Mansabdari System: Akbar’s Strategic Reform in Mughal India

A novelty was introduced in the Mughal administrative system, especially in the military field, through the implementation of the Mansabdari System. This Mansabdari System had long been prevalent in Persia, and the Mughals merely adopted it. This system not only generated revenue for the Mughal treasury but also brought about a consolidation of power and efficiency in the army.

People from any class of society could become members of this system, but most were from the aristocracy and merchant class. As a result of this system, the Mughal administration once reached the pinnacle of progress, but this Mansabdari System also became the main reason behind the decline of the empire.

What is Mansab?

The literal meaning of the Arabic word “mansab” is “rank” or “position.” An individual’s place in the official hierarchy and salary was determined by their mansab, or rank, which was granted to them. The rank of these mansabdars was determined by their military skills and administrative abilities. Athar Ali wrote, “The term Mansab (office position rank) indicates under the Mughal the position of its holder (Mansabdar) in the official rank.” Moreover, according to Irwin, “mansab was the measure of states under the Mughal government which determined a mansabdar’s rank in his salary and his office in the royal court.”

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Who were Mansabdars?

Mansabdar means “holder of a mansab.” Mansabdars were the title given to nobility who joined the Mughal army. An official with a position in the Mansabdari System was known as a mansabdar in the Mughal Empire. Mansabdars were paid in two ways. Those who took their salary in cash were called “mansabdar-i-nagdi,”  and those who took land or jagir as salary were called “tankha jagir.”

What is Mansabdari System?

The Mansabdari System was the main foundation of military and civil administration during the Mughal era. According to this system, all officials of the empire were obligated to perform military duties along with their civil work.

Who introduced Mansabdari System?

The Mansabdari System was introduced by Akbar in the eleventh year of his reign, that is, in 1567.

While some sources suggest that the correct year is 1571, Akbar began implementing aspects of this system in 1567, it was in 1571 that he officially institutionalized it, refining it to better organize the empire’s military and civil administration. But in UGC and other exams, the year 1567 is considered the correct answer.

Significant changes in the Mansabdari System were noticeable during the reign of each king. Akbar again introduced the “dag” and “chera” systems within this system between 1573 and 1574. In 1595-96, Akbar introduced the “jat” and “sawar” systems to this practice to prevent any kind of fraud in the military.

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Features of Mansabdari System

• Mansabdars had to maintain civil, military, and administrative responsibilities.
• Abul Fazal says mansabdars were divided into 33 categories. The highest mansabdari rank was 10,000 mansab, and the lowest rank was 10 mansab. A person with a rank of 500 was called a mansabdar. Mansabs between 500 and 2500 were called Amir. And those with more than 2500 mansab were called “Amir-i-umda” or “Amir-i-Azam.”
• Mansabs from 5000 to 10000 were given only to members of the royal family. Towards the end of his reign, Akbar gave 7,000 mansab to two loyal nobles. They were Raja Man Singh (governor of Bihar) and Mirza Aziz Koka (Akbar’s milk brother).
• Towards the end of Aurangzeb’s reign, he limited the rank of nobles to within 7000 mansab. He would give 40,000 mansab to the crown prince. An exception to this was that he had given only his favorite son Dara Shikoh 60,000 mansab.
• The Mansabdari System was not hereditary.
• There was also fluctuation within the mansab or rank based on a mansabdar’s administrative efficiency and military skills.
• Apart from the mansabdari army, the emperor had his own forces named ‘Ahadi’, ‘Dakhili’, and ‘Barawardi’. Ahadi refers to gentlemen troopers. These soldiers stayed in the court and were appointed by the emperor himself. They worked as Royal Bodyguards from one perspective and received ‘Shahi’ status. Dakhili refers to state-directly employed soldiers. However, the Sultan did not keep them close to himself, and they did not receive Shahi status. And Barawardi refers to temporarily appointed cavalry.

Evolution of the Mansabdari System

Notable changes in the Mansabdari System can be observed from Akbar’s time to Aurangzeb’s era, depending on contemporary conditions and the state treasury’s financial situation.

