The news of Humayun's fatal fall from the library roof reached Hemu which set the desire to overturn Mughals.  Hemu had a immense experience from about twenty two battles which he had fought for his master. Hemu finally managed to sit on the throne of Delhi, the same year (1556) but could not hold it for long in the decision battle of Panipat.  An unfortunate arrow pierced Hemu's eye and the bad luck put him unconscious and Hemu slumped in the howdah of his famous elephant Hawai.  In any battle, the death of the king meant the end of fight, and this event was mistaken by his soldiers who turned tail. Bairam Khan succeeded to hold the throne for Akbar who was still in his childhood.  Bairam Khan continued efficiently to run the state affairs, and enlarged the frontiers of his empire.

At the age of seventeen, Akbar felt ready to take charge of his empire.  At this time, Akbar's family tricked Akbar to send Bairam for pilgrimage to Mecca; Bairam was murdered on the way by an Afghan whose father had died in a battle against Bairam's force five years before.  For the next two years, Maham Anga enjoyed much power as desired by Akbar's family,  which was enjoyed by Bairam earlier.  When the conspiracy of Maham exposed, Akbar killed Maham by throwing from the roof outside, and Akbar became his own master. Akbar aged nineteen, started laying foundation of the policies of religious toleration.  He married many Rajput princesses, and all the Rajput princes recognized Akbar's sovereignty except for Rana Udai Singh.  In the year 1568, the fort of Chitor was captured and Akbar celebrated the fall of Chitor by making a piligrimage to the tomb of Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chisti at Ajmer where he was impressed by the singing of village minstrels praising Saint. Though blessed with more than three hundred wives, Akbar had no heir to succeed and started visiting holy men to enlist their prayers for his heir. It was this time, Shaikh Salim chisti living at Sikhri had told Akbar that he would have three sons.  The dreams fulfilled and Akbar was so impressed by the sequence of events that he built a new capital city at Sikri in honour of Shaikh Salim.  The building built at Fatepur Sikri is the only surviving ghost town in the world, and the the buildings are indigenous architectural piece of the world.

Birbal, a gadfly was Akbar's favourite courtier.  One of the noted musician of India, Tansen was the musician in Akbar's court. Abul Fazl wrote  historical Akbar Nama (Akbar's history) and Ain-i-akbari (Regulations of Akbar).  Akbar Nama is one of the biggest volume written about a person which consisted of every minute details of moment of Akbar's personal life.  Akbar's Dewan Raja Todar Mal was a expert guide.  In about 1575, Akbar instigated discussions with religious leaders of Hindu Brahmins, Jains, Zoroastrians, Muslim leader and Portuguese priests. In 1581, Akbar evolved a theory of Divine Kingship and announced a new religion known as Din-i-Ilahi (religion of Gods).  He stopped sending money to Mecca and Madina as the distribution of wealth to the poor.  He even rejected the muslim system of dating events from the Hegira era.

Despite of good education on command, defence and administration, the eldest son Salim was a tough character. As he grew up, he grew jealousy on Abul Fazl  who was the second most powerful of Akbar's empire. Abul Fazl was assassinated by Salim and get into the anger and unhappiness of Akbar. In 1605, Akbar reconciled with Salim because of the family effort.  Youngest son though favourite to Akbar, was alcoholic.  In 1605, Akbar died due to diarrhoea and internal bleeding.  Akbar did all he could do to get Jahangir up to mark, but he and Abul Fazl could not even dream Salim (Jahangir) achieving the great height!
 

THE COINAGE

Akbar reformed coinage system by introducing a new standard of 178 grains for silver rupee and 330 grains for copper Dams.  Half, quarter, eighth and sixteenth parts followed the division on copper Dams.  Though the unit name RUPEE and Dams were added subsequently, the credit for introduction of rupee goes to Sher Shah Suri.  Unlike the previous heads of Mughal, Akbar began with the remarkable coinage system.  His coinage reminds us of Muhammad bin Tughlaq, Tughlaq took coinage to impose decrees upon his subject, whereas Akbar used coins to propagate his new divine faith.  The "rupee" name occurs only once during Akbar's 47th year in Agra.  This rupee maintained its standard 178 grains, but the standard coins of Akbar was still Muhar.  Akbar issued heavy square coins too, and his Surat half rupee was much popular and soon turned out to be the principal currency issued mainly in Kabul.  Though copper was known Falus during Mughal rule, Dam appeared only once and it was in Akbar's coinage.

Between the 45th and 50th year,  Akbar issued Tankah of 644 grains in several denominations such as half, quarter,.....  His decimal issues such as one, two and four Tanki and ten Tanki pieces ran parallel to Tankahs with ten Tanki equated to one Tankah piece.

In the gold coins of Akbar, Kalima appears on the obverse and the reverse shows the legend "Jalal-ud-din Md Akbar, emperor, champion of the faith, the mighty Sultan, the illustrious emperor, may God most High perpetuate the kingdom and the sovereignity".   In 1577, the shape transformed into square form, but not the legend.  In 1579 AD, there began a new series of square coins carrying the legend - Allahu Akbar, Jalla jalalahu - God is Great - Eminent is His glory, which are dated in Akbar's new regnal era.  The round Ilahi coins of Akbar are the finest and Mughal coins and exhibits numismatic art.  British museum today owns Akbar's finest Muhars.  Specimen includes Ilahi Muhar shaped like a double Mihrab, Muhar engraved with a beautiful duck, and mintless - Sita Rama half muhar....
 

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