What is the Ain-i-Akbari and when was it written?
The Ain-i-Akbari is a 16th-century Mughal Empire document that formed Volume III of the larger Akbarnama. Abu'l Fazl wrote this text entirely in Persian between 1589 and 1596.
Questions about Ain-i-Akbari
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who compiled the administrative records for Emperor Akbar's empire?
Abu'l Fazl compiled these records to preserve the structure of the Mughal state for future generations. His position as court historian allowed him access to every department of the imperial machine.
What specific regulations did the first volume of the Ain-i-Akbari contain?
The first volume called Manzil-Abadi contained ninety specific regulations or Ains covering daily operations. These rules described the imperial mint, the Imperial Harem, royal seals, and military maintenance details.
When did Sir Syed Ahmad Khan complete his scholarly edition of the Ai'n-e Akbari?
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan completed his scholarly edition of the Ai'n-e Akbari in 1855 after years of difficult research. He presented this work to Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib hoping for a laudatory foreword known as a taqriz.
Which organization published the English translation of the Ain-i-Akbari volumes?
These three volumes appeared through the Asiatic Society of Calcutta as part of their Bibliotheca Indica series. Heinrich Blochmann translated the first volume containing Books I and II into English during 1873.