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Akbar: The Great Mughal
Abu’l Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar, the third Mughal emperor, is widely regarded as one of the greatest rulers in India’s history. During his reign, the Mughal Empire was one of the wealthiest in the world, and covered much of the Indian subcontinent. Although there are dozens of books on the empire, there are surprisingly few full-length accounts of its most remarkable emperor, with the last major study having been published over two decades ago. In The Great Mughal, this outstanding sovereign finally gets his due, and the reader gets the full measure of his extraordinary life.Akbar was born on 15 October 1542 and after a harrowing childhood and a tumultuous struggle for succession following the death of his father, Humayun, became emperor at the age of thirteen. He then ruled for nearly fifty years, and over the course of his reign established an empire that would be hailed as singular, both in its own time and for posterity.In this book, acclaimed writer Ira Mukhoty covers Akbar’s life and times in lavish, illuminating detail. The product of years of reading, research, and study, the biography looks in great detail at every aspect of this exceptional ruler—his ambitions, mistakes, bravery, military genius, empathy for his subjects, and path-breaking efforts to reform the governance of his empire. It delves deep into his open-mindedness, his reverence towards all religions, his efforts towards the emancipation of women, his abolishing of slavery and the religious tax—jiziya—and other acts that showed his statesmanship and humanity. The biography uses recent ground-breaking work by art historians to examine Akbar’s unending curiosity about the world around him, and the role the ateliers played in the succession struggle between him and his heir, Prince Salim (who became Emperor Jahangir).Beautifully written, hugely well-informed, and thoroughly grounded in scholarship, this monumental biography captures the grandeur, vitality, and genius of the Great Mughal.
624 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 2, 2020
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May 10, 2020
In her biography of the third Mughal Emperor, Akbar, Ira Mukhoty describes the night of October 15, 1542, when at the fort of Umerkot, Humayun’s wife Hamida Banu delivered a baby boy. The good news, when brought to the proud father, set him dancing with joy. “Humayun then broke a pod of musk and distributed it amongst his amirs, saying: ‘This is all the present I can afford to make you on the birth of my son, whose fame will, I trust, be one day expanded all over the worlds as the perfume of the musk now fills this apartment.’”
One may interpret these words as either wishful thinking on the part of Humayun, or prescience—but one fact cannot be denied: the baby born that night was to go on and become not just one of India’s greatest rulers, but among the world’s greatest too. Under Akbar, the Mughal Empire reached its zenith, an extent and glory only paralleled by Ashok; and Akbar is still regarded as the epitome of wisdom and broad-mindedness, the originator of the Din-e-Ilahi.
To attempt a biography of a figure as impressive as Akbar is a formidable task, and Mukhoty takes up the challenge with the backing of a good deal of research, drawing on many and varied sources, both Indian and foreign. She begins Akbar: The Great Mughal with a backdrop, describing the origins of the Mughal Empire. How Babur conquered Hindustan and how Humayun found himself hounded out of his realm by Sher Shah Suri, returning to Delhi after many years, only to plummet to his death and have the thirteen year-old Akbar be proclaimed Emperor.
The life of Akbar—the personal enmeshed with the political, as it would have been for such a very visible figure anyway—is closely examined over the course of the next 400-odd pages. Along with Akbar’s numerous campaigns as he sought to expand his empire or put down dissent, there are vignettes that showcase many other aspects of his personality: from his fascination with art to his deep interest in military technology, from his personal courage (and his penchant for taming wild elephants) to his loyalty and respect for the Timurid matriarchs who ruled the harem, all come together to paint a composite picture of an intelligent, sometimes wild, curious, sensitive and interesting man.
Akbar’s administrative reforms and the political changes of his empire find their rightful place in the chronology of his reign, and alongside those appear the non-political, non-bureaucratic initiatives of Akbar. Here are chronicled his patronage of the arts and the setting up of a taswir khana that turned out a huge volume of exquisite art. Here too are documented Akbar’s experiments with spirituality, his curiosity about other religions, and his adoption of practices from other faiths.
While Akbar is the focus of this book, Mukhoty also manages to provide an insight into the personalities of some of the other leading courtiers of his era. His two biographers, Abul Fazl and Badauni, are worth mentioning in this respect, as are his foster brother, Mirza Aziz Koka and the Rajput general Raja Man Singh.
And, given Ira Mukhoty’s interest in women and their status (as evinced by her other excellent book, Daughters of the Sun), there is a good deal about women here. Not just royal women like Hamida Banu or Gulbadan (or, even Akbar’s women opponents, Durgavati and Chand Bibi) but women who are rarely named. The women artists of the taswir khana, for example, and the many nameless women whom Akbar benefited thanks to his progressive laws on inheritance, sati, child marriage, and widow remarriage.
Ultimately, however, this is a book about Akbar, and a very good book too. Well researched, comprehensive and beautifully embellished with reproductions of Akbar era art, it is a fine introduction to the greatest Mughal of them all.
(From my review for The New Indian Express: https://www.newindianexpress.com/life...)
One may interpret these words as either wishful thinking on the part of Humayun, or prescience—but one fact cannot be denied: the baby born that night was to go on and become not just one of India’s greatest rulers, but among the world’s greatest too. Under Akbar, the Mughal Empire reached its zenith, an extent and glory only paralleled by Ashok; and Akbar is still regarded as the epitome of wisdom and broad-mindedness, the originator of the Din-e-Ilahi.
To attempt a biography of a figure as impressive as Akbar is a formidable task, and Mukhoty takes up the challenge with the backing of a good deal of research, drawing on many and varied sources, both Indian and foreign. She begins Akbar: The Great Mughal with a backdrop, describing the origins of the Mughal Empire. How Babur conquered Hindustan and how Humayun found himself hounded out of his realm by Sher Shah Suri, returning to Delhi after many years, only to plummet to his death and have the thirteen year-old Akbar be proclaimed Emperor.
The life of Akbar—the personal enmeshed with the political, as it would have been for such a very visible figure anyway—is closely examined over the course of the next 400-odd pages. Along with Akbar’s numerous campaigns as he sought to expand his empire or put down dissent, there are vignettes that showcase many other aspects of his personality: from his fascination with art to his deep interest in military technology, from his personal courage (and his penchant for taming wild elephants) to his loyalty and respect for the Timurid matriarchs who ruled the harem, all come together to paint a composite picture of an intelligent, sometimes wild, curious, sensitive and interesting man.
Akbar’s administrative reforms and the political changes of his empire find their rightful place in the chronology of his reign, and alongside those appear the non-political, non-bureaucratic initiatives of Akbar. Here are chronicled his patronage of the arts and the setting up of a taswir khana that turned out a huge volume of exquisite art. Here too are documented Akbar’s experiments with spirituality, his curiosity about other religions, and his adoption of practices from other faiths.
While Akbar is the focus of this book, Mukhoty also manages to provide an insight into the personalities of some of the other leading courtiers of his era. His two biographers, Abul Fazl and Badauni, are worth mentioning in this respect, as are his foster brother, Mirza Aziz Koka and the Rajput general Raja Man Singh.
And, given Ira Mukhoty’s interest in women and their status (as evinced by her other excellent book, Daughters of the Sun), there is a good deal about women here. Not just royal women like Hamida Banu or Gulbadan (or, even Akbar’s women opponents, Durgavati and Chand Bibi) but women who are rarely named. The women artists of the taswir khana, for example, and the many nameless women whom Akbar benefited thanks to his progressive laws on inheritance, sati, child marriage, and widow remarriage.
Ultimately, however, this is a book about Akbar, and a very good book too. Well researched, comprehensive and beautifully embellished with reproductions of Akbar era art, it is a fine introduction to the greatest Mughal of them all.
(From my review for The New Indian Express: https://www.newindianexpress.com/life...)
