Akbar (1556-1605)

After the death of Humayun in 1556, his thirteen year old son, Akbar was proclaimed emperor. In the Second Battle of Panipat Bairam Khan, Akbar's chief Minister and general defeated Hemu. In 1561 Mughal forces under Adham khan invaded Malwa, when the Mughal army approached the king of Malwa, Bax Bahadur fled from his capital leaving his people, including his favourite queen, Rupmati. TheMughal won an easy victory , but Rupmati took poison rather than fall into the hands of Adham Khan.

Akbar abolished the poll tax jazya in 1564 which was imposed by the Afghan and Mughal rulers on all their non-Muslim subject. The two greatest Persian poets of Mughal times wre Faizi and Ghalib. Faizi, the brotherof Abul Fazl, was Akbar's poet-laureate, while Ghalib lived in the court of the last Mughal emperor, Bahadurshah II. Abdul Fazl, Akbar's court historian, was the autor of Akbar Namah. Raja Birbal and Abdul rahim were the poet laureate at Akbar's court.

The greatest hindi poet Tulsidas lived during the regn of Akbar. Tomb of Humayun in delhi was built by Akbar. Akbar died in A. D. 1605. Akbar introduced a inique feature in the administrative system of the Mughal Empire, called the manasabdari System. Tansen was the Most accomplished musician of Akbar's time. In 1582 Akbar introduced a new religions order known as 'Din-i-llahi'. Akbar did not force people to join the new order. Birbal was the only Hindu to join. Faizi, Abul fazl, rahim, Birbal and Mansingh were among Akbar's talent nine gems.