, or Shah Wilayat, in the _Nai-ki Mandi_ quarter
(see p. 102).

Shere Shah's tomb at Sasseram, in Bihar, is one of the noblest
monuments of the Pathan style, or the style of the earliest Muhammadan
architects in India.

III. Akbar.

Akbar, "the Great," was born at Amarkot, on the edge of the deserts of
Marwar, about three years after the battle of Kanauj, when his father
Humayun was a fugitive, driven from place to place by the adherents
of Shere Shah. At this time the treasury of the royal house was so
reduced that, when Humayun indented on it for the customary presents
to his faithful followers, the only thing procurable was a single pod
of musk. With the cheerfulness which was the saving grace of Humayun,
he broke up the pod, and distributed it, adding the pious wish, which
seemed like prophetic insight, that his son's fame might fill the
world like the fragrance of that perfume. Trained in the hard school
of adversity, and inheriting the best qualities of his grandfather,
Akbar was not long in restoring the faded fortunes of the Mogul
dynasty. Like Babar, he succeeded to the throne at a very early
age, and found himself surrounded by difficulties which would have
overwhelmed a weaker character. Humayun had, indeed, fought his way
back to Delhi and Agra, but he had by no means settled with all the
numerous disputants for the sovereignty of Hindustan, which Sultan
Islam's death had left in the field; and his departure from Kabul
had been the signal for revolt in that quarter. Akbar, accompanied
by Bairam Khan, the ablest of Humayun's generals, was in Sind when
he received at the same time the news of his father's death and of
the revolt of the Viceroy at Kabul He was then little more than
thirteen years old, but, like Babar under similar circumstances,
he was prompt in decision and in action. Adopting Bairam's advice,
which was contrary to that of all his other counsellors, he left Kabul
out of account, and pushed on to Delhi against the forces of Himu, a
Hindu general, and the most powerful of his foes, who had assumed the
title of Raja Bikramajit, with the hopes of restoring the old Hindu
dynasty. On the historic plains of Panipat Akbar completely defeated
Himu's army, and thus regained the empire which his grandfather had
won on the same field thirty years before. This great battle was the
most critical point in his career, and though Akbar had to undertake
many other hard campaigns before he was absolute mas