IGNOU HISTORY NOTES : India History From 8th to Mid 15th Century - Expansion and Consolidation:1556-1707

IGNOU HISTORY Study Notes for IAS, UPSC Exams

History India From 8th to Mid 15th Century

Expansion and Consolidation:1556-1707

Structure

6.0 Objectives
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Power Politics and Regency of Bairam Khan : 15561560
6.3Tenitorial Expansion
6.3.1 North and Central India
6.3.2 Western India
6.3.3 Eastern India
6.3.4 Rebellions of 1581
6.3.5 Conquests in the North-West
6.3.6 Deccan and South
6.4 Administrative Reorganisation
6.5 Territorial Expansion under the Successors of Akbar
6.6 Policies Towards Autonomous Chieftains
6.7 Let Us Sum Up
6.8 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises

6.0 OBJECTIVES

After reading this Unit. You would learn about:

how Bairam Khan's regency came to an end and ~kbar took control of the affairsof the state;
the territorial expansion of Mughal Empire under Akbar and his successors;
the problems faced by the Mughals in expanding the Empire;
the formation of provinces under Akbar; and
the relationship between the Mughals and autonomous chiefs and appreciate how did it help in the expansion and consolidation of the Empire.

6.1 INTRODUCTION

Humayun had rescued ana restored the Mughal Empire in 1555. But, had it not been
for Akbar, the Empire perhaps would not have sustained. It was during his rule that
the Mughal Empire beqame a political fact and an important factor in Indian politics.
Akbar's policies were emulated by his successors with 6w changes or as suited the
political atmopshere of t&ir times.

In this Unit we will not go into the details of administrative machinery and the
creation of the ruling class. This we will discuss in Block 4. Here we will confine *
ourselves mainly to the territorial expansion and the problems related to it. In the
course of developing a large Empire the Mughal rulers had to deal with some political
powers who held sway in various regions. Important of these were the Rajputs and
the rulers to the south of the Vindhyas like Bijapur, Golkonda and Ahmadnagar and
the Marathas. We will study this aspect in detail in Block 3.
We begin this unit with Akbar's efforts to get rid of his adversaries and to establish
himself at the helm of affairs at the MCghal court. Let us take up Bairam Khan's
regency.