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support from the most powerful section of North- the emperor. The Mansabdars came from a
India. Akbar’s Rajput Policy was based on mixed group of Irani, Turani, Mughals, Afghans
marriage alliances with the Rajputs. Akbar and Rajputs. The Mughal Mansabdars were paid
entered into marriage alliance with the rulers of very well. Mughal Mansabdars were one of the
Amber or Jaipur and Jodhpur. He cemented the highest paid in the World Some of them a salary
bond further by giving complete religious free- up to Rs. 30,000 per month.
dom to his Hindu wives and an honoured place Akbar’s Religious Policy
to their relatives in the nobility. He also cele- Akbar established harmony in his empire by
brated Hindu festival like Diwali and Basant following the policy of religious tolerance. He
Panchami. Raja Bhagwan Das and Raja Man abolished the tax Jizyah which the Non-Muslim
Singh of Amber or Jaipur were given high ranks had to pay. He also abolished the pilgrim tax on
in his court. This alliance with the Rajputs got for bathing at holy places. He stopped the practice
the Mughal empire, the loyal services of the of forcible conversion of prisoners of war to
bravest warriors in India. The Rajputs served the Islam. His Hindu wives were allowed to have
Mughal empire loyally and helped in the consoli- complete religious freedom. Akbar got Gita,
dation and expansion to the empire. Akbar Ramayana and Bible translated into Persian. This
allowed the rulers to rule over their kingdoms shows his acceptance of the other religious belief
called watan or Jagir and in return the Rajput and ideas. Akbar celebrated festivals like
rulers helped the Mughals by commanding their Deepawali and Basant Panchami. Thus, from the
army or by supplying contingents during wars. very beginning, he tried to promote equal rights
Mansabdari System for all citizens, irrespective of their religious
With the help of the Mansabdari system, Akbar beliefs. According to Akbar’s biographer Abul
organised his nobility and gave them military Fazl, Akbar believed in the principle of Sulh-i-Kul
responsibilities. Every Mansabdar held a Mansab or peace to all. He believed that a true ruler is
meaning a position or rank called Zat. The like a father towards his subjects. It is the duty of
mansabs were divide into Zat and Sawar. Zat the ruler to maintain peace and harmony in
meant the personal salary and sawar meant the society by being impartial and just to all without
number of horsemen, he had to maintain. Apart any distinction of creed or sect. The principles of
from his own salary, the Mansabdars also had religious toleration set up by Akbar was also
the responsibilities to maintain a specified num- followed by his successor, Jahangir and Shah
ber of Sawars or Horsemen. The Mansabdars got Jahan.
their salaries in the form of Jagirs or landed In the new city, that Akbar built at Fatehput Sikri
estates whose revenue was given to them as their near Agra, he built a hall called Ibadat Khana or
salary. However, they did not reside in or admin- the hall of prayer. Here, he welcomed scholars of
ister their jagir. The revenue was collected by the all religions – Hindu priests, Jain monks,
servants. Buddhists and Christian missionaries, for reli-
The Mansabdars were taken from a diverse gious discussions. Akbar tried to combine the
group. They were rightly described as a bouquet good points of all religions into a single faith
of flowers or guldasta held together by loyalty to called Din-i-Ilahi.
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