Akbar was the third and one of the most significant emperors of the Mughal Empire. He was the son of Humayun and Hamida Banu Begum. Akbar ascended the throne at the age of 13 after his father's sudden death. His reign is often remembered as a golden age in Mughal history due to his administrative reforms, military conquests, and efforts to foster unity among his diverse subjects.
Akbar’s rule began under challenging circumstances, with the Mughal Empire under threat from Afghan forces led by Hemu. Under the guidance of his regent and mentor Bairam Khan, Akbar secured a decisive victory in the Second Battle of Panipat (1556), which marked the beginning of the re-establishment of Mughal rule in India.
Reign: 1556-1605
Full Name: Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar
Born: 15 October 1542, Amarkot, Rajputana (modern-day Sindh, Pakistan)
Coronation: 14 February 1556
Predecessor: Humayun
Successor: Jahangir
Regent: Bairam Khan
Akbar is credited with creating a strong, centralized administrative system. He divided his empire into provinces called Subahs, each governed by appointed officials responsible for law, revenue collection, and military matters. This system enhanced the empire’s efficiency and control over its vast territories.
Akbar divided his empire into 15 Subahs (provinces) initially, which later increased to 20.
Each Subah was a large territorial unit.
Each Subah was governed by an appointed officer called a Subahdar, who was responsible for the overall administration, law and order, and military management of the province.
A Diwan (finance officer) was appointed in each Subah to oversee revenue collection and economic management.
Bakshi: The military paymaster, responsible for maintaining troops and overseeing their pay.
Qazi: The judicial officer, responsible for administering justice according to the law, including Islamic law.
Kotwal: The police officer in charge of law enforcement in cities and towns.
Akbar also introduced the Zabti system, a land revenue system devised by his finance minister Raja Todar Mal. It standardized the assessment and collection of taxes based on crop yields, land measurements, and production potential.
Muhar: gold coin value of 9 rupees
Shansab: largest gold coin value of 101 tolas carried by Akbar
Ilahi: gold coin value of 10 rupees
Jalali: square or rectangular coin of pure silver
Daam: copper coin
1560-62: Conquest of Malwa – Sultan Baz Bahadur
1561: Conquest of Chunar – Afgan
1562: Merata – Jaimal
1564: Gondwana (Garh-Katanga) kingdom – Rani Durgavati (regent of Bir Narayan)
1568: Chittor – Rana Uday Singh
1569: Kalinjar – Ramachandra
1570: Marwar – Chandrsena, Kalyanmal, Raj Singh, Rawal Harirai
1572: Gujrat – Bahadur Shah
1574-76: Bengal-Bihar – Daud Khan Karrani
1576: Haldighati – Rana Pratap
1581: Kabul – Mirza Hakim
1585-86: Kashmir – Yusuf Khan and Yakub Khan
1590-91: Sindh – Jani Beg Mirza
1590-92: Orissa – Kutul Khan and Nisar Khan
1591: Khandesh – Ali Khan
1595: Baluchistan – Yusufzai Tribes
1595: Kandhar – Muzaffar Husain Mirza
1597-1600: Ahmadnagar – Chand Bibi (regent of Bahadur Shah)
1601: Asirgarh – Miran Bahadur Khan
Chief consort and queen of Akbar was Mariam-uz-Zamani, a Rajput princess who became the mother of Akbar's successor, Jahangir and she held a prominent position in the Mughal court:
She was also known as Jodha Bai
Birth Name: Harka Bai or Hira Kunwari.
Father: Raja Bharmal of Amber (modern-day Jaipur), a Rajput ruler.
She belonged to the Kachwaha Rajput clan of Amber.
Mariam-uz-Zamani was married to Akbar in 1562 as part of a political alliance between the Mughal Empire and the Rajput kingdoms.
She held the title of Mughal Empress
Unlike previous Islamic rulers, Akbar respected her Hindu faith and allowed her to continue practicing her religion. She even maintained a temple within the Mughal palace.
She gave birth to Prince Salim (later Emperor Jahangir) in 1569, which solidified her position in the royal household.
Jahangir had great affection for his mother and described her as "exceedingly virtuous" in his memoirs, the Tuzk-e-Jahangiri.
She had considerable influence on Akbar’s policy of religious tolerance. Akbar's policy of accommodating different religions (e.g., the abolition of the jizya tax on non-Muslims) was shaped by his close ties with the Rajputs and her presence in the court.
She was also involved in trade and was an astute businesswoman. She owned ships that participated in the Mughal trade with the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
She is known to have financed a fleet of ships that sailed for the Hajj pilgrimage and was involved in international trade with the Portuguese and other European traders.
She lived until 1623 and continued to enjoy respect and authority even during the reign of her son, Jahangir.
After her death, she was buried in a tomb in Sikandra, near Agra, not far from Akbar’s mausoleum.
Fatehpur Sikri: Akbar’s capital city
Buland Darwaza: The grand gateway to the Jama Masjid at Fatehpur Sikri.
Agra Fort: Expanded by Akbar, this fort became one of the empire’s key military and administrative centers.
Lahore Fort
Allahabad Fort, 40 pillars
Humayun’s Tomb (Delhi)
Jahangir Mahal (Agra)
Akbari Mahal (Agra)
Panch Mahal (Fatehpur Sikri)
Palace of Turki Sultana (Fatehpur Sikri)
Mariam Mahal (Fatehpur Sikri)
Shiekh Salim Chishti’s Tomb (Fatehpur Sikri)
Diwam-i-Aam (Fatehpur Sikri)
Diwan-i-Khas (Fatehpur Sikri)
Red Fort – Red Stone (Agra)