NAME – PRIYANKA PANDEY

ROLLNO.- 86

CLASS- 2A

Q. Examine the various administrative measures taken by Akbar to systematise and

streamline Mughal administration as reflected in the Mughal institutions during Akbar’s
dispensation?

Akbar was the first ruler to introduce various measures for which Mughals were known for.
He used various sher shah policy but in an innovative and efficient form. Mansabdari system
may had its root in mongoloid or Turkish traditions but system that developed was far more
complex, more organised than before. He tried to incorporate many local level officers into
his nobility to avoid any possibility of conflict. He divided his into various parganas for
efficient implementation of these measures. Mansabdari system was a military and
organisational structure of the Mughals. He also took some important measure in land
revenue system though basic idea was taken from sher shah time.

The Mansabdari System was a unique system devised by Akbar, which is now recognised as
the basic feature of the Mughal administrative and military structure. The word ‘Mansab’
means a place or a position where something is fixed or placed. Thus, this system organised
the Mughal nobility into numerical grades and fixed their position in the official hierarchy.
However, in due course of time it came to mean a function- an obligation on part of the
mansabdar to render some service to the empire in return for this rank, which fixed his salary
as well.

It was over time that Akbar felt the need to create such a system as he was faced with a
dilemma of controlling the nobility through rules and regulations and some form of
allegiance could be created between the Emperor and his officials.

There is a great deal of debate regarding the evolution of the Mansabdari System. Scholars
like Moreland and Abdul Aziz held that a single numerical rank existed before Akbar,
indicating the size of the cavalry contingent that the rank-holder was expected to maintain.
Moreland further supposed that as this number became more and more a sham in terms of
cavalry actually mustered, Akbar introduced the second (sawar) rank in his 11th regnal year
(1566-67). The new and usually smaller numerical rank indicated the size of the cavalry
contingent to be maintained, while the first to be called the zat rank (personal pay and status).
A. J.Qaisar, (1961) believes that the dual ranks came into existence only in the 18 th regnal
year (1573-74). This viewpoint was supported by Irfan Habib, who believed that Abu’l Fazl
in compiling the list of officials as late as the 40 th regnal year has given only the zat rank and
omitted the sawar ranks altogether, which has led to confusion regarding the origin of the
concept of the dual rank.

Shireen Moosvi agrees with Qaisar’s contention. In fact on the basis of contemporary
accounts she has divided the evolution of the system into phases or landmark regnal years.
 She says that in the first decade of Akbar’s reign evidence of any link between the size of
contingent maintained by a noble and the salary paid to him is hard to find. Thus, she says
that during this phase the salaries were fixed arbitrarily by the Emperor without defining
military obligations. The earliest measures adopted by Akbar in the 11th year (1566-7) to
impose the obligation of maintaining a certain number of troopers is made. The officials were
required to maintain a specified number of cavalrymen in accordance with the revenues of
their jagirs, and on the basis of certain rates sanctioned for troopers. This is made particularly
clear by Mu'tamad Khan's exposition of the same measure (of the 11th regnal year). He says
that "the number of horsemen to be maintained by the nobles was fixed in accordance with
the jagirs (held by them)". However, she maintains that the concept of rank or ‘mansab’ had
not evolved till now as there is no evidence to suggest the possible way of determining how
the troopers were categorised during this period. There was only working out the size of
military obligation from the estimated revenues of the jagir and this system continued till the
dagh system was introduced in 1573-74.

In the 18th regnal year (1573-4) the numerical rank (mansab) was instituted. Fazl says that in
this year the dagh was introduced, and the ranks of the Imperial officials were fixed. While
the contemporaries of this period suggest that the rank was determined on the basis of the
contingent of troops they were required to maintain and they do not mention the existence of
a dual rank as contrary to Qaisar.

