Akbar, And The Rise Of The Mughal Empire.

The book contains biography, the conquest and administration of one of the prominent Indian emperors like Akbar of the Mughal dynasty.

Babar was the founder of the Mughal dynasty in India, he transmitted to his successor only the idea of the mere conqueror. Certainly Humayun inherited only that idea, and associating it with no other, lost what his father had won. It is true that he ultimately regained, a portion of it, but still as a mere conqueror. It was the grandson who struck into the soil the roots which took a firm hold of it, sprung up, and bore rich and abundant fruit in the happiness and contentment of the conquered races.

The first aim of Akbar was to bring all India under one sceptre and to accomplish this task in a great measure by enlisting in its favour the several races which he desired to bring within the fold. Not only was he methodical, but there ran through his method a most earnest desire to think and of what was right in itself and conducive to the great aim of his life, the building of an edifice which, rooted in the peoples, hearts, would be independent of the personality of the ruler.

Akbar's great idea was the union of all India under one head. A union of beliefs he recognised at a very early stage as impossible. The union therefore must be a union of interests. To accomplish such a union it was necessary, first, to conquer; secondly, to respect all consciences and all methods of worshipping the Almighty.

The book `Akbar and the Rise of the Mughal Empire` was originally written by Colonel G.B. Malleson, C.S.I. and subsequently edited by William Wilson Hunter under the title of Rulers of India (Akbar).