The History of Akbar

Akbarnama, or the history of Akbar, by Abu’l-Fazl (br>D 1602), is one of the most important works of Indo-Persian history and a touchstone of prose artistry. Marking a high point in a long, rich tradition of Persian historical writing, it served as a model for historians across the Persianate world. The work is at once a biography of the Mughal emperor Akbar (R. 1556–1605) that includes descriptions of his political and martial feats and cultural achievements, and a chronicle of sixteenth-century India. The sixth volume details the twenty-third to Twenty-Eighth years of Akbar reign, including accounts of the quelling of rebellions in Bihar, Bengal, and Kabul, and final victory in Gujarat. The Persian text, presented in the NASA script, is based on a careful reassessment of the primary sources.