The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c15.85

v4.c15.85

At Delhi one of the most discreditable episodes of his life occurred. He chanced to see and to fall in love with an extremely beautiful woman, the wife of one Shaikh ‘Abdul-Wasī, and sent a message to the Shaikh reminding him of the article in the code of Chingīz Khān to the effect that the husband of any woman whom the sovereign may desire is bound to divorce his wife and surrender her to his lord. The Shaikh was complaisant, divorced his wife and retired to Bīdar in the Deccan. The woman through whom Akbar had become acquainted with the Shaikh’s wife now suggested that he should in like manner connect himself with the leading families of Delhi and Āgra, and pandars and eunuchs were employed to inspect secretly the harems of the leading men of the city and report the discovery of any woman of special beauty. This invasion of the sanctity of the home caused much murmuring and discontent, and on 12 January, 1564, as Akbar was returning from a visit to the tomb of Shaikh Nizām-ud-dīn Auliya, a slave named Fulād shot an arrow at him which inflicted no more than a slight flesh wound. There appears to be no doubt, though another motive has been assigned for the act, that the attempt was connected with Akbar’s designs on the honour and happiness of his subjects. He, at any rate, so regarded it and caused the assassin to be put to death on the spot, without inquiring, as his advisers urged, what had been his motive and who were his instigators. He abandoned his disgraceful search, and no more is heard throughout his reign of his molesting the wives and daughters of his subjects.