Akbar (1542–1605) — Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar, “Akbar the Great” — was the third Mughal emperor, reigning from 1556 to 1605, who expanded a fragile foothold into an empire covering most of the Indian subcontinent, governing some 100 million people through religious tolerance and administrative genius.
He abolished the jizya tax on non-Muslims, married Rajput Hindu princesses, appointed Hindus to the highest offices, and held interfaith debates at his court. His empire’s wealth, order and pluralism made Mughal India one of the world’s richest states — and his model the standard every later Indian ruler would be judged against.
