The Mughal emperor Akbar came to power when he was just 13 years, following the death of his father Humayun. Akbar, under the guidance of his mentor Bairam Khan, expanded his territory throughout northern India and Afghanistan. Although he was not a great warrior, he was tolerant to other religions and was a very fair ruler. He succeeded at winning the trust and support of the entire Hindu population under his control. During his reign, he abolished two taxes: Jizya, a tax imposed on most of the non-Muslims, and a ‘pilgrimage tax’ paid by Hindus who travelled to various Hindu pilgrimage sites. He instituted many administrative reforms which were used throughout the Mughal period.
