedabad, Akbar moved towards Khambhat Cambay) where the Mirzas had created a disturbance. It was here that he sailed for the first time in a ship and came in contact with the Portuguese. The Portuguese and other traders respected Akbar and accepted his suzerainty.

After Khambhat, Akbar decided to attack Surat. Because here the leader of the Mirzas, Ibrahim Hussain rebelled. In 1572 AD, Akbar defeated him at a place called Sarnal. At the same time, Akbar gave a mark and nakkara to Bhagwan Das. From here he proceeded towards Surat and surrounded the fort. Hamzaban surrendered the fort on February 26, 1573. After taking possession of the fort, Akbar returned to the capital Agra after handing over the governorship of Gujarat to Mirza Aziz Koka.

Akbar's victory over Gujarat proved to be temporary. As soon as Akbar returned, after 6 months, Ikhtiyarul Mulk and Mirzas revolted under the leadership of Muhammad Hussain and surrounded the Mughal Subedar Aziz Koka in the fort in Ahmedabad.

On receiving the news of the rebellion, Akbar ordered Bhagwan Das, Shujat Khan, Sayyid Muhammad Barha, and Subedar Muzaffar Khan of Malwa to go to the aid of Mirza Aziz Koka and himself on August 23, 1573 AD, to suppress the rebels, he sent his second army to Gujarat. left for the campaign. He reached Ahmedabad at a rapid pace in just eleven days. Hussain Mirza and Ikhtiyarul Mulk were both killed and the rebels were defeated on September 23, 1573, after crossing the Sabarmati River.

Smith has called Akbar's second Gujarat campaign a historical milestone. After some time, in 1578, the last ruler of Gujarat, Muzaffar Shah III managed to escape from prison and took refuge in Junagadh. In 1583 AD, he attacked Ahmedabad and captured it and assumed the title of emperor and killed Mughal officer Qutbuddin and also captured Bhadoch.

To suppress this rebellion, Akbar appointed Abdurrahim Khankhana as the Subedar of Gujarat, who committed suicide in 1584 AD by completely chopping off Muzaffar Shah III in the Battle of Sarkhej. In this way, Gujarat became a part of the Mughal Empire and on this success of Abdurrahim, Akbar honored him with the title of Khankhana. Todar Mal did his first land settlement in Gujarat.

Conquest of Bihar and Bengal (1574-76 AD)

After the death of Sher Shah, in 1564 AD, Suleman Karrani declared an independent state including Bihar and Bengal. After conquering Orissa also, he merged it with his empire and made Tanda his capital. After some time he strengthened his position by accepting the submission of Akbar.

After the death of Suleman Karrani in 1572 AD, his eldest son Bayazid became the ruler, but the nobles killed him and put his second son on the throne. Dawood was an ambitious ruler. He did not accept the submission of Akbar. Like an independent ruler, Dawood got his name read in the Khutba and also got his name inscribed on the coins. He assumed the title of Raja (Shah).

Akbar was busy in Gujarat at that time. So, taking advantage of the situation, Dawood attacked the Mughal fort (Janania Fort) located in Patna. Akbar sent Munim Khan against Dawood and himself reached Patna in 1575 to suppress the rebellion. Dawood Khan was defeated and fled to Bengal. Akbar took over Bihar and appointed Muzaffar Khan Turbati as the Subedar of Bihar and returned to the capital Fatehpur Sikri. Munim Khan continued the campaign against Dawood. He captured Gargi and Tanda, the capital of Bengal.

In 1575, Dawood was defeated at a place called Turkoi and fled toward Orissa. Finally being forced, he surrendered in April 1575 AD and accepted Akbar's subordination. Dawood Khan made a treaty according to which he was allowed to rule in Orissa as a subordinate ruler of Akbar. Munim Khan died in 1575 AD. Disorder again spread in Bengal. Taking advantage of the situation, Dawood Khan attacked Bengal and recaptured it. Akbar sent Punjab's Subedar Khan-i-Jahan Hussain Quli Khan and Todar Mal against Dawood Khan.

