Mansabdari System – Explained in Layman’s Terms

Who was Mansabdars?

• Mansabdars were officers in Mughal administration.
• Those nobles who joined Mughal service were enrolled as mansabdars.
• The term mansabdar refers to an individual who holds a mansab (rank).
• The Mansabdars were appointed to all civil and military posts.
• They were liable to be transferred from one branch of the administration (civil) to another (military).

How were Mansabdars recruited?

The Mughals enrolled people of all races and religions into government jobs.

A person wishing to join the royal service had to petition through a noble, who presented a tajwiz to the emperor.

Tajwiz was a petition presented by a nobleman to the emperor, recommending that an applicant be recruited as mansabdar.

If the applicant was found suitable a mansab (rank) was granted to him.

Higher mansabs were given to princes and Rajput rulers who accepted the suzerainty of the emperor.

What does the term ‘Mansab’ denote?

The term ‘Mansab’ denotes the rank (position) of a Mughal military officer.

Higher the Mansab, higher the salary, status, and position of the officer.

Though in administrative records there were 66 grades of mansabdars, but in practice there were only around 33 mansabs.

Mansab: Understand the Zat and Sawar

Initially, a single number represented the rank, salary, and the size of the contingent of the mansabdar.

However later, the rank of mansabdar came to be denoted by two numbers – Zat and Sawar.

Example: A a mansabdar with 5000 Zat and 2000 Sawar.

Sub-divisions of each Mansab (Rank)

The ‘Zat’ fixed the rank in the army. The salary of a Mansabdar was based on his Zat.

The ‘Sawar’ refered to cavalary men Mansabdar had to maintain. Mansabdar also had to keep horses ready.

Zat vs Sawar

• Zat — Denote the rank in the administration
• Zat — Denote the Salary of the Mansabdar
• Sawar — Denote the number of cavalry men Mansabdar had to maintain.

Note: Even if the Sawar rank was higher, the mansabdar’s position in the official hierarchy would not be affected. It will be decided only by the Zat rank.

For example, a mansabdar with 5000 Zat and 2000 Sawar was higher in rank than a Mansabdar of 4000 Zat and 3000 Sawar.
However, there were exceptions to this rule particularly when the mansabdar was serving in a difficult terrain.

Military responsibilities of Mansabdars

• The Mansabdar was required to maintain a specified number of cavalrymen.
• The Mansabdar was required to maintain a specified number of horses.
• The mansabdar had to bring his cavalrymen for review and get them registered.
• The mansabdar had also get their horses branded.

Hierarchy within the Mansabdars

• Amir: Those mansabdars whose rank was 1000 or below were called Amir.
• Great Amir: Those mansabdars above 1,000 were called Amir-al Kabir (Great Amir).
• Amir of Amirs: Some great Amirs whose ranks were above 5,000 were also given the title of Amir-al Umara (Amir of Amirs).

Salary of Mansabdars: In cash and land

The Mansabdars were paid according to their ranks. They were paid a good amount of money.

Those Mansabdars, who were paid in cash, were called Naqdi.

Those Mansabdars who were paid through land (Jagirs) were called Jagirdars.

It is to be remembered that it is not land that was assigned but only the right to collect revenue or income from the piece of land.

No mansabdar could hold on to the said Jagir for a long term as they were liable for transfer. Mansabdars were not supposed to accumulate their salaries and wealth. After the death of a mansabdar, all his jagirs and wealth was confiscated. As a result, Mansabders used to spend lavishly. In short, they had no option but to spoil their earning.

The Mansabdars’ (Jagirdar’s) lands were not hereditary!

The Mansab’s post or honour or dignity was not hereditary and it lapsed after the death or dismissal of the Mansabdar. Mansabdar’s property returned to the state after his demise.

Who introduced Mansabdari in India?

The Mansabdar appears to be a Central Asian institution. There is a view that this institution came to India with Babur. However, during Babur’s time, instead of the term of Mansabdar, the term Wajahdar was used.

It was under the regime of Akbar when Mansabdari system became the basis of military and civil administration.

Did Mansabdars reside in their Jagirs (land allotted to them)?

All mansabdars did not reside in their own jagirs but used servants to collect revenues there while they themselves served in another part of the empire.

Note: The Delhi Sultanate (The Khalji and the Tughlaq monarchs) too appointed military commanders as governers of territories. These land were called the Iqta and the landholders were called Iqtadars or the muqti. Most of the Muqti stayed in their Iqta unlike Jagirdars.

Iqtadari vs Mansabdari (Jagirdari)

• The Iqtadari system was used by the Delhi Sultans, while Mansabdari was used by Mughal rulers.
• While Iqtedari system was in force, the whole land of the Empire was divided into two parts – one which belonged to Iqtedars and the other which belonged to the emperor. But in Jagirdari, the whole land belonged to the Emperor.
• Itqadar was the officer in charge of the revenue collection and distribution. Jagirdar had law and order responsibility in addition to the revenue collection.
• Most of the Muqti stayed in their Iqta, unlike Jagirdars.
• Initially, ‘Iqta’ was a revenue-yielding piece of land which was assigned in lieu of salary – just like ‘Jagir’. However, Iqtadari system became hereditary in its later days whereas the Mansabdari system was never hereditary.
• Mansabdar was a royal officer in charge of revenue collection and law and order duties – who was paid salary either as cash or as land. He used to deduct his own cut before sending the remaining share to the emperor.

The number of Mansabdars during Mugal Rule

Akbar maintained 1,803 Mansabdars, by the end of the reign of Aurangzeb, their number rose to 14,499.

In Akbar’s reign, there were 29 mansabdars with a rank of 5,000 zat; by Aurangzeb’s reign the number of mansabdars with a zat of 5000 had increased to 79.

The increase of the number of Mansabdars during the reign of Aurangzeb led to the Jagirdari and agrarian crisis which led to the collapse of the Mansabdari system.

The fall of the Manasabdari System

In Akbar’s reign, the system worked near perfect. The revenue collected by the Mansabdar from his jagirs (and transferred to the Emperor) was enough to pay his assigned salary as well.

These jagirs, in the initial days, were carefully assessed so that their revenues were roughly equal to the salary of the mansabdar.

However, in the later stage, there was a shortage of jagirs. Also, the size of the jagirs started to shrink.

In the Aurengazeb era, the revenue collected by Mansabdars for the government was not enough to pay the salary assigned to them.

Mansabdari System: Terms that you should understand

1. Mashrut = conditional rank = which means an increase of sawar rank for a short period.
2. Tajwiz: Tajwiz was a petition presented by a nobleman to the emperor, recommending that an applicant be recruited as mansabdar.
3. Du-aspah and Sih-aspah: These were features added later to the Mansabdari system by Jahangir. This is a system whereby the selected nobles could be allowed to maintain a larger quota of troopers, without raising their Zat rank. The system was popular as ‘du-aspah’ (a trooper with two horses) or ‘sih-aspah’ (a trooper with three horses) system. As you can understand, this was related to the sawar rank.

Mansabdari System: Summary

The Mansab system was a grading system used by the Mughal rulers to fix the rank and salary of a Mansabdar, who were basically royal officers.

The mansabdars were nobles who acted as military commanders, high civil and military officers, and provincial governors.

There was no distinction between the 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.

The rank of a Mansabdar was determined by the number of horses and cavalrymen he maintained.

Conclusion

Based on the information provided in the article, the Mansabdari System was a unique administrative and military system developed by the Mughal Emperor Akbar in the 16th century in India.

Under this system, officials were assigned ranks (mansabs) based on their military skills and administrative capabilities, which determined their pay and the number of troops they were expected to maintain.

It helped in the efficient organization of the military and administration, as well as in ensuring the loyalty and accountability of officials to the emperor.

Mansabdari System:

1. Origin:

• The Mansabdari system was a hierarchical ranking system introduced by Emperor Akbar in the late 16th century. The term “Mansab” translates to “position” or “rank,” and individuals within this system were referred to as “Mansabdars.”

