History glossary
Din-i Ilahi
the disputed label for spiritual discipleship centred on Akbar.
- Category
- Mughal government and society
- Region
- South Asia
- Date range
- Sixteenth century
What it means
Often described too simply as a new religion, this small circle involved ethical practice, initiation and loyalty to the emperor. Its terminology, coherence and significance remain debated.
Stories using this term
The Mughal Empire
From Babur's victory at Panipat to the sack of Delhi, the Mughals built a wealthy Indian empire whose power rested on conquest, administration, elite integration and court culture before central authority fractured.
Akbar the Great
A teenage emperor inherited a fragile dynasty. Conquest, alliances, revenue reform and religious enquiry transformed its reach—and exposed the costs of imperial power.
