imperial scheme the Deccan
provinces south of the Vindhyan range, followed the next year, and
continued for eight years later. On the whole it was successful. The
strong places, Daulatabad, Kherwa, Nasik, Asirgarh, and Ahmadnagar,
opened their gates, after long sieges, to the imperial arms. And,
although the territories dependent upon Ahmadnagar were not entirely
subdued till 1637, the position acquired by Akbar gave him a
preponderance which the Mughals retained for at least a century.

The campaign in Southern India was remarkable for three facts. The
first was the dissensions of the generals sent from different parts
of India to co-operate independently in the conquest, dissensions
which necessitated, first, the despatch thither from Agra of the
Emperor's confidant, Abulfazl, and afterwards, the journey thither of
Akbar himself; secondly, the death, from excessive drinking, of the
Emperor's son, Prince Murad, at Jalna; thirdly, the murder of
Abulfazl, on his return to Agra, at the instigation of Prince Salim,
the eldest surviving son of Akbar and his heir apparent.

Akbar had held his court for fourteen years at Lahore when, in 1598,
the necessities of the position in Southern India forced him to march
thither. He had compelled the surrender of Ahmadnagar and Asirgarh,
when, nominating Prince Danyal to be governor in Khandesh and Berar,
and Abulfazl to complete the conquest of the territories dependent
{137} upon Ahmadnagar, he marched in the spring of 1601 towards Agra.

The circumstances which required the presence of Akbar at Agra were
of a very painful character. Prince Salim had from his earliest youth
caused him the greatest anxiety. Nor had the anxiety been lessened as
the boy approached manhood. Salim, better known to posterity as the
Emperor Jahangir, was naturally cruel, and he appeared incapable of
placing the smallest restraint on his passions. He hated Abulfazl,
really because he was jealous of his influence with his father;
avowedly because he regarded him as the leading spirit who had caused
Akbar to diverge from the narrow doctrines of the bigoted
Muhammadans. Akbar had hoped for a moment that the despatch of
Abulfazl to Southern India would appease the resentment of his son,
and when he decided to proceed thither himself he had nominated Salim
as his successor, and had confided to him, with the title of Viceroy
of Ajmere, the task of finishing the war with the Rana of Mewar,
which had broken out