June 28, 2020
Overall a mediocre book on the fantastic padshah Akbar, the greatest indian emperor ever lived and ruled. Ira goes on and on detailing names of various painters and repeats a lot of same information while she quickly glances over great military campaigns that Akbar ran. It was frustrating to say the least. Ira chronologically jots down important events in Akbars life but gives undue attention where its not necessary. I wish she used this amazing life of Akbar to a better written book.
November 5, 2020
Got this precise book about Akbar because of the great reviews, but i was honestly disappointed.
It is a nice book, but it gets way too convoluted and tedious at in a lot of places. Some things described are just completely irrelevant in my opinion, while other important stuff is simply glossed over. The book also focuses in my opinion way too much on everything that was going on around Akbar, and not on the Emperor himself. It feels like you have to learn about 100s of characters, and a lot of them have similar names, so for someone that doesn't know them before hand it's a really difficult read.
The book has nice pictures, but again no real maps, which seems like a staple in history books lately, and i can't give it more than a 3 star rating
It is a nice book, but it gets way too convoluted and tedious at in a lot of places. Some things described are just completely irrelevant in my opinion, while other important stuff is simply glossed over. The book also focuses in my opinion way too much on everything that was going on around Akbar, and not on the Emperor himself. It feels like you have to learn about 100s of characters, and a lot of them have similar names, so for someone that doesn't know them before hand it's a really difficult read.
The book has nice pictures, but again no real maps, which seems like a staple in history books lately, and i can't give it more than a 3 star rating
January 29, 2022
There are numerous accounts of Akbar in current day circulation. Akbar was different among Mughal emperors in consolidating the dynasty’s power through incorporation of Hindus in the power structure of his empire. Make no mistake about it; their representation was only marginal and limited to the very powerful rajas. The Muslims who constituted just ten per cent of the population still occupied eighty per cent of the aristocracy. But, medieval India was not a democracy and Akbar’s reforms made his polity markedly different from his sultanate predecessors and bigoted successors. The image of Akbar as a benevolent monarch is fused into folklore and he is given a respectable position in the popular imagination even today. However, a full-length biography of Akbar is rare and this book seeks to fill that gap. It divides the Mughal emperor’s life into six sections in this comparatively large book. Ira Mukhoty is a Cambridge-educated Indian author who lives in Delhi and writes about historical and mythical literary work. Most of her effort is directed at clarifying the faded outlines of women characters in them. This book on Akbar may seem at first not to be in the author’s genre, but the long descriptions of Akbar’s wives, mothers and aunts and their influence in the administration makes it clear that she has not veered much from her objectives.
Mukhoty constantly seeks to show how important Mughal women were in the life of Akbar. She provides poignant portraits of their lives too. In the early years of Mughal rule, the Timurid women led unfettered lives. They accompanied Humayun in his wanderings and rode into India on horseback. These women were thinly veiled and participated in the public life of the emperor and their advice was constantly sought. As the empire consolidated, more formal zenana came into being, but the influence of elderly women never waned. They even took part in clashes for gaining favour at the court. Bairam Khan, Akbar’s guardian while enthroned as a minor, had many tugs of war with the harem in his attempt to nestle the young price under his wings. Akbar had implicit faith and profound trust in these women which included his mother Hamida Banu, his aunt Gulbadan, stepmother Bega Begum and his milk mothers Maham Anaga and Jiji Anaga. Throughout his life, he showed them extravagant devotion and would grant them their smallest wishes. The senior women once engaged in a Hajj pilgrimage lasting nearly three years without a male relative’s escort. They also moderated the severity of succession struggles by acting as intermediaries between the contenders.
Readers get a fancied picture of the role of Hindus in the administration through this book. The author narrates the accounts of a few nobles to present a rosy picture of accommodation in Akbar’s bureaucracy. Raja Man Singh, ruler of Amer/Jaipur, was the powerful governor of Bengal and he seems to have enjoyed much freedom in doing what he thought best. He performed an elaborate and ostentatious shraddha (a post-cremation rite) at Gaya for 45 days and built temples there. This is claimed to be a testament not only to the wealth he commanded but also to the ambition he rightly claimed as a highly successful commander in Akbar’s service. However the author fails to mention India’s cultural unity, the motive force that propelled a Rajasthani aristocrat to perform the funeral rites of his ancestors on the shores of a river in Bihar. Keeping with the book’s theme, the author argues that Akbar’s Hindu wives influenced his religious policy. He prohibited enslavement of prisoners of war, the practice of imperial soldiers making captive the women, children and kinsmen of opposing soldiers. If this is true, Akbar was clearly ahead of his times. Still, one wonders if this basic principle of humaneness needed to be told to convince an ‘enlightened emperor’. This book blows up the liberal fiction that destruction of temples in medieval times was only a strategy of the winning party to humiliate the loser and that this happened during battles between Hindu kings also. Raja Man Singh, governor of Bengal, defeated Kedar Rai of Jessore in 1594. Singh seized the black stone idol of Sila Mata and instead of smashing it to smithereens, took it to Jaipur, built a temple and worshipped it. The temple can still be seen there.
Akbar was the most liberal of Mughal emperors regarding toleration of non-Muslims. People of all faiths were inducted into the nobility. The author states that Akbar even stopped performing namaz, though the veracity of this statement is doubtful. However, the ulema rose in rebellion in Bengal and Bihar over the emperor’s eclecticism. A disaffected mullah, Qazi Muhammad Yazdi, went to the extreme act of denouncing Akbar as an infidel and issued a fatwa of kufr (disbelief) calling on all righteous Muslims to take up arms and revolt against the emperor. The cause of Islam was just a convenient rallying point for disgruntled officers who were deeply resentful of the measures taken by Akbar to reduce the rampant corruption and nepotism in his administration. This is a typical left-liberal justification to push bigotry under the carpet and to suggest economic interests as an alternative. The mansabdars (nobles) had to fight shoulder to shoulder irrespective of their religion, but the fanaticism exhibited by some of them was shocking. Raja Man Singh led the Mughal assault in the 1564 Battle of Gogunda against Rana Pratap of Mewar. At one point, the Rajputs on the Mughal side got so entangled with the Mewar warriors in the heat of battle that it was difficult to distinguish friend from foe. At this time, the chronicler Badauni asked Asaf Khan, a prominent noble battling alongside, how to tell them apart. Asaf Khan told him to continue firing indiscriminately, as ‘on whichever side they may be killed, it will be a gain to Islam’ (p.206). Similarly conspicuous by hatred is Badauni’s reporting of the deaths of two Rajput nobles in 1589. Raja Todar Mal and Bhagwant Das were those two Rajputs with decades of selfless service of Akbar. Badauni wrote that ‘they hastened to the abode of hell and torment and in the lowest pit became the food of serpents and scorpions. May God scorch them both’ (p.358).
Surprisingly for a well-researched book, this one shows some inconsistencies which the author should have tried to avoid. One is regarding an incident extolled as Akbar’s kindness. A courtier named Muhammad Hussain Mirza led a rebellion against the emperor which was brutally crushed by imperial forces. But Akbar granted pardon to the rebel and confined him to the custody of one Rai Singh (p.151). However, right on the next page she tells that ‘the heads of Muhammad Hussain Mirza and Ikhtiyar ul-Mulk were sent to Agra’ (p.152). Another instance of ambiguity is a little more serious. Mukhoty states that ‘Akbar left Fatehpur Sikri for the Punjab in 1585. When he left, there was no indication that he would never return and that the great lively discussions of the Ibadat Khana were forever silenced’ (p.317). With this in black and white she narrates in another part of the book that to counter Salim’s insurrection, ‘Akbar finally returned to Fatehpur Sikri in 1601’ (p.433). Admittedly, the emperor stayed in his old capital for only a few days, but the imagery of farewell in the first case is however rendered pointless.
