INTRODUCTION
- Emperor Akbar also known as Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar was “The Third Emperor of the Mughal Dynasty in India”.
- He ruled from 1556 to 1605.
- He was the most powerful ruler of the Mughal Empire.
- He is widely regarded as one of the greatest rulers of the Mughal dynasty and is known for expanding the Mughal Dynasty.
- He is known to create a new religion “Din-i-Ilahi” which combined elements of Islam, Hinduism and other religions.
- Akbar’s rule was marked by a period of peace and prosperity.
A WALK THROUGH HIS LIFE
- He was born on October 15, 1542 in the city of Umerkot, now in Pakistan.
- He was the son of Humayun and Hamida Banu Begum.
- He was the grandson of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty.
- Akbar was taught by Bairam Khan(A Military Commander) and was educated in religion, politics, military tactics and administration.
- At the age of 13, Akbar follwed his father as the ruler of the Mughal Empire.
- He quickly established himself as a powerful and expert ruler.
- He immediately began to expand the Mughal Empire by conquering the regions of Rajputana and Gujarat by defeating the Hindu ruler Hemu.
- He also captured the fort of Ranthambhore and added it to the Mughal Empire.
- He was also an able administrator and military commander.
- He introduced a number of new ideas in civil and military administration.
- He was known for his diplomatic skills which enabled him to expand his Dynasty.
- He was an excellent military planner and he successfully expanded the Mughal Dynasty to the modern-day India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
- He also had a keen interest in arts, literature, and culture.
- He was a skilled musician and poet and sponsored the development of Hindustani classical music.
- He also supported the development of architecture, painting, music and literature.
- He built the magnificent city of Fatehpur Sikri and the Agra Fort.
- He also established the Royal Library at his court which contained manuscripts in various languages.
- He had a great interest in the spiritual traditions of India.
- He abolished the jizya tax that had been imposed on Non-Muslims by previous rulers.
- He was successful in expanding the Mughal Empire to its largest extent.
- Akbar ruled for almost 50 years until his death on 27th October 1605.
- He was succeeded by his son Jahangir who continued the expansion of the Mughal Dynasty.
- His legacy still lives on in India and he is remembered for his achievements in both civil and military areas.
- He is remembered today as one of the greatest rulers in Indian history.