Quick Answer: Akbar became King on February 14, 1556, at the age of 13, following the death of his father, Emperor Humayun. He was crowned at Kalanaur, Punjab, and ruled the Mughal Empire until his death in 1605.
Akbar, one of the most celebrated rulers of the Mughal Empire, ascended to the throne on February 14, 1556, at the young age of just 13 years old. His coronation took place at Kalanaur, a small town in present-day Punjab, following the sudden and unexpected death of his father, Emperor Humayun.
The Circumstances Leading to His Accession
Humayun, the second Mughal emperor, died on January 24, 1556, under rather unusual circumstances — he fell down the stairs of his library in Delhi and succumbed to his injuries a few days later. This left the Mughal Empire in a precarious position, as Akbar was still a young boy and the empire itself was far from stable, having only recently been reclaimed by Humayun after years of exile following his earlier defeat by Sher Shah Suri.
At the time of his father's death, Akbar was in Punjab, engaged in a military campaign alongside his guardian and regent, Bairam Khan, against Sikandar Shah Suri. Given the urgency of the political situation and the need to establish legitimacy quickly, Akbar was crowned emperor almost immediately, even though he was far from the capital and the empire's future was uncertain.
Early Challenges to His Rule
Akbar's early reign was anything but secure. Because he ascended the throne as a minor, actual governance was handled by his regent, Bairam Khan, who ruled on his behalf for the first four years. During this period, the young emperor faced serious threats to his authority, the most significant being from Hemu (Hemchandra Vikramaditya), a Hindu general who had declared himself king after seizing Delhi and Agra from the Mughals.
This threat culminated in the Second Battle of Panipat, fought on November 5, 1556 — less than a year after Akbar's coronation. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the Mughal forces, led by Bairam Khan, achieved a decisive victory when Hemu was struck in the eye by an arrow and captured, then executed. This battle proved pivotal in securing Akbar's hold on the throne and re-establishing Mughal dominance in northern India.
Transition to Full Authority
Although Akbar was crowned in 1556, he did not begin ruling independently until 1560, when he was around 18 years old. Up until that point, Bairam Khan had held considerable power as regent, but tensions eventually grew between the two. Akbar dismissed Bairam Khan in 1560, taking full control of the administration and beginning the phase of his reign for which he is best remembered — one marked by military conquest, administrative reform, religious tolerance, and cultural flourishing.
Legacy of His Reign
From this point forward, Akbar expanded the Mughal Empire dramatically, consolidating territories across northern and central India. He is remembered not just for his military achievements but also for his efforts to integrate diverse religious and cultural communities, his patronage of the arts, and his administrative innovations, which laid the foundation for the Mughal Empire's golden age. He ruled until his death in 1605, making his reign one of the longest and most transformative in Mughal history, spanning nearly 49 years from his coronation in 1556.