The book digs its roots to very good reference sources, but its reliance on Audrey Truschke for the role of Sanskrit in the Mughal court adversely affects its credibility. As is well known, Truschke’s works are often a compendium of arguments with an agenda and with a smattering of the subject matter than a product of impartial and genuine scholarship. The low status of women in Mughal period is examined in detail, but the author arraigns the Rajput courts for controlling their women strictly within defined notions of honour. This is very strange since it is clear that they were emulating their Mughal masters in this regard. A considerable number of reference sources in this book are women. It also contains a fine sampling of Mughal paintings and the narrative gives special emphasis on art in general. The blending processes of Indian, Persian and European artistic styles are lucidly explained.
The book is recommended.
Mukhoty constantly seeks to show how important Mughal women were in the life of Akbar. She provides poignant portraits of their lives too. In the early years of Mughal rule, the Timurid women led unfettered lives. They accompanied Humayun in his wanderings and rode into India on horseback. These women were thinly veiled and participated in the public life of the emperor and their advice was constantly sought. As the empire consolidated, more formal zenana came into being, but the influence of elderly women never waned. They even took part in clashes for gaining favour at the court. Bairam Khan, Akbar’s guardian while enthroned as a minor, had many tugs of war with the harem in his attempt to nestle the young price under his wings. Akbar had implicit faith and profound trust in these women which included his mother Hamida Banu, his aunt Gulbadan, stepmother Bega Begum and his milk mothers Maham Anaga and Jiji Anaga. Throughout his life, he showed them extravagant devotion and would grant them their smallest wishes. The senior women once engaged in a Hajj pilgrimage lasting nearly three years without a male relative’s escort. They also moderated the severity of succession struggles by acting as intermediaries between the contenders.
Readers get a fancied picture of the role of Hindus in the administration through this book. The author narrates the accounts of a few nobles to present a rosy picture of accommodation in Akbar’s bureaucracy. Raja Man Singh, ruler of Amer/Jaipur, was the powerful governor of Bengal and he seems to have enjoyed much freedom in doing what he thought best. He performed an elaborate and ostentatious shraddha (a post-cremation rite) at Gaya for 45 days and built temples there. This is claimed to be a testament not only to the wealth he commanded but also to the ambition he rightly claimed as a highly successful commander in Akbar’s service. However the author fails to mention India’s cultural unity, the motive force that propelled a Rajasthani aristocrat to perform the funeral rites of his ancestors on the shores of a river in Bihar. Keeping with the book’s theme, the author argues that Akbar’s Hindu wives influenced his religious policy. He prohibited enslavement of prisoners of war, the practice of imperial soldiers making captive the women, children and kinsmen of opposing soldiers. If this is true, Akbar was clearly ahead of his times. Still, one wonders if this basic principle of humaneness needed to be told to convince an ‘enlightened emperor’. This book blows up the liberal fiction that destruction of temples in medieval times was only a strategy of the winning party to humiliate the loser and that this happened during battles between Hindu kings also. Raja Man Singh, governor of Bengal, defeated Kedar Rai of Jessore in 1594. Singh seized the black stone idol of Sila Mata and instead of smashing it to smithereens, took it to Jaipur, built a temple and worshipped it. The temple can still be seen there.
Akbar was the most liberal of Mughal emperors regarding toleration of non-Muslims. People of all faiths were inducted into the nobility. The author states that Akbar even stopped performing namaz, though the veracity of this statement is doubtful. However, the ulema rose in rebellion in Bengal and Bihar over the emperor’s eclecticism. A disaffected mullah, Qazi Muhammad Yazdi, went to the extreme act of denouncing Akbar as an infidel and issued a fatwa of kufr (disbelief) calling on all righteous Muslims to take up arms and revolt against the emperor. The cause of Islam was just a convenient rallying point for disgruntled officers who were deeply resentful of the measures taken by Akbar to reduce the rampant corruption and nepotism in his administration. This is a typical left-liberal justification to push bigotry under the carpet and to suggest economic interests as an alternative. The mansabdars (nobles) had to fight shoulder to shoulder irrespective of their religion, but the fanaticism exhibited by some of them was shocking. Raja Man Singh led the Mughal assault in the 1564 Battle of Gogunda against Rana Pratap of Mewar. At one point, the Rajputs on the Mughal side got so entangled with the Mewar warriors in the heat of battle that it was difficult to distinguish friend from foe. At this time, the chronicler Badauni asked Asaf Khan, a prominent noble battling alongside, how to tell them apart. Asaf Khan told him to continue firing indiscriminately, as ‘on whichever side they may be killed, it will be a gain to Islam’ (p.206). Similarly conspicuous by hatred is Badauni’s reporting of the deaths of two Rajput nobles in 1589. Raja Todar Mal and Bhagwant Das were those two Rajputs with decades of selfless service of Akbar. Badauni wrote that ‘they hastened to the abode of hell and torment and in the lowest pit became the food of serpents and scorpions. May God scorch them both’ (p.358).
Surprisingly for a well-researched book, this one shows some inconsistencies which the author should have tried to avoid. One is regarding an incident extolled as Akbar’s kindness. A courtier named Muhammad Hussain Mirza led a rebellion against the emperor which was brutally crushed by imperial forces. But Akbar granted pardon to the rebel and confined him to the custody of one Rai Singh (p.151). However, right on the next page she tells that ‘the heads of Muhammad Hussain Mirza and Ikhtiyar ul-Mulk were sent to Agra’ (p.152). Another instance of ambiguity is a little more serious. Mukhoty states that ‘Akbar left Fatehpur Sikri for the Punjab in 1585. When he left, there was no indication that he would never return and that the great lively discussions of the Ibadat Khana were forever silenced’ (p.317). With this in black and white she narrates in another part of the book that to counter Salim’s insurrection, ‘Akbar finally returned to Fatehpur Sikri in 1601’ (p.433). Admittedly, the emperor stayed in his old capital for only a few days, but the imagery of farewell in the first case is however rendered pointless.
The book digs its roots to very good reference sources, but its reliance on Audrey Truschke for the role of Sanskrit in the Mughal court adversely affects its credibility. As is well known, Truschke’s works are often a compendium of arguments with an agenda and with a smattering of the subject matter than a product of impartial and genuine scholarship. The low status of women in Mughal period is examined in detail, but the author arraigns the Rajput courts for controlling their women strictly within defined notions of honour. This is very strange since it is clear that they were emulating their Mughal masters in this regard. A considerable number of reference sources in this book are women. It also contains a fine sampling of Mughal paintings and the narrative gives special emphasis on art in general. The blending processes of Indian, Persian and European artistic styles are lucidly explained.
The book is recommended.
October 11, 2020
Detailed.
Too detailed in some parts like painting and religion.
A little less detailed on his conquests.
Too detailed in some parts like painting and religion.
A little less detailed on his conquests.
December 27, 2020
The Mughal... The Indian Mughal... This sounds I guess better for a ruler who was Indian to the very core.. Born and brought up here in the subcontinent , he defied the earlier central Asian rulers ritual of invading and looting India and squandering the loot in building their central Asian empires. With the present dispensation selling some much hatred and calumny about this emperor this book reveals those inane human dispositions which truly made this man a larger than life figure. Religious tolerance which he vouched for, which appeals to the syncretic culture of this subcontinent is something which guided our founding fathers at the time of the birth of our nation. The idea of India owes much to this personality. Loved the book. Though it sounded a bit dull in the middle. Still five stars for the research that the writer has done for the book.
September 14, 2020
Disclaimer - i am related to the author.
I have always told Ira that I wish history was taught the way that she writes. Well researched, passionately narrated and context established.
In an India that holds deeply divided opinions of history and its characters, the book is a balanced attempt to make sense of the Emperor of many dimensions.
I would go on to say that it has helped me gain a fuller understanding of the idea of India.
I have always told Ira that I wish history was taught the way that she writes. Well researched, passionately narrated and context established.
In an India that holds deeply divided opinions of history and its characters, the book is a balanced attempt to make sense of the Emperor of many dimensions.
I would go on to say that it has helped me gain a fuller understanding of the idea of India.
