Akbar - Jalāl al-Dīn Muammad Akbar

The third emperor of the Mughal Empire in India (reigned 1556-1605). He established the foundations of the empire. He was born during the exile of his father Humayun, who was driven out of India by Sher Shah of the Sur Dynasty. When his father died suddenly one year after recapturing Delhi, he ascended to the throne at the age of 13, and in the same year, with the help of regent Bairam, he repelled the Sur army at Panipat. In 1560, he overthrew Bairam and established his own rule. By combining appeasement and military force, he subjugated most of the Rajputs, bringing Afghanistan south of the Hindu Kush Mountains and all of northern India under his control, dividing it into 12 states, and in his later years, he added three Deccan states, including Berar. In order to achieve the results of centralization, he established administrative divisions of states, prefectures, and districts (= tax districts) and established a tax collection system. In particular, in the central part of the empire, he set a land tax of one-third of the yield (converted into currency) per unit area of ​​each crop based on the average yield and average price over the past 10 years for each tax district, and required them to pay it in cash according to the actual area of ​​land cultivated each year. He also divided the military officials into ranks, determined the number of cavalry to be kept on standby and the size of the jagirs (salary land) accordingly, and implemented a strict horse registration system and transfer of jagirs every few years. He implemented these centralizing policies by using Persians, Indian Muslims, and Indian Hindus to suppress the veteran military officers (mainly from Central Asia). His religious policies also changed according to the political situation, but he eventually adopted a policy of religious tolerance, such as abolishing the jizya (poll tax imposed on non-Muslims), and encouraged peaceful coexistence of various religions and sects. The Deen Ilahi (Religion of God) that he is said to have founded was not so much a religion as it was an attempt to increase the loyalty of subjects to their sovereign, just as a disciple would to his guru. During his time, Portuguese books and other works were translated into Persian, history books were written by Abul Fazl and others, many excellent buildings were constructed in the new capital of Fatehpur Sikri, combining the Islamic and Hindu styles, and the distinctive Mughal miniature painting technique was created.

[Hiroshi Nagashima]

``Akbar the Great'' by Yasuaki Ishida (1972, Shimizu Shoin)''

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

インドのムガル帝国第3代の皇帝（在位1556～1605）。帝国の基礎の確立者。父フマーユーンがスール朝のシェール・シャーにインドを追われ、亡命の途次に生まれた。父がデリー奪回後1年で急死すると13歳余で即位し、同年、摂政(せっしょう)のバイラームの助けを受けてスール朝軍をパーニーパットで撃退した。1560年バイラームを失脚させて親政を実現。懐柔策と武力を併用してラージプート人のほとんどを服属させるなど、ヒンドゥー・クシ山脈以南のアフガニスタンおよび全北インドを支配下に置き、これを12州に分け、晩年にはベラールなどデカンの3州も加えた。彼は中央集権の実をあげるため、州―県―郡（＝徴税区）の行政区分を敷き、徴税制度を整備した。とくに帝国中央部では、各徴税区ごとに、過去10年間の平均収量や平均価格をもとにした作物ごとの単位面積当り収量（貨幣換算したもの）の3分の1を地租額として確定し、年々の作付面積（実測）に応じて現金納させた。また、官僚（軍人）を等級に分け、それに応じて常備すべき騎兵数とジャーギール（給与地）の大きさを定め、厳格な軍馬登録制とジャーギールの数年ごとの転封を実施した。彼はこれらの中央集権化政策を、ペルシア人、インド人イスラム教徒、同ヒンドゥー教徒らを用いて、古参の軍人たち（おもに中央アジア出身）を抑えつつ実施していった。彼の宗教政策も政治情勢に応じて変遷したが、最終的にはジズヤ（非イスラム教徒に課する人頭税）を廃止するなど宗教的寛容政策をとり、各宗教、宗派の平和共存を奨励した。彼が創始したとされるディーン・イラーヒー（神の宗教）は、宗教というよりは臣下の君主に対する忠誠心を、弟子の導師に対するそれのように高めることをねらったものであった。彼の時代にはポルトガル語書物などのペルシア語への翻訳、アブル・ファズルらによる歴史書の記述、新都ファテプル・シークリーなどにおけるイスラム様式にヒンドゥー様式を加味した多くの優れた建築物の造営、特色あるムガル細密画（ミニアチュール）法の創出もなされた。

［長島　弘］

『石田保昭著『アクバル大帝』（1972・清水書院）』

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