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Medieval_13. Taj Mahal

[Asia_India]

3. Interesting Story about a Historic Figure

The Great Mughal Emperor, Akbar

When Akbar became the emperor at a young age, there was a minister named Bairam Khan who helped the Mughal Empire grow. But Bairam Khan became too powerful, and he became a threat to the young emperor. When Akbar turned 18, he decided it was time to take back his power and dismissed Bairam Khan.


Akbar wanted to make the Mughal Empire bigger, so he fought wars and made alliances with other kingdoms. He married some princesses from different regions, and this helped him expand his empire. The Mughal Empire had a strong army that was skilled in horse riding and archery.


Akbar did something very important for the people of India. He said, "Hindus and Muslims should be treated the same and Hindus do not need to pay more taxes than Muslims." This meant that people from both religions were treated equally and did not have to pay extra taxes because of their religion. Akbar was also interested in different religions and had discussions with people who followed Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. He hired talented people as officials, even if they were not Muslims. This created a unique and diverse culture in the Mughal Empire.


Because of Akbar's efforts, the Mughal Empire became very strong and flourished for 150 years. Many great emperors like Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb followed in his footsteps.