December 5, 2021
Another great book by Ira Mukhoty! So glad of the day I stumbled on one of her books, it's taken me down the rabbit hole and I have no regrets, fantastic storyteller :)
Proper review to follow
Proper review to follow
June 3, 2024
The Mughal empire under Akbar was greater in size then any previous indian kingdom, bar the Mauryan Empire nearly two thousand years previously. Far larger than any contemporary European Kingdom, and was rivalled only by China. It included modern day Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and bangladesh. The empire was the richest in the world, and accounted for a quarter of the entire global manufacturing capacity.
The book covers every aspect of the life of Akbar the great, from childhood, to politics, to wars and successions, and is worth a read.
The book uses Abul Fazals biography of Akbar as its main source, along with the works of Portugese Jesuits, Jain monks, and contemporary Hindu sources.
The book covers every aspect of the life of Akbar the great, from childhood, to politics, to wars and successions, and is worth a read.
The book uses Abul Fazals biography of Akbar as its main source, along with the works of Portugese Jesuits, Jain monks, and contemporary Hindu sources.
October 25, 2023
I came to the last page and the tears began to flow.
Mukhoty writes with academic precision, with mesmerizing skill, with artful humour, but above all with love and tenderness for the people who fill these pages, ranging from Padshah Akbar and his family to even the unnamed female slaves and executed prisoners. The blend of art, literary, and even diet history only enriches this definitive biography. The writing is accessible yet dripping with beauty.
I feel as though I have lived the emperor's life alongside him - with all his flaws and failures unmasked - and now leave him behind in time. To forge my own path into the future with his spirit lodged in me feels as though I am advancing to meet destiny itself.
Mukhoty writes with academic precision, with mesmerizing skill, with artful humour, but above all with love and tenderness for the people who fill these pages, ranging from Padshah Akbar and his family to even the unnamed female slaves and executed prisoners. The blend of art, literary, and even diet history only enriches this definitive biography. The writing is accessible yet dripping with beauty.
I feel as though I have lived the emperor's life alongside him - with all his flaws and failures unmasked - and now leave him behind in time. To forge my own path into the future with his spirit lodged in me feels as though I am advancing to meet destiny itself.
November 23, 2020
Too long winded
The author has done some real in-depth research on the great Mogul emperor Akbar. Unfortunately this research is at times also it’s undoing since at times the author has tended to divert to other parts of Mogul history which could have been shorter and crisper without impacting the effectiveness.
The good news is that it is a real comprehensive and well researched book on Emperor Akbar.
The author has done some real in-depth research on the great Mogul emperor Akbar. Unfortunately this research is at times also it’s undoing since at times the author has tended to divert to other parts of Mogul history which could have been shorter and crisper without impacting the effectiveness.
The good news is that it is a real comprehensive and well researched book on Emperor Akbar.
October 4, 2020
Mention, the Mughal Emperor- Akbar and you instantly think of the Akbar- Birbal stories which have regaled children and adults like for a long time. If you are inclined towards movies, you will probably think of Mughal-e-Azam the classic movie piece or the most recent adaptation- Jodha Akbar. Based on your exposure to any such dominant historical personalities through the different fictional mediums, you probably build up a view of the person which may or may not match the real person as is known from the non-fiction historical accounts.
This book by Ira Mukhoty now provides such a non-fiction fascinating window into Akbar- the most celebrated of the Mughal Emperor. As the author mentions in the Preface, while the Mughal Empire is itself widely covered in various publications, probably it is more difficult to find an end-to-end biography of Akbar. In recent years, I believe there has been a pick-up in the interest in providing the different accounts/views of the Mughal Empire, and the author is probably well-placed to provide this assessment given her previous 2 books especially the ‘Daughters of the Sun: Empresses, Queens and Begums of the Mughal Empire’, which itself is a fascinating topic, and some of the references do peek out in this book as well.
The book is comprehensively exhaustive covering all facets of Akbar’s life and is divided into 6 sections, each covering a logical section of his life and times. Again, the book explores Akbar’s personality in great detail, and the people who played an important role through his life. Right through the book, we get to know Akbar in microscopic detail including the different aspects of his life as a Muslim ruler, Timurid Prince, Hindustani ruler and a Social reformer among others.
The book also reserves a special interest in the art and cultural aspects of Akbar’s empire, and the compilation of ‘Hamzanama’- an extremely large artistic compilation of 1400 paintings.
Akbar’s patronage of different religions and thought practices is well-known and the book provides a fascinating insight into Akbar’s willingness to engage with these different religious personas throughout his years. The book also provides a surprising explanation of ‘Din-I-Illahi’ being more of a mis-translation and the original phrase meaning to be regulations for those privileged to be His Majesty’ disciples and hence not being the foundation of a proposed new religious sect, which always was my understanding.
The book also covers the special esteem in which Akbar held his female relatives and the fact that during his reign, the matriarchy played a crucial and binding role in various instances. It is also good to know of the Royal women’ hajj in 1575 which lasted for 7 years, certainly indicative of the powerful nature of the Mughal harem and Akbar himself.
The book is well-annotated with an extensive reference list, and through the book you often see the author quoting ‘Abu’l-Fazl’ and ‘Abd al- Qadir Badauni’, which provide 2 divergent views on the the Emperor and the activities occurring around him. The author also provides a list of characters, limited family tree and high-level timeline along list of illustrations which is quite helpful to the readers, as it is not easy to follow the myriad list of people who were a part of the Emperor’s reign.
The author provides a largely balanced view of the Emperor and doesn’t play up either the image of him being the good ‘Muslim’ or critique him out of hand. What emerges out of the book is a complex and dominant personality with great self-belief and physical courage, and the ability to learn & adapt to emerging situations, binding the various people together while still retaining a very centralized mode of command and control, and with an infinite curiosity which manifested itself in various forms of engagement including art, culture, architecture and religion.
The book is very much recommended, and anyone interested in Mughal Empire would definitely find it worthwhile to explore one of the most fascinating Emperor the world has seen.
This book by Ira Mukhoty now provides such a non-fiction fascinating window into Akbar- the most celebrated of the Mughal Emperor. As the author mentions in the Preface, while the Mughal Empire is itself widely covered in various publications, probably it is more difficult to find an end-to-end biography of Akbar. In recent years, I believe there has been a pick-up in the interest in providing the different accounts/views of the Mughal Empire, and the author is probably well-placed to provide this assessment given her previous 2 books especially the ‘Daughters of the Sun: Empresses, Queens and Begums of the Mughal Empire’, which itself is a fascinating topic, and some of the references do peek out in this book as well.
The book is comprehensively exhaustive covering all facets of Akbar’s life and is divided into 6 sections, each covering a logical section of his life and times. Again, the book explores Akbar’s personality in great detail, and the people who played an important role through his life. Right through the book, we get to know Akbar in microscopic detail including the different aspects of his life as a Muslim ruler, Timurid Prince, Hindustani ruler and a Social reformer among others.
The book also reserves a special interest in the art and cultural aspects of Akbar’s empire, and the compilation of ‘Hamzanama’- an extremely large artistic compilation of 1400 paintings.
Akbar’s patronage of different religions and thought practices is well-known and the book provides a fascinating insight into Akbar’s willingness to engage with these different religious personas throughout his years. The book also provides a surprising explanation of ‘Din-I-Illahi’ being more of a mis-translation and the original phrase meaning to be regulations for those privileged to be His Majesty’ disciples and hence not being the foundation of a proposed new religious sect, which always was my understanding.
The book also covers the special esteem in which Akbar held his female relatives and the fact that during his reign, the matriarchy played a crucial and binding role in various instances. It is also good to know of the Royal women’ hajj in 1575 which lasted for 7 years, certainly indicative of the powerful nature of the Mughal harem and Akbar himself.
