Question

Who among the following kept one section of his Library in the harem, where the ladies of the household read out books to him before he went to sleep ?
1. Babur
2. Humayun
3. Akbar
4. Jahangir

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 3 : Akbar

• Emperor Akbar was never formally educated; however, this did not mean that he lacked practical knowledge or was disinterested in any kind of learning. It is important to note that he was fluent in languages such as Turkic, his native language and Persian. He was also well – versed with Hindustani mannerisms and customs and was trained in military skills as well. These practical skills made him one of the most successful rulers of the Mughal Empire, which reached great heights under him.
• Apart from these skills, Akbar was also known for his extraordinary memory and sense of judgment; this has been corroborated in the writings of son Jahangir’s memoir and also the accounts of Jesuit Priest at the court, Antonio Monserrate. This was facilitated by the fact that the Emperor developed a keen interest in listening to debates and discussions related to religion by engaging in discussions with religious leaders and men from all religions.
• Akbar was also known to love books and developed a huge collection of books; he had also inherited a rich collection from his father and expanded that collection. He had a staff who organized and catalogued almost 24000 books!
• The Ain-i-Akbari mentions that Akbar would choose readers every evening for books to be read to him.
• Hence the correct answer is Emperor Akbar.