New
New
Year 8

Governance and religious policy under Akbar

I can explain the importance of Akbar’s religious policies and the ways in which he governed the Mughal Empire.

New
New
Year 8

Governance and religious policy under Akbar

I can explain the importance of Akbar’s religious policies and the ways in which he governed the Mughal Empire.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Akbar was a Muslim but generally followed a policy of religious tolerance for non-Muslims.
  2. Akbar believed that religious intolerance would make the empire harder to govern.
  3. A new taxation system, the dahsala, was introduced during Akbar's reign.
  4. The dahsala was designed to help serve the interests of both the Mughal government and ordinary people.

Keywords

  • Tolerance - tolerance involves allowing people to do or believe what they want although your beliefs are different or you do not agree with them

  • Abolished - if something is abolished, it is officially ended

  • Chronicle - a chronicle is a written record of things that happened in the past

  • Revenue - revenue is the amount of money coming in, for example, into a government through tax or into a company

Common misconception

Akbar's religious tolerance was absolute throughout his reign.

Akbar made some exceptions to his general policy of religious tolerance, such as when he declared a jihad against the Hindu Kingdom of Mewar.

Ask pupils to discuss whether the territorial expansion achieved by Akbar was likely to have taken place without his religious and tax policies. Pupils should justify their answers. Prompt consideration of the connections between tax and the military or between internal stability and expansion.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
After the Second Battle of the Mughals gained 120 war elephants.
Correct Answer: Panipat
Q2.
The Mughals' capture of the Sultanate of Gujurat was important because it contained many...
enslaved people
Correct answer: ports
gold mines
soldiers
Q3.
During the 1570s, why did soldiers from Bengal often change sides to fight with the Mughals?
they had converted to Islam
Correct answer: in order to receive higher pay
the Mughals had captured many of their families
they were unhappy with their treatment by the Sultan of Bengal
Q4.
In 1567 Emperor Akbar declared that the war against __________ was a jihad.
Correct answer: Mewar
Bengal
Amber
Q5.
Why was it somewhat surprising that Akbar married the king of Amber's daughter?
The king of Amber's daughter was still a child.
Correct answer: Akbar was already married.
The king of Amber's daughter was already married.
They were from different religions.
Q6.
In the kingdom of Amber, Akbar granted freedom of religious worship to...
Correct Answer: Hindus

6 Questions

Q1.
Which group of people paid the jizya tax before Akbar abolished it in the Mughal Empire?
Enslaved people
Muslims
Correct answer: Non-Muslims
Soldiers
Farmers
Q2.
What events did Akbar host at the Ibadat Khana?
Correct answer: Religious debates.
Lavish banquets.
Extravagant parties.
Cultural festivals.
Q3.
Akbar had a chronicle of his reign produced in the 1590s, known as the...
Correct Answer: Akbarnama, akbarnama
Q4.
Why was there a risk that religious intolerance could lead to serious rebellion in the Mughal Empire?
Correct answer: Most of the population was non-Muslim
Correct answer: Non-Muslims might rebel against the Mughals if treated poorly.
Most of the Mughal army was non-Muslim.
Almost all of the richest people were non-Muslim.
Q5.
When Akbar became emperor the taxation systems of the Mughal Empire were...
organised
punitive
Correct answer: chaotic
undeveloped
Q6.
In 1580 Emperor Akbar introduced a new tax system called the...
Correct Answer: dahsala, Dahsala

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