The book is well-annotated with an extensive reference list, and through the book you often see the author quoting ‘Abu’l-Fazl’ and ‘Abd al- Qadir Badauni’, which provide 2 divergent views on the the Emperor and the activities occurring around him. The author also provides a list of characters, limited family tree and high-level timeline along list of illustrations which is quite helpful to the readers, as it is not easy to follow the myriad list of people who were a part of the Emperor’s reign.
The author provides a largely balanced view of the Emperor and doesn’t play up either the image of him being the good ‘Muslim’ or critique him out of hand. What emerges out of the book is a complex and dominant personality with great self-belief and physical courage, and the ability to learn & adapt to emerging situations, binding the various people together while still retaining a very centralized mode of command and control, and with an infinite curiosity which manifested itself in various forms of engagement including art, culture, architecture and religion.
The book is very much recommended, and anyone interested in Mughal Empire would definitely find it worthwhile to explore one of the most fascinating Emperor the world has seen.
January 21, 2022
Brilliant scholarship and a fair-though at times rather flattering- assessment of Akbar's almost half a century long reign as the Mughal Padshah. This book is exhaustive in its scope, as can be imagined given the longevity of Akbar's rule. He is brought out as a larger than life figure who commanded respect from disparate political groups and even Jesuits who were amazed with his divine persona. Mukhoty clearly distinguishes Akbar from the other Padshahs with his concern for different faiths. His efforts at reconciling differences, that reached a tipping point with discussions at the Ibadat Khana in Fatehpur Sikri, and as articulated in his philosophy of sulh-i-kul (world peace) clearly speak volumes about his open personality. His reign witnessed a series of confrontations with the orthodox clique in his court, but he never back-tracked and remained steadfast in his approach towards all religions. Jesuits were unsuccessful in their attempt to convert him, but Akbar respected Christ and also had many paintings in his court that had Christian underpinnings. He also had Hindu courtiers who were loyal to him, like Todar Mal, Tansen, Man Singh and Birbal.
Mukhoty also deals extensively with the harem, where the Timurid matriarchs like Hamida Banu Begum, Gulbadan Begum and Jiji Anaga wielded considerable influence. Their role in shaping the course of Mughal politics is often belittled. Maham Anaga and her son Adham Khan dominated the empire's decisions when Akbar was in his teens. The bitter disputes within the court are also given due space. Prince Salim's unceremonious rebellion and the assassination of Abul Fazl.
Mukhoty does well to balance Akbar's personality. Unlike the rather simplistic idea of a 'perfect' monarch, he too had his own foibles. In the last leg of his career, he became particularly fond of his grandsons, and gave a lot of time especially to Prince Khurram, in whom he rather sagaciously saw a future monarch. Moroever, he often was irritable, and in one rather heart-rending incident threw off a lamp-lighter from a tower simply because he was asleep and hence culpable to dereliction of duty. His plunder of Mewar also evokes the unpretentiously cruel facet of Akbar's character. All of this is brought out very effectively, and that is where the author must be credited. The language at times gets a little too verbose, and for anyone from a non-history background, there might be some difficulty in comprehending certain terms and phrases.
One area where the book doesn't satisfy is the title and the author leaning towards calling him 'Akbar the Great'. She calls him the only 'Great' Monarch besides Ashoka, and the comparisons with Ashoka (beyond the obvious territorial extent of their empires) are disappointing. While Akbar was undeniably a force to reckon with during his reign and the Mughal empire did reach its zenith under his rule, to call him a Great monarch in the Indian context would mean denying many other emperors from other regions their due. While writing a biography, that claims to be an authentic account of the historical figure (which it certainly is), the title certainly seems problematic.
Otherwise, the book is very well written and well researched. Will certainly read Mukhoty's book on Mughal women now.
Mukhoty also deals extensively with the harem, where the Timurid matriarchs like Hamida Banu Begum, Gulbadan Begum and Jiji Anaga wielded considerable influence. Their role in shaping the course of Mughal politics is often belittled. Maham Anaga and her son Adham Khan dominated the empire's decisions when Akbar was in his teens. The bitter disputes within the court are also given due space. Prince Salim's unceremonious rebellion and the assassination of Abul Fazl.
Mukhoty does well to balance Akbar's personality. Unlike the rather simplistic idea of a 'perfect' monarch, he too had his own foibles. In the last leg of his career, he became particularly fond of his grandsons, and gave a lot of time especially to Prince Khurram, in whom he rather sagaciously saw a future monarch. Moroever, he often was irritable, and in one rather heart-rending incident threw off a lamp-lighter from a tower simply because he was asleep and hence culpable to dereliction of duty. His plunder of Mewar also evokes the unpretentiously cruel facet of Akbar's character. All of this is brought out very effectively, and that is where the author must be credited. The language at times gets a little too verbose, and for anyone from a non-history background, there might be some difficulty in comprehending certain terms and phrases.
One area where the book doesn't satisfy is the title and the author leaning towards calling him 'Akbar the Great'. She calls him the only 'Great' Monarch besides Ashoka, and the comparisons with Ashoka (beyond the obvious territorial extent of their empires) are disappointing. While Akbar was undeniably a force to reckon with during his reign and the Mughal empire did reach its zenith under his rule, to call him a Great monarch in the Indian context would mean denying many other emperors from other regions their due. While writing a biography, that claims to be an authentic account of the historical figure (which it certainly is), the title certainly seems problematic.
Otherwise, the book is very well written and well researched. Will certainly read Mukhoty's book on Mughal women now.
July 11, 2021
Pre Script: Book suggested to those who have a keen interest in History, particularly Mughals and not recommended for a casual read.
A mighty attempt to bring the life and achievements of the great Mughal Padshah Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar or Akbar the great, this biography shines in some key details and fails on certain accounts, described further in the review. It creates a background of the situation from the first battle of Panipat till the moment Akbar is bethroned in Kalanaur (a small village in Punjab). The book carefully explains the structure of the Chagatai clan and the difficulties faced by Mughal families before they could set up the fabulous dynasty in the sixteenth century. The biography also reflects on the author's tremendous research about females of the Mughal clan (she wrote an amazing book- Daughters of the Sun: Empresses, Queens, and Begums of the Mughal Empire) which will not only delight readers to know about the fascinating stories of powerful females around Akbar but also emphatically shares the prestige that Mughal ladies held in that era.
But the book fails miserably on two accounts:
1) Giving a detailed account of the negative side of Akbar as well as sharing some actions by the king which were disastrous or where he was wrong. Special mention regarding the frequent bouts of anger that he used to have (as per many other sources) and the wrong consequences of his actions, his failed experiment with the seclusion of newly born babies (it got mentioned in just two sentences), his tryst with Din-i-ilahi (book covers the almost same content as written on Wikipedia). It would have made the book a wholesome read had readers been also told about the failures or wrong judgments of Akbar.2) Last quarter of the book focused on Salim (future Padshah, Jahangir) so much that it almost became unbearable to read. Extreme focus on the love for artistic and other random activities of Jahangir stole the condition of Akbar during his last days. In fact, the death of Akbar came like a sudden mention in the book, which did not do justice in detailing the way the first half of the book had so brilliantly done.
Overall, the book's language is average (just try to count the number of times the word 'resplendent' has been used) and gives a fairly good knowledge of the Mughal era. It shares a delightful world revolving around females of that time, justifies the huge impact of Akbar on the Indian sub continent's history, gets dragged rather annoyingly in the last chapters, and provides a good insight into the spiritual and philosophical views of Akbar.
It's not the best book available on the life of Akbar but a certainly a good read.
A mighty attempt to bring the life and achievements of the great Mughal Padshah Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar or Akbar the great, this biography shines in some key details and fails on certain accounts, described further in the review. It creates a background of the situation from the first battle of Panipat till the moment Akbar is bethroned in Kalanaur (a small village in Punjab). The book carefully explains the structure of the Chagatai clan and the difficulties faced by Mughal families before they could set up the fabulous dynasty in the sixteenth century. The biography also reflects on the author's tremendous research about females of the Mughal clan (she wrote an amazing book- Daughters of the Sun: Empresses, Queens, and Begums of the Mughal Empire) which will not only delight readers to know about the fascinating stories of powerful females around Akbar but also emphatically shares the prestige that Mughal ladies held in that era.
