AKBAR (Ak'bar) [i. e., "the Great," his proper name being Jelal-el-din-Mo hammed], Mogul Emperor of India, the greatest Asiatic monarch of modern times. His father, Humayun, was de prived of the throne by usurpers, and had to retire for refuge into Persia; and it was on the way thither, in the town of Amarkot, that Akbar was born in 1542. Humayun recovered the throne of Delhi after an exile of 12 years; but died within a year. The young prince at first committed the administration to a regent-minister, Beiram; but, finding his authority degenerating into tyranny, he shook it off at the age of 18 and took the power into his own hands. In 10 or 12 years Akbar's empire embraced the whole of India N. of the Vindhya moun tains, but in southern India he was less successful. He promoted commerce by constructing roads, establishing a uni form system of weights and measures, and a vigorous police. He exercised
the utmost vigilance over his viceroys of provinces and other officers to see that no extortion was practiced and that justice was impartially admin istered to all classes of his subjects. For a born Mohammedan, the tolerance with which he treated other religions was wonderful. He was fond of in quiries as to religious beliefs; and Por tuguese missionaries from Goa were sent at his request to give him an account of the Christian faith. He even attempted to promulgate a new religion of his own. Literature received the greatest encour agement. Schools were established for the education both of Hindus and Mo hammedans; and numbers of Hindu works were translated from Sanskrit into Persian. Akbar died in 1605.