Akbar….the
real founder of Mugal Empire in India. His father Humayun did rule over Delhi
and Agra, but his reign wasn’t very strong. It was only during Akbar’s rule,
the Mugal Empire extended from Afghanistan and Godavari river in the south and
from Himalayas to Bengal in the east.
This
descendent of Chenghis Khan and Taimur Lang, was born on 15 October 1542 at
Amarkot in Sindh. Akbar’s father died
when he was barely 13 years old. So Akbar’s guardian Bairam Khan looked after
the empire in Akbar’s name. But in 1560 Akbar took the reins in his hands.
Then Akbar
married Rajput Princess Jodhabai in 1561. She was the daughter of Raja
Biharimal of Amber in Rajasthan and they got married at Sambhar. Raja
Biharimal’s grandson Man Singh was
Akbar’s chief general of army.
Akbar was
tolerant towards all other religions. He cancelled the pilgrimage tax on Hindus
and remitted the Jiziya, a toll tax on non-Muslims. This endeared him to all
his subjects. From 1561 to 1601 he carried on many military campaigns and
expanded his empire with the help of the Rajputs.
Akbar was a
shrewd statesman and a very able administrator. He brought about many social
and economical reforms. Though he was illiterate, he encouraged art, literature
and crafts. He began his own new creed, Din-e-ilahi; by taking all good points
from different religions like Hindu, Islam, Christian and Zorastrian. He was
liberal in religious views and his court boasted of many Hindus like Raja Man
Singh, Raja Todarmal, Birbal and Tansen, on important posts.
Akbar built
many magnificent buildings like the Red Fort of Agra in 1565 and the entire
city of Fatehpur Sikri from 1571 to 1578.
Following a
brief illness, Akbar died on 17 October 1605. He was buried at Sikandara near
Agra. This famous tomb, Akbar Ka Makbara is still visited by many tourists
every day.