But the book fails miserably on two accounts:
1) Giving a detailed account of the negative side of Akbar as well as sharing some actions by the king which were disastrous or where he was wrong. Special mention regarding the frequent bouts of anger that he used to have (as per many other sources) and the wrong consequences of his actions, his failed experiment with the seclusion of newly born babies (it got mentioned in just two sentences), his tryst with Din-i-ilahi (book covers the almost same content as written on Wikipedia). It would have made the book a wholesome read had readers been also told about the failures or wrong judgments of Akbar.2) Last quarter of the book focused on Salim (future Padshah, Jahangir) so much that it almost became unbearable to read. Extreme focus on the love for artistic and other random activities of Jahangir stole the condition of Akbar during his last days. In fact, the death of Akbar came like a sudden mention in the book, which did not do justice in detailing the way the first half of the book had so brilliantly done.
Overall, the book's language is average (just try to count the number of times the word 'resplendent' has been used) and gives a fairly good knowledge of the Mughal era. It shares a delightful world revolving around females of that time, justifies the huge impact of Akbar on the Indian sub continent's history, gets dragged rather annoyingly in the last chapters, and provides a good insight into the spiritual and philosophical views of Akbar.
It's not the best book available on the life of Akbar but a certainly a good read.
September 11, 2020
This is a book with a remarkably expansive scope, depth and breadth of coverage – it states itself as a biography, which it is; but is far more than that. This is a book on one of the greatest emperors India has ever had – Akbar The Great, and is a fully detailed exhaustive account of his entire life, covering a detailed perspective on every possible imaginable aspect of his life. It includes his conquests and the way he built his empire in full detail, including the political strategies employed as well as battle tactics and strategies. In these, as in everything else, it goes into stunning detail, giving a deep look at the entire scenario.
What is special, or rather extra special about this book is it gives a deep understanding of both the times in which he lived, as well as remarkable details of the Mughal and Rajput etc societal structure, clans, relationships between clans, the reasons – politics – tactics – norms – pressures behind these, connecting how these impacted geopolitics of governance and expansion, as well as dictated moves on the chessboard of the geography of what is now India – Pakistan – Bangladesh – Afghanistan – Iran. This is what enables a deep understanding of and insight into the various moves by various players, right upto Akbar himself. This is history the way it should be told – painting a gorgeous kaleidoscope of exhaustive detail of interconnections of clans & people, their driving motivations, norms – all of which result in the visible impact of the movements of empires.
Add to the above potpourri the enchanting detailed and colourful coverage of the actual people themselves, and their families, with the roles played by various relatives to the key players. We know only the key names – here, you will find the people behind these key names, and how they impacted the moves by the key players, helping us visualize the extant power structures in the society as well as in the corridoors of power. This provides richness and texture, depth to the subject matter at hand.
Read Full Review : https://reflectionsvvk.blogspot.com/2...
What is special, or rather extra special about this book is it gives a deep understanding of both the times in which he lived, as well as remarkable details of the Mughal and Rajput etc societal structure, clans, relationships between clans, the reasons – politics – tactics – norms – pressures behind these, connecting how these impacted geopolitics of governance and expansion, as well as dictated moves on the chessboard of the geography of what is now India – Pakistan – Bangladesh – Afghanistan – Iran. This is what enables a deep understanding of and insight into the various moves by various players, right upto Akbar himself. This is history the way it should be told – painting a gorgeous kaleidoscope of exhaustive detail of interconnections of clans & people, their driving motivations, norms – all of which result in the visible impact of the movements of empires.
Add to the above potpourri the enchanting detailed and colourful coverage of the actual people themselves, and their families, with the roles played by various relatives to the key players. We know only the key names – here, you will find the people behind these key names, and how they impacted the moves by the key players, helping us visualize the extant power structures in the society as well as in the corridoors of power. This provides richness and texture, depth to the subject matter at hand.
Read Full Review : https://reflectionsvvk.blogspot.com/2...
May 23, 2024
Akbar is compared to Ashoka by Ira Mukhoty since they share the same title 'Great'. Both kings saw hardship from there starting years and developed an indefatigable generalship and unscrupluos moral character. I am yet to read extensively on Ashoka the Great but the Greatness of Akbar has stood the test of time. Akbar's ability to judge character of people who were granted his audience was impeccable and extension of this ability can be seen in the people who entered the mansabdari at the Mughal court during his time. The much famed 'Navratras' epitomizes the same, whether it be Tansen from the court of Rewa, or Raja Man singh from the kachhwaha Rajput clan, so forth. He displayed eclecticism and dismissed superstitions of all faiths, alike. Under the influence of his rajput wives, he learnt 108 names of Sun and would recite it at dawn, much to the dismay of contemporary orthodox Islam practitioners in his court like Badauni and the ulema. On two separate occasion Akbar as a sign of mourning shaved his head like a grief stricken bereaved member of a Hindu family. Like members of Chagatai clan he wasn't saved from bouts of anger which was displayed multiple times towards his sons and the staff in various quarters of the imperial court.
The Shaikhzadas, Rajputs, Turanis, Afghans all had to divide power in the court of Akbar no single clan could single handedly wield perverse power. The ulema learnt this the hard way. The pedestral provided by Akbar gave Hindustan a steady course of Indian Kings who gave darshan in jarokas and practicsed absolute integrity and admirable kingmanship. During Akbar's time he saw the next two emperor of Mughal India, Emperor Jahangir('Salim') and Emperor Shah Jahan('Khurram' who was only thirteen when Akbar passed away). The territory of Akbar extended from the modern day Afhganistan to Awadh, Bengal and from Kashmir till Khandesh, Ahmadnagar and the foothills of Kumaon.
The scaffolding of Mughal rule as laid by Akbar would prove to be durable, used by many future Mughal rulers.
The Shaikhzadas, Rajputs, Turanis, Afghans all had to divide power in the court of Akbar no single clan could single handedly wield perverse power. The ulema learnt this the hard way. The pedestral provided by Akbar gave Hindustan a steady course of Indian Kings who gave darshan in jarokas and practicsed absolute integrity and admirable kingmanship. During Akbar's time he saw the next two emperor of Mughal India, Emperor Jahangir('Salim') and Emperor Shah Jahan('Khurram' who was only thirteen when Akbar passed away). The territory of Akbar extended from the modern day Afhganistan to Awadh, Bengal and from Kashmir till Khandesh, Ahmadnagar and the foothills of Kumaon.
The scaffolding of Mughal rule as laid by Akbar would prove to be durable, used by many future Mughal rulers.
September 7, 2020
There are dozens of books and research papers available on the life of the great Mughal emperor " AKBAR " but this book is a totally different approach to understand the life, ideology an eccentric side of his temperament.
Akbar stands out among Asiatic rulers as a determined leader and enlightened organizer. But the man was greater than the king. His interest in religion and philosophy, art and science are famous, but the distinguishing marks of his greatness were the questing intelligence and fearless judgment he always brought to bear upon the difficulties with which he was surrounded. He set himself to unite Hindu and Muslim in India. He married into the ancient Rajput royal families, and Jahangir, his successor, was born of a Rajput princess. It is worth remembering that his reign coincides almost exactly with that of Elizabeth of England. At a time when Europe still found the methods of the rack and stake acceptable, he instituted and enforced religious toleration. He grappled with the horrors of suttee two hundred years before Bentinck abolished it. He was the patron of learning and the arts. His justice knew no distinction of caste or creed or colour.
This is a lavishly illustrated book. Written in a very simple and easy language and considerably in-depth research on each character.
Narration is harmonious and rational with delicate social analysis and with worth telling amusing satire and humour filled narration and lines full of pleasure and a hearty giggle. Recommended read.
