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How did Akbar’s government help the Mughal Empire survive after his death?
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Akbar
A painting titled Akbar Hunting from a folio of Akbarnama (“History of Akbar”), late 16th century; in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.
Akbar’s government ensured the survival of the Mughal Empire for over a century after his death by establishing robust political, military, and administrative structures that centralized authority and fostered internal stability.1
Key elements of his governance included:
- Centralized Bureaucracy: Akbar replaced the tendency of provincial governors to become hereditary rulers by instituting the mansabdar system. By appointing and promoting officers directly and frequently transferring their land assignments, he prevented them from building local power bases or private armies.23
- Inclusive Administration: He integrated diverse groups into the state, most notably Rajput princes, by offering them high-ranking military and civil positions. This policy of conciliation and the abolition of discriminatory taxes, such as the jizyah, helped secure the cooperation of his predominantly non-Muslim subjects.1
- Administrative Oversight: To prevent corruption, he placed civil administrators (diwan) alongside provincial governors to oversee revenue collection and report directly to the emperor. He also utilized a network of newswriters to monitor important events across the empire.2
These reforms transformed a loose military confederation into a cohesive, multiethnic bureaucratic state.3