who ruled for the first 5 years of akbars reign
Bairam Khan (his guardian, on his behalf)
1556-1560
Bairam began to expand mughal empire
how did akbar develop his warrior skills
through hunting expiditions as a teen, taught by Bairam (eg. shooting) which also allowed him to become familiar w/ hindustan and its people
when did akbar inherit the throne
1556
akbar ruled an empire of over 100 million people by…
1605
march 1560
akbar demanded Bairam’s resignation as Chief Minister , which he agreed to and left for pillgramage to mecca but was assasinated on the journey
Adham Khans threat for power
- turned akbar against bairham as he was jealous
- after a successful campaign refused to give akbar his share of the spoils and murdered those he captured (had to ask for akbar’s forgiveness)
- end of 1561 adham annoyed that akbar appointed a different nobel as chief minister so he murdered minister and confronted akbar still armed, akbar knocked him out and had him thrown from balcony 2wice
how did akbar secure control of Rajasthan
- maried rajput ruler of amber’s daughter 1562
- gave rajput important roles in army and administration
PUNISHED RESISTANCE
- 1567 led forces to Chitor, Mewar capital and after a few attempts and lost lives blasted through the heavily fortified city
- mughals slaughtered over 20,000 civillians for helping Rajput enemies
Akbar’s conquest
- gujarat (1572)
- bengal, bihar, orissa (1576)
- punjab & kashmir (1585), sindh (1593)
- deccan (1600)
akbar’s captals
AGRA (1556-71)
- red fort
- Diwan-i-khas
FATEPHUR SIKRI (1571-85)
- city of victory
- Diwan-i-khas (holy man said he’d have 3 sons)
- Peerless pool
LAHORE (1586-98)
- Commissioned the Akbarama (expanded library)
Akbars administration
- divided empire into provinces ruled by governor,revenue official & military commander
- mansabdari system (not hereditary)
- new system to collect revenue: systematic, official records for village & collected at fixed times in cash rather than animals/goods
how did akbar present religious tollerance/ open-mindedness
- married hindu princes
- hindus welcomed into mughal army and administration
- abolished the jizya (poll tax that delhi sultans imposed on non-muslims)
- gave financial support to hindu temples as well as mosques
1578
religious experience at behera
akbars religious curiosity
- feb 1580, 3 jesuit missionaries invited to Fatehpur Sikri
- early 1580s, large hall for religious debates in fatephur sikri and was open to other religious leaders (hindus, jains, christians, jews, zoroastrians)
- debates every thursday
- became vegetarian, influenced by jains
the divine fath ( cult)
- akbars disciples prostrated before akbar touching his feet w/ their head
- each new cult member given: medallion w/ image of sun, portrait of akbar to wear in their turban, set of pearl earrings
end of akbar’s reign
- 2/3 of his sons died due to alcohol addiction
- remainig son, Salim tried to take agra unsuccessfuly, had akbar’s adviser killed (1600) and struck coinage in his name as emperor (1602)
- October 1605 declared Salim his successor on deathbed
