Why do you think Akbar employed different strategies to expand his empire, while the earlier rulers of Delhi relied mostly on military might?
Akbar employed different strategies beyond military might because he recognised that conquest alone could not secure a stable, long-lasting empire over a vast and diverse territory like India.
The Delhi Sultanate's reliance primarily on military force led to constant rebellions, violent successions, and instability—the average reign of a sultan was only about nine years.
Akbar learned from these failures and understood that ruling a diverse population required winning the loyalty of subjects, not just defeating them militarily.
His strategies included: marriage alliances with Rajput princesses to build political partnerships; welcoming Rajput and regional leaders into his court to give them a stake in the empire; abolishing the jizya tax to reduce religious discrimination; promoting the doctrine of sulh-i-kul (peace with all) to foster tolerance; appointing Hindu officials to high positions; and engaging in interfaith dialogues to understand different perspectives.
These inclusive policies helped stabilise his empire, as evidenced by his nearly 50-year reign and the relative peace during its middle period. The Mughal emperors up to Aurangzeb averaged 27 years of reign compared to the Sultanate's nine years, demonstrating the effectiveness of Akbar's approach.
Explanation
The chapter contrasts the Delhi Sultanate's approach with Akbar's strategies. The Sultanate period was marked by violent successions and instability, with almost two out of three sultans seizing power by eliminating their predecessors. Akbar, however, 'increasingly used political strategies to stabilise his empire' including marriage alliances, abolishing the jizya, and promoting sulh-i-kul. The chapter quotes Akbar's reflection on his changed approach: 'Formerly I persecuted men into conformity with my faith and deemed it Islam. As I grew in knowledge, I was overwhelmed with shame.'
Solution Steps
Akbar recognised that conquest alone could not secure a stable empire over diverse India
Delhi Sultanate's military reliance led to rebellions and instability with average reign of only nine years
Akbar understood that ruling diverse populations required winning loyalty, not just military defeat
Strategies included marriage alliances with Rajputs, abolishing jizya tax, promoting sulh-i-kul, appointing Hindu officials, and interfaith dialogues
Results: Akbar's 50-year reign and Mughal emperors averaging 27 years vs Sultanate's 9 years