2. Rank and Responsibilities:

• Mansabdars were military commanders or officials appointed by the emperor.
• Each Mansab had a numerical rank, indicating the number of soldiers the officer was expected to maintain.
• The system had various ranks, ranging from as low as 10 to as high as 7,000.

3. Dual Role of Mansabdars:

• Mansabdars held dual responsibilities, serving both in civil and military capacities.
• They were expected to be proficient in administrative duties while maintaining a contingent of soldiers for imperial service.

4. Salary and Revenue Assignment:

• Mansabdars were paid through cash salaries, known as “Zat” (personal salary), and “Sawar” (for maintaining cavalry).
• The emperor granted revenue assignments known as “Jagir” to Mansabdars to support their military expenses.

5. Promotions and Demotions:

• Promotions were based on loyalty, competence, and achievements in military service.
• Demotions or reductions in rank were also possible, depending on performance or imperial decisions.

6. Akbar’s Innovations:

• Akbar introduced the concept of “Zabt” or the fixed revenue system, ensuring stable revenue collection and reducing the dependency on local intermediaries.

Jagirdari System:

1. Function:

• The Jagirdari system was a land revenue assignment system that granted rights over revenue collection to individuals known as “Jagirdars” or “Jagirdars.”

2. Granting of Jagirs:

• The emperor granted Jagirs as rewards for military service, administrative efficiency, or as a form of salary.
• Jagirdars were given the right to collect revenue from a specific territory.

3. Revenue Collection and Responsibilities:

• Jagirdars were responsible for collecting revenue from their assigned territories and remitting a portion to the imperial treasury.
• They could employ agents or officials to assist in revenue collection.

4. Preventive Measures:

• To prevent exploitation and excessive accumulation of power, the jagir was often not hereditary.
• Transfers or reshuffling of Jagirs were common to curb the influence of powerful nobles.

5. Land Revenue Share:

• Jagirdars received a share of the revenue collected from the assigned territory, known as “Mansab,” to support their military contingents.

6. Stability and Challenges:

• The Jagirdari system provided stability in revenue collection but also posed challenges related to corruption, inefficiency, and exploitation of the local population.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is Mansabdari in the context of Mughal India?

A: Mansabdari was a system of military ranking and administrative hierarchy introduced by Emperor Akbar during the Mughal era. Under this system, officials, both military and civil, were granted mansabs, or ranks, based on their competence and loyalty to the emperor. The higher the mansab, the greater the number of soldiers one was required to maintain.

2. How did the Mansabdari system contribute to the Mughal administration?

A: The Mansabdari system helped centralize power in the Mughal Empire. It provided the emperor with a loyal and professional class of officers who were directly accountable to the central authority. This system also facilitated the efficient mobilization of the military by attaching a specific number of soldiers to each mansabdar.

3. What was the role of Jagirdari in the Mughal administrative structure?

A: Jagirdari was a land revenue assignment system in the Mughal Empire. Under this system, the emperor granted jagirs (land revenue assignments) to Mansabdars instead of their salary. The Jagirdars, or holders of jagirs, were responsible for collecting and managing revenue from their assigned territories.

4. How did the Jagirdari system impact the Mughal economy and administration?

A: The Jagirdari system had both positive and negative effects. On the positive side, it provided an efficient way to compensate Mansabdars and ensured a steady revenue stream for the government. However, it also led to some issues, such as the exploitation of peasants by Jagirdars and the possibility of revenue officials prioritizing their interests over state revenue collection.

5. What were the challenges and eventual decline of the Mansabdari and Jagirdari systems?

A: Over time, the Mansabdari system faced challenges such as corruption, revenue evasion, and the decline of the quality of the military. The Jagirdari system also contributed to economic problems as the revenue assignments became hereditary and were often mismanaged. Both systems changed and faced decline during the later years of the Mughal Empire, contributing to the overall weakening of Mughal administrative and economic structures.

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