Akbar

Akbar 1542 - 1556 - 1605 (63)

The greatest of the Mughal Emperors, Akbar, was born in exile and ascended the throne at the age of 13 after his father's short restoration.

In many ways Akbar was the Indian equivalent of Suleiman the Magnificent (1494 - 1520 - 1566). He conquered massive new territories including much of Rajasthan, created a long lasting civil and military administrative system (called Mansabdari), introduced standard weights and measures, tax structures and a workable police force.

Akbar was married to at least seven wives, one of them a Rajput Hindu princess from Jaipur. He was enormously liberal for his time, promoting religious tolerance (and even his own hybrid Islamic / Hindu / Christian / Zoroastrian religion called Din - i llahi), abolishing slavery and forbidding forced sati.

Akbar collected Persian poets, painters and musicians (including Tanzen) at his court like they were going out of fashion.

Finally he gave full vent to the emerging Mughal architectural style in a new purpose built 7.5 sq km administrative capital at Fatehpur Sikri near Agra (1570 - 1582). This was the least practical of his ventures because a lack of water forced its abandonment 16 years after its completion. However the state buildings have been well looked after over the intervening 400+ years and can be visited today as perhaps the finest example of Mughal architecture (after the Taj Mahal).
Akbar died in Agra in 1605 and is buried in Sikandra.

Above and below right: Fatehpur Sikri (built 1570 - 1582)