India at the Death of Akbar

A foundational work in the economic history of Mughal India, India at the Death of Akbar presents a comprehensive reconstruction of the subcontinent’s economic life at the close of the sixteenth century. W. H. Moreland, drawing on twenty-five years of experience in the Indian Civil Service and his command of English, French, Latin, Persian, and Portuguese sources, assembles a remarkably detailed picture of how India functioned as an economic entity before European commercial influence took hold.

The book examines the full spectrum of economic activity: from the Mughal administrative apparatus and its revenue systems, to agricultural production and land tenures, the organization of handicrafts and textile manufactures, the vast networks of maritime and overland commerce, and the standards of life across social classes. Moreland’s careful use of the Ain-i Akbari, travellers’ narratives, and East India Company records makes this an indispensable reference for understanding the India that the first European traders encountered.

Five appendices provide specialist discussions on topics including the crops grown in sixteenth-century India, the seaports of Bengal, and a comprehensive list of primary authorities consulted.