The History of Akbar

The exemplar of Indo-Persian history, at once a biography of Emperor Akbar and a chronicle of sixteenth-century Mughal India. Akbarnāma, or The History of Akbar, by Abu'l-Fazl (d. 1602), is one of the most important works of Indo-Persian history and a touchstone of prose artistry. Marking a high point in a long, rich tradition of Persian historical writing, it served as a model for historians across the Persianate world. The work is at once a biography of the Mughal emperor Akbar (r. 1556-1605) that includes descriptions of his political and martial feats and cultural achievements, and a chronicle of sixteenth-century India. The fourth volume narrates the second eight years of Akbar's reign, including an account of his visit to Ajmer, the arrival of an embassy from the Safavid court, and the beginning of the author's brother Faizi's career as court poet. The Persian text, presented in the Naskh script, is based on a careful reassessment of the primary sources.