Jagirdari System during Mughals

Assignment of a piece of land to an individual for the purpose of collection of revenue in lieu of cash salary is an age-old practice in India. In the Sultanate period such assignments were called Iqtas and the holders Iqtadars. The Mughal emperors also implemented this system and the areas assigned were called Jagirs and their holders, Jagirdars. It is to be remembered in this connection that it is not land that was assigned but the right to collect revenue or income from the piece of land. The framework of the Mughal Jagirdari system began during the reign of and in course of time it underwent modifications. Babur and Humayun continued the collection of revenue from the assigned territories through Wajahdars by fixing „wajah‟. In the time of Akbar, the territory was broadly divided as Khalisa and Jagir. The revenue of Khalisa territory was collected and deposited in the imperial treasury. Depending on the rank the Jagirdar was assigned the collection of revenue in lieu of salary in cash. The maximum area of the territory was assigned to Mansabdars on the basis of their rank. The estimated revenue from the territory was called „jama ojamadari‟ as it was calculated in „dam‟. Dam is a small copper coin. Generally, the jama included land revenue, in- land transit duties, port customs and other taxes too. This is also known as „sair jihat‟ and „hasil‟ or the amount of revenue actually collected. There were various types of Jagirs or revenue assignments. They are: (1) Jagirs, which were given in lieu of pay known as Jagir Tankha,

(2) Jagirs given to an individual on certain conditions called Mashrut Jagirs, (3) Jagirs with no involvement of obligations of service and were independent of rank known as Inam Jagirs, and

(4) Jagirs, assigned to in their home lands called Watan Jagirs.

Of these varieties, Tankha Jagirs were transferable for every three or four years. Watan Jagirs were hereditary Jagirs and non-transferable. Yet, all these types of Jagirs were liable for conversion. Thus, the Jagirdars were allowed to collect only the stipulated amount fixed by the king.

The Jagirdar collected the revenue through his own officials like Karkun, Amir and Fotedar. The imperial bureaucracy kept a vigilant watch over the Jagirdars. The Diwan of the Suba saw to it that the Jagirdars never harassed the peasants for excess payment. From the 20th year of the reign of Akbar, an Amir was posted in the Subha to see that the Jagirdars strictly implemented the royal orders.

In times of difficulty, the Jagirdar took the help of faujdar for the collection of revenue. During the later period of ‟s reign, there arose a crisis in Jagirdari system and this in turn led to a crisis in the .

We also come across the term Zamindars besides Mansabdars and Jagirdars in the official Mughal records. In the Mughal period, the term was used in a very wide sense. It meant the petty land holders in the villages and descendants of old ruling families and the and other autonomous chiefs who exercised administrative authority in their areas. They also maintained armed forces and forts depending on their status.

The Zamindars were the local elite or rural aristocracy who exercised authority in their areas. The Mansabdari and the Jagirdari were the two main institutions created by Akbar to consolidate and expand his empire which embraced both civil and military sectors of administration. Thus the Mansabdars, Jagirdars and Zamindars were a part of the Mughal nobility which acted as a prop of the Mughal administrative structure created by Akbar and nurtured by his successors.

It is of great interest to note as observed by J.F. Richards, “the structure created by Akbar and his administration survived with surprisingly little change until the early years of the 18th century. Imposed and backed by the overwhelming Mughal power, this structure included beneath the tough defense of rural life and reshaped the economy, culture and society of Mughal India”.

 ► Mughal Jagirdari System

 The system of assignment of revenue of a particular territory to the nobles for their services to the state continued under the Mughals also. Under the Mughals, the areas assigned were generally called Jagir and its holders Jagirdars.

 The Jagirdari system was an integral part of the mansabdari system which developed under Akbar and underwent certain changes during the reign of his successors.

 During Akbar‟s period all the territory was broadly divided into two: Khalisa and Jagir.

The revenue from the first went to imperial treasury, and that from Jagir was assigned to Jagirdars in lieu of their cash salary.

 Salary entitlements of mansabdars were calculated on the basis of their Zat and Sawar ranks.

 The salary was paid either in cash (in that case they were called Naqdi) or through the assignment of a Jagir, the latter being the preferable mode.  In case the payment was made through the assignment of a Jagir, the office of the central Diwan would identify the sum total of whose Jama was equal to the salary claim of the mansabdars.

 In case the recorded Jama was in excess of salary claim the assignee was required to deposit the balance with the central treasury.

 On the other hand, if it was less than the salary claim the short fall was paid from the treasury. However, none of the assignments was permanent or hereditary.

 The Emperor could shift part or the entire Jagir from one part of the imperial territory to another at any time.

 The ratio between Jagir and Khalisa kept fluctuating during the Mughal rule.  During Akbar‟s period Khalisa was only 5% of total revenue, under Jahangir it was 10%, under Shahjahan it fluctuated between 9 to 15%. ` In the latter part of Aurangzeb‟s reign there was a great pressure on the Khalisa as the number of claimants for Jagir increased with the increase in the number of mansabdars.

 The jagirdars were also transferred from one Jagir to another (but in certain cases they were allowed to keep their Jagir in one locality for longer period of time).  The system of transfer checked the Jagirdars from developing local roots. At the same time, its disadvantage was that it discouraged the Jagirdars from taking long term measures for the development of their areas.

What were the types of JAGIRS ?

 There were various types of Jagirs.

1. Tankha Jagirs were given in lieu of salaries, 2. Mashrut Jagirs were given on certain conditions, 3. Watan Jagirs were assigned to or in their local dominions.

4. Altamgha Jagirs were given to Muslim nobles in their family towns or place of birth.

Tankha Jagirs were transferable every three to four years. Watan Jagirs were hereditary and non transferable. When a Zamindar was made a mansabdar, he was given Tankha Jagir apart from his watan. Jagir at another place, if the salary of his rank was more than the income from his watan Jagir. The Jagirdars were allowed to collect only authorized revenue in accordance with the imperial regulations.

 The jagirdars employed their own officials like 'AMIL' etc.  The imperial office kept watch on the Jagirdars.  The Diwan of the suba was supposed to prevent the oppression of the peasants by the Jagirdars.  Amin was posted in each suba to see that Jagirdars were following imperial regulations.  Faujdar used to help the Jagirdas if they faced any difficulty in the collection of revenue.