AKBAR’S MANSABDRI SYSTEM: AN ANALYSIS

Submitted by

Nikita Sharma

UID-SF0116056

2016-21

1st semester

Faculty in charge

Namrata Gogoi

National Law University, Assam

DATE: 31-10-2016

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1
1. INTRODUCTION 3
1.1 Research questions 4
1.2 Scope and objective 4
1.3 Research methodology 4
1.4 literature review 4
2. RANKING OF MANSABDARS 5-6
3. ZAT AND SAWAR 7
4. MANSABDARI SYSTEM OF AKBAR 8
5. CHANGES IN MANSABDARI SYSTEM 9
6. MANSABDARI SYSTEM OF AURANGZEB 10
7. MERITS OF MANSABDARI SYSTEM 11
8. CONCLUSION 12
9. BIBLIOGRAPHY 13

INTRODUCTION

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Mansabdari system was a numerical rank system for the officials of the empire. There were
thirty three ‘mansabdars or ranks’. Each mansabdar was fixed by two factors : ‘zat’ and
‘sawai’ of a rank. The word ‘mansab’ exactly means level, status or rank but in the context of
the structure of the Mughal administration it point outs the rank mansabdar that is possessor
of mansabdar in the formal ranking.

The Mansabdari system was first initiated in north India by Babur, the system is of central
Asian origin. But it was Akbar who institutionalized it in Mughal military set up and civil
administration. The mansabdars belonged both to the civil and military departments. They
were transferred from the civil side to the military department and vice versa.1

The ranks in the mansabdari system were for life but it was not hereditary, heirs could not be
able to demand continuity of office. The status of the ‘ashab-u’s-saif (military) and ashab-
u’l-qalam’ (clerical and administrative), was denoted by military rank, originally 66 grades
but later only 33 grades existed. Every official of the empire above the rank of a sepoy or a
servant held an army rank, the lowest was the commander of twenty, the highest commander
of seven thousand.

The mansabdars were paid either in cash called naqd or in the form of assignments of areas of
land called jagir out of which they had the right to collect the land revenues and all other
taxes through an authority appointed by the emperor. The revenue that was earned through
their jagir was handed over to them and the same was deducted from their salary. The
mansabdar paid the salary of cavalrymen that they maintained out of their salary.  Those who
received payment in cash were called as naqdi and those paid through assignments of jagirs
were called as the jagirdars.

1.http://www.preservearticles.com/2011103016235/short-essay-on-the-mansabdari-system-of-akbar.html

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

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1. What is the difference between mansabdari system of Akbar and Aurangzeb?
2. Why was the mansabdari system proved to be fruitful during mughal period?

SCOPE AND OBJECTIVE

The scope of the researcher is limited to essentially the study of mansabdari system. The
changes took place in the later mughal period. The objective of the researcher is to find out
the comparison of mansabdari system of Akbar and Aurangzeb. Moreover the researcher has
also tried to analyse the effects of mansabdari system in the reign of each and every mughal
ruler.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The researcher had adopted various primary and secondary sources as to understand the basic
concept of mansabdari system. The methodology that has been used by the researcher is
comparative and descriptive in nature. Several books,articals and websites found to be very
useful for this project.

LITERATURE REVIEW
1. The mughal empire by JOHN F. RICHARDS published by Cambridge university press in
1993
This book helped the researcher in finding the mansabdari system during the reign of each
and every mughal emperor. And the two factors of the system: ZAT and SAWAR.
2. Akbar and his India edited by IRFAN HABIB published by oxford university press in
1997
This book entitles the simple and approachable description of Akbar’s mansabdari
system.

