Though only 13 when he ascended to the throne, he is
widely considered the greatest of the Mughal emperors. During his reign, he
eliminated external military threats from the Afghan descendants of Sher Shah
(an Afghan who was able to temporarily oust Humayun from 1540-1555), and at the
Second Battle of Panipat defeated the Hindu leader Hemu. In addition to his
military gains, the emperor solidified his rule by repealing the jizya tax on
non-Muslims and courting the favor of the powerful Rajput caste, to the extent
of marrying Rajput princesses.
However, Akbar's most lasting contributions were to the arts and to Indian religion. He initiated a large collection of literature, including the Akbar-nama and the Ain-i-Akbari, and incorporated art from around the world into the Mughal collections. He also commissioned the building of widely admired buildings, including the Panj Mahal. Having a greatly tolerant attitude toward religion, Akbar preserved Hindu temples. He also began a series of religious debates where Muslim scholars would debate religious matters with Sikhs, Hindus, Carvaka atheists and even Jesuits from the Vatican. He founded his own religion, the "Din-i-Elahi" or the "Divine Faith"; the religion, however, amounted only to a form of personality cult for Akbar, and quickly dissolved after his death.
However, Akbar's most lasting contributions were to the arts and to Indian religion. He initiated a large collection of literature, including the Akbar-nama and the Ain-i-Akbari, and incorporated art from around the world into the Mughal collections. He also commissioned the building of widely admired buildings, including the Panj Mahal. Having a greatly tolerant attitude toward religion, Akbar preserved Hindu temples. He also began a series of religious debates where Muslim scholars would debate religious matters with Sikhs, Hindus, Carvaka atheists and even Jesuits from the Vatican. He founded his own religion, the "Din-i-Elahi" or the "Divine Faith"; the religion, however, amounted only to a form of personality cult for Akbar, and quickly dissolved after his death.
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