The Rajputs were a powerful warrior clan inhabiting northern India. They had a complex relationship with the Mughal Empire, at times being allies and at other times adversaries.<div>

Akbar’s Rajput Policy: Akbar, the third Mughal emperor, pursued a strategic policy to win over the Rajputs:

• He formed marriage alliances with Rajput princesses, including the daughter of Raja Bharmal of Amber and the sister of Raja Udai Singh of Mewar. This helped secure alliances with powerful Rajput rulers.
• He appointed Rajput nobles to high positions in his court and government, granting them land and privileges. This integrated the Rajputs into the Mughal administration.
• He abolished the pilgrimage tax and the jizya (poll tax) on non-Muslims, removing burdens on the Hindu Rajputs.
• Akbar promoted a new syncretic religion, Din-i-Ilahi, which sought to unite the diverse religious communities of the empire, including the Rajputs.

Significance of Akbar’s Rajput Policy

• It helped Akbar consolidate Mughal rule and expand the empire, as the Rajputs became partners rather than adversaries.
• It brought peace and stability, leading to economic prosperity in the region.
• It helped Akbar become a more “national” ruler, rather than just a Muslim ruler.
• The Rajput alliance was strategically important, as Rajasthan served as a key route to the Deccan, Malwa, Sind and Gujarat.
• It facilitated the growth of a new Indo-Muslim culture and art.

Later Mughal-Rajput Relations: Akbar’s successors, Jahangir and Shah Jahan, continued the policy of reconciliation with the Rajputs through marriage alliances and appointments.However, under the more orthodox Aurangzeb, relations deteriorated as he sought to impose Islamic orthodoxy, leading to conflicts with Rajput states like Marwar.</div>