The Commentary of Father Monserrate (Hardcover)

Description

The account of the Jesuit Priest Father Monserrate’s visit to the court of Akbar in the early 1580’s. On the request of Akbar 3 missions came to visit him and to explain to him the salient features of their faith. The mission of Fr. Monserrate was the third mission. On their arrival they were received by Abul Fazal and then at the appropriate juncture, presented before Akbar. Needless to say that the prime motive of Fr. Monserrate was to convince Akbar to adopt the catholic faith, and we are made to believe that he almost succeeded. The book, whose spellings are amusing (eg Jalalud-din Akbar is spelt as Zelaldinus Equebar), gives a lot of information about the court of Akbar, its nobles, its functioning. Facts regarding the administration, military campaigns, land, produce, court intrigues find mention in this book; also mentioned are the theological debates that the fathers had with the other religious representatives at Akbar’s court.