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Murty Classical Library of India #6
The History of Akbar, Vol. 2
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 second volume details the turbulent reign of his father Humayun, his years in exile, his return to power, and his untimely death that brought Akbar to the throne as a youth.
The second volume details the turbulent reign of his father Humayun, his years in exile, his return to power, and his untimely death that brought Akbar to the throne as a youth.
- GenresIndia
560 pages, Paperback
First published January 5, 2016
About the author
Abu al-Fazal ibn Mubarak
15 books18 followersShaikh Abu al-Fazal ibn Mubarak (Persian, Urdu : ابو الفضل) also spelled as Abu'l-Fazl, Abu'l Fadl and Abu'l-Fadl 'Allami was the Grand vizier of the Mughal emperor Akbar, and author of the Akbarnama, the official history of Akbar's reign in three volumes, (the third volume is known as the Ain-i-Akbari) and a Persian translation of the Bible. He was also one of the Nine Jewels (Hindi: Navaratna) of Akbar's royal court and the brother of Faizi; the poet laureate of emperor Akbar.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 22, 2016
This should basically be considered a continuation of my review of Volume 1
This volume is an almost direct continuation of the first volume (despite the introductory text referencing two distinct volumes to The History of Akbar, it appears that "Volume 1" and "Volume 2" in the Murty editions are simply halves of the original first volume, based on the time period they cover of Akbar I's life) - Akbar I's father is in exile (kind of; he's sort of been overthrown and escaped, so exile might not be technically correct) and the overthrowers have Akbar I and commence with raising him (due to Akbar I's divine essence they are unable to treat him badly, and see to his raising the best they can). Most of the beginning of the volume focuses on Akbar I's father's time in Iran, with little focus paid to Akbar I until after the first 300 or so pages, long after the point when his father returns to reclaim his throne from the usurpers.
Just to shine a light on that for a moment - including the first volume, over 900 pages have passed at this point (obviously the page counts are inflated due to the side by side translation) and: Akbar I was born in the first volume, and has barely featured through the first 300 or so pages of the second. Part of this is due to the historical record this was setting out to be, and part of it is simply due to its digressive nature. Due to the infrequency with which Akbar I appeared up to this point the shift in tone - from historical recitation to hagiographical exultation - is pretty obvious when it occurs.
Even noting all that, Akbar I is featured very little in this volume, even once he starts popping up a bit more frequently. It would be impossible for this focus to remain in the further volume(s) as they specifically focus on Akbar I's actual reign, but it's just interesting how little he features in these volumes bearing his name.
This volume primarily focuses on the reign of Akbar I's father and the numerous insurrections he had to put down, and - much as in the past histories from the first volume - many battles and much treachery, betrayal, and general intrigue. Unfortunately Akbar I's father was a forgiving dude, as I would have like to see some heavy retribution handed down .
And actually Akbar I is kidnapped three times. Which just seems blatantly irresponsible.
His Majesty Jahanbani Jannat-Ashyani (Akbar I's dad) forgiving nature sees the treacherous Mirza Kamran go free, and a large majority of this volume is dedicated to his betrayals and the eventual pursuit of him across a great many counties, through which he frequently is fostering insurrections. These events take us up to 1554 and the latter years of the reign of Akbar's father. Of course, the author felt it was the perfect time to interject a nearly 50 page digression. I truly do like his style.
The book ends with an authorial acknowledgment that - now that Akbar I is emperor - he can begin his real goal of documenting Akbar I's reign. So, just think of the 1100 or so pages of these first to volumes as a Preface to the real work.
My general thoughts here are the same as with the first volume: there is a great deal of detailed history here, and (yes, in spite of the title) I was not actually expecting a history lesson going in, but the writing is great and the action is frequent, so I'm glad to have read this, and thankful to the Murty Library for its publication.
One day Mulla Hairat offered the following ghazal of his own composition for the emperor to improve:(the emperor referenced above is Akbar I's father)
Betimes my heart, betimes my liver burns from love of idols;
love brands me with a different scar every moment.
Like a moth, I am transfixed by a candle: if I go forward my wings will burn.
The emperor, a sculptor of words and a touchstone of literary criticism, offered the following change:
Let me go forward though my wings burn.
This volume is an almost direct continuation of the first volume (despite the introductory text referencing two distinct volumes to The History of Akbar, it appears that "Volume 1" and "Volume 2" in the Murty editions are simply halves of the original first volume, based on the time period they cover of Akbar I's life) - Akbar I's father is in exile (kind of; he's sort of been overthrown and escaped, so exile might not be technically correct) and the overthrowers have Akbar I and commence with raising him (due to Akbar I's divine essence they are unable to treat him badly, and see to his raising the best they can). Most of the beginning of the volume focuses on Akbar I's father's time in Iran, with little focus paid to Akbar I until after the first 300 or so pages, long after the point when his father returns to reclaim his throne from the usurpers.
Just to shine a light on that for a moment - including the first volume, over 900 pages have passed at this point (obviously the page counts are inflated due to the side by side translation) and: Akbar I was born in the first volume, and has barely featured through the first 300 or so pages of the second. Part of this is due to the historical record this was setting out to be, and part of it is simply due to its digressive nature. Due to the infrequency with which Akbar I appeared up to this point the shift in tone - from historical recitation to hagiographical exultation - is pretty obvious when it occurs.
Even noting all that, Akbar I is featured very little in this volume, even once he starts popping up a bit more frequently. It would be impossible for this focus to remain in the further volume(s) as they specifically focus on Akbar I's actual reign, but it's just interesting how little he features in these volumes bearing his name.
This volume primarily focuses on the reign of Akbar I's father and the numerous insurrections he had to put down, and - much as in the past histories from the first volume - many battles and much treachery, betrayal, and general intrigue. Unfortunately Akbar I's father was a forgiving dude, as I would have like to see some heavy retribution handed down .
And actually Akbar I is kidnapped three times. Which just seems blatantly irresponsible.
His Majesty Jahanbani Jannat-Ashyani (Akbar I's dad) forgiving nature sees the treacherous Mirza Kamran go free, and a large majority of this volume is dedicated to his betrayals and the eventual pursuit of him across a great many counties, through which he frequently is fostering insurrections. These events take us up to 1554 and the latter years of the reign of Akbar's father. Of course, the author felt it was the perfect time to interject a nearly 50 page digression. I truly do like his style.
The book ends with an authorial acknowledgment that - now that Akbar I is emperor - he can begin his real goal of documenting Akbar I's reign. So, just think of the 1100 or so pages of these first to volumes as a Preface to the real work.
My general thoughts here are the same as with the first volume: there is a great deal of detailed history here, and (yes, in spite of the title) I was not actually expecting a history lesson going in, but the writing is great and the action is frequent, so I'm glad to have read this, and thankful to the Murty Library for its publication.
December 4, 2019
This is the second volume in the series, which is the continuation of Humayun's story from the first volume, his journeys throughout the middle east and eventually towards the birth of Akbar. It gives a very good description of Humayun's regime as a Mughal emperor and how he was received by various allied during their travels.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews