Akbar is widely considered the greatest Mughal emperor. He ruled for forty-nine years, turned a fragile conquest state into a genuine empire, and developed a way of governing that allowed a Muslim ruling family to rule a mostly Hindu population.
Military expansion: By 1600, the Mughal Empire stretched from Afghanistan and Kashmir in the north to the edge of the Deccan plateau in the south, and from Bengal in the east to Sindh in the west.
Rajput policy: Instead of treating the Hindu Rajput warrior clans as enemies, Akbar married Rajput princesses (including a princess of Amer) and appointed Rajput nobles as senior military commanders. This won him loyal Hindu allies at court.
Mansabdari system: A graded system of ranks (mansabs) for nobles and officials, both Hindu and Muslim, linking status and pay to service to the emperor.
Fatehpur Sikri (begun 1571): Akbar built a new capital at Fatehpur Sikri, near Agra, to honour the Sufi saint Salim Chishti, who had predicted the birth of his sons. The city was abandoned around 1585, probably because of water supply problems. Its buildings blend Hindu, Islamic, and Persian styles, a physical sign of Akbar's wish to bring his people together.
Din-i-Ilahi: In 1582 Akbar proclaimed a new faith drawing on Islam, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, and other traditions. Very few people joined (the traditional figure is about eighteen). Historians debate whether it was a genuine religious vision or a political device to raise the emperor above religious factions. Either way, it showed Akbar's wish to rise above religious conflict.
Ibadat Khana: Akbar's "House of Worship" at Fatehpur Sikri, where he invited Muslim scholars, Sufi mystics, Hindu scholars, Jain monks, Zoroastrian priests, and Jesuit missionaries to debate religion. It was highly unusual for a ruler of the time.
Todar Mal's revenue reform (zabt system): The finance minister Todar Mal reformed taxation by measuring agricultural land, recording crop yields, and setting tax rates according to what the land produced. This reduced arbitrary exploitation and made imperial revenue more reliable.