FAQs

Answering a few frequently asked questions

 

1. How is Adham Khan related to Akbar?

Adhma Khan is the son of the milk maid(Dai ma) of Akbar. In mughals the milk maid son was considered as milk brother. Hence Adham Khan was milk brother of Akbar. He was not related to Akbar in blood and was only Akbars milk maid son

2. Does Adham Khan have any children?

No, Adham Khan never had any children. He died at the age of 20 years only and had no children

3. Was Adham Khan, the only child of Maham anga?

No, Adham Khan was not the only child of Maham anga. Maham had other sons who were having high positions in mughal empire even after Adham Khan’s treachery and Mahams death

4. Did Akbar get Bairam Khan Killed?

No, Akbar did not kill Bairam Khan he was killed by an afghan whose father Bairam Khan had killed in a previous war

5. Was Maham anga, the wife of Humayun?

No, Humayun was not the husband of Maham anga. Her husband had died and Adham was her youngest son.

6. How many wives did Akbar have?

The exact count can never be known but in many travelers and ambassadors accounts it says he had at least 300 women in his harem. This included 3 chief Queens or consorts, 36 chief wives, secondary wives, concubines and maids.

7. Did Ashoka kill his 99 brothers to become emperor?

There is no exact document to say he killed his 99 brothers but this story is available through Buddhist sources of those times. But definitely he killed a few to become the emperor(as he was not eldest son)

8. Was Prince Salim present in battle of haldighatti?

In James Todd book on Annals and Antiques of Rajasthan, its mentioned that Prince Salim was present in battle of haldighatti(read post on blog on haldighhati). Although whether he took active part or just remained on battle field surrounded by gaurds cannot be said for sure. But as per the James Todd book Salim missed death by a whisker in battle field. We have to remember that Salim was only 7 years old at that time and this must have been one of his first wars

9.  Did Shahenshah Akbar and Maharana Pratap ever meet face to face in war field?

No, there is no record that Shahenshah Akbar and Maharana Pratap ever met in war field face to face. In seige of Chittorgarh, Rana Udai Singh and family(including Pratap) had already shifted to Udaipur before seige. In battle of Haldighatti Mughals were led by Man Singh and Prince Salim and not by Akbar. There is no evidence that they two ever met in a battle face to face. Every time only one was present either Akbar or Pratap.

10. Why did Salim pardon Shakti Singh for killing 3 mughals commanders to save his brother Pratap in Battle of Haldighatti?

Salim promised Shakti Singh that he will let him go alive if Shakti Singh told truth and hence allowed him to leave mughal services alive even after knowing truth.

11. How did Akbar react to Battle of Haldighatti loss?

Battle of haldighatti was a loss-loss situation to both mewar and Mughals no one won or no one was defeated. That is because Mughals could not capture Maharana Pratap or kill him and Mewar could not kill Prince Salim or Man Singh. Secondly Maharana Pratap left battle field mid way after danger to his life. So no one won this battle although logically mughals won the battle. Akbar refused to meet Man Singh for many months after war.

12. Why is Akbar called the great?

Akbar is called the great for two reasons

• He ruled over vast land in south asian continent
• He brought about social and religious reforms
• His name Akbar itself means The Great

13. Is Akbar a title or name?

Akbar is Jallaludin Mohammad’s real name. Jallaludin was his paternal grandfathers name(Humayuns father emperor Babar) and Akbar was his maternal grandfathers name(Hamida Bano’s father)

14. How many children did Akbar have?

Akbar had many children almost 14 kids from various wives and concubines. But only three sons and three daughters survived adulthood.

15. How many wives did Akbar have?

Akbar had many wives exact count is difficult to say but more than 100 wives. These wives came from marriage, temporary or muta marriage, winning wars etc. These wives were further classified into consorts, chief wives, secondary wives, cocubbines etc. Apart from these wives the harem had thousands of maids and slaves to pleasure the emperor at will.

Akbar had three chief consorts, Ruqaiah, Salima and Hira Kunwari. He had 36 chief wives who all belonged to high mughal lineage or were daughters of great rajputh clans like marwar, amer etc or princesses of mighty kingdoms.

16. Why Murad and Daniyal cannot be Marium uz Zamani’s sons?

In Akbarnama it is given Daniyal’s mother died in 1596 whereas Marium uz Zamani died in 1623. So he cannot be Marium uz Zamani’s own son.

Murad was born 9 months after Prince Salim who was born in August 1569.  Akbar was adviced by a priest from Kashi not to go and visit baby Salim immediately and he went to Fatekpur Sikri to see baby Salim after a few weeks. So Murad cannot be Marium uz Zamani’s son.