History : Mughal Administration & Economy

Abul Fazl’s meticulously prepared Ain-i-Akbari provides a wealth of statistical information which is supplemented by official documents like the Dasrur-ul Amal-i Alamagiri, the madad-i maash and other revenue records, besides countless government farmans.

Components of Administration

Seventy per cent of the Mughal officers were foreigners, mainly Iranis from Persia and Turanis from Central Asia. They belonged to families that had migrated to India with Humayun or had arrived after Akbar’s accession.
During the course of Akbar’s rule only twenty-one Hindus were recruited into the ranks of the upper nobility. Of these, the overwhelming majority (seventeen) were Rajputs. The other four included in this privileged circle were Birbal Todar Mal, his son and another Khattri.

After the dismissal of Bairam Khan, he did away with the institution of the all-powerful wazir, distributed the functions of that office among several officers and often kept the post vacant.The diwan was responsible only for the functioning of the finance ministry, while the mir bakshi was accountable for the military department. The sadr us-sadur looked after ecclesiastical affairs, while the mir saman was in-charge of the supply department.
Akbar abolished the post of all-powerful Wazir. He became the head of the revenue department Also known as Diwan-i-ala. Diwan Responsible for all income and expenditure and had control over Khalisa and jagir land. Mir Bakshi Headed military department, nobility, information and intelligence agencies.

Mir Saman was Incharge of Imperial household and Karkhanas. Diwan-i-Bayutat Maintained roads, government buildings etc. and worked under Mir Saman. Diwan-i-Bayutat Maintained roads, government buildings etc. and worked under Mir Saman. Sadr us Sadr Incharge of charitable and religious endowments Qazi id Quzat Headed the Judiciary department Muhtasib Censor of Public Morals.

Wazir- Head of the revenue department

Mir Bakshi - Head of the military department

Barids- Intelligence Officers

Waqia navis- Reