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Primary sourceArtifact1562

Tomb of Adham Khan

1562

An octagonal 1562 tomb near Delhi built on Akbar's orders for his foster brother Adham Khan, whom Akbar had executed for murder.

Akbar commissioned this tomb after ordering the execution of his foster brother Adham Khan for murder.

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Photo of a domed, sandstone octagonal tomb with pointed arched openings on a raised plinth, reached by a flight of steps at the front. Two people stand at the left edge under a clear blue sky.
Tomb of Adham Khan, 1562. Mehrauli, Delhi.

About this source

What it is

This domed, octagonal tomb stands near the Qutub Minar in Mehrauli, Delhi. It was built in 1562 for Adham Khan, a general and foster brother of the Mughal emperor Akbar, and also holds the grave of his mother, Maham Anga, Akbar's wet nurse. It is now a protected monument.

Why it matters

Adham Khan murdered Akbar's trusted minister Ataga Khan in a fit of jealousy, and Akbar had him thrown from the ramparts of Agra Fort in punishment. The tomb's unusual style, echoing earlier dynasties the Mughals saw as traitors, may have been a deliberate message. It shows how Akbar dealt with even his closest family when they threatened his authority.

Look closer

  • Why might Akbar choose this particular architectural style for a traitor's tomb?
  • What does commissioning the tomb at all tell you about Akbar's feelings toward his foster brother?
  • How did later uses of the building (as a home, police station, post office) change how we see it today?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Akbar the Great on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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