Std: 7 Akbar Date: 25 th Jan ‘23

Analyze the personality of Akbar through the following sources of the period.

1] Zelaldinus is greatly devoted to hunting, though not equally so to hawking. As he

is of a somewhat morose disposition, he amuses himself with various games. These
games afford also a public spectacle to the nobility and the common people, who
indeed are very fond of such spectacles.

a] How does Father Monserrate describe Akbar, his physical traits, his hobbies and
his personality ?

1. Akbar greatly enjoyed hunting.

2. As he was sullen, he amused himself with a variety of games

3. He liked entertaining both the nobility and the common people with his games

4. He didn’t like hawking as much as he liked hunting

2] He is a great patron of learning, and always keeps around him erudite men, who
are directed to discuss before him philosophy, theology, and religion, and to recount
to him the history of great kings and glorious deeds of the past. He has an excellent
judgment and a good memory and has attained to a considerable knowledge of
many subjects by means of constant and patient listening to such discussions. 

b] Write five points on Akbar as a patron of learning.

1 – An illiterate who kept learned men around him.

2- Religiously tolerant as he kept men from different races to be around him.

3 – He had eidetic memory.

4 – He also took an interest in education and was a patron of art.

5  - He was forbearing as he listened to the learned men discuss the welfare and more

3} The King exacts enormous sums in tribute from the provinces of his empire, which
is wonderfully rich and fertile both for cultivation and pasture and has a great trade
both in exports and imports. He also derives much revenue from the hoarded
fortunes of the great nobles, which by law and custom all come to the King on their
owners' death. In addition, there are the spoils of conquered kings and chieftains,
whose treasure was seized, and the great levies exacted, and gifts received, from
the inhabitants of newly subdued districts in every part of his dominions. 

c] What were the sources of revenue during Akbar’s reign?

4] The following are the ways in which the guilty are punished. Those who have
committed a capital crime are either crushed by elephants, impaled, or hanged.
Seducers and adulterers are either strangled or gibbeted. The King has such a
hatred of debauchery and adultery that neither influence nor entreaties nor the great
ransom which was offered would induce him to pardon his chief trade
commissioner, who although he was already married had violently debauched a well-
born Brahman girl. The wretch was by the King's order remorselessly strangled.
Although Muhammad did not forbid unnatural crimes, yet Zelaldinus punished those
who are guilty of such crimes by savage scourging with leather thongs.

d] How was justice dispensed during Akbar’s reign?