MANSABDARI SYSTEM: The Mansabdari system was introduced by the Emperor . The word Mansab comes from which means rank, dignity and status It was a noble concept of Administration and military structure. Origin of Mansabdari System: According to Irvine, the Mansabdari system means an appointment in the royal court that determine the payment, salaries, allowance and the status of the Mansabdar as compared to the other officials. R.P. Khosla has written that in Mansabdari system of Akbar, all the civil, military and administrative powers were combined into one. In short, it was a fine concept of administration and military service. This system was borrowed from the Mongols. Chingez Khan started appointing Mansabdars from the rank of 10 to 10,000. It was known as Tuman in the Mongol army. V.A. Smith and Stanley Lanepoole are of the view that it originated during the reign of and . Stanley Lane-Poole has written that Raja Bhar Mal was a Mansabdar in the court of Humayun. Dr. Ishwari Prasad and S.R. Sharma have written that Mansabdari Pratha (system) may have existed in rudimentary form in the times of Babur and Humayun but Akbar was its real innovator. The Structure of Mansabdari System It was a clear knack by the Mughal emperor to pick up the right man for the right job. It was a sort of the civil services of the Mughals. It was more economic system as the Mansabdars were required to perform both civil and military duties in the administration network of the Mughal state. Abul Fazal says that during Akbar’s time there existed 66 grades of Mansabdars from 10 to 10000 but most historians agree that there were 33 grades. William Hawkins has written that the Mansabdari grades were from 20 to 12,000. Akbar started the Mansabdari system in 1570. Dagh and Huliyah were enforced in 1574. In his 21st regional year (1577), Akbar introduced Zat and Sawar as the integral part of the Mansabdari administrative system. The mansab of 10,000 and above was the privilege of the Mughal princes. Dara Shikoh enjoyed the biggest mansab of 60,000 zat and 30,000 sawar. Khurram enjoyed 30,000 zat and 17,000 sawar. The mansab of 7,000 was the culmination of any Mansabdar’s ambition in the administrative network of the Mughal dynasty. Raja Man Singh, Raja Todar Mal Khatri and Raja Birbal enjoyed the mansab of 7,000. The largest Mansab among the nobles was enjoyed by Asaf Khan. He had the mansab of 9,000. Mahabat Khan had the Mansab of 7,000. Mansabdars of 5000 and above were known as Amir- ul-Umarah. Mansabdars of 3000 to 4500 were known as Umarah-i- Akbar. Mansabdars from 500 to 2500 were known as Umarah. Mansabdars upto 500 were known as Mansabdars. The lowest Mansab was of 10. Zat and Sawar Zat indicated the respectability of the Mansabdar, while sawar indicated the rank of the Mansabdar. There is a lot of controversy among the scholars regarding zat and sawar ranks and their nature. Irvine and S.R. Rao have written that zat indicated the number of troops and sawar the cavalrymen a mansabdar was required to maintain. Blochman has written that zat indicated the additional number of troops that a mansabdar was required to maintain as a special privilege over his sawar rank. R.P. Tripathi has written that zat is an additional allowance. S.R. Rao further says that zat indicates infantry and sawar cavalry. Salary and Allowances: The annual salary of Mansabdars was between 10,000 to 60,000 Rs. The salary of the first, second and third grade of mansabdars of 5000 zat and sawar: Salary of the grade I mansabdar of 5000 zat and sawar was Rs 30,000 Salary of Grade II mansabdar was Rs 29,000. Salary of Grade III mansabdar was Rs 28,000. Salary of the first, second and third grade of mansabdars of 3000 and above upto 5000: Salary of Grade I mansabdar was Rs 17,000. Salary of Grade II mansabdar was Rs 16,800. Salary of Grade III mansabdar was Rs 16,700. Salary of the First, Second and the third Grade of Mansabdars of 1000 and above upto 3000: Salary of the Grade I Mansabdar was Rs 8200. Salary of Grade II Mansabdar was Rs 8100. Salary of Grade III Mansabdar was Rs 8000. Salary of the First, Second and Third Grade of Mansabdar of 10 and above upto 1000: Salary of Grade I Mansabdar was Rs 100. Salary of Grade II Mansabdar was Rs 82.5. Salary of Grade III Mansabdar was Rs 75. The above mentioned salaries were annual but Shah Jahan introduced 8 monthly Jamdami (revenue) systems which was based on the currency of Dam). modified Zat and Sawar in the following manner: 1. He introduced Do Aspa and Si Aspa 2. Do Aspa means a trooper having two horses. 3. Si Aspa means a trooper having more than two horses. 4. He started Watan Jagirs. Those feudal lords who maintained Watan Jagirs were required to maintain 1/3rd of the horses of a particular Sawar rank.

Shah Jahan had reduced the number of horsemen a sawar had to maintain. The appointments, salaries and promotions were determined by the Emperor in consultation with Mir Bakshi.

The maximum Hindu Mansabdars were in Aurangzeb’s court. The Maratha Mansabdars were appointed for the first time in Jahangir’s court to work in the Mughal administrative system.

Other Types of Soldiers

Ahadis (Gentlemen Soldiers, Personal Soldiers of the Mughal Emperor) They received orders from the Emperor himself and were paid directly from the Central Exchequer. There were 5000 Ahadis during Akbar’s reign but the number rose to 40,000 in Aurangzeb’s period. They were employed to protect the royal court and the royal palace. They were also employed as the royal bodyguards.

Dakhlis:

They were the supplementary palace soldiers. They were also paid from the Central Exchequer.

Cavalry:

The cavalry was the most important organ of the Mughals. Ishwari Prasad has written that the maximum strength of the cavalry was Rs. 2,00,000. William Hawkins has written that the strength was Rs. 3,00,000. Cavalry was of two types: 1. Silhedars (Horsemen who maintained their own horse.) 2. Bargis (They were provided the horse by the state). The Mughals introduced scientific artillery in India for the first time. The infantry was the insignificant and the weakest organ. Disadvantage of the Mansabdari System: In the beginning, the Mansab were based on merit and not hereditary. Thus, the Mansabdars indulged in reckless expenditure. Because they knew their offsprings would not succeed them. Edward and Garrett have written that Escheat system (Property lapsed to state if no heir apparent is found) is the main cause of the downfall. As the soldiers were recruited by the Mansabdars, they were more loyal to them. The revolt of Bengal in 1580 was mainly due to this factor. J.N. Sircar has written that during the period of the later Mughals, the Mansabdars began to recruit lesser number of soldiers than specified. Thus, the Mughal army got weakened. The German traveller Mendelson has compared the Mughal army to a moving crowd. The Difference between Mansabdari and Jagirdari System: The Mansabdari System was a military cum administrative system. The Mansabdars had to maintain a fixed number of troops and look after the administration of their Jagirs. The Jagirdars, on the other hand, were officials who were given Jagirs to collect revenue. They had no military powers.