zoom_in Click to enlarge

Akbarnama

▲ ▼

description Akbarnama Overview

The Akbarnama is the official Persian-language chronicle of the Mughal emperor Akbar, composed by his court historian and adviser Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak. Its three-part account covers Akbar's ancestry, his reign and conquests, and the administration, society, and culture of his empire, with the final portion commonly known as the Ain-i-Akbari. Imperial copies were illustrated by teams of Mughal artists, whose detailed miniatures combine Persianate conventions with Indian and European visual influences.

help Akbarnama FAQ

Who wrote the Akbarnama, and why did Akbar commission it?

Akbar's court historian Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak wrote the chronicle in Persian. It presented the emperor's ancestry, reign, conquests, government, and worldview as an authoritative history of Mughal rule.

Is the Ain-i-Akbari part of the Akbarnama?

Yes. The Ain-i-Akbari forms the third major part and systematically describes Akbar's administration, court, military organization, revenues, geography, and aspects of Indian society.

Why are Akbarnama paintings attributed to more than one artist?

Akbar's imperial workshop used a collaborative process in which one artist might design a composition while others applied color or completed portraits. Illustrated folios can therefore preserve the work of several named Mughal painters.

Where can the illustrated Akbarnama manuscript be seen today?

A major group of illustrated folios is held by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Other leaves and related copies are dispersed among institutions and collections, so no single display necessarily represents the whole textual work.

swap_horiz

Looking for Akbarnama alternatives? Compare top competitors ranked & scored

arrow_forward