Foreign Policy of Akbar | History Optional for UPSC (Notes) PDF Download

Introduction

Akbar's Foreign Policy: Securing the North-Western Frontiers of India:

• Akbar's foreign policy focused on securing India's North-Western frontiers and managing relations with other ruling powers within the Indian subcontinent.
• Three major powers that the Mughals had to contend with in their Northwest frontier policy were:
• Uzbegs in Central Asia: Sunnis who posed a threat from the north.
• Safavids of Iran: Shia Muslims who were another significant power in the region.
• Ottomans: T Turk Sunnis who were a powerful force in the Islamic world.
• In addition to these three major powers, the Mughals also had to deal with various Afghan tribes, such as the Afridis, Yasufzais, and Gilzais. These tribes were often stirred up by the Uzbegs against the Mughals, adding another layer of complexity to Akbar's foreign policy challenges.

Main considerations of Mughal’s foreign policy with respect to Northwest frontier

Emotional Dimension of Foreign Policy:

• Historians like Abul Rahim and Riyazul Islam believe that Babur always wanted to conquer his ancestral land, which influenced the Mughals' foreign policy.
• Maintenance of Safe Frontier: The Mughals aimed to keep a secure border in the North-West and viewed the Kabul-Kandahar line as a natural boundary of their empire.
• Defence of India: The Mughals used both diplomatic and military means to defend India.
• Checks on Uzbeg Aggression: The Uzbegs were traditional enemies of the Mughals, having expelled Babur from Samarqand. The Mughals faced threats from the Uzbegs, who would provoke Afghan and Baluchi tribes against them.
• Friendly Relations with Safavid Iran: The Mughals maintained a friendly relationship with the Safavids of Iran, except over the Kandahar issue, mainly due to mutual concerns about Uzbeg threats.
• Promotion of Commercial Interests: Kabul and Kandahar were important trade gateways between Kabul and Central Asia, and between Kandahar and Iran.
• Subjugation of Rebellious Tribes: The Mughals worked to subdue rebellious tribes along their Northwest frontiers.
• Equality Among Powers: The Mughals did not accept claims of superiority from other powers, such as the Ottomans, and refused proposals for alliances that would upset the Asian Balance of Power.

The foreign policy of Akbar

With the North-West Frontier

1572-1577: Initial Diplomacy and Growing Tensions

• Uzbek ruler Abdullah aimed to strengthen ties with Akbar, sending embassies in 1572 and 1577, eyeing territories like Badakhshan and Qandahar.
• Akbar faced threats from the rebellious Mirza Hakim in Kabul, who had alliances with Shah Ismail II of Persia, raising concerns of a tripartite alliance against him.
• Akbar's foreign policy necessitated a friendly stance towards Abdullah Khan, leading to a 1578 embassy proposal.
• Akbar rejected Abdullah's joint attack on Persia, preferring a strong Iran to keep the Uzbeks in check.
• After 1577, Abdullah became bolder, while Akbar adopted a more conciliatory approach.
• Abdullah's conquests in Balkh, Khurasan, and Badakshan brought him closer to the Mughal Empire, threatening Kabul.
• Akbar's challenges increased with troubles in Kashmir, Gujarat, and tribal unrest in Kabul, Sawad, and Bajaur, especially after Mirza Hakim's death in 1585.
• With Persia weakened under Khudabanda, Akbar sought to avoid conflict with the Uzbeks unless Kabul was threatened, shaping his foreign policy.

1583-1589: Diplomatic Exchanges

• In 1586, Abdullah sent another embassy to Akbar, who responded by sending Hakim Humeim as his envoy.
• The purpose of Abdullah's embassy was to prevent Akbar from aiding the Persian ruler in case of an attack on Persia.

1589-1598: Shift Towards Peace

• The dispatch of Ahmad Ali Ataliq from Abdullah’s court marked the beginning of the third phase in Uzbek-Mughal relations.
• Abdullah sought friendship with Akbar, suggesting that the Hindukush should be the boundary between their realms.
• Akbar formally accepted this offer of peace in 1596 after conquering Qandahar.
• From 1586 to 1598, Akbar remained in Lahore to address the Uzbek threat, suppress revolting tribes, and counter Uzbek aggression.
• Akbar aimed to conquer Qandahar and eventually succeeded in persuading the Mirzas to come to India.
• After the conquest of Qandahar, Akbar felt the need to revive contacts with Abdullah Khan.
• Abdullah proposed a tripartite alliance of Sunni powers (Mughal, Uzbeks, and Ottomans), to which Akbar replied that differences in law and religion were not grounds for conquest.
• Despite the Uzbek threat, particularly with Abdullah's correspondence with the new Ottoman ruler Mohammad, Akbar recognized the urgency of sending an embassy to Abdullah.
• Akbar showed his willingness to accept the Hindukush as the boundary between the two kingdoms, marking a significant diplomatic shift.