Dawood was defeated in the battle of Rajmahal on July 12, 1576. Mughal soldiers cut off his head and sent it to Fatehpur Sikri in the service of Emperor Akbar and the rest of the body was hanged in Tonda. Thus, with the death of Dawood Khan, the independent state of Bengal came to an end, but again in 1580, there was a rebellion in Bengal. This rebellion is famous for the name of the Kakshal Rebellion. The rebels wanted to make Mirza Hakim the emperor. Akbar sent Raja Todermal and Aziz Koka against the rebels. The Kakshal rebellion was suppressed by the joint efforts of both. Thus peace and order were re-established in Bengal.

 

Kabul Conquest (1581 AD)

The year of 1581 AD is considered to be the most critical year for Akbar. One because in the same year Akbar's half-brother and the ruler of Kabul, Mirza Muhammad Hakim tried to get the throne by organizing the rebels. Among the rebels was Mulla Muhammad Yazdi, Qazi of Jaunpur, who issued a fatwa against Akbar. The rebels wanted to remove Akbar and place Hakim Mirza on the throne of Delhi. Chief among the conspirators was Shahi Diwan (Finance Minister) Khwaja Mansoor. After receiving the signal from the conspirators, Hakim Mirza crossed the Indus River and left for Lahore.

Rajaman Singh, Bhagwandas, and Sayyidkhana had made adequate arrangements for the defense of Lahore. Contrary to expectation, Hakim Khan did not get any help in Punjab. Meanwhile, Akbar himself proceeded to counter it. Hakim Mirza again fled to Kabul after getting the information of Akbar's arrival. Many rebels and their main leader Khwaja Mansoor were killed. Akbar ordered Shahzada Murad to march towards Kabul against Hakim Mirza and himself halted at Navrohtaj to reorganize the imperial army. At the same time, he built a fort named 'Singh Sagar' on the banks of the Indus River.

Akbar entered Kabul on August 10, 1581 AD. Hakim Mirza fled from Kabul to Gurband. Later he apologized to Akbar and accepted the submission of Akbar. Akbar returned to the capital by appointing his sister Bakhtunnisa Begum as the Subedar of Kabul. As soon as Akbar returned, Hakim Mirza again reached Kabul and started ruling himself. Although his sister's name remained. Hakim Mirza died in July, 1585 AD. Kabul was merged into the Mughal Empire and Mansingh was appointed its Subedar. Mansingh was the first Mughal officer who got the governorship of Kabul.

Kashmir Conquest (1585-86 AD)

Yusuf Khan was the independent ruler of Kashmir. In 1581 he was asked to accept Akbar's suzerainty but in 1581 he sent a diplomatic reply through his son Yakub. For this reason, Akbar was not satisfied with him and decided to merge Kashmir into the Mughal Empire. For this purpose, he sent army to Kashmir under the leadership of Mirza Shahrukh and Raja Bhagwandas. In the end Yusuf Khan was forced to make a treaty with Raja Bhagwandas, according to which he accepted the subordination of Akbar, in return he asked for the post of ruler of Kashmir. Akbar was not satisfied with this treaty. So he imprisoned Yusuf Khan and his son Yakub Khan.

  Later, somehow Yakub Khan managed to escape from prison and waged a war against the Mughals. Akbar sent another campaign under the leadership of Qasim Khan to conquer Kashmir. Yakub Khan was defeated in a battle and captured. He along with his father was sent as a prisoner to Bihar where both died. Thus, in 1586, Kashmir was included in the Mughal Empire and made a Sarkar of Kabul Suba.

Sindh Conquest (1591 AD)

Although Akbar had conquered Buxar in 1574 AD, a large part of southern Sindh was still unconquered. At that time the ruler of Sindh was Mirza Jani Baig. The conquest of Sindh was important for Akbar because after capturing it, he would get help in conquering Kandahar. Therefore, in 1590 AD, Akbar appointed Abdurrahim Khan-Khana as the Subedar of Multan and ordered him to take over Sindh.

