UPSC GS Paper I: Medieval History, Mughal Empire, Akbar's Policies, Din-i-Ilahi, Mansabdari

Must?Know

• Akbar ruled from 1556 to 1605; his reign marked the zenith of Mughal administrative and military expansion.
• The Second Battle of Panipat (1556) was fought between Akbar and Hemu; victory secured Mughal control over North India.
• Akbar abolished the jizya tax on non-Muslims in 1564, promoting religious tolerance and integrating Hindu elites.
• The Ibadat Khana at Fatehpur Sikri (established 1575) hosted religious debates among scholars of Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, Jainism, and Zoroastrianism.
• Din-i-Ilahi was founded in 1582 as a syncretic spiritual order, not a formal religion, emphasizing loyalty to the emperor and moral virtues.
• Only 18–20 individuals, including Birbal and Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khana, were ever initiated into Din-i-Ilahi; it had no scriptures or rituals.
• Akbar introduced the Mansabdari system, a centralized grading structure for military and civil officers based on rank (mansab) denoted by zat and sawar.
• Zat determined personal status and salary, while sawar indicated the number of cavalrymen a mansabdar was required to maintain.
• Mansabdars were paid through jagirs (revenue assignments), not cash salaries, and were frequently transferred to prevent local entrenchment.
• The Dahsala system (1580), developed by Raja Todar Mal, fixed land revenue based on average crop yields and prices over ten years.
• Ain-i-Akbari and Akbarnama, authored by Abu’l Fazl, are primary sources detailing Akbar’s administration, court, and policies.
• Akbar married Rajput princess Jodha Bai (Harka Bai) of Amber in 1562, initiating a policy of matrimonial alliances with Rajput clans.
• The Rajput policy included granting high mansabs to Rajput rulers like Raja Man Singh and Raja Bhagwan Das, integrating them into the Mughal elite.
• Akbar declared himself the final authority in religious matters with the Mahzar (1579), a decree signed by leading ulemas to curtail clerical influence.
• The revenue system under Todar Mal became the precursor to the Permanent Settlement introduced by the British in Bengal.
• Fatehpur Sikri was founded in 1571 to honor Sufi saint Salim Chishti; abandoned by 1585 due to water scarcity and strategic concerns.
• Akbar’s policy of Sulh-i-Kul (Universal Peace) emphasized tolerance, justice, and state neutrality in religious matters.
• The Mughal army was a mix of cavalry, infantry, and artillery; mansabdars were required to maintain a specified number of horses and elephants.
• In the Mansabdari system, ranks ranged from 10 to 10,000 for nobles, with princes sometimes holding 20,000 or more.
• Failure to maintain the required number of troops (huliya and dagh checks) led to reduction in rank or salary deductions.
• Akbar’s expansion included conquest of Gujarat (1572), Bengal (1576), Kashmir (1586), and parts of Deccan (Ahmadnagar, 1600).
• The Ain-i-Akbari records detailed statistics on revenue, army, and administration, including the classification of land into polaj, parauti, chachar, and banjar.
• Akbar’s court had the Navaratnas, including Tansen (music), Birbal (justice), and Faizi (poetry), symbolizing cultural integration.
• The use of Persian as the court language was institutionalized under Akbar, aiding administrative unity across diverse regions.

Difficulty Level

Intermediate – Akbar’s policies are frequently tested but require nuanced understanding of administrative systems and religious initiatives, often in context-based questions.

Common UPSC Traps

Trap: Din-i-Ilahi was a formal religion with mass following – Fact: Din-i-Ilahi was a spiritual order with no public worship, scriptures, or widespread adoption; limited to a few courtiers (per Ain-i-Akbari).
Trap: Mansabdari system was hereditary – Fact: Mansabs were not hereditary; each appointment was made personally by the emperor and lapsed upon death.
Trap: Akbar abolished jizya for political weakness – Fact: Abolition of jizya (1564) was a deliberate policy of inclusion, reversed by Aurangzeb in 1679.
Trap: Todar Mal’s revenue system was called the Zabti system only in Akbar’s time – Fact: The system is also referred to as the Dahsala or Bandobast system; Zabti refers to revenue assessment by measurement.

Practice MCQs

Question: Which of the following statements about the Mansabdari system under Akbar is correct?
A) Mansabdars received cash salaries directly from the imperial treasury.
B) The sawar rank indicated the personal status and salary of the officer.
C) Mansabdars were required to maintain cavalry and were paid through jagirs.
D) The system allowed hereditary succession of ranks.
Answer: C
Explanation: Mansabdars were paid via jagirs and had to maintain a specified number of cavalry; the system was non-hereditary.
Why others fail: D is tempting due to later Mughal practices, but heredity was not institutionalized under Akbar.

Question: The Dahsala revenue system was introduced by Akbar based on the recommendations of:
A) Faizi
B) Raja Todar Mal
C) Abu’l Fazl
D) Mirza Aziz Koka
Answer: B
Explanation: Raja Todar Mal, as Diwan-i-Kul, implemented the Dahsala system in 1580 for systematic land revenue assessment.
Why others fail: A and C were literary figures; though close to Akbar, they were not involved in revenue reforms.

Question: Din-i-Ilahi, founded by Akbar in 1582, was primarily characterized by:
A) A new religion with a formal clergy and places of worship
B) A syncretic order promoting loyalty to the emperor and moral values
C) A revival of Zoroastrian fire-worship practices
D) A movement to convert Hindus and Muslims to a single faith
Answer: B
Explanation: Din-i-Ilahi was a spiritual order emphasizing ethical conduct and allegiance to Akbar, not mass conversion or institutional religion.
Why others fail: A is incorrect as it had no clergy or temples; often confused due to its name suggesting a formal religion.

Question: Which of the following was a key feature of Akbar’s religious policy?
A) Enforcement of Sharia as the sole legal code
B) Reimposition of jizya on non-Muslims
C) Establishment of Sulh-i-Kul as state policy
D) Ban on interfaith dialogues in court
Answer: C
Explanation: Sulh-i-Kul (universal peace) was central to Akbar’s governance, promoting tolerance across religious communities.
Why others fail: A and B contradict Akbar’s inclusive policies; D is false as Akbar encouraged interfaith debates in Ibadat Khana.

Question: The Mahzar, issued in 1579, was significant because it:
A) Declared Persian as the official language of the empire
B) Gave Akbar the authority to interpret Islamic law
C) Abolished the Mansabdari system
D) Recognized the supremacy of the ulema in judicial matters
Answer: B
Explanation: The Mahzar empowered Akbar to act as the final arbiter in religious matters, reducing clerical dominance.
Why others fail: A was administrative, not religious; D is the opposite of Mahzar’s intent.

Last?Minute Revision

• 1556: Akbar’s accession after Humayun’s death; Bairam Khan as regent.
• 1562: Akbar ended pilgrimage tax on Hindus.
• 1564: Jizya abolished.
• 1572: Conquest of Gujarat.
• 1575: Ibadat Khana established at Fatehpur Sikri.
• 1579: Mahzar issued.
• 1580: Dahsala system implemented.
• 1582: Din-i-Ilahi founded.
• 1586: Annexation of Kashmir.
• 1600: Capture of Ahmadnagar in Deccan.
• Ain-i-Akbari: Part of Akbarnama; detailed administrative record.
• Abu’l Fazl: Author of Akbarnama and Ain-i-Akbari; court historian.
• Raja Todar Mal: Finance minister; architect of land revenue reforms.
• Zat: Personal rank of mansabdar determining salary and status.
• Sawar: Cavalry rank indicating number of troops maintained.
• Jagir: Revenue assignment given to mansabdars in lieu of salary.
• Din-i-Ilahi had no scripture, no rituals, no mass following.
• Mansabdari ranks were not hereditary.
• Sulh-i-Kul: Foundation of Akbar’s policy of religious tolerance.
• Fatehpur Sikri: Capital from 1571–1585; abandoned due to water shortage.
• Navaratnas: Nine luminaries in Akbar’s court, including Tansen and Birbal.
• Polaj: Annually cultivated land under Dahsala system.
• Chachar: Land left fallow for 3–4 years.
• Banjar: Uncultivated land for more than 4 years.
• Verify from standard source: Exact number of Din-i-Ilahi adherents.