Mughal – Persia relation under Akbar

Strained Relations Over Qandahar:

• Persian relations were strained after the seizure of Qandahar by Shah Tahmasp.
• In 1562, an embassy from Tahmasp, led by Said Beg Safavi, to Akbar remained unanswered due to these tensions.

Persian Turmoil and Mughal Relations:

• With the accession of Khudabanda in November 1577, Persia plunged into turmoil.
• In 1583, Prince Abbas sent Murshid Tabrizi to Akbar to secure his position in Khurasan.
• Akbar was dissatisfied with Persia over the loss of Qandahar, ignoring pleas from a rebel son against his father.

Shah Abbas's Diplomatic Efforts:

• In 1591, Shah Abbas sent an embassy under Yadgar Rumlu due to a threat from the Uzbegs.
• Despite this, a cold relationship persisted until March 1594-1595 when Mughal forces captured Qandahar.

Akbar's Acquisitions and Diplomacy:

• Akbar acquired Kabul in 1585 and Kandhar in 1595.
• In 1596, he sent his first embassy to Shah Abbas, justifying his conquest of Qandahar due to concerns over the Mirzas' loyalty to the Shah.
• He explained his silence as a result of being unable to assist Shah due to the Uzbeg embassies.

Qandahar as a Point of Contention:

• Qandahar remained a significant point of dispute between the Mughals and Persian kings.
• Akbar also conquered Sindh in 1591,Kashmir in 1585, and Baluchi in 1595 to strengthen his control in the Northwest.
• He maintained the Kabul-Kashmir-Kandhar line as a natural defense and promoted commercial interests.
• Despite the Kandhar issue, he fostered cordial relations with the Safavids for strategic and commercial reasons.

Policy towards the Deccan States

Akbar's Deccan Policy and Foreign Relations:

• Akbar aimed to establish his overlordship over the Deccan rulers.
• After securing the North, Akbar planned to conquer the Deccan states, especially as rebels from Gujarat found refuge in Khandesh, Ahmadnagar, and Bijapur.
• With the conquest of Gujarat, Akbar sought to claim the rights of overlordship over the Deccan, similar to previous rulers of Gujarat.
• Internal conflicts among the Deccan states prompted Akbar to intervene in their affairs.
• Akbar aimed to protect trade routes to the Gujarat sea-ports and assert Mughal suzerainty over the Deccan, partly to drive the Portuguese from the western coast of India.
• After the conquest of Malwa in 1561, Akbar established contact with the Deccan states by ordering the governor of Malwa to subdue Asirgarh and Burhanpur.
• In 1591, Akbar sent diplomatic missions to the Deccan rulers to assess their willingness to acknowledge his suzerainty. Only Raja Ali Khan of Khandesh reaffirmed this.
• The Mughal siege of Ahmadnagar fort began in 1595, but due to Bijapur's reinforcements, the Mughals opened negotiations. A treaty was signed, but peace was short-lived, and Ahmadnagar eventually surrendered in 1600.
• Khandesh was annexed and became a Mughal province, with parts of Ahmadnagar also annexed.
• The fall of Ahmadnagar and Asirgarh alarmed other Deccan rulers, prompting Bijapur, Golconda, and Bidar to send envoys to Akbar, who received them graciously.
• Challenges from Malik Ambar and Raju Deccani, along with rivalries among Mughal generals and the situation in the North, led Akbar to prefer diplomatic maneuvers over military action to consolidate Mughal authority in the Deccan.
• Apart from conflicts with the Rana of Mewar, Akbar maintained cordial relations with other Rajput houses, with his suzerainty recognized by nearly all Rajput kingdoms.
• Akbar's foreign policy focused on securing boundaries,strategic, and commercial interests, with religious and sectarian factors playing a minimal role. He successfully maintained natural boundaries and expanded territory.