Akbar the Great

Akbar the Great
Character information
Full name	Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar
Date of birth	October 15, 1542
Date of death	October 27, 1605
Gender	Male
Nationality	Indians
Occupation(s)	Emperor of the Mughal Empire
Game information
Introduced in	Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties
Role	AI personality
Voice actor	Rizwan Manji

“	Akbar, Emperor of the Mughals, approaches warfare with a creative and enlightened mind. He resists the urge to let his emotions get the best of him, and as such is very patient and pragmatic. Akbar respects his enemies, yet will not let this prevent him from crushing them with a large and highly sophisticated army.	”
—Official description

Akbar the Great (1542 - 1605) was the third Mughal Emperor of India, ruling from 1556 to 1605. He is the AI personality of the Indians in skirmish mode and is voiced by Rizwan Manji.

Biography

Akbar was a Perso-Indian ruler of the Mughal Empire. He was known for his patronage of the arts and tripling the Mughal Empire's size over the course of his reign. He also founded the Ibadat Khana, a religious institution which gathered together clerics of various religions to reconcile all faiths under one banner. He devised a new belief system, the Din i-Illahi (tr. the "Faith of the Divine"), which attempted to reconcile Islam with other faiths. While pluralistic, however, it was a firmly monotheistic religion that rejected the existence of multiple gods.

Quotes

As an ally

• Beginning a game (Akbar was an ally previously) - "My heart warms like the sun to see your face. Welcome."
• Beginning a game (Akbar was an enemy previously) - "When last we fought, I secretly admired your prowess. Now having you as an ally, I have been blessed with it."
• Beginning a game when your team was defeated (OR victorious) in previous game - "The gods grant all of us second chances. That is why life is long."
• Beginning a new game (lower difficulty than previous game) - "I do not understand the need to set your sights so low. Together with the Mughal, you will find the victory you seek."
• Player advanced to new ages first - "You are very wise to develop new tactics and technology. I will follow your example to the best of my ability."
• Requesting food - "On my knees, I ask for a tribute of food."
• Requesting wood - "I have foolishly consumed all of my wood. Could you spare some for an ally?" or "On my knees, I ask for a tribute of wood."
• Requesting coin - "On my knees, I ask for a tribute of gold."
• Offers player food - "Feed your hungry men with this." or "It may come from my hand, but this food is a gift from the gods."
• Offers player wood - "I have no doubt you will find a good place for this wood." or "We use what nature provides, but sometimes you must rely on your friends. Take this wood."
• Offers player coin - "Take this as a sign of my good faith." or "You have been good to me. This shows my appreciation."
• Received food - "Nourishment is always welcome. Many blessings upon you." or "This food falls into waiting hands. Thank you."
• Received wood - "Yes, this wood is welcome." or "You continue to earn my trust. This wood is needed."
• Receives coin - "No man gives his gold without some regret. Thank you for taking the generous path." or "Many blessings upon you. Your generosity is an example for others."
• Declined player resource request - "No, such a donation is not in the stars."
• Player builds a Trading Post - "The gods have granted you a trade site. It is a cause for much thanks."
• Agreeing to a strategy- "The gods have willed it."
• Agreed attack - "With great blessings, yes."
• Decline attack - "I have no spare soldiers for this mission." or "My ranks have thinned to nothing. Every man is needed." or "My people are praying for warriors of their own, for all of our men lie dead or dying."
• Initiating attack - "I order my armies on the enemy town. If I do not return, my empire lies in your hands." or "Do not worry. I have faith that I will leave this conflict unscathed."
• Attacking enemy Trading Post - "We must wipe that trading post from the map. It is an affront to our cause."
• Trade monopoly victory started - "Your exhibition of tolerance and understanding has brought more to our cause."
• Trade monopoly victory imminent - "I have seen this conclusion in my dreams."
• Major battle between several players - "Violence brings me no pleasure. Nevertheless, it is work that must be done."