Akbar

• Akbar used this system to control everything from the army to the quality of subordinate cavalry.
• He introduced the “Dag system” between 1573 and 74. Because the dag system implied that the descriptive role of every soldier entertained by the mansabdar was noted and the number and quality of the horses were periodically inspected.
• This system was used to promote mansabdars.
• In the 40th year of his reign, Akbar introduced the “Zat & Sawar” system. This brought more transparency to the system. The army also couldn’t engage in any fraudulent activities. Zat means personal rank, which indicates his pay and status; Sawar means how many qualities the horse maintains.
• According to Abul Fazal, the mansabdars were grouped into three categories. For first-class mansabdars, Zat and Sawar were equal; for second-class mansabdars, the Sawar number was half or slightly more than half of the Zat number, for third-class mansabdars, the Sawar number was less than half of the Zat number.
• The state carefully regulated both the number and quality of horses a sawar was expected to maintain. If a mansabdar had 10 Sawars, he had to take care of 20 horses. People referred to this as the “Dah-Bisti or ten-twenty system.”
• Based on the Dah-Bisti system, the average salary of a sawar before Dagh under Akbar, calculated by a modern historian named W.H. Moreland, was Rs. 240 per annum. The mansabdar was allowed to keep 5 percent of the total salary of the sawars for his general expenses.
• Mansabdars who were given jagirs had to maintain sawars from that jagir. They even had to manage their own salary, their own mansab, or rank from it.
• Mansabdars received salaries according to their classification.
• Akbar introduced the concept of Watan jagir. Which means hereditary jagir.
• In addition, there were Inam jagir, Tankha jagir, Mashrut jagir, and Altamgha jagir.
  • Inam jagir: Only those who held special positions and knowledge received this.
  • Tankha jagir: given in lieu of salaries, and they were transferable every three to four years.
  • Mashrut jagir: given on certain conditions.
  • Altamgha jagir: given to Muslim nobles in their family towns or place of birth.

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Jahangir

• Jahangir introduced the Du-aspa, si-aspa systems in the Mansabdari System. The Du-aspa, si-aspa rank simply implied that the holder would have to double the number of sawars available for the ordinary rank and would be paid accordingly.
• For example, if a mansabdar’s Zat number was 2000, his sawar number would be 4000.
• Jahangir never increased the Zat rank of mansabdars through this system; instead, he increased the sawar rank. Since Zat, i.e., personal rank, was not increased, the salary of mansabdars was never increased.
• He didn’t give du-aspa, si-aspa to all mansabdars in terms of sawar. It wasn’t applied to those who were permanent mansabdars, and it wasn’t applied to those who were barawardi or ad hoc, meaning not permanent.

Shahjahan

• Shahjahan introduced the Realm (Daulat) system in the Mansabdari System. We are told that it was the practice of the realm that those in north India who had their jagirs in the provinces in which they were posted would muster 1/3 of their sawar rank; those whose jagirs were outside the province would muster 1/4.
• If a mansabdar was posted in the Deccan, i.e., Balkh & Badakshan, he had to maintain one-fifth sawar.
• Shahjahan introduced the monthly system (Mahwar) for mansabdar’s salary.
• The salaries of the mansabdars were graded on a scale of twelve depending on the realization (Hasil) of the jagir as compared to the assessed income (Jama).
• To control the jagirs of mansabdars, he paid them salaries either in 10 months, 8 months, or 6 months. Only those who were royal princes received salaries in 10 months. Most of the mansabdars received jagirs, which were 8 monthly, but not less than four monthly.
• Mansabdars posted in the Deccan received jagirs of only 3 or 4 months.

Aurangzeb

• Aurangzeb introduced an ‘Additional rank called Mashrut (conditional),’ meaning the Sultan could increase the sawar rank as per his need.
• Aurangzeb added another deduction, called Khurak-i-dawaab, towards meeting the cost of feeding animals in the imperial stables.
• The largest deductions were from the decanis, who had to pay a fourth part (chauthai). Those who received (naqd) two dams in a rupee were deducted (dodami).

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Merits & Demerits of Mansabdari System

Merits:

• As a result of this system, the medieval military organization improved during the Mughal era.
• All military forces of the country were unified and used for the needs of the state.
• As the Mansabdars were loyal to the emperor, the Mughal Emperor became a sovereign power.
• In this system, personal qualifications and rank were the only criteria.
• There was no influence of communal elites here.

Demerits:

• Mansabdars often cheated with soldiers. They would collect money by giving false accounts without keeping the specified number of soldiers.
• The number of troops under the Mansabdars was not fixed. As a result, the efficiency of the military force gradually decreased.
• With the introduction of this system, bureaucratic practices entered the military department, and the military field became complicated.
• Due to the lack of ethnic and personal relationships between Mansabdars and soldiers, the unity of the entire army was destroyed.
• Soldiers received their salaries from the mansabdars. There was no contact with the emperor, so mansabdars often oppressed the soldiers.
• This system did not reflect the national character of the army. On the battlefield, soldiers gave more respect to local leaders than to generals.
• Due to the lack of central control in this system, there was a lack of unity and cohesion in the army.

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Conclusion

Through the Mansabdari System, harmony was established by bringing people from different communities among the elite group. As a result, the emperor did not have to rely on any particular class (elite). Towards the end of the rule, the gap between Jama and Hasil had become so wide that the Mansabdari System began to break down.

This system depended on individual efficiency. By the time of Aurangzeb’s rule and after his death, the Iqtadari system came to an end due to a lack of efficiency. However, despite many flaws, Akbar’s Mansabdari System made an immense contribution to the consolidation and expansion of the Mughal Empire.

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