ESTABLISHES THE MOGUL EMPIRE IN INDIA

A.D. 1556

J. TALBOYS WHEELER

Between the years 1494 and 1526 Baber, great-grandson of
Timur (Tamerlane), the Tartar conqueror, made extensive
conquests in India. There he laid the first foundations of
the Mahometan Tartar empire of the Moguls, as his followers
are called. This empire reached its height under Akbar
(Jel-al-eddin Mahomet), who succeeded his father Humayun,
son of Baber, in 1556. Humayun did little toward uniting the
various territories which Baber had conquered.

Akbar was the contemporary of Queen Elizabeth of England,
and his reign is as important in the history of India as is
hers in the history of the western world. He ascended the
throne at the age of fourteen. At the time of his accession
he was in the Punjab warring against the revolted Afghans.
The commander of the Mogul armies was Bairam Khan, and when
Humayun died that general became Akbar's guardian.

Wheeler's account of this great ruler's achievements
presents throughout a most interesting portrayal of his
personality and character, and is especially remarkable for
its simplicity and its oriental atmosphere.

The reign of Akbar bears a strange resemblance to that of Asoka.[59]
Indeed, the likeness between Akbar and Asoka is one of the most
remarkable phenomena in history. They were separated from each other by
an interval of eighteen centuries; the main features of their respective
lives were practically the same. Asoka was putting down revolt in the
Punjab when his father died; so was Akbar. Asoka was occupied for years
in conquering and consolidating his empire; so was Akbar. Asoka
conquered India to the north of the Nerbudda; so did Akbar. Asoka was
tolerant of other religions; so was Akbar. Asoka went against the
priests; so did Akbar. Asoka taught a religion of his own; so did Akbar.
Asoka abstained from flesh meat; so did Akbar. In the end Asoka took
refuge in Buddha, the law, and the assembly. In the end Akbar recited
the formula of Islam: "There is but one God, and Mahomet is his
prophet."

Some of these coincidents are mere accidents. Others reveal a similarity
in the current of religious thought, a similarity in the stages of
religious development; consequently they add a new chapter to the
history of mankind.

The wars of Akbar are only interesting so far as they bring out types of
c