History glossary
Jizya
a tax associated with protected non-Muslim communities under Islamic rule.
- Category
- Taxation
- Region
- Islamic and Mughal worlds
- Date range
- Medieval and early modern period
What it means
Jizya was a tax associated with protected non-Muslim communities under Islamic rule. In Mughal history, Akbar abolished it in 1564, while Aurangzeb restored it in 1679, making it a politically charged symbol of imperial policy.
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.
The Rise of Islam
From Muhammad's first revelations to the early caliphates, Islam grew from a Meccan message into a civilisation spanning Africa, Asia and Europe.
