Akbar decided to capture the Fort of Asirgarh which was well defended. It was considered to be “one of the strongest and best equipped fortresses in the world at that time.” The siege of Asirgarh continued for about 6 months and the Mughals did not make much headway. At that time, the news of Salim’s rebellion came. Thus, Akbar was forced to have recourse to treachery.
Bahadur was persuaded to come to the camp of Akbar for the purpose of negotiations, and was detailed there. The siege was pushed up with great vigour but in spite of that the garrison held out. It was in January, 1601 that “the gates were opened by golden keys or in other words Akbar corrupted the Khandesh officers by heavy payments.” Thus, it was that the fort of Asirgarh fell in the hands of the Mughals in 1601.
The result of Akbar’s Deccan policy was that the Mughal frontier was pushed from the Narbada to the upper course of the river Krishna. The newly conquered territories were converted into three Subas of Ahmednagar, Berar and Khandesh. However, the annexation of the three Subas was merely in name. The new territory was not completely subdued. The local officers who were connected with the former ruling dynasties created difficulties and no successful government could be set up. The distance from the North also added to the difficulties of the Mughals.
Regarding the conquests of Akbar, Dr. A. L. Srivastava observes thus: Akbar invariably followed the policy of giving an organised administration to his conquests. As soon as a principality or a province was reduced to submission, he took steps to establish therein complete order and peace, and to appoint civil officers to carry out a revenue settlement which was based on the principles of measurement and classification of land.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Religious toleration was extended to the newly-conquered areas. Social, religious, as well as administrative reforms were introduced and the interests of the people, social moral and material, were consulted. As will be shown hereafter. Akbar, unlike his predecessors, including Sher Shah, gave a uniform system of administration to all the provinces of his empire and paved the way for establishment of a common nationality in the land.”