The Akbarnamah is a chronicle of the life and reign of Emperor Akbar (1542-1605), written in Persian by Abul-Fazl ibn Mubarak in two volumes. Abul-Fazl was mir munshi (‘chief secretary’) of the Mughal Empire under Akbar and one of the emperor’s closest confidantes. This copy, likely dating from the early 17th century, was made during Emperor Akbar’s lifetime or shortly after his death.

Akbar was particularly attracted to Abul-Fazl’s belief in the ‘universal truth’ of all religions and in religious integration through his ideology of sulh-i kul (‘peace with all’). In the Akbarnamah, Abul-Fazl aimed to present Akbar as the central pivot of the Mughal Empire. This imperial ideology was based on the pre-Islamic Iranian model of divinely sanctioned kingship and the concept of insan-i kamil (‘perfect man’): the ideal human being who has realised their essential oneness with the Divine and embodies the complete manifestation of divine attributes. Abul-Fazl placed Akbar above the religious authorities of the Mughal Empire, with Muslims and non-Muslims united in their loyalty to him. The British later attempted to emulate this ideology in India.

The Akbarnamah, written in an ornate and highly mannered Persian prose, became an essential component of Persian language education in India, on account of its form as much as its content.

This volume is the second of a set of two (the other being RCIN 1005024). It continues the year-by-year account of Akbar’s reign, from 1572 to 1602. It is written by multiple scribes on thick, pale beige paper lightly flecked with gold, with some parts added post-production.

The manuscript was probably presented to the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) during his tour of India in 1875-76. The inner upper cover bears his Sandringham bookplate and the inner lower cover his Library bookplate as Prince of Wales.

Binding description
Unknown place of production, 19th century. Dark brown calfskin, decorated with gilt fillets and roll to form a border. Spine with five raised bands. Inner covers lined with red calfskin.