Description
Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar, also known as Akbar the Great, was the third Mughal emperor of India. He reigned from 1556 to 1605, and during his reign, the Mughal Empire reached its greatest extent. Akbar was a wise and tolerant ruler, and he is considered to be one of the greatest emperors in Indian history. Akbar was born in Umarkot, Sindh, in 1542. His father, Humayun, was the second Mughal emperor, but he was forced to flee India when Akbar was just four years old. Akbar and his mother, Hamida Banu Begum, were forced to live in exile for many years.
In 1555, Akbar’s father regained control of India, and Akbar was crowned emperor. Akbar was a brilliant military leader, and he expanded the Mughal Empire to include much of the Indian subcontinent. He also instituted a number of reforms, including a new system of taxation and administration.
Akbar was a tolerant ruler, and he encouraged religious harmony. He married several Hindu princesses, and he abolished the jizya tax, which was a tax that was levied on non-Muslims. Akbar also founded the Din-i-Ilahi, a new religion that was based on elements of Islam, Hinduism, and other religions.
Akbar was a patron of the arts and sciences, and he built many magnificent monuments, including the Fatehpur Sikri. He also encouraged the study of Hindu and Persian literature, and he established a library that contained over 24,000 books.
Akbar died in Agra in 1605. He was succeeded by his son, Jahangir.