#readwithak
#learnwithak
Akbar stands out among Asiatic rulers as a determined leader and enlightened organizer. But the man was greater than the king. His interest in religion and philosophy, art and science are famous, but the distinguishing marks of his greatness were the questing intelligence and fearless judgment he always brought to bear upon the difficulties with which he was surrounded. He set himself to unite Hindu and Muslim in India. He married into the ancient Rajput royal families, and Jahangir, his successor, was born of a Rajput princess. It is worth remembering that his reign coincides almost exactly with that of Elizabeth of England. At a time when Europe still found the methods of the rack and stake acceptable, he instituted and enforced religious toleration. He grappled with the horrors of suttee two hundred years before Bentinck abolished it. He was the patron of learning and the arts. His justice knew no distinction of caste or creed or colour.
This is a lavishly illustrated book. Written in a very simple and easy language and considerably in-depth research on each character.
Narration is harmonious and rational with delicate social analysis and with worth telling amusing satire and humour filled narration and lines full of pleasure and a hearty giggle. Recommended read.
#readwithak
#learnwithak
May 12, 2024
Extremely well-written and narrated, this is a great way to learn more about this Mughal emperor.
There's so many interesting things happening in India at that time, so many moving parts and cultures all blending together to make the India we know today. It's remarkable to see just how recent the Mughal dynasty was (I always thought it was a 1300 kind of thing) and how so much of the subcontinent has been influenced by it.
What's worse, it makes me sad to see what is currently happening in that part of the world currently. There was once a time when we celebrated our differences and cultures, but now we've become increasingly divided and far more withdrawn from each other than ever before.
Anyways, about the book -- the world and time is incredibly detailed by the prose and the extensive research put into, and seamlessly woven into, the narrative of Akbar's reign. You learn about the ways dishes were cooked, the thoughts of the courtiers, the conniving Jesuit priests, and the internal struggles the Padshah went through as he grew his empire.
I loved it, and it made me feel completely immersed.
The only feedback I have is that the endings to some of the chapters felt a little formulaic and a bit thesis-statement-y. And I did feel that the pacing of the book changed when Akbar went to Lahore. He spends 12 years there but we don't get to deep dive into the events like we do as Akbar grows up. In some ways, it felt like we were rushing -- and that's fine! I just wanted more.
There's so many interesting things happening in India at that time, so many moving parts and cultures all blending together to make the India we know today. It's remarkable to see just how recent the Mughal dynasty was (I always thought it was a 1300 kind of thing) and how so much of the subcontinent has been influenced by it.
What's worse, it makes me sad to see what is currently happening in that part of the world currently. There was once a time when we celebrated our differences and cultures, but now we've become increasingly divided and far more withdrawn from each other than ever before.
Anyways, about the book -- the world and time is incredibly detailed by the prose and the extensive research put into, and seamlessly woven into, the narrative of Akbar's reign. You learn about the ways dishes were cooked, the thoughts of the courtiers, the conniving Jesuit priests, and the internal struggles the Padshah went through as he grew his empire.
I loved it, and it made me feel completely immersed.
The only feedback I have is that the endings to some of the chapters felt a little formulaic and a bit thesis-statement-y. And I did feel that the pacing of the book changed when Akbar went to Lahore. He spends 12 years there but we don't get to deep dive into the events like we do as Akbar grows up. In some ways, it felt like we were rushing -- and that's fine! I just wanted more.
August 28, 2022
What can be said by the Greatest ruler of the Greatest Dynasty to have ruled India! That he was a military genius, an able administrator, a loved emperor, a curious man in search of larger truth who governed by the laws of humanity than by the laws of religion!
The story starts with Babur turning to India to experience the land of his father's dreams - Hindostan. Much later, a boy is born to an exiled emperor and his young bride, a boy who would rule the biggest empire of the world, second only to China. What a marvelous life, lived with utmost dignity and righteousness till the very end.
Ira Mukhoty is as always amazing. The narrative moves with speed and depth, building Akbar's former years and stitching pieces, incidents till it all makes sense. The biography lends so many dimensions to the person of Akbar that he feels so real, like a guest sitting in your drawing room. A lot is written about the Emperor's journey to become "dihu Deen ke sahib" (lord of two religions) which gets a little dragging. The books also focuses a lot on the painting styles that developed during the reign and contrasts them to the styles that Salim cultured. The book needs a lot of visual references here which I found terribly lacking.
Having read "Daughters of the Sun : Empresses, Queens and Begums of the Mughal Empire", I loved the excerpts of Khanzada, Gulbadan and Hamida Banu. It is definitely a biography that borrows from the female narratives a lot which makes it quite wholesome.
The story starts with Babur turning to India to experience the land of his father's dreams - Hindostan. Much later, a boy is born to an exiled emperor and his young bride, a boy who would rule the biggest empire of the world, second only to China. What a marvelous life, lived with utmost dignity and righteousness till the very end.
Ira Mukhoty is as always amazing. The narrative moves with speed and depth, building Akbar's former years and stitching pieces, incidents till it all makes sense. The biography lends so many dimensions to the person of Akbar that he feels so real, like a guest sitting in your drawing room. A lot is written about the Emperor's journey to become "dihu Deen ke sahib" (lord of two religions) which gets a little dragging. The books also focuses a lot on the painting styles that developed during the reign and contrasts them to the styles that Salim cultured. The book needs a lot of visual references here which I found terribly lacking.
Having read "Daughters of the Sun : Empresses, Queens and Begums of the Mughal Empire", I loved the excerpts of Khanzada, Gulbadan and Hamida Banu. It is definitely a biography that borrows from the female narratives a lot which makes it quite wholesome.
July 1, 2021
What a wonderful and entertaining read! I am absolutely blown by the assiduousness with which the writer has transformed herself into an equally-abled historian. Ira Mukhoty neatly divides the emperor's life into six phases which are almost distinct and self-contained. Readers are taken through Akbar's upbringing, initiation into the world of warcraft and politics, life as a comfortable monarch in his dream city of Fatehpur, through the venturing out into the more dangerous campaigns in Kabul, Kandahar, and Kashmir. Finally we read of the mourning emperor who failed to make a stiff son, an adept grandson into an emperor, and make the Deccan fall before him. The highlight of the book is the thread of his relationships with courtiers primarily Munim Khan, Aziz Koka, Man Singh, Badauni, Birbal, and Abdurrahim. No two love stories are alike. In each we see a different face to Akbar, but always human. All reviews of course have spoken about Ira's specialty: her portrayal of women characters. In line with her earlier books, she totally aces those character sketches. By the end Hamida Bano and Gulbadan rise higher certainly than even the emperor.
January 4, 2024
“Beautifully written, hugely well informed, and thoroughly grounded in scholarship this monumental biography captures the grandeur, vitality & genius of the Great Moghul” - to quote from the jacket.
A truly astounding & brilliant coverage on one of only two Indian monarchs to have been considered ‘Great’ - the other being Ashok, eighteen centuries before Akbar. Of particular interest is the detailing of how Akbar integrated the Rajput nobility (& later others) into the top rungs of the governance structure of the Mughal empire. This inclusiveness, which extended down to the lower rungs, was his enduring legacy. Even as late as during Aurangzeb’s reign, over 30 percent of the Mughal elite consisted of Rajputs & other Hindu nobility such as the Marathas of the Deccan.
Akbar’s empire included areas in present day Afghanistan, Pakistan, India (except the extreme south) & Bangladesh encompassing a diverse populace in terms of religious & cultural mores & languages - which he united into one whole. Given the situation in the sub continent today - a study of his thoughts, methods & governance hold relevance.
Recommended.
A truly astounding & brilliant coverage on one of only two Indian monarchs to have been considered ‘Great’ - the other being Ashok, eighteen centuries before Akbar. Of particular interest is the detailing of how Akbar integrated the Rajput nobility (& later others) into the top rungs of the governance structure of the Mughal empire. This inclusiveness, which extended down to the lower rungs, was his enduring legacy. Even as late as during Aurangzeb’s reign, over 30 percent of the Mughal elite consisted of Rajputs & other Hindu nobility such as the Marathas of the Deccan.
