Mughal Empire Akbar
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Akbar (1556 - 1605)
- According to Abul Fazl and Badauni - the news of Humayun՚s death was concealed by Bairam Khan in order to prepare for the unopposed succession of Akbar;
- On 14th February 1556, Akbar ascended the throne, at the age 13 years;
- Then Bairam Khan resumed his activity against Sikandar Soor;
- Akbar then moved to Sirhind and Bairam Khan executed Tardi Begh Khan for his failure at Delhi;
- From Sirhind Akbar and Bairam Khan advanced to Delhi and faced Hemu (Hemu Shah) - adopted title Vikramaditya;
- On 5th November 1556,2nd Battle of Panipat took place and Hemu captured by Shah Quli Khan Mahram;
- After the victory of Panipat, Akbar entered Delhi;
- In the meantime Sikander Soor defeated Khizr Khwaja Khan, and Sikander retreated;
- Finally on 25th July 1557, Sikander Soor surrendered;
- For 4 years (1556 - 59) Bairam Khan had bravely piloted the ship of Mughals against all odds;
- As early as May, 1557, Bairam Khan suspected that Akbar had begum to dislike him;
- Akbar was gradually coming under the influence of Atga Khail (foster relations) and Maham Anaga;
- Akbar hatched a conspiracy with Maham Anaga, to kill Bairam Khan;
- On 19th March, 1560, Akbar left Agra on the pretext of hunting and the conspiracy was drawn;
- Bairam Khan՚s family resided at Tabarhind (Modern Bhatinda) ;
- In 1560, Bairam Khan was killed;
- In 1561, Akbar undertook the conquest of Malwa;
- The Mughal army led by Adham Khan defeated the musician king Baz Bahur on 29th March 1561;
- Baz Bahadur fled and made an alliance with Mubarak Khan of Khandesh and Tufar Khan of Berar and they defeated the Mughal army;
- In 1562, Akbar sent his 2nd army under Abdullah Khan - an Uzbek, who compelled Baz Bahadur to flee to Chittor;
- Abdullah Khan took Mandu and Mughal rule was established in Malwa;
- From 1560 - 62, Akbar remained under the influence of Maham Anaga - foster mother of Akbar, Adham Singh and Shahibuddin; Akbar՚s Personality:-
- Akbar adopted Persian festival - NUROZ;
- He also adopted Persian Solar calendar;
- He conferred title to different people:-
- JAGAT GURU:- Jaina Saint, Hari Vijay Suri;
- JUG PRADHAN:- Jin Chandra Suri, Kawtar Sampradaya;
- Tony Monserreta, a Jesuits, came to his court;
- Nagada beating started during his reign;
- Jharonkha Darshan was started by him;
- Taslim-i-Chauth was also started by him;
- Famine relief started for the first time during 1594 - 98 famine;
- Tulsi Das, Birbal (Kavi Priya) , Soor Das, Rahim, Raskhan, all flourished during his reign;
- He built important forts -Attock, Fatehpur Sikri and Allahabad fort;
- He made Fatehpur Sikri his capital after the victory of Gujarat;
- He abolished Sati and permitted widow remarriage. Fixed marriage age:-14 years for girls and 16 for boys;
- He also abolished slavery;
- Started Taccavi (Sondhar) ;
- Lots of Books were translated into Persian during his period:-
- Ibrahim Sirhindi - translated the Atharva Veda into Persian;
- Naqib Khan, Abdur Kadir Badauni and Sheikh Sultan - Mahabharat;
- Faizi-Lilawati, Nal Damyanti;
- Mullah Shah Md. -Rajtarangini;
- Maulana Shorre -Harivansh Parv;
- Abul Fazal -Panchtantara;
- Badauni - Ramayana;
- Makhmal Khan - Tajak;
- Maulana Shah -History of Kashmir;
- Zia Naqshbandi -Tutinama and Kok Shastra;
- He was tolerant. Purushottam Das and Devi explained about Hinduism;
- Maharaj ji Rana discussed about Zoroastrianism;
- Hari Vijay Rai Suri discussed about Jainism;
- Antonio Cabral was sent to Akbar as envoy;
- Akbar sent Hazi Abdullah as envoy to the Portuguese. Father Rudolph was also sent as envoy;
- In 1583, Leo Gremont was sent as an ambassador;
- In 1594, IIrd mission arrived under Jerome Zavier and Father Emmanuel Pinhiro;
- Benedict Degoes arrived at lahore on 5th May, 1595;