The two men dressed in black are the Jesuits. Although he could neither read nor write, Akbar ably conversed with scholars and religious men and sponsored a renaissance in art and literature.Īkbar holds a religious assembly in the Ibadat Khana. He implemented numerous administrative reforms that strengthened the governmental structure, abolished extortion, and centralized the financial system. Through Akbar’s military genius and vigorous leadership, the Mogul empire became one of the most powerful in the world. Although illiterate, Akbar’s library of illustrated manuscripts was as celebrated as the finest collections in Europe.īy the end of his fifty-year rule in 1605, the small territory he had inherited was an empire that extended from the Hindu Kush to the Godavari River and from Bengal to Gujarat (present-day Bangladesh and most of Nepal, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan). The emperor himself was very fond of music and encouraged it as a means of communication between Hindus and Muslims. The new capital city, Fatehpur Sikri, soon became a flourishing cultural center larger than the city of London at that time.Īkbar strongly supported Indian art, and under his direction more than one hundred workshops were established for the crafts. In wise concern for all peoples under his jurisdiction, Akbar abolished the hated jizya, the poll-tax levied on non-Muslims, and gave Hindus prominent positions in government. He increased trade efficiency by constructing roads, by developing advanced marketing systems, and by instituting postal services.
Nevertheless, it took the major part of his long reign (1556–1605) to subject the rebellious princes of northern India and to secure peace by establishing sound provincial governments.Īkbar was endowed with a genius for administration.
Tremendous physical stamina characterized Emperor Akbar and contributed to his extraordinary military success-he could ride 240 miles in twenty-four hours to surprise and defeat the enemy. He became known throughout the world as Akbar the Great-the most powerful of the Mogul emperors. Not yet fourteen at his accession, the brilliant young Emperor Akbar set out to reconquer his realm.
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