As an enemy

• Beginning of a game - "I have foreseen a future without war. Until that day comes, I will fight to preserve my empire." or "War is for the unenlightened. I am furious that you have driven me to such action." or "Confident, are we? Perhaps you expect too much from this adventure. War should never be taken lightly."
• Player claims the first Treasure - "Predictable. You value treasure first, human life second."
• Player collects a food-related treasure - "Your people should be down on bended knees, thanking the heavens for this food."
• Player collects a wood-related treasure - "Without the skill to craft it, that wood will do you little good."
• Player collects multiple Treasures - "I hope your race for treasures is for the good of society, and not for yourself."
• Akbar collects more treasures - "Take my advice. Trust in the gods and you will find open the gates to a kingdom of riches."
• Player build Trading Post (natives) -"As you claim that village, remember that a great empire shows tolerance to all peoples."
• Player builds a Trading Post - "You seek commerce, when you should seek salvation."
• Player rushes through Ages - "The gods have blessed you with wisdom and progress."
• Finds player's Town Center - "Tell me. Do you think this humble place could really be the heart of a great empire?"
• Attack player allies Town Center (?) - "It is not a good sign that your allies settle so far from you. Have you offended them?"
• Start attacking player - "My sword blazes with the righterous flame. Before this day is finished, you will knew before me."
• Major battle between several players - "This hallowed ground has been chosen by the gods. Here, I will cleanse the earth of your evils." or "The future is predetermined. You can throw as many men into this war as you choose, but it will be for nothing."
• Player's Trading Post is destroyed (natives) -"You should know better than to lead these innocent people to their doom." or "An unavoidable tragedy. In my society, this would not have happened."
• Player's Trading Post is destroyed (trade route) - "This site would have been better utilized under my control."
• Town Center destroyed by player - "I am not afraid. A truly great empire is not based in a building, but in the hearts of its people." or "You may have destroyed our capital, but our empire fights on."
• Akbar destroys the player's Town Center - "You will learn to forgive me in time. I had little choice."
• Enemy colony under attack - "Your men, like you, seem lost and without direction. Perhaps they should join my great society."
• Player about to win through trade monopoly (less than a minute left) - "In one minute, a bright and brilliant light will fade from this world. I hope you are proud."
• Surrender - "I cannot bear to see this empire burn. I beg of you. Spare my people." or "Today is as good as any to see my empire fall, if the gods so desire it."

Army and town structure

Army

Akbar's military tends to be of mediocre size and ability. He will make a few light raids during the Commerce Age, usually comprised of a mixture of Sepoy and Rajput heavy infantry. During the Fortress Age, Akbar will create armies that are largely comprised of Sowars supported by Zamburaks, with Gurkhas replacing his heavy infantry. Akbar will rarely ever train elephant units of any type, aside from those that are deployed by Home City shipments. He will also heavily recruit soldiers from the consulate and maintain a sizable navy where possible. Akbar can become somewhat powerful when part of a team, but often fails on his own due to his over-reliance on Sowars and ranged infantry which are generally inferior to artillery and other high-end units.

Buildings

Akbar maintains an average economy, advancing ages at a rate typical to other skirmish AIs such as Queen Elizabeth or Napoleon Bonaparte. He will generally attempt to build Rice Paddies adjacent to his Town Centers, with layered military structures such as Castles, Barracks, and Caravanserais protecting them.

History

“

Considered to be the greatest of India's Mughal emperors, Akbar (Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar) acted as both a prophet and a conqueror during his forty-five-year rule. He was the son of Humayun, and grandson of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire. Akbar began his rule as a child, rising to power under the guidance of a regent who expanded the realm significantly until the boy ruler dismissed him in 1560, when Akbar turned eighteen. Energetic and confident, Akbar continued the policies of imperial expansion, enlarging the Mughal Empire to include Afghanistan, Baluchistan, and almost the entire Indian peninsula north of the Godavari River. Yet, even as he defeated numerous chieftains and warlords, Akbar made sure to sow the seeds of future peace, offering conciliatory opportunities to those he brought under the rule of the Mughal Empire. Upon conquering the fierce Hindu Rajputs, Akbar reached out to them, placing many of their chiefs in positions of influence within his own administration; he even went so far as to twice marry a Rajput princess. Akbar's overall goal was to create a utopian society with him as its ruler and divine counselor. He established a uniform system of government that unified the scattered and diverse regions and kingdoms of his domain. His courts at Delhi and Agra became centers of education and cultural achievement. And in perhaps the most unusual and ambitious of his policies, Akbar, having grown disillusioned with traditional Islam, promoted a religious tolerance movement that focused on open spiritual debate. He even created a new faith combining aspects of Islam, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, and Christianity. He called this all-encompassing spirituality "The Faith of the Divine." Akbar is remembered as a visionary ruler for good reason. His strength as a military commander was tempered with a strong sense of respect towards all subjects that he absorbed into his growing empire. While eccentric, his ideas were startlingly ahead of their time.

”

Trivia

• The historical Akbar was actually a Muslim (adhered to Din-i Ilahi later in life), but The Asian Dynasties depicts him erroneously as polytheistic. This could be due either the fact that Hinduism remained predominant in India, or it could be an inaccurate representation of his religious pluralism and eclectic beliefs.
• He is also one of the AI player names of the Indians in Age of Empires II HD: The Forgotten, and later of the Hindustanis in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition - Dynasties of India.

Gallery

In-game avatar in the Definitive Edition

In-game avatar