Akbar’s Policies

Akbar has been considered as one of the greatest emperors of the Mughal era. He had a strong personality and had a proper understanding of how he could rule over a large area of land. He extended his rule over the subcontinent with the power and influence that he had as a result of his military, political, economic, and cultural dominance. 

The broad features of his administration were laid down by him and discussed by Abul Fazl in “Ain-i-Akbari,” the third and final volume of his book “Akbar Nama.” This article elaborates on the same and discusses Akbar’s religious policies and the Mughal empire in the seventeenth century and after.

Akbar Nama and Ain-i-Akbari

Akbar had ordered one of his close confidants in the court, Abul Fazl, to document the history of his reign. Therefore, the 3-volume historical chronicle called “Akbar Nama” came to be. The first volume discussed Akbar’s ancestors while the second volume recorded all the events that took place during Akbar’s reign, and the last volume dealt with the administration.

Out of the three volumes, the third volume was named “Ain-i-Akbari.” It deals with the administration, household, army, revenue, and the geography of the empire. It also includes statistical details about crops, yields, prices, wages, revenues etc. The volume also details the traditions and culture of the people living in the country during that period.

Administrative and Military Policies 

Akbar heavily paid attention to the administration of the governments. The territories under his empire were divided into Jagir, Inam, and Khalisa. The Inam was allotted to the religious and learned men, the Jagir was allotted to the nobles and members of the royal family, and the income from the Khalisa villages was directly given to the royal exchequer. 

In 1580, Akbar divided his empire into 12 provinces which he named “Subas.” Each Suba was under the control of a provincial governor, called a Subedar, who was directly employed by the emperor. The head of the revenue department, called the Diwan, supervised the revenue collection and maintained accounts of all expenditures. A few other officers supported the Subedar for the maintenance of peace and order in the province. They are as follows:

• The military paymaster: Bakshi
• The minister in charge of religious and charitable patronage: Sadr
• The military commanders: Faujdars
• The town police commander: Kotwal

The empire successfully functioned in an efficient manner when all of Akbar’s nobles were loyal. However, this changed because by the end of the 17th century, many of these nobles had built their own independent networks and left the empire.

Akbar also introduced the Mansabdari system of administration in which the mansabdars were given land revenue assignments. The rank of a mansabdar determined the number of soldiers under his command. The salary was paid to him in cash, and his title was not hereditary. He was also supposed to perform any civil or military duties as asked by the king. 

Akbar was responsible for bringing many innovations in the military by seeking the help of the Europeans and the Ottomans. He encouraged the use of firearms and modernized cannons, and used elephants during wars.

Religious Policies

During the 1570s, Akbar started thinking about religion and had many discussions on the subject. He laid down the foundation of an empire that gave equal rights to all its citizens regardless of their religious beliefs.

After his marriage to Jodha Bai of Amber, Akbar abolished the pilgrim taxes and allowed Hindu wives to worship their Gods. He then built the Ibadat Khana, also known as the Hall of Prayer, where he invited scholars from all religions—Hindus, Jains, Christians, and Zoroastrianism—to have discussions with them. However, he later discontinued these debates because they led to bitterness among the people and the members of different religions denounced each other.

This led to Akbar coming up with the idea of Din-i-Illahi (divine peace), which believed in one God, and Sul-i-Kul, meaning equal toleration and respect for all religious sectors. It contained the positive aspects of various religions. This idea focused on a system of ethics, honesty, peace, and justice. Abul Fazl assisted Akbar in framing the governance around this idea, and it was then also followed by Jahangir and Shah Jahan.

The Mughal Empire in the 17th Century and After

In the 17th century, the military and administrative efficiency of the Mughal Empire paved the way for great economic and commercial prosperity. However, at the same time, there were glaring inequalities. 

The Mughal emperors and their mansabdars spent a huge amount of their revenue on the salaries and goods of other people. This spending benefitted the artisans and peasants who supplied the emperors with their goods and produce. But, on the other hand, very little was left for these peasants and artisans. 

The huge wealth and resources that were commanded by the Mughal elite helped them become extremely powerful in the late 17th century. The scale of revenue tax collection left very little for the investment and supplies of the primary producers.

With the slow decline in the authority of the Mughal emperor, Akbar’s servants came out as strong centres of power in those regions. They established new dynasties and also managed to hold command over provinces like Hyderabad and Awadh. By the 18th century, the provinces of the empire had combined their independent political selves, and the Mughal empire died down.