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During the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar, the Mughals enlisted a significant number of Rajput chiefs into their army and court. The relationship between the Mughals and Rajputs originated when the Kachwaha chief of Amber sought the Mughal Emperor Humayun’s assistance to maintain his authority against an antagonistic Mughal governor. Bharmal, the Kachhwaha raja, had fervently backed Humayun during the conflict with the Surs. The ties between the Mughals and the Kachwahas deepened with the marriage of Akbar to one of Bharmal's daughters.[1]
During the Mughal campaigns in Rajasthan, numerous Rajput chiefs sought entry into the imperial elite, offering their daughters in marriage to the Mughal emperor. By the sixteenth century, a decentralized political system based on the obligations of patrilineal kinship and matrimonial alliances was ripe for centralization. Akbar typically enlisted Rajput clan leaders who either claimed royal lineage or hailed from prestigious noble houses. These leaders, known as Thakurs or masters, represented the aristocracy of Rajput society, contrasting with the less influential bhumiya warriors who held limited power, land, and status.[1]
By 1580, the nobility included forty-three Rajputs (along with a few other non-Rajput Hindus). Each Raja was granted high rank, salary, and privileges. Their adult sons, close male relatives, and kinsmen also received lower mansabdari ranks. According to imperial regulations, Rajput nobles organized their kin and non-kin retainers into cavalry units ready for active military duty. They were obligated to serve the emperor personally wherever he required their presence.[1]
At court, Rajputs openly acknowledged the authority and supremacy of the emperor while adopting Persian language and imperial customs. By doing so, they ensured the preservation of their Hindu beliefs, traditions, and warrior honor.[1] The Rajputs joined the Mughal service encompassed various clans, including the Rathors, Sisodias, Kachwahas, Haras/Hadas, and Bhatis, among others.[2]
List of Rajput Mansabdars[edit]
By 1574, a streamlined system had been established, categorizing all state officials into fixed ranks tied to specific salaries, duties, and often land assignments known as jagirs. Unlike previous arrangements, which were somewhat arbitrary, officers now held a numerical rank, or mansab, subject to adjustment based on their performance. Initially ranging from 10 to 10,000, each rank indicated the number of soldiers a mansabdar was responsible for maintaining.[3]
However, the system evolved to include two numbers: the first, Zat, denoted the mansabdar's personal salary, while the second, Sawar, indicated the number of cavalrymen under their command.[a] This necessitated aligning a mansabdar's rank with a jagir capable of sustaining their troop levels. Jagirs were temporary and non-inheritable, with both mansabdars and their land assignments regularly rotated throughout the realm every few years.[3]
| Name | Clan | Zat | Sawar | Rank | Emperor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Man Singh I | Kachwaha | ||||
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d Richards 1993, pp. 20–21.
- ^ Roy, Kaushik (2015-10-06). Military Manpower, Armies and Warfare in South Asia. Routledge. p. 71. ISBN 978-1-317-32127-9.
- ^ a b Eaton, Richard M. (2019-07-25). India in the Persianate Age: 1000-1765. Penguin UK. p. 142. ISBN 978-0-14-196655-7.
Notes[edit]
- ^ The Zat and Sawar appears like X/Y, where X is represented as the Zat and Y is Sawar.
Sources[edit]
- Richards, John F. (1993). The Mughal Empire. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-56603-2.