CHAPTER-2

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 RANKING OF MANSABDARS

Mansabs were ranked as of 7,000, 6,000, 5,000, intervals of 500 between 5,000 and 1,000,
intervals of 100 between 1,000 and 200, intervals of 50 between 200 and 100, finally
intervals of 20 between 100 and 20.
Mansabs were of three classes, 7,000 to 3,000 - ‘Amir-i-Azam’ the greater nobles; 2,500 to
500 - ‘Amir’, noble; 400 to 20 - ‘Mansabdar’ office holders. Commanders of higher ranks
were of three classes according to the proportion of horsemen, first class if the whole
command was of ‘horse’, second class if the ‘horse’ element was more than half and third
class if less than half.
Compensation per annum started at rupees 350,000 with intervals of 50,000 between mansabs
of 7,000 and 5,000; rupees 250,000 with intervals of 25,000 between mansabs of 5,000 and
1,000; the mansab of 20 received 1,000.
Compensation was either ‘naqdi’ meaning cash compensation or by the revenue of a ‘jagir’,
an area of land which was not given to the ‘mansabdar’ but he could use the revenue from the
land for his expenses and compensation. The ‘mansab’ could be increased or decreased on
the wishes of the ruler and reports of performance and two lists were maintained, ‘Hazir-i-
rikah’ present at court and ‘Ta-inat’ on duty elsewhere.
For a military mansab an application could be made for a mansab with troops or without
troops. Those applying for a mansab with troops brought their retainers, mounted and
equipped at their expense, these were known as ‘silladars’ and their men were known as
‘bagirs’. (The system continued under the British till 1914) When a silladar brought his men,
they were paraded for inspection, their descriptive rolls were prepared and the horses were
branded; these mansabdars were paid for the maintenance of horses and the salaries of the
men. Men considered fit to command but lacking resources were given money to purchase
horses and received the salaries of the men only. Men who could not be mansabdars but too
good to be employed as soldiers were given the higher rank of a ‘ahadi
Military mansabdars were required to maintain troops according to the mansab including
beasts of burden, elephants, camels, mules, carts etc; they maintained horses for their troopers
and a prescribed number in their own stables.
The Mansabdars got their cavalrymen (horse riders) for review, their horses branded [DAG or
CHEHRA) and got them registered with each and every detail (description role of the horse
known as (HULIA)]

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Military command was at the will of the emperor, Akbar held that anyone could be a military
commander and often appointed commanders who had no military knowledge or experience.
Jagir was a piece of land held by the mansabdar which was granted by the Sultan.
Mansabdars were given control over an area of land, a ‘jagir’ whose revenue was to be used
for maintaining troops; if not given a ‘jagir’ they were paid in cash through a complicated
accounting system, with deductions for various things including ‘the rising of the moon’; it
was a normal practice to pay for only eight or ten months in the year. The mansabdars were
allowed to keep five percent of the income of the ‘jagir’ or five per cent of the salaries
received. The accounting system was complex, mansabdars usually borrowed money for
expenses and when they died their private property was seized against any outstanding
balances.

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 CHAPTER-3
ZAT AND SAWAR

During later years of Akbar’s reign, he introduced the Rank of the Zat and the Sawar. The
mansabdars were demarcated by the Zat and the Sawar rank. The Zat referred to the number
of troops maintained by the mansabdar and the sawar referred to the number of horses. A
mansabdar was in service of the state and was bound to render service when asked.
Additionally, they were graded on the number of armed cavalrymen, or Sawars, which each
had to maintain for service in the imperial army. Thus all mansabdars had a Zat, or personal
ranking, and a Sawar, or a troop ranking. All servants of the empire, whether in the civil or
military departments were graded in this system. There were thirty-three grades of
mansabdars ranging from ‘commanders of 10,000’. Till the middle of Akbar’s reign, the
highest rank an ordinary officer could hold was that of a commander of 5000; the more
exalted grades between commanders of 7000 and 10,000’ were reserved for the royal princes.
During the period following the reign of Akbar, the grades were increased up to 20,000 or
even more generally Rs. 20-25 per horse were paid to a mansabdar. Appointment, promotion,
suspension or dismissal of mansabdars rested entirely with the emperor. No portion of a
mansabdar’s property was hereditary; a mansabdar’s children had to begin life anew. A
mansabdar did not always begin at the lowest grade. The emperor, if satisfied, could and did
grant higher or even the highest grade to any person. There was no distinction between civil
and military departments. Both civil and military officers held mansabs and were liable to be
transferred from one branch of the administration to another.