The final stage of the evolution of the mansab system, according to her, was marked by an
innovation that came in the 40th regnal year (1595-6) mansabdar was first assigned his
personal pay and the salary for a number of troopers equal to his mansab –number was fixed
on the basis of a provisional or partial rate. He was expected subsequently to present his
troops and horses at the muster and brand, after which he was to be paid the balance due to
him at the full dagh rate. The procedure implies that if a mansabdar was unable to produce
the required number of troopers at the dagh, and his contingent fell short of the number of his
mansab, even the payment at the partial rate might involve a great loss for the administration.
The administration acknowledged the force of reality and modified the system accordingly. It
was now in the 40th regnal year that the number of sawars actually expected began to be
distinct from the mansab number. The existing rank became the determining factor for fixing
the salary of the mansabdar or zat along with his status. This clear demarcation and evolution
of the dual rank, however, came about only in his 41 st regnal year, which marks the full
evolution of this system.

Thus, by Akbar's death (1605), mansab was split into two numerical representations: the first,
zat, determined the holder's personal pay and status in the hierarchy; the second (sawar)
indicated the number of horsemen to be maintained by the holder and set the amount
sanctioned to cover their pay. Abu’l Fazl in the Ain-i-Akbari has mentioned the existence of
66 grades of Mansabdars starting from rank of 10 and extending up to 5,000. I.H.Qureshi
states that if one examines the list of mansabdars prepared by Fazl then it would reveal the
existence of only thirty-three ranks in reality; the other thirty-three, according to him were
just theoretical and to satisfy the superstitious spirit of the time.
Satish Chandra has stated that while the term mansabdar was a generic term it was popularly
used only for those holding ranks upto 500 and mansabs above 5,000 were usually for princes
of blood. Abu’l Fazl has also stated that in the 40 th regnal year the mansabdars were grouped
into three categories. Those who maintained sawars equal to their mansab -number were
placed in the first category. The second category comprised those who maintained horsemen
equal in number to one-half thereof, or more. Finally, those with horsemen smaller in number
than one-half of their mansab were put in the third category.

The Dagh system was introduced in 1573-74 as a way of ensuring some degree of control
over the mansabdars. This system required every mansabdar to bring their personal horses
and elephants for branding. A trooper, if capable of being a sih-aspa (horse man with three
horses) would bring three horses; if capable of being do-aspa (horseman with two horses),
two horses; if capable of being zyak-aspa (horse man with one horse only), he would bring
one horse for the dagh. All the horses presented for inspection by a particular noble were
branded with a specific pattern to distinguish through a seal (dagh). In this way the pay was
fixed. Thus, Shireen Moosvi argues that the salaries of the mansabdars were fixed according
to their mansabs, while the rates for their troopers were sanctioned separately. The salary of
each mansabdar was of two types- personal and contingent . A scale of salary was fixed for
the zat rank. However, one rank had no proportionate relationship with each other. when the
zat rank was less than 5,000 the salary was different for the three categories of mansabdars.
The salary for the sawar rank was the sum total of the remuneration given to each trooper
which was fixed and uniformally applicable, whatever the number of the sawar rank might
be. In the time of Akbar, the rate of payment was determined by a number of factors such as
the number of horses per trooper (presented for dagh), the breeds of the horses etc. The
mansabdars received their emoluments either in cash from the treasury or as was more
common they were assigned the revenue of particular areas. These assignments were known
as jagirs.

There has been a great deal of controversy regarding the source that was used to maintain the
cost of maintaining the animals. Abdul Aziz said that is that these animals belonged to the
state, and were assigned to mansabdars for maintenance, out of their personal salaries i.e. out
of their zat salary. However, this view point has been contested by Shireen Moosvi. She
believes that since keeping the animals was meant to be an advantage and not a burden, the
cost of maintenance could not have come out of the personal salary. She believes that an
additional payment was given to the mansabdars after the branding or dagh that was then
used for this purpose. In order to draw support for her viewpoints she refers to Fazl’s Ain-i-
Akbari, which states that the rules governing the dagh system sanctioned average costs of
maintenance depending upon the grades and quality of animals being maintained.

However, there were instances of the king directly appointing the mansabdars as well. This
was an attempted to establish a bond of allegiance between the two. Thus, Akbar appointed a
number of Rajputs to high mansabs in order to win over them and incorporate them into the
Empire. A survey of the mansabdars appointed during the reigns of the Mughal Emperors
show that some groups were more favoured than the others. The most favoured category
were khanazad and immigrants included Irani, Turani, Iraqi and Khurasani. Similarly, the
position of the Afghans also improved under the later Mughals than what it had been under
Akbar.

