Akbar was illiterate but the struggles had filled him with the best qualities of politics. He was the first successful conqueror who destroyed the independence of the Rajputs and made them useful tributaries of the Mughal Empire. He chained the people, but put gold on them, which they got used to. He used the power in such a way that the pride of the Rajputs also remained with disreputable love and hate.
Factors Inspiring Rajput Policy: Grand Alliance of Interests
Mughal interests
1.Search for an alternative source of power: Akbar did not trust the Mughal, Turk, Afghan and Chagatai nobles and mirzas, because they often rebelled and tried to usurp the throne. In such a situation, Akbar needed such new nobles, who were not rivals of Akbar, whose loyalty was unshakable and with whose help Akbar could control the treacherous and rebellious Muslim nobles.
2.Gratitude towards Rajputs and Humayun's suggestion: Akbar was born under the patronage of a Rajput king and in his palace while Akbar's own uncle left no stone unturned to take Akbar's life. Humayun also gave the advice of the Sultan of Persia to Akbar to raise the Rajputs against the Afghans.
3.Access to a wide military market: Akbar needed a large army to fulfill his objectives. He could get qualified and skilled soldiers in India only from Rajputana.
4.Geographical and commercial importance of Rajputana: Rajputana was located very close to Delhi and Agra. That's why Rajputs could prove to be dangerous for the Mughal Empire and its capital at any time. Also, access to Gujarat was necessary for maritime trade, whose route passed through Rajputana.
5.The feeling of Sulah-i-Kul: Some historians believe that Akbar was inspired by the feeling of Sulah-i-Kul due to the influence of the Sufi and Bhakti movement and the liberal atmosphere of that time. That's why he had decided to make Rajputs his friends because of the policy of reconciliation.
Rajput interest –
(1.) Hope of protection and respect: The era of Rajput friendship with Akbar was started after Raja Bharmal married his daughter to Akbar. Bharmal got rid of small and big enemies and his kingdom became safe. His son and grandson got high positions in the Mughal army. Other Rajputs also thought it right to follow this step of Bharmal.
(2.)Watan Jagir: Akbar included all the conquered Muslim states in his empire but did not add even a single big Rajput state to the Mughal Empire. Rather, his state was returned to him in the form of Watan Jagir, as well as to the Rajput rulers who accepted subordination, Akbar also gave Jagir at other places.
(3.) No interference with internal freedom: Akbar made the Rajputs believe that Akbar only wanted all the Rajput states to accept his subordination and cooperate in building the Mughal Empire. Akbar did not interfere in any way in the internal governance of those Rajput states. He established control only over the foreign policy of those states.
(4.)Enemies of life and friends of honor: Akbar took special care of the honor of Rajputs, as well as the Rajputs had full opportunity to display their strategic and administrative talent in the Mughal Empire, so that they could use their arms.
(5.)Emphasis on the pride of the clan instead of religion: Rajput rulers had so much sense of pride of the clan that it was not possible to establish mutual brotherhood among them. They always used to fight with their neighboring states on one or the other issue. In such a situation, instead of being defeated by the co-religionists Rajput ruler or accepting his subordination, he preferred to be a helper of the non-religionists power.
Functional form of Rajput policy
1.Paying a fixed amount of Kharaz
2.Foreign policy being subordinate to the emperor
3.Providing military resources
4.Consider yourself an integral part of the empire
5.Approval of the succession by the Emperor
Elements of Continuity and Change
The participation of Hindus in the administration and the marriage relationship was not the personal gift of Akbar. Even during the period of the Lodis, Hindus were given important positions. Alauddin had married Jhatyapali, the daughter of the ruler of Devagiri, as well as mention of marital relations between Vijayanagara and Bahmani. But the concept of watan jagir and a different form of internal freedom was given by Akbar.
Growth of maturity in Rajput policy
Phase I (1556-1572): Confidence-building measures - Rajputs as loyal friends
- Humayun's advice to nurture the Rajputs
- 1557 Bharmal's contingent stood on when the elephant went mad
- 1562 Akbar's marriage to Harkha Bai, daughter of Bharmal
- 1562 prohibition of making slaves
- 1563 pilgrimage tax abolished
- 1564 Jizya tax abolished
- With Akbar, the son of Raja Bharmal in the Uzbek rebellion
- 1569 Birth of Salim from Kachwaha girl
- Daniel's upbringing in Amber
- 1572 capital under the Bharmal during Gujarat campaign
Phase II (1572-1578): Rajput as side sword
- Man singh was sent to chase Sher Khan Fuladi and he was praised
- Man singh was on the front during the rebellion of Ibrahim Hussain
- Bhagwan Singh was always beside Akbar during the war
- Bhagwan Singh's son Bhupat Rai martyred in the war, Akbar considered it a personal lost and sent Bhagwan Das's sister to Amber to mourn
Phase III (from 1578): As a sharer in the empire
- Kashmir campaign was led by Bhagwan Singh and Mansingh
- Akbar freed himself from the clutches of orthodox mullahs
- Rajputs got share in the state
- Rajputs preferred over Turani nobles
- Rajputs were used against step brother Mirza Hakim
- Jagat Gosain marriage to Salim
- Four Rajput subedars were appointed in Kabul, Lahore, Agra, Ajmer of strategic importance.
Features of Rajput Policy
1.Internal Independence and External Dependence: Home Policy and Foreign Policy
2.Policy of Affection and Punishment: Different types of Rajputs behave differently
3.Identification of the real field of struggle: Mujahideen Iqbal in place of Mujahideen Islam
4.Marital relationship
5.Mutual Interest
6.Composite ruling class
Results of Rajput Policy
1. Mughals got the services of brave warriors
2. Rajputs got all India identity
3. Watan Jagir
4. Foreign image of Mughals weakened
5. Religious Freedom
6. Development of composite culture
7. Quote that two brains work better than one brain
Limitations of Rajput policy: Lack of stability
1.Base on extreme selfishness hence disintegrated
2.Controversy and rebellion on the question of succession
3.Akbar encouraged division among the Rajputs
4.Opponent Rajputs were crushed... not treating them with generosity
5.Reactionary Phase of Sufi Movement – Impact of Naqshbandi Silsila
Conclusion
However, his victory was not tarnished by any sacrilege or religious persecution, and he did nothing to hurt the sentiments of his Rajput enemies. Since the Rajputs were placed at equality with the Muslims in terms of status, he easily gained the allegiance of the Rajputs and they shed their lives in the remotest and most dangerous places in the service of the empire.
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