Mirza Jani Beg first fought the Mughals but later surrendered and accepted Akbar's subordination. He handed over his two forts Thatta and Sehwan to Akbar. Akbar also treated him well. He was given a mansab of 3000 and took him to the royal army. For some time Mirza Jani Baig also became a member of Din-i-Ilahi and remained loyal to Akbar till the end.

Orissa Conquest (1592 AD)

During the time of Akbar, Orissa was under the control of an Afghan family of the Lohani caste. At that time the ruler here was Qutlu Khan who was an independent ruler. After his death, Nisar Khan became the ruler. At that time the subedar of Bihar was Raja Mansingh. Raja Mansingh invaded Orissa in 1590 AD. Nisar Khan fought him but surrendered after being defeated. He was given the jagir of Orissa.

He rebelled again in 1592 AD. Rajaman Singh invaded Orissa for the second time and finally defeated him. Orissa was included in the Mughal Empire and made a sarkar (district) of Bengal Suba. 

Balochistan (1595 AD)

In 1595 AD, Akbar sent an army under the leadership of Miramasum to conquer Balochistan. Miramasum successfully defeated the Afghans and captured Balochistan. Thus Balochistan became a part of the Mughal Empire.

Akbar's North-West Frontier Policy

The security of the northwest border was a major problem since the Sultanate period because external attacks on India continued through this route. Uzbeg Roshnai and Yusufzai etc. used to reside on the north-west border. These people revolted against the Mughals and wanted to free Afghanistan from their clutches.

Akbar first paid attention to the Roshnai clan. These people were the followers of a heretic named Bayazid, who in 1560 AD declared himself a prophet and propagated his opinion against Islam. He made many people his disciples and himself took the title of Pir Roshni. Bayazid expounded his opinion in his book Khair-ul-Bayan.

Bayazid died in 1585 AD. That's why Bayazid is considered the founder of the 'Roshnai sect'. After this, his son Umar became the successor but he too was killed by the Yusufzais. Immediately the leadership of the Roshanis came into the hands of his younger brother Jalal. Abdullah Khan Uzbeg, the ruler of Transoxiana, was helping him against the Mughals. Akbar's immediate goal was that Abdullah Khan Uzbeg could not take undue advantage by joining this fight. So he sent the army to suppress the lights.

The struggle of Roshni with the Mughals lasted for more than 15 years. Finally, Jalal Khan was defeated and killed in 1600 AD. About 14000 lights were captured from Afghanistan. They were declared heretics, enslaved, and sent to the markets of Central Asia for sale. After lights • Akbar turned his attention to the Yusufzais. At this time their leader was Abdullah Khan Uzbeg who was very powerful.

Akbar sent Jain Khan and Birbal to suppress the Yusufzais. King Birbal was killed in this war. After that, Akbar sent an army under the leadership of King Todmal and Mansingh. Yousafzai was badly defeated by the combined efforts of both and thousands of rebels were killed.

With this success of the Mughals, Yusufzai leader Abdullah Khan Uzbeg sent an embassy to serve Akbar with the aim of establishing friendship. Therefore, by establishing friendly relations with the Uzbegs, Akbar secured the north-western borders of his vast empire adjacent to Hindkoh. Abdullah Uzbeg died in 1598 AD. Thus Akbar was freed from the possible threat from the northwest.

 

Conquest of Kandahar (1595 AD)

Akbar decided to control the fort of Kandahar. At this time Muzaffar Hussain Mirza was appointed as the governor of Iran. Akbar sent an army under the leadership of Khane Khana to capture Kandahar, Khane Khana conquered Kansar and Muzaffar Mirza accepted Akbar's submission. Akbar appointed Shah Beg as the administrator of Kandahar. Thus Kandahar became a part of the Mughal Empire.

