What is the major source for the history of akbar?
Answers
Akbar set about reforming the administration of his empire's land revenue by adopting a system that had been used by Sher Shah Suri. A cultivated area where crops grew well was measured and taxed through fixed rates based on the area's crop and productivity. However, this placed hardship on the peasantry because tax rates were fixed on the basis of prices prevailing in the imperial court, which were often higher than those in the countryside.
Akbar was not tall but powerfully built and very agile. He was also noted for various acts of courage. One such incident occurred on his way back from Malwa to Agra when Akbar was 19 years of age. Akbar rode alone in advance of his escort and was confronted by a tigress who, along with her cubs, came out from the shrubbery across his path. When the tigress charged the emperor, he was alleged to have dispatched the animal with his sword in a solitary blow. His approaching attendants found the emperor standing quietly by the side of the dead animal.
At the time of Akbar's ascension in 1556, the Portuguese had established several fortresses and factories on the western coast of the subcontinent, and largely controlled navigation and sea-trade in that region. As a consequence of this colonialism, all other trading entities were subject to the terms and conditions of the Portuguese, and this was resented by the rulers and traders of the time including Bahadur Shah of Gujarat.
The Tuhfa-i-Akbari Shahi (Tarikh-i-Shershahi) of Abbas Khan Sarwani provides details of the life and works of Shershah. Abdul Qadir Badauni’s Muntakhab-ut-Tawarikh is not dedicated to Akbar as Badauni was very critical of the ‘innovations’ of Akbar.
It is written in three volumes. It deals in detail with various important matters mentioned in Akbar Nama of Abul Fazl. Abul Fazl’s Akbar Nama consists of three volumes; the third volume is the Aini Akbari. While the first two volumes cover the period of Akbar up to the close of his 46th year, the third volume ‘Ain-i Akbar’ gives an account of the various imperial departments and also of the revenue and administrative officials, revenue rates of measured land and revenue statistics of Subhas, Sarkars and Paraganas. Khwaja Nizamuddin Ahmad Harawi’s Tabaquat-i-Akbari was completed in the year 1593-94 and it was composed in nine parts from the advent of Islam up to AD 1593-94.