would have broken out afresh. His successors would have inherited the
same wars, the same revolts, and the same mutinies; unless they had
inherited his capacity, they would have died out in anarchy and in
revolution.

Akbar had never been educated. He had never learned to write, nor even
to read. He had not gone with his father to Persia, where he might have
been schooled in Mussulman learning. He had spent a joyless boyhood with
a cruel uncle in Kabul; he had been schooled in nothing but war. But he
had listened to histories, and pondered over histories, until grand
ideas began to seethe in his brain.

The problem before him was the resuscitation of the empire, or rather
the creation of a new empire out of the existing chaos. Fresh blood was
wanted to infuse life and strength into the body politic; to enable the
Mogul Shiahs to subdue the Afghan Sunnis. Akbar saw with the eye of
genius that the necessary force was latent in the Rajputs. Henceforth he
devoted all the energies of his nature to bring that force into healthy
play.

In 1575 Akbar was about thirty-four years of age. Twenty years had
passed away since the boy had been installed as padishah. He had not as
yet conquered Kabul in the northwest, nor Bengal in the southeast; he
had not made any sensible advance into the Deccan. But he had gained a
succession of victories. He had restored order in the Punjab and
Hindustan. He had subdued Malwa, Guzerat, and Rajputana. Many Rajputs
were still in arms against him; he had nothing to fear from them. He had
fixed his capital at Agra; his favorite residence, however, was at
Fathipur Sikri, about twelve miles from Agra.

It is easy to individualize Akbar. He was haughty, like all the Moguls;
he was outwardly clement and affable. He was tall and handsome; broad in
the chest and long in the arms. His complexion was ruddy, a nut-brown.
He had a good appetite and a good digestion. His strength was
prodigious. His courage was very remarkable. While yet a boy he
displayed prodigies of valor in the battle against Hemu. He would spring
on the backs of elephants who had killed their keepers; he would compel
them to do his bidding. He kept a herd of dromedaries; he gained his
victories by the rapidity of his marches. He was an admirable marksman.
He had a favorite gun which had brought him thousands of game. With that
same gun he shot Jeimal the Rajput at the siege of Chitor.

Akbar, like his father and grandfather, professed