Akbar’s Relation with Rajputs

•   Akbar appointed Raja Man Singh and Raja Bhagawan Das in the senior position of the Mughal Administration.

•   Though the majority of the Rajput states surrendered to Akbar, the Ranas of Mewar continued to confront even though they were defeated several times.

•   In 1576, the Mughal Army defeated Rana Pratap Singh in the battle of Haldighati.

•   Akbar’s policy towards Rajput was combined with broad religious toleration.

•   He abolished the pilgrim tax and later the jiziya.

Akbar’s Religious Policy:

•   In 1562, he abolished jiziya.

•   He allowed his Hindu wives to worship their own gods.

•   In 1575, Akbar built Ibadat Khana (House of worship) at his new capital Fatepur Sikri and invited scholars from all religions like Christianity, Hinduism, Jainism, and Zoroastrianism.

•   He did not like the intrusion of the Muslim Ulemas in political matters.

•   In 1579, he delivered the “Infallibility Decree” and proclaimed his religious powers.

•   In 1582, he propagated a new religion called Din Ilahi or Divine Faith.

Din Ilahi:

•   The new religion believed in one God.

•   It had all the good points of every religion.

•   It didn’t endorse any philosophy.

•   It aimed at bridging the gap that separated different religions.

•   The new religion had only 15 followers including Birbal.

•   Akbar did not compel anyone to join his new religion.

•   However, the new religion proved to be a failure, after Akbar’s death.

Land Revenue Administration:

•   With the help of Raja Todar Mal, Akbar experimented on the land revenue administration, which was completed in 1580.

•   The land revenue system was called Zabti or Bandobast system or Dahsala System.

•   The revenue was fixed on the average yield of land measured on the basis of previous ten years.

•   The land was divided into four categories:

o  Polaj (cultivated every year)

o  Parauti (once in two years)

o  Chachar (once in three or four years)

o  Banjar (once in five or more years)

•   Payment of revenue was made generally in cash.

Mansabdari System:

•   Akbar introduced the Mansabdari system in his administration.

•   Under this system, every officer was assigned a rank (Mansab).

•   The lowest rank was 10 and the highest was 5000 for the nobles.

•   Princes of royal blood received even higher ranks.

•   The ranks were divided into two – Zat and Sawar.

•   Zat means personal and it fixed the personal status of a person.

•   Sawar rank indicated the number of cavalrymen of a person who was required to maintain.

•   Every sawar had to maintain at least two horses.

•   All appointments, promotions and dismissals were directly made by the emperor.

•   He assumed the title Alamgir, World Conqueror.

•   In his first ten years of reign, his military campaigns were a great success.

•   But in the latter part of his reign, he faced serious difficulties.

•   The Jats and Satnamis and also the Sikhs revolted against him due to his harsh religious policy.

•   The Deccan policy of the Mughals started from the reign of Akbar.

•   Aurangazeb, as governor of Deccan, followed a belligerent Deccan policy.

•   He concentrated on the northwest frontier in his first 25 years as the Mughal emperor.

•   He defeated Sikandar Shah of Bijapur and seized his kingdom.

•   He proceeded against Golconda and eliminated the Kutb Shahi dynasty.

•   The destruction of the Deccan kingdoms was a political blunder by Aurangazeb.

•   The barrier between the Mughals and the Marathas was removed and there ensued a direct confrontation between them, which economically drained the Mughal empire.

Religious Policy of Aurangazeb:

•   His idea was to transform the country into an Islamic state.

•   He created a separate department to enforce moral codes under a high-powered officer called Muhtasib.

•   Drinking was prohibited.

•   Cultivation and use of bhang along with other drugs were banned.

•   Aurangazeb forbade music in the Mughal court.

•   He discontinued the practice of Jarokhadarshan.

•   He also discontinued the celebration of Dasara.

•   Royal astronomers and astrologers were also dismissed from service.

•   He began a policy of destroying Hindu temples.

•   The celebrated temples at Mathura and Benares were reduced to ruins.

•   In 1679, he reimposed jizya and pilgrim tax.

•   The celebration of Muharram was stopped

•   His invasions against the Deccan sultanates were partly due to his hatred of the Shia faith.

•   He was also against the Sikhs and he executed the ninth Sikh Guru Teg Bahadur.

•   His religious policy was responsible for turning the Rajputs, the Marathas and Sikhs into the enemies of the Mughal Empire

•   It had also resulted in the rebellions of the Jats of Mathura and the Satnamis of Mewar.

•   Therefore, Aurangazeb is held responsible for the decline of the Mughal Empire.