jg AKBAR, EMPEROR OF INDIA.
end in view he actually favored the Hindus by keeping"
certain ones close to him and advancing them to the most
influential positions in the state, he did it because he found
characteristics in the Hindus (especially in their noblest
race, the Rajputs) which seemed to him most valuable for
the stability of the empire and for the promotion of the
general welfare. He had seen enough faithlessness in the
Mohammedan nobles and in his own relatives. Besides,
Akbar was born in the house of a small Rajput prince who
had shown hospitality to Akbar's parents on their flight
and had given them his protection.
The Rajputs are the descendants of the ancient Indian
warrior race and are a brave, chivalrous, trustworthy people
who possess a love of freedom and pride of race quite differ-
ent in character from the rest of the Hindus. Even to-day
every traveler in India thinks he has been set down in an-
other world when he treads the ground of Rajputana and
sees around him in place of the weak effeminate servile in-
habitants of other parts of the country powerful upright
men, splendid warlike figures with blazing defiant eyes and
long waving beards.
While Akbar valued the Rajputs very highly his own
personality was entirely fitted to please these proud manly
warriors. An incident which took place before the end
of the first year of Akbar's reign is characteristic of the
relations which existed on the basis of this intrinsic rela-
tionship.16
Bihari Mai was a prince of the small Rajput state Am-
bir, and possessed sufficient political comprehension to
understand after Akbar's first great successes that his
own insignificant power and the nearness of Delhi made it
advisable to voluntarily recognize the Emperor as his liege
lord. Therefore he came with son, grandson and retainers
to swear allegiance to Akbar. Upon his arrival at the im-
M Noer, I, 224-226