Synopsis This volume brings together a large number of studies focused on Akbar, his empire, and his environment, to present a picture of the polity and culture of India between four and five hundred years ago. The essays in this volume relate to administrative and political history, religious thought, science and technology, the arts, and the social and economic environment during Akbar's time. The contributors explore new fields and challenge or seek to modify existing lines of thought. This volume will be of great value to anyone who wishes to understand India ad it was four centuries ago. Whether India has a tangible history as a composite political and cultural entity is a matter of immediate importance today : for this, the political and cultural vision of Akbar will be of abiding interest.