Akbar’s empire included areas in present day Afghanistan, Pakistan, India (except the extreme south) & Bangladesh encompassing a diverse populace in terms of religious & cultural mores & languages - which he united into one whole. Given the situation in the sub continent today - a study of his thoughts, methods & governance hold relevance.
Recommended.
July 1, 2020
This is an important book for the present times for it tells the story of the greatest integrator this nation ever saw. Looking at our current state, it beggars belief that there was a sovereign in 16th century-India who created a society based on the principles of genuine secularism and mutual tolerance. An emperor so powerful that his kingdom spread from present day Afghanistan to Bangaldesh, yet so accommodating that he opened the doors of his court to every deserving person irrespective of their faith. Mukhoty brings alive Akbar the great administrator as much as she resurrects the mighty warrior in him. Behind the aura of the invincible Mughal, you see the despairing father trying to save his errant sons from themselves. You also get a glimpse of his ever-inquisitive mind that constantly pushed the boundaries of hide-bound religion in an era where the clergy was as influential if not more than royalty. Perhaps our present day rulers could borrow a page or two from this remarkable man's life.
August 11, 2020
Akbar the great Mughal
Is the biography about Akbar whole journey from his ancestors to his end .
Book writing style really great special the part Akbar in which present. Other than that story covers all part in good chronological pattern and try to explain every side character story also .
Good thing about this book is the focus which was given to every side character (aside from Akbar) was really well potriat as shows their each and every aspect and relationship with emperor .
I chosse this book to understand the character of Akbar as I have no idea about his true identity as people usually say him as the greatest emperor but other than his achievement their is no other fact I heard to term him as greatest.
His character was not that kind of different than other Mughal emperor as he use to believe in Islam , use to enjoy harm ,have some anger issue etc
But his radical ideology about different religion , employment of Rajputs in his administration , Making of greatest empire like Ashoka etc where his greatest achievement which laid the greatest foundation of Mughal empire.
Is the biography about Akbar whole journey from his ancestors to his end .
Book writing style really great special the part Akbar in which present. Other than that story covers all part in good chronological pattern and try to explain every side character story also .
Good thing about this book is the focus which was given to every side character (aside from Akbar) was really well potriat as shows their each and every aspect and relationship with emperor .
I chosse this book to understand the character of Akbar as I have no idea about his true identity as people usually say him as the greatest emperor but other than his achievement their is no other fact I heard to term him as greatest.
His character was not that kind of different than other Mughal emperor as he use to believe in Islam , use to enjoy harm ,have some anger issue etc
But his radical ideology about different religion , employment of Rajputs in his administration , Making of greatest empire like Ashoka etc where his greatest achievement which laid the greatest foundation of Mughal empire.
April 20, 2021
This is a very interesting biography of the Mughal emperor Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar, popularly know as Akbar the great. Ira Mukhoty has painstakingly woven a detailed biography of Akbar, starting from his difficult childhood spent fleeing from his father’s foes, his interactions with people close to him like his milk mothers, his early guiders in life like Bairam Khan, his detailed military pursuits, his later years and his interactions with his sons, finally leading to his death.
What comes out is a vivid description of a emperor who was great. Akbar was probably dyslexic, who had a deep thirst of knowledge of all kinds, be it religious discourses or plain military knowledge regarding weapons or strategies. He developed the sulk-i-kul, a pragmatic approach to a kingdom where religious differences were tolerated and a harmonious relationship amongst different religions was cultivated and encouraged.
Akbar’s warmheartedness was evident in the way he allowed his Hindu wives to practice their religion, how he selected his successor who was the son of a Hindu mother. Akbar’s tender relations with the womenfolk in the harem, specially the elderly ladies is brought forward in this book. However his tempestuous nature, his great anger all come forward in this biography of this great emperor.
All in all a great read for history buffs.
What comes out is a vivid description of a emperor who was great. Akbar was probably dyslexic, who had a deep thirst of knowledge of all kinds, be it religious discourses or plain military knowledge regarding weapons or strategies. He developed the sulk-i-kul, a pragmatic approach to a kingdom where religious differences were tolerated and a harmonious relationship amongst different religions was cultivated and encouraged.
Akbar’s warmheartedness was evident in the way he allowed his Hindu wives to practice their religion, how he selected his successor who was the son of a Hindu mother. Akbar’s tender relations with the womenfolk in the harem, specially the elderly ladies is brought forward in this book. However his tempestuous nature, his great anger all come forward in this biography of this great emperor.
All in all a great read for history buffs.
September 18, 2023
(That took a while to finish!)
Ira Mukhoty's Akbar is a comprehensive look at the ruler's reign over the subcontinent and manages the impossible: to spend such toil over a specific personality, and to not write an opinionated piece on it. She neither glorifies him despite him being recognised as one of the two great rulers of pre-colonial "India"; nor does she bring him down for his temper or his old ways at the beginning of his rule. She presents him as most humans are- a grey character in history, who by all means can be defined as a great ruler but was not without his flaws, his 'human' elements.
For me, this was a slow read, one I was finally able to get through because of my recent interest in the subject matter having watched a TV series on the subject recently. This is not to take away from the author's effort, and lucid writing. The subject matter was simply too rich to have it in any more concise manner.
Ira Mukhoty's Akbar is a comprehensive look at the ruler's reign over the subcontinent and manages the impossible: to spend such toil over a specific personality, and to not write an opinionated piece on it. She neither glorifies him despite him being recognised as one of the two great rulers of pre-colonial "India"; nor does she bring him down for his temper or his old ways at the beginning of his rule. She presents him as most humans are- a grey character in history, who by all means can be defined as a great ruler but was not without his flaws, his 'human' elements.
For me, this was a slow read, one I was finally able to get through because of my recent interest in the subject matter having watched a TV series on the subject recently. This is not to take away from the author's effort, and lucid writing. The subject matter was simply too rich to have it in any more concise manner.
January 12, 2021
Akbar is one of the two fascinating emperors of India Another one is Emperor Ashoka,Well written book which brings out the character of Akbar. There would not have been Moghul empire without statecraft of Akbar. Akbar transformed himself from a religious zealot in younger days to religious agnostic . He was supposed to have suffered from Dyslexia.This did not prevent him from being eclectic and being open to discourses of various religions. His establishment of his own religion Din Ilahi made him heretic to his own religion. Freethinking legacy of Akbar did not follow him in later Moguls. It culminated in Ultraorthodox practices of his great great grandson Aurangazeb . Tis resulted in dissolution of Mughal empire
February 18, 2021
A very exhaustive study. I think Mukhoty did the work of a researcher well, juxtaposing various sources through her narrative. However, she lost the texture of the narrative somewhere , such that it does not read as merry as Daughters was. However, there were a few chapters and sections that really stole my heart and made me teary-- Birbal's death, Tansen's death, Salim's childhood etc. Yet there were others that only left a fleeting imprint on my mind. Overall, it's a good book to understand the rich legacy of the Mughal Emperor
February 15, 2021
Beautifully written, this is a powerful and an eye opening book. Religion, community, language, ethnicity were not barriers for this emperor and no one faith can claim him for itself. The fact that numerous notable achievements of his, from the victory in battle of haldighati to expanding the frontiers to Bengal were accomplished by people of "other" beliefs is a testament to this Padshah's legacy of oneness and an exemplar of what it means to be an Indian.
May 16, 2021
This was a really rich and enjoyable read through and through and I loved being immersed in it. The sections on the Mughal harem were particularly enlightening and now I'm trying to get my hands on Gulbadan Begum's memoirs. One less star because it has almost no mention of caste which is strange considering the book's serious engagement with the practices of the Rajputs.
(also, I miss living in north India ;_;)
(also, I miss living in north India ;_;)
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