The Rajputs are the descendants of the ancient Indian warrior race and
are a brave, chivalrous, trustworthy people who possess a love of
freedom and pride of race quite different in character from the rest
of the Hindus. Even to-day every traveler in India thinks he has been
set down in another world when he treads the ground of Rajputana and
sees around him in place of the weak effeminate servile inhabitants of
other parts of the country powerful upright men, splendid warlike
figures with blazing defiant eyes and long waving beards.
While Akbar valued the Rajputs very highly his own personality was
entirely fitted to please these proud manly warriors. An incident
which took place before the end of the first year of Akbar's reign is
characteristic of the relations which existed on the basis of this
intrinsic relationship.[16]
[Footnote 16: Noer, I, 224-226]
[Illustration: VIEW OF FATHPUR]
Bihari Mal was a prince of the small Rajput state Ambir, and possessed
sufficient political comprehension to understand after Akbar's first
great successes that his own insignificant power and the nearness of
Delhi made it advisable to voluntarily recognize the Emperor as his
liege lord. Therefore he came with son, grandson and retainers to
swear allegiance to Akbar.
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