Akbar's Southern Policy

Akbar's Southern policy was basically imperialist. He wanted to give the whole of India the form of a united nation. After establishing his power in North India and the border regions, he turned his attention to the South and tried to bring the independent states here under his control. Apart from this, the influence of the Portuguese was increasing in the south, which Akbar wanted to control.

With the establishment of authority over Malwa, Rajputana, and Gujarat in 1572, direct contact with the Mughal capital was established from the south. Therefore, in 1591 AD, Akbar sent a proposal to the rulers of the four southern states of Khandesh, Ahmednagar, Bijapur, and Golconda to accept the subordination of the Mughal Empire through his embassy.

Of these four states, only Raja Ali Khan, the ruler of Khandesh, accepted the suzerainty of Akbar. In the remaining three states, the rulers of Bijapur and Golconda did not accept Akbar's subordination but they sent valuable things to Akbar as a gift, while Burhanulmulk, the ruler of Ahmednagar, neither accepted subordination nor sent any gift. Therefore, Akbar first started his first campaign in the south against Ahmed Nagar.

Ahmed Nagar - Akbar sent two Mughal armies in 1593 AD for the purpose of attacking Ahmednagar, one was led by Abdurrahim Khankhana and the other by Prince Murad. At this time the internal condition of Ahmednagar was pathetic. After the death of Burhanulmulk in 1595 AD, his son Ibrahim sat on the throne. But he was also killed in a battle with Bijapur.

After the death of Ibrahim, chaos prevailed in Ahmednagar. The claimants to the throne got divided into several factions and the rich class got engrossed in conspiracies. A group of nobles along with Burhanulmulk's sister Chand Bibi wanted to make Ibrahim's infant son Bahadur Shah Sultan.

The other party was Ikhlas Khan Habsi who wanted to make someone else the ruler. The third-party wanted Ali, the eldest son of Burhanulmulk, to rule, while the fourth party wanted Miyan Manju, the Peshwa (prime minister) of Ahmadnagar. Who was against Chand Bibi? Thus a situation of civil war had arisen in Ahmednagar. In such a situation Miyaganju invited Mughali to Ahmednagar for his help. This was a golden opportunity for the Mughals.

Therefore, on the orders of Akbar, Murad left Gujarat and Abdurrahim Khankhana left for Ahmednagar from Malwa. In November 1595, both armies reached Ahmednagar and besieged it. Miyan Manju was horrified to see the aggressive nature of the Mughals. He himself reached the border of Bijapur and handed over the responsibility of the fort to Chand Bibi. Mutual differences (between Murad and Khankhana) In 1596 AD, Mughals fought with Chand Bibi Bahadur for three months.

Seeing the lack of logistics and the possibility of assistance from Bijapur and Golconda to Ahmednagar, the Mughals made a treaty with Ahmednagar. On February 23, 1996, there was a treaty between Shahzada Murad and Chand Bibi, according to which the Mughals gave Bahadur Shah, the infant grandson of Burhanulmulk. was accepted as the ruler of Ahmednagar under the protection of Chand Bibi. In return, Ahmednagar accepted the suzerainty of the Mughals. The region of Berar was given to the Mughal Empire. Accordingly,, the Mughal army turned towards Illichpur, the most important stronghold of Berar, and captured it without much difficulty. The Mughals established a new city Shahpur and made it their military headquarters.

This treaty of Ahmednagar proved to be temporary. Most of the nobles refused to accept this and tried to bring Berar back under Ahmednagar. Akbar ordered Khankhana and Murad to attack Ahmednagar again. But seeing the differences between the two, Khankhana was later called and Abul Fazl was sent in his place.

Meanwhile, in 1599 AD, Shahzada Murad died near Daulatabad due to excessive drinking. In his place, Akbar handed over the leadership to Prince Daniyal. In May 1599, the imperial army again besieged Ahmednagar. After several months of siege, the army of Ahmednagar reached the brink of starvation inside the fort. At last, being forced, Chand Bibi agreed to a treaty with the Mughals. But in the meantime a eunuch named Jeetakhan killed him. With the murder of Chandi Bibi, Ahmednagar fell.

