Birbal

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Birbal
Mantri, Mukhya Mantri, Sardār of Akbar
Birbal
Born	Mahesh Das c. 1528 Kalpi, Mughal Empire
Died	16 February 1586 (aged 58) Malandari Pass, Kabul Subah, Mughal Empire
Father	Ganga Das
Mother	Anabha Davito
Military career
Allegiance	Mughal Empire
Service	Mughal Army
Years of service	1572
Rank	Mansabdar
Battles / wars	Afghan–Mughal War Malandari Pass †
Religion	Hinduism Din-e-Ilahi

Mahesh Das (Hindi pronunciation: [məɦeːɕə d̪ɑːsə]; 1528 – 16 February 1586^[1]), popularly known by his title Raja Birbal (lit. 'The Quick Thinker'), was an Indian minister and commander of the Mughal Empire. He is mostly known in the Indian subcontinent for the folk tales which focus on his wit. He was appointed by Akbar and was one of his most important courtiers, part of a group called the navaratnas (nine jewels). In February 1586, he led an army to crush an unrest in the north-west Indian subcontinent where he was killed along with many troops in an ambush by a rebel tribe. He was the only Hindu to adopt Din-i Ilahi, the religion founded by Akbar.

Local folk tales emerged primarily in 19th century involving his interactions with Akbar, thus became even more of a semi-fictional legendary figure across the Indian subcontinent. However, these stories have generally been described as fictional by modern historians.^[2]