Malleson's Akbar & The Rise of The Mughal Empire is a colourful biography of a forward-thinking and multi-faceted leader, skillfully sketched from the accounts of historians of Akbar's era. It paints a fascinating picture of the ruler's life and the tumultuous times he lived in. It also provides an insight into the powerful ideals by which he governed, and with which he shaped one of the greatest empires in Indian history. Akbar's idea was the union of all India under one hand. A union of beliefs he recognised, at a very early stage, as impossible. The union therefore must be one of interests. To accomplish this it was necessary, first, to conquer and then to respect all consciences and all methods of worshipping the Almighty.