In 1600 AD, the Mughals captured the fort of Ahmednagar. The Sultan Nizamshah of Ahmednagar was made prisoner and sent to the fort of Gwalior. In this way, the forts of Berar, Daulatabad,, and Ahmednagar were captured by the Mughals. But after some time, the nobles again started fighting against the Mughals by ruling a person named Murtaza Ali. Therefore, Akbar failed to integrate Ahmednagar into the Mughal Empire and most of Ahmednagar remained independent from the Mughal power.

Khandesh- Khandesh was considered the 'Gateway to the South'. Its capital was Burhanpur. The ruler here, Raja Ali Khan, voluntarily accepted the subordination of Akbar in 1596 AD. Ali Khan was killed fighting on behalf of the Mughals in 1597 AD. After this, his son Miran Bahadur ascended the throne. He refused to accept the suzerainty of the Mughals. Akbar ordered to besiege the fort of Asirgarh. This siege was done under the joint leadership of Khan-e-Azam Asaf Khan, Murtaza Khan, and Jani Beg of Thatta. Soon Abul Fazl also joined it.

In 1599 AD, Akbar himself reached Burhanpur which was the capital of Khandesh. Miran Bahadur had secured himself in the fort of Asirgarh. The fort of Asirgarh was the strongest. This encirclement lasted for several months. When Akbar felt that the fort was invincible, he resorted to bribery and treachery. Some officials of the fort were lured to their side by luring them with money. So finally being forced, Meeran Bahadur surrendered in February 1601 AD and the Mughals got the right over the fort of Asigarh.

Meeran Bahadur was sent as a prisoner to the fort of Gwalior by giving an annual pension of four thousand Ashrafis. Akbar constituted Vijit Khandesh, Ahmednagar, and Berar in the south as three provinces and appointed Shahzada Daniyal as subedar of these three provinces and western India (Gujarat Malwa). The entire Mughal part of the Deccan (including Khandesh) was named Danadesh after Daniyal. After Akbar's conquest of Khandesh, the rulers of Bijapur and Golconda also accepted the suzerainty of the Mughals.

Sultan Ibrahim Adilshah of Bijapur got his daughter married to Shahzada Daniyal. After this, Akbar returned to Fatehpur Sikri in August 1601 AD. It was here that he got the famous Buland Darwaza constructed in memory of his Asirgarh (South Victory) victory and assumed the title of 'King of the South'.

Akbar organized his states as a nation after the South Victory, the total number of provinces in his empire was fifteen. In there were twelve in the north and three in the south. There were twelve states in the north - Bengal, Bihar, Allahabad, Awadh, Agra, Delhi, Lahore, Multan, Kabul, Ajmer, Malwa, and Ahmedabad (Gujarat) and three states in the south - Ahmednagar, Khandesh, and Basar. Orissa was a sarkar (district) of Bengal, while Kashmir and Kandahar were sarkars of the Kabul (Afghanistan) province. Similarly, Balochistan and Sindh were the Sarkars of Multan Suba.

Akbar's religious policy

Akbar made progress in a new direction in the field of religious policy. His greatness is based on his religious policy only. Prior to Akbar, liberal religious policy was not demonstrated by the rulers of the Sultanate period. Only Sher Shah made some effort in this direction among the Afghan rulers, but the beginning of a completely liberal religious policy was possible only during the reign of Akbar, with this policy he tried to establish unity and coordination of all religions and sects.

Akbar's religious policy has been determined by various factors. Religious liberalism was inherited by Akbar. Although Babur belonged to a family with orthodox Sunni ideology, he was liberal from a religious point of view. Akbar's father Humayun also had the qualities of generosity and tolerance. The father of Akbar's mother Hamida Banu Begum was a Shia and a man of liberal religious outlook.