Each mansabdar was expected to mantain prescribed number of horses, elephants, equipment,
etc, according to his rank and dignity. These rules, though initially strictly enforced, were
later slackened. Senior mansabdars were awarded a jagir (personal fief) rather than a salary.
Rates of remuneration, which included both the mansabdar’s salary and so much per sawar,
were matched by jagirs affording a similar aggregate yield. If their specified yield came to
more, the surplus was due to the imperial treasury; if the jagirdar 1 extracted more than the
specified yield, he kept it.

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 CHAPTER-4

MANSABDARI SYSTEM OF AKBAR

Akbar organized the nobility and his army by means of the Mansabdari system. Every officer
was assigned a rank valued in terms of a certain number of mounted soldiers. The ranks
normally given to top officers and nobles were valued from 10 to 5000 later raised to
7000.The ranks were divided into two: zat and sawar.Zat means personal where by the status
and salary of the individual was fixed. Out of this salary in addition to meeting his own
personal expenses, he had to maintain a stipulated quota of horses, elephants, camels, mules
and carts.

The other rank indicated the number of cavalrymen (sawar) a mansabdar was required to
maintain. For every sawar, a mansabdar was paid at a rate of Rs 240 per annum over and
above his salary. A person was required to maintain as many sawars as his zat rank was
placed in the first category of that rank; if he maintained less than half then in the third
category. Thus there were three categories in every rank.No one could have a higher quota of
sawars than his zat rank.The mansab was not hereditary.

The sawar rank was distinguished by two special features: For every 10 cavalrymen the
mansabdar had to maintain 20 horses and a provision was made that the contingents of the
nobles should be mixed ones that is drawn from all the groups- Mughal, Pathan, Hindustani
and Rajput1. This was intended to weaken the spirit of tribal and ethnic exclusiveness. The
mansabdars were assigned a jagir in lieu of cash payment. Although modifications in the
system were made from time to time, this remained the basic structure as long as the Empire
held together. The number of mansabdars rose from 2069 at the time of Jahangir’s accession
in 1605 to 8000 in 1637 during Shah Jahan’s reign and to 11,546 during the latter half.

1
A Rajput is the member of one of the patrileneal clans of central, northern India and in some parts of
Pakistan.

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 CHAPTER-5

CHANGES IN MANSABDARI SYSTEM

Changes in Akbar's Mansabdari System Jahangir and Shah Jahan introduced new systems
into the original mansabdari system of Akbar. While the system introduced by Jahangir was
called du-aspah sih-aspah, the one brought out by Shah Jahan was the month-ratio or month-
scale system.
(i) Du-aspah sih-aspah system The term du-aspah sihaspah literally means trooper with two
or three horses. Under this system, selected nobles could be allowed to maintain a large quota
of soldiers, without making any change in their Jat rank. It implied that a mansabdar or noble
holding du-aspah sih-aspah rank had to maintain double the quota of troopers indicated by his
sawar rank. They were paid accordingly.
(ii) Month-ratio or Month-scale system It was a new scaling device under which the salaries
of mansabdars were put on a month scale: ten months, eight months, six months or even less.
The obligations of the mansabdars for maintaining a quota of sawars were
brought down accordingly. The month-scale system was applied to both jagirs and those
who were paid in cash.

The mansabsari system was not without defects. As the soldiers were recruited and paid by
the mansabdars, their loyalty and attachment were to their immediate master rather than to
the emperor. This gap between the emperor and the bulk of his army was a source of serious
danger to the government.

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 CHAPTER-6

MANNSABDARI SYSTEM OF AURANGZEB

Aurangzeb, who was given the title "Alamgir" or "world-seizer," by his father, was known
for aggressively expanding the empire's frontiers and for his acceptance of orthodox Sunni
Islam.

During his reign, the Mughal Empire reached its greatest extent (the Bijapur and
Golconda Sultanates which had been reduced to vassalage by Shah Jahan were
formally annexed). Although he was an outstanding general and a rigorous
administrator, Mughal fiscal and military standards declined as security and luxury increased.
Land rather than cash became the usual means of remunerating high-ranking officials, and
divisive tendencies in his large empire further undermined central authority.

