Mahesh Das

Mahesh Das, popularly known by his title Rajah Birbal, 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. In February 1586, he led an army to crush an unrest in the north-west Indian subcontinent now modern day Swat District Pakistan where he was killed along with many troops in an ambush which turned into a full-scale battle against rebelling Yusufzai and adjoining tribes. He was the only Hindu to adopt Din-i Ilahi, the religion founded by Akbar.