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 THE MUGHAL COURT AND THE ARTISTIC INFLUENCE IN HINDI LITERATURE (1550.1800) The New Influence in Hindi Poetry.— Although the religious language of the Muhammadans was Arabic, the literary language they used in India, and the language of the court, was Persian. This language possessed a large literature, w^hich had already developed a highly artistic character before the Muhammadan power was established in India. Many Hindus who were connected with the court came to learn this language, and when Urdu literature developed it was fashioned after Persian models. Though Hindi developed on its own lines, without any direct influence from Persian, it seems not unlikely that the polished Persian verse with which many Hindus became acquainted may have suggested a higher artistic standard in Hindi literature than there had been before. At all events about the middle of the sixteenth century there appeared a new artistic influence in Hindi literature, which was developed under encouragement from the Mughal court. Previous Muhammadan rulers had encourged litera- ture, but it was Akbar who first extended patronage to those who wrote in Hindi. The reign of Akbar (1556- 1605) was marked by its brilliance and splendour. Not only was he successful in war and in establishing a strong and, on the whole, good government, but he was also a great patron of art and literature. Architec- ture, music, painting and calligraphy were all encour- aged. The Emperor established a large library of