In 1679, Aurangzeb reimposed the jizyah tax on Non-Muslims. This action by the emperor,
incited rebellion among Hindus and others in many parts of the empire notably the Jats,
Sikhs, and Rajputs forces in the north and Maratha forces in the Deccan. The emperor
managed to crush the rebellions in the north. Aurangzeb was compelled to move
his headquarters to Aurangabad in the Deccan to mount a costly campaign against Maratha
guerrilla fighters led by Shivaji and his successors, which lasted twenty-six years until he
died in 1707 at the age of seventy nine.

In the century and a half that followed, effective control by Aurangzeb's successors
weakened.

The mansabdari system gave way to the zamindari system, in which high-ranking officials
took on the appearance of aristocracy who were hereditary land barons with powers of
collecting rents. As Delhi's control waned, other contenders for power emerged and clashed,
thus preparing the way for the eventual British takeover.

Aurangzeb, as is his father before him, is remembered as a builder-emperor. The Badshahi

Masjid (Imperial Mosque) in Lahore was constructed in 1673 on his orders. It was not only
the largest mosque ever built by a Mughal emperor but was at that point the largest mosque in
the world. He also constructed the Alamgiri Gate of the Lahore Fort, which is today a
UNESCO World Heritage Site. Moti Masjid inside Delhi's Red Fort was also finalized by
him.

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 CHAPTER-7

MERITS OF MANSABDARI SYTEM

The mansabdari system was an improvement over the systems of tribal chieftainship and
feudalism; it was a progressive and systematic method adopted by Akbar to re-organize his
army within the fold of despotic monarchy. Although many mansabdars were allowed to
recruit soldiers on tribal or religious considerations, they were also made to know that they
owed unconditional allegiance to the central government.

Single men approaching the court in the hope of obtaining employment in the army, were
obliged first to seek a patron. These men generally attached themselves to chiefs from their
own race; Mughals became the followers of Mughals, Persians of Persians, and so on. This
led to certain homogeneity of military traits and the development of tactics particularly suited
to the military prowess of individual groups. Certain groups began to be identified with
certain qualities-Rajput and Pathan soldiers were considered most valuable for their martial
prowess and fidelity, for instance.

As a result of the mansabdari system, the emperor had no longer to depend exclusively on the
mercenaries of the feudal chieftains. The mansabdari system put an end to the jagirdari
system within the territories under the direct control of the imperial government. No portion
of a mansab was hereditary, and a mansabdar's children had to begin afresh.

All appointments, promotions, suspensions and dismissal of the mansabdars rested entirely
with the emperor. Every mansabdar was thus held personally responsible to the monarch; this
factor eliminated chances of disaffection and revolts by the military officers and may be said
to be a major achievement of mansabdari system.

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 CONCLUSION

Babur and Humayun ruled over territory that was not too far flung. After the tribes and the
clans that had joined Babur for booty returned after the Battle of Panipat, their place was
taken by foreign adventurers, Uzbeks, Persians, Arabs, Turks etc who thronged to the court
with contingents of troops. Since the Mughals were foreigners there were no hereditary
nobles related to the rulers or ancient families to depend upon, the court consisted of
adventurers from different nations, the ruler raised them to dignity or degraded them; up to
the early rule of Akbar the Mughal armies consisted of contingents commanded by these
adventurers.

Akbar organized the nobility and his army by means of the Mansabdari system. Every officer
was assigned a rank valued in terms of a certain number of mounted soldiers. The ranks
normally given to top officers and nobles were valued from 10 to 5000 later raised to
7000.Theranks were divided into two: zat and sawar.Zat means personal where by the status
and salary of the individual was fixed. Out of this salary in addition to meeting his own
personal expenses, he had to maintain a stipulated quota of horses, elephants, camels, mules
and carts. Thus mansabdari system proved to be very useful for the mughal empire which was
followed till centuries.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books-

The mughal Empire by JOHN F. RICHARDS

Akbar and his India edited by IRFAN HABIB

Internet sources-

file:///C:/Users/dell/Desktop/Mansabdari%20System%20in%20Mughal

%20Administration.html

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