History of India . Moghul, and even an Armenian, imtil his haremformed a parliament of religions, though no rumourof their probable debates ever reached the outsideworld. Abu-1-Fazl says there were more than five thou-sand inmates of the harem, in various capacities, andsagely remarks that the large number of women—avexatious question even for great statesmen—furnishedhis Majesty with an opportunity to display his wis-dom. An almost immediate result of this alliance withthe Rajput princess was the abolition in 1562 of thejisya, or poll-tax, which Mohammedan conquerors lev-ied upon unbelievers
History of India . Moghul, and even an Armenian, imtil his haremformed a parliament of religions, though no rumourof their probable debates ever reached the outsideworld. Abu-1-Fazl says there were more than five thou-sand inmates of the harem, in various capacities, andsagely remarks that the large number of women—avexatious question even for great statesmen—furnishedhis Majesty with an opportunity to display his wis-dom. An almost immediate result of this alliance withthe Rajput princess was the abolition in 1562 of thejisya, or poll-tax, which Mohammedan conquerors lev-ied upon unbelievers in accordance with the law ofIslam. His next act was to discontinue the tax upon 16 AKBAK THE GEEAT Hindu pilgrims, on the ground that, however super-stitious the rites of pilgrimage might be, it was wrongto place any obstacle ia the way of mans service toGrod. No more popular measures could have been en-acted. The jizya was an insult as well as a burden, andboth taxes bore heavUy on the poor and were bitterly. ACSA GATE, PATHPDR - 8IKEI. resented. It was the reimposition of the tax on religionin the time of Aurangzib that, more than anything else,uprooted the wise system established by his while conciliating the Hindus by just and equalgovernment, Akbar did not hesitate to interfere withsome of their most cherished practices when theyoffended his sense of humanity. He forbade child-marriage, trial by ordeal, and animal sacrifice; he REFOEM MEASURES 17 permitted widows to marry again, and set his faceresolutely against the burning of widows on their hus-bands pyres: wholly to abolish suttee was beyond hispower, but he ordained that the sacrifice must be vol-imtary, and he took personal pains to see that no com-pulsion should be used. He also insisted that theconsent of the bride and bridegroom and the permissionof the parents are absolutely necessary in marriagecontracts —a new idea in a country where girls weremarried without regard for their own wishes orde
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