Thus, the dah-bisti or ten-twenty system that had been adopted by Akbar According to which
the total number of horses were always supposed to be double than the number of horsemen.
This was done to ensure the mobility of the cavalry, which was the main fighting force of the
Mughals.

Jagir literally means holding a land without any propriety rights over it. Watan jagirs, which
were assigned to zamindars (chieftains) in their homelands. They remained hereditary and
non-transferable. This type of jagir was effective administrative machinery introduced by
Akbar to accommodate local zamindars in the Mughal oligarchy. Zamindars essentially
retained their traditional role as chiefs or leaders at the local level by paying tribute to the
Mughal court, which led to little change in village or community life, while enhancing
considerably the imperial coffers. Zamindars typically also maintained their own armed
forces.
Ruling class were granted mansab or rank granted by emperor. Salaries were given out of
treasury or assigned an area called jagir. Such standing estimates of average annual income
from taxes called jama were prepared for exactness in assigning jagir. Control of emperors
were strengthened by imparting to jagir a purely temporary character. A jagirdar had no
permanent right in his assignment. His claims were confined to authorised land revenue and
taxes. However jagirdar powers were much less circumscribed. Large jagirdars maintained
standing administrative machinery to collect revenue wherever they were assigned and
backed by their large military forces. Jagirdars came into conflict with jamadar and
peasantry.

The process of land revenue collection has two stages – assessment (jama) and actual
collection (hasil). Mal was the claim on behalf of the state to a share of the actual crop(ghalla
bakhshi and bhaoli or batai). First came kankut system where the word kankut is derived
from Kan (grain) while kat (estimate). At first, the field was measured either by means of a
rope or by pacing. After this, the per bigha productivity from good, middling and bad lands
was estimated and the revenue demand was fixed accordingly. Akbar followed the system
and to make a comparative estimate of the produce of lands and fixed different revenues for
each of them. These four types of land- Polaj (Land Actually cultivated for each crop in
succession), Parauti (Land left fallow far a time to recover its strength), Chachar (Land that
had lain fallow for three or four years), Banjar (Land uncultivated for five years and more).

Kankut has been transformed into Zabt (measurement) which had its origin back to sher shah
time. On the basis of productivity and prices prevailing in different regions they were divided
for revenue purposes into dastur circles. The rates of assessment in cash for each crop in
every dastur were decided, and the demand was fixed accordingly. The only allowance he
might make for harvest failure was to declare a part of the sown area to be Nabud or cropless.
Rates in kind when converted into cash continued to be largely uniform for all crops in all
provinces during early years of Akbar’s reign. But dastur-ul-amal begin to show large local
variations from 1565-66 onwards. From 1574-75 he took important measures-information on
yields, prices, area collected for each locality for ten years of period. Then revenue rates were
fixed directly in cash for each crop. Sanctioned cash rates were to be applied year after year,
with such revision only as might be decreed by administration in these rates from time to
time. Under Akbar this system covered entire region from Indus to Ghaghra even in areas
where it was a standard systems other method of assessments notably bhaoli and kankut
continued in use in certain villages or for certain crops. The loan called Taqavi to enable
peasants to undertake cultivation. Loans normally to be repaid at harvest. MADAD-I-
MA’ASH was a grant entitled to collect land revenue from specified area of land usually for
life.

CONCLUSION

It is considered that the real administrative measures being taken by Mughal empire started
from akbar’s reign. Measures taken by him were basically improved and much more effective
version of previous policy by his predecessors especially the policy of the sher shah suri’s
time. Akbar gave mansabs to both military and civil officers based on their merit or service to
the state. To fix the grades of officers and classify his soldiers, he was broadly inspired by the
principles adopted by Chingiz Khan. He adopted different policy but also remained continued
with old system whether its about incorporating zamindars into the nobility or zabti system in
modified form.

Bibliography
ali, athar. 1970. mughal nobility under aurangzeb. asia publishing house .

irfan habib and tapan raychaudhuri. 1982. cambridge economic history of india 1200-1750.
cambridge university press.

moosvi, shireen. 1981. "the evolution of mansab system under akbar until 1996-7." the journal of
the royal asiatic society of the great britain and ireland 173-185.

talbot, cynthia. 2006. India before europe . cambridge university press .