MUGHAL ADMINISTRATION

With a focus on administration under Akbar

NAME: Lavanya Manasvi Pathak

SAP ID: 81012100381
ROLL NO: C023
 INTRODUCTION
The Mughal period, may be split into two periods: consolidation and splendour (1526-1707) and decline and
collapse (1707-1857).
Mughals reigned supreme in India for the first half of the empire's reign, when Babur, Humayun, Akbar,
Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb reigned. The Mughals' empire began to crumble in the later part of the
Mughal era, notably after the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, at a moment when the Mughal empire was
vulnerable and encircled by severe Hindu opposition, internal conflicts among the princes, rulers’ lack of
strength and ineptness, and invasion and intervention by foreign powers, particularly from Europe.

According to many scholars, Akbar was the greatest Mughal Emperor of all time. This is attributed to the
Mughal accomplishments under his reign, which included the expansion of the empire to include all of. Akbar's
ability to obtain the Mughal force and capture Hindu territories one by one while remaining victorious was
unprecedented. As a result of this feat, Akbar was dubbed "Akbar the Great" and the greatest Mughal king.

Akbar used many techniques to unite all of India in his goal of a 'Mughal Union.' Several of his tactics, however,
were condemned by Indian Muslims since they were contentious and deviated from the basic Islamic rules. The
Muslim opposition, on the other hand, did not prevent Akbar from accomplishing his political aims.
 ADMINISTRATION UNDER AKBAR
The emperor was regarded as the representative of God. The Mughal conception of kingship was given a new meaning by
Abul Fazal. To him, the idea of kingship was blessed with Farri-Izadi, rather than the man who held the post. His Padshah or
Shahanshah (king of kings) was a one-of-a-kind figure who served as God's representative on Earth and that is why
practices like Jharokha darshan and Tula Dar was common in that era.

Akbar tried to regulate the old administration and systemise the whole thing by developing rules, traditions and pratices
which made the department working smooth and easy.
The success of the empire depended on the personal supervision of the monarch as he was ‘the sole director of the state
machine.’
At the central level there were FOUR main officials and their ministries namely:
WAZIR (Secondary of the Emperor)
DIWAN (finance and revenue)
MIR BAKSHI (army and intelligence)
QAZI (judiciary)
MIR-i-SAMAN (royal household)

All other functions such as diplomacy and external affairs remained under emperor’s control.
The Mughal civil and administrative officials were regulated and organized under the Mansabdari system
Each of these officials were supported and helped by a large staff of clerks, accountants, auditors, messengers and other
functionaries.
 ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS
EMPIRE - There were 15 subas during Akbar’s reign.
The numbers of Subas differed from time to
time
- The head of the Suba was called a Subedar
- The administrative agency of Suba, was a
PROVINCES miniature of the central government
(subas) - The Subedar was assisted by a Diwan, who
- There were 2 types of Sarkars was appointed by the ruler.
- Owned by the Emperor and ruled by
the officers appointed by the emperor
- In the territory of other rulers and
DISTRICTS
ruled by their counterparts
(sarkars) - Fauzdar was the head of the district and - A pargana was composed of numerous
was assisted by Amal Guzar (Finance
villages
officer) - The head of the Pargana was called
Shiqdar and was assisted by Amil (Finance
VILLAGES officer)
(parganas) - The village administration was mostly left
undisturbed by the Mughals.
 MANSABDARI SYSTEM
The steel structure of Akbar's military policy was the Mansabdari system, which he instituted in 1573. According to Jadu
Nath Sarkar, The mansabdar was a government officer who was paid to provide a set number of cavalry to the imperial
army. Every official in the Mughal empire, high or low, had a rank or a MANSAB. Their status, duties, pay and importance
were graded accordingly.

The features of Mansabdari system were:

• Mansabdars were divided into 39 classes, with commanders varying from ten to ten thousand.

• Zat and Sawar, twin ranks, were assigned. The first denoted a noble's personal position, while the second denoted the
number of troops he was responsible for. The ZAT was personal salary and SAWAR was payment of military contingent

• Mansabdari had three scale levels: (1) Mansabdar (500 Zat and below), (2) Amir (between 500 and 2500 Zat); (iii) Amir-i-
Umda (between 500 and 2500 Zat) (2500 Zat and above).

• Mansab was not an inherited system; mansabdars were paid via revenue tasks (jagirs), and property was divided into four
categories: Polaj (constantly cultivated), Parauti (left fallow for a year or two to recover productivity), Chachar (left fallow
for three or four years), and Banjar (left fallow for three or four years) (uncultivated for five years or more).

The successful regulation of the mansabs and the salary assignment can be truly termed as a Mughal phenomenon.
 CONCLUSION
According to historians, Mughal leadership achieved its pinnacle in terms of public reforms and welfare during
the reign of Akbar.
Nonetheless, as the ultimate and absolute sovereign, the King could exploit the administrative and judicial
systems to further his personal interests. All state organs and their authority were at the whim of the King, who
had unrestricted power. The notion of devolution of powers was unthinkable. Only the King's power to control
the people was aided by the separation of state duties. One of the key areas of administration in which the
Ministers were at the King's disposal was central administration.

The bureaucrats were given authority to govern the operations of the state, but they were unable to dispute or
restrain the emperor’s fancy. State officials were well compensated for their efforts, whether in cash or in
Jagirs. Sher Shah Suri and Akbar, however, were hesitant to give the state officials Jagir in order to avoid a
monopoly. The emperors delegated certain powers to bureaucrats in order to manage the empire, but they
retained ultimate control over public grievances, which can be equated to the notion of a totalitarian state in
modern terms.

However, the Mughal reforms should not be disregarded, since they are still followed today in both India and
Pakistan in the shape of a welfare state.
 SOURCES
PRIMARY SOURCES:
Akbarnama by Abu Fazl
Ain-i-Akbari by Abu Fazl

SECONDARY SOURCES:
Mughal Administration by J.N. Sarkar
Mughal Empire in India by S.R. Sharma
History of India (Part – I) by H.V. Sreenivasa Murthy

* Research papers from JSTOR and Google Scholar

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