 

His teachers and mentors also played an important role in liberalizing Akbar's religious policy. Liberal teachers like Bayazid, Munim Khan, Mir Abdul Latif, and Mulla Pir Muhammad had a deep impact on Akbar. Among them, Mir Abdul Latif was very liberal, and had the most influence on Akbar. It was from him that Akbar learned the best principle of Sulh-e-Kul i.e. universal brotherhood.

Akbar's patron Bairam Khan was also very generous. Bhakti and Sufi saints also influenced Akbar's religious policy. He was closer to the Chishtiyya branch of Sufism and had great reverence for Shaikh Salim Chishti. Sufi scholar Sheikh Mubarak and his sons Abul Fazl and Faizi also contributed significantly to the development of Akbar's liberal attitude. Sheikh Mubarak came in contact with Akbar after the victory of Gujarat in 1573 AD. Apart from this, Akbar himself was a person of liberal nature, without discrimination of religion and caste, he considered the welfare of the people as the true worship of God.

Impressed by this, in 1562, a ban was imposed on making war prisoners slaves and forcibly accepting Islam. In 1562 AD, Akbar married Jodhabai alias Harkhabai, a Rajput princess of Amber. Its political and religious consequences were important. He came in contact with the Hindu religion and provided them with many facilities. He himself traveled to Mathura and finished his pilgrimage in 1563 AD.

Cow slaughter was banned in Punjab in 1563. In 1564, Jizya tax imposed on Hindus was also abolished. Although later this tax was re-imposed during the conflict with the Rajputs and it was finally abolished in 1579 AD. By providing complete religious freedom to his subjects, Akbar expressed his eagerness to understand the basic elements of Islam. For this purpose, he ordered the construction of Ibadatpatra (place of worship) at Fatehpur Sikri in 1575 AD.

Ibadat Khana (House of Worship)

Establishment - in 1575 AD.

Location- Fatehpur Sikri.

 

Akbar continued to follow the outer forms of the Sunni religion till 1575 AD. He took the discipleship of Ulemas like Sheikh Abdul Nabi and Makhdoom-ul-Mulk Abdullah Sultanpuri with the aim of understanding the philosophy of Islam. Even Mullah Yazdi, a follower of Shiaism, could not quench his spiritual thirst. Therefore, in 1575 AD, Akbar got an Ibadat Khana (place of worship) constructed at Fatehpur Sikri. There used to be regular religious discussions every Thursday the evening.

In the beginning, it was limited only to the Muslim Sheikh-Sayyids and Ulemas. In the very beginning, Muslim theologians were divided into two camps, which were opposed to each other in the matter of interpretation of Islamic scriptures. In this, Sheikh Makhdum-ul-Mulk and Sheikh Abdul Nabi were the leaders of the hardline Sunni group, while Sheikh Mubarak, Faizi, and Abul Fazl represented the group of free thinkers and liberal theologians.

Soon the theologians showed a sense of intolerance towards each other in the midst of discussion. Badayuni has clearly mentioned the difference of opinion between Sheikhs and Mullahs. Akbar was very dissatisfied with the mutual hatred and rudeness of the Ulemas.

As a result, in 1578, he opened the doors of the Ibadatkhana for all religious people. Now Acharyas of religions like Hindu, Jain, Parsi, and Christian, etc. also started participating in Iwad Khana. The main Acharyas participating in the Ibadatkhana are-

1. Hindu- Purushottam and Devi

2. Christians - Rudolf Akakieva and Antoine Monserrot

3. Parsi - Dasturji Meharji Rana

4. Jains - Harivijay Suri (title of Jagat Guru), Vijaysen Suri, Bhanuchand Upadhyay and Jinchandra Suri (title of Yug Pradhan).

Akbar and Christianity- Akbar was attracted to Christianity because of its principles of morality, mercy, and love. Three Christian missions came to India at his invitation. The first Christian mission reached Fatehpur Sikri on February 19, 1580. Rodolphe Acqua, Antoine Manserot, and Enriquez were involved in this mission. The second mission remained in the court from 1591 to 1592 AD. 

Edward Latane Christopher-de-Vaga was involved in this mission. The third mission came in 1595 AD. This included Jerome Javier, Pinheiro and Venedikt-de-Goes. Akbar gave permission to Christians to build churches in Agra and Lahore, to worship publicly, to celebrate Laurie festival and to propagate Christianity in India.

Akbar and Jainism- Akbar was more influenced by Jainism than Christianity. Akbar conferred the title of Jagatguru on Jainacharya Harivijay Suri, whom he had invited to Tapgachchh (Gujarat). Harivijay Vijay Suri was also kept.

Impressed by Harivijay Suri, Akbar himself stopped bamboo-making for a few days of the year, released many prisoners, and banned animals and birds. Harivijay Suri stayed in Akbar's court for two years. Apart from this, Akbar also met other Jainacharyas Shantichandra, Vijaysen Suri, Bhanuchandra Upadhyay, and Jaisom Upadhyay. In 1991, Akbar invited Jainacharya Jin Chandra Suri of the Khatargachh sect to his court and honored him with the title of Yug Pradhan.

Akbar and Zoroastrianism- Akbar liked Zoroastrianism more than Jainism. In 1578, he met the Parsi priest Dasturji Meharji Rana of Navsari in Surat. Akbar gave 200 bighas of land to Dasturji Rana for earning a living. Along with this, he was also given the right that he could also name this land in the name of his sons.

According to Parsi legislation, Akbar ordered the sacred fire to be lit in the palace, which kept burning continuously under the supervision of Abul Fazl. Due to the influence of Zoroastrianism, the emperor started showing worship towards Sun, Fire, and Light and started Zoroastrian traditions like Jharokha Darshan, Tuladan, and Pybos.

Akbar and Hinduism- Akbar was most influenced by Hinduism. Purushottam and Devi were prominent among the Hindu teachers whom Akbar contacted for the purpose of getting a complete introduction to the principles of the Hindu religion. With their influence, he adopted many beliefs and rituals. He himself used to participate in Hindu festivals like Holi, Diwali, and Basant, etc. Akbar named Ballabhacharya's son

Vitthal Nath was given the jagir of Gokul and Jaitpura. Sufimat- Among the Sufi sects, Akbar was closer to the Chischitiya sect and gave him patronage. He was an ardent devotee of Shaikh Salim Chishti. With his blessings, Akbar was blessed with a son, whom he named Salim (Jahangir) after him. In this way, the debate that took place in the Ibadatkhana played a deep role in the development of Akbar's religious thoughts. This helped in the spread of monism.

Announcement of Mahzar

Akbar deposed the head priest of the Jama Masjid of Fatehpur Sikri and on June 22, 1579, he himself climbed the pulpit and read the Khutba in his own name. He wanted to change the format of the Khutba but could not implement it due to the aggressive retaliation of the Ulemas. Two months after this, in September 1579 AD, a Mahjarnama and declaration was issued to take all religious matters into his hands, according to which Akbar was accepted as Imame Adil (Chief Interpreter) in case of differences of Ulema. In this document, he was called Amir-ul-Momineen.

 

By the announcement of Mahzar, Akbar became the highest religious authority in the event of a dispute on religious subjects. He had the right to choose any one of the opposing judicial views. His decision was final and the Ulema and the Muslim public were bound by it. The draft of Mahjar's letter was prepared by Sheikh Mubarak and the inspiration to issue it was given by Mubarak himself and his two sons Abul Fazl and Faizi.

Sadr-us-Soor Abdul Nabi, Makhdumulmulk, Jalaluddin Multani, Sade Jahan Ghazi Khan Badakhshi, and Sheikh Mubarak, etc. were signed on this draft letter. Scholars have different opinions regarding the declaration of Mahjarnama by Akbar - Smith and Woolzley Hague have termed "Mahjar as an infallible mandate. According to them, "Akbar became Pope as well as King." But this allegation is not correct. Because Akbar became the interpreter of religion only in the situation of dispute on some religious aspects and not in normal situations.

Din-e-Ilahi

Din-e-Ilahi (Tawheed-e-Ilahi) religion was founded by Akbar in 1582 AD. Its purpose was not to promote a new religion but to establish harmony among all religions. Din-i-Ilahi was actually a school of thought based on Sufi pantheism, the inspiration of which came mainly from Nizamuddin Auliya's Sulahkal or universal harmony. The chief priest of this new sect was Abul Fazl.

In Ain Akbari, a total of eighteen people are named who fully accepted Din-e-Ilahi, among the Hindus, only Birbal accepted it while Raja Bhagwan Das and Mansingh flatly refused to become its members. Membership- Membership of Din-i-Ilahi was open to people of all religions. Sunday was fixed as the day to take discipleship. On this day, the newcomers who took membership used to put their head at the feet of the emperor with a turban in his hand and the emperor would lift it and put his turban on his head with his own hands and give him the Guru Mantra as a guru.

When its members met each other, they used to address each other with Allah-o-Akbar (Allah is great) and Jalle • Jalalahu (May his fame be increased). The members of Din-i-Ilahi had to complete the steps i.e. Chahargana-i-Ilkhas. These four steps were land, property, respect,, and religion. Of these, the member who dedicated four was in the highest category and those who dedicated three, two, or one were in the lower category respectively.

Main principles- The main principles under Din-e-Ilahi were the following-

1. To consider the emperor as his spiritual teacher.

2. To obey his orders.

3. Charity and charity

4. Renunciation of worldly desire 5. Taking vegetarian food

6. Leading a pure moral life.

7. Being soft-spoken

8. Love of God and devotion to his oneness.


In addition, the members of the Din-i-Ilahi were asked to abstain from the consumption of meat. Every member had to give food and charity on his birth anniversary. Cohabitation with young, barren, and pregnant women was prohibited. Eating with low castes like fowlers, fishermen, butchers, etc. was prohibited. In 1583 AD, Akbar issued a new Samvat Elahi Samvat.

Various opinions- Historians have given their different opinion regarding Akbar's Din-e-Ilahi. Mohsin Fani, a contemporary of Jahangir, described it as an independent religion for the first time in his work Dabistani Mazahib. According to Smith, Din-i-Ilahi is a monument to Akbar's folly, not his wisdom.

Social reform

Akbar tried to improve the social life of both Hindus and Muslims. He abolished slavery. Prohibited polygamy and encouraged widow marriage. To prevent child marriage, Akbar prohibited the marriage of boys below 16 years of age and girls below 14 years of age. He also encouraged inter-caste marriages by appointing an officer named Turbeg to check the legality of marriages.

In Rajputs, a girl child was killed at birth, but Akbar banned it. He also banned the practice of Sati. Tried to solve the menace of beggary and ordered the prostitutes to reside at a separate place outside the city and named that place Shaitanpuri.

Akbar's last days and death

The last days of Akbar's life were very sad, his two sons Murad and Daniyal died in 1599 AD and 1607 AD respectively due to excessive drinking. His eldest son Salim had become a rebel. Apart from this, Akbar was very sad due to the murder of Abul Fazl on August 19, 1602, by Veer Singh Bundela at the behest of Shahzada Salim and the death of Sheikh Mubarak in 1593 and Faizi in 1595. The murder of Abul Fazl seemed like a thunderclap to Akbar.

  On October 4, 1605, Akbar fell ill with diarrhea. His personal physician, Hakeem Ali, failed to diagnose the disease, so the condition worsened. Finally, on October 25-26, 1605, Akbar died at midnight. He was buried at Sikandra near Agra. Akbar's last rites were performed according to Muslim customs. Akbar was called 'Arsh-Ashiyani' (living in heaven) after his death.