Nonhuman Animals and the Transformation of the Mughal Empire under Akbar

This article analyzes the environmental entanglements of the Mughal Empire in terms of the role of nonhuman animals in its formation under Emperor Akbar. The article studies the roles of animals in three broad spheres: military processes, royal authority, and gift economy. It argues that seen through the lenses of these animal functions, we can identify two broad transformations that the Mughal Empire underwent during the second half of the sixteenth century. First, the changing patterns of mobilization and the use of certain animals point to the gradual sedentarization of the Mughal polity. Second, certain forms of engagement with animals help us trace the emergence of increasingly hyperbolic visions of kingship and ultimately the articulation of universal sovereignty. This article challenges the anthropocentrism of existing Mughal historiography by recovering, highlighting, and analyzing the myriad material and cultural functions of animals in the functioning of the empire

Anthropocentrism · Emperor · Empire · Historiography · Monarchy · Vision · Eurasian Exchange Networks · Indian and Buddhist Studies · Islamic Studies and History