[V 004 / Akbar] (1542-1605) was considered to be the real founder of the [G 15 / Mogul] Empire. At the age of 14 and with no formal education, he succeeded Humayun to the throne and went on to carve out a massive kingdom in northern India. It was Akbar who put the empire's infrastructure in place, including taxation and communication systems. Despite his intellectual and military prowess, Akbar never fully learned to read or write.
Akbar, who was a Moslem, was well-loved by his subjects, Hindus included. In addition to religious harmony, he encouraged racial tolerance. He appointed Hindus to his court and abolished laws which discriminated against them. An ill-fated venture was his attempt to introduce a religion, which he called the Din Ilahi, which blurred the boundaries between Hindu and Moslem.
Akbar's courage has assumed mythical proportions in Mogul history. One legend tells of his felling an assassin with a single punch early in his reign. Another says he would sit on the back of fighting animals - raging elephants included - for the best view of the fight.
Akbar had an enormous influence on Shah Jahan. It was he who renamed the boy Khurram (meaning joyous) and assumed responsibility for his upbringing, including taking him on military expeditions.
