Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar, known as Akbar or
sometimes Akbar the Great, was the third Mughal emperor. In
1556, following the death of his father in an accident Akbar came
to the throne under a regent, Bairan Khan, a loyal mentor to the
young emperor and a trusted ally, who helped to expand and
consolidate the Mughal domains. The regency ended in 1560
with Akbar assuming full power. His empire would eventually
extend over all of north-central India, as far south as the
Godavari river and as far north as Afghanistan and Central Asia.
The sheer size, wealth and population of the Mughal Empire
meant that its influence extended over almost all of the
subcontinent. Akbar established a centralized system of
administration throughout the empire, and pursued a policy of
conciliation and diplomacy with recently incorporated states and
rulers through marriage agreements. This created peace and
order in a culturally diverse empire, in which he encouraged
loyalty by exploiting his near divine status. Akbar died on or
about 27 October 1605 after an attack of dysentery; during his
reign the nature of the state evolved into a secular and inclusive
liberal society with an emphasis on cultural integration.


Mughal Library