Widely regarded as the greatest of the Mughal emperors, Jalal ad-Din Akbar (1542-1603) was a formidable military tactician and popular demagogue. Ascending to the throne at the age of thirteen, he ruled for half a century, expanded the Mughal empire, and left behind a legacy to rival his infamous ancestor Chinggis Khan. This lucid biography provides glimpses into Akbar's daily life and highlights his contribution to new methods of imperial control.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
Acknowledgments
INTRODUCTION
1 DIVINE NURSLING OF THE GARDEN OF SOVEREIGNTY
Akbar's birth
Separated from his parents
Akbar's education
2 AN OLD WORLD GREW YOUNG
3 THE DAILY INCREASING DOMINION
The Mughal army
The conquest of Gujarat
Kabul, the North-West Frontier, and the "Great Game" of the sixteenth century
The conquest of Bengal
4 CLOUDS AND ELEPHANTS AND MUD
Episode one: 1564-1566
Episode two: 1574
Episode three: 1589
5 TAMING THE MONGOL BEASTS
The new court etiquette
From Chingis Khan to Akbar: the rise of Mughal civilization in the sixteenth century
Maxims of order
Hunting and government
Mongol vegetarians
The emperor never wastes his time
6 MAKER OF THE INDO-MUSLIM WORLD
Gunpowder empires
American silver
The imperial political system and its Indian foundations
Land revenue and the peasantry
7 SERENE CITY OF UNIVERSAL TOLERANCE
Akbar and Islam
The Religion of God
Peace for all
Allahu Akbar
After Akbar: the demise of the Religion of God
8 BEING AKBAR
Endnotes
Further Reading
Bibliography
Index
