This illustration to the Akbarnama (Book of Akbar) depicts Mirza Mirak Mashhadi being chastised in the presence of the Mughal emperor Akbar (r.1556–1605) at Karra in northern India in 1567. Mirza Mirak had come to the Mughal court to plead on behalf of Ali Quli Shaibani, who had been given the title Khan Zaman by Akbar but regularly rebelled against the emperor (and equally regularly then reaffirmed his loyalty). Shortly afterwards Khan Zaman rebelled again and Mirza Mirak was condemned to death by being trampled by elephants. Mirza Mirak’s elephant treated him gently, and he was finally granted his life.

The Akbarnama was commissioned by Akbar as the official chronicle of his reign. It was written in Persian by his court historian and biographer, Abu’l Fazl, between 1590 and 1596, and the V&A’s partial copy of the manuscript is thought to have been illustrated between about 1592 and 1595. This is thought to be the earliest illustrated version of the text, and drew upon the expertise of some of the best royal artists of the time. After Akbar’s death, the manuscript remained in the library of his son Jahangir, from whom it was inherited by Shah Jahan.

The V&A purchased the manuscript in 1896 from Frances Clarke, the widow of Major General John Clarke, who bought it in India while serving as Commissioner of Oudh between 1858 and 1862.