Akbar, Emperor of India: A Picture of Life and Customs from the Sixteenth Century — John Shaqi
Akbar, Emperor of India: A Picture of Life and Customs from the Sixteenth CenturyGarbe, Richard
History
Akbar, Emperor of India: A Picture of Life and Customs from the Sixteenth Century
Garbe, Richard
Akbar, Emperor of Hindustan, 1542-1605; Mogul Empire
Mahum Anâga came too late to save her son. Akbar sought with tender
care to console her for his dreadful end but the heart-broken woman
survived the fearful blow of fate only about forty days. The Emperor
caused her body to be buried with that of her son in one common grave
at Delhi, and he himself accompanied the funeral procession. At his
command a stately monument was erected above this grave which still
stands to-day. His generosity and clemency were also shown in the fact
that he extended complete pardon to the accomplices in the murder of
the grand vizier and even permitted them to retain their offices and
dignities because he was convinced that they had been drawn into the
crime by the violent Adham Chân. In other ways too Akbar showed
himself to be ready to grant pardon to an almost incomprehensible
extent. Again and again when an insubordinate viceroy in the provinces
would surrender after an unsuccessful uprising Akbar would let him off
without any penalty, thus giving him the opportunity of revolting
again after a short time.
It was an eventful time in which Akbar arrived at manhood in the midst
of all sorts of personal dangers.
[Illustration: MAUSOLEUM OF AKBAR'S FATHER, HUMÂYUN.]
I will pass over with but few comments his military expeditions which
can have no interest for the general public. When Akbar ascended the
throne his realm comprised only a very small portion of the
possessions which had been subject to his predecessors. With the
energy which was a fundamental characteristic of his nature he once
more took possession of the provinces which had been torn from the
empire, at the same time undertaking the conquest of new lands, and
accomplished this task with such good fortune that in the fortieth
year of his reign the empire of India covered more territory than ever
before; that is to say, not only the whole of Hindustan including the
peninsula Gujerat, the lands of the Indus and Kashmir but also
Afghanistan and a larger part of the Dekkhan than had ever been
subject to any former Padishah of Delhi. At this time while the
Emperor had his residence at Lahore the phrase was current in India,
"As lucky as Akbar."[8]
[Footnote 8: J.T. Wheeler, IV, I, 180.]
It was apparent often enough in the military expeditions that Akbar
far surpassed his contemporaries in generalship. But it was not the
love of war and conquest which drove him each time anew to battle; a
sincere desire inspired by a mystical spirit impelled him to bring to
an end the ceaseless strife between the small states of India by
joining them to his realm, and thus to found a great united empire.[9]
[Footnote 9: Noer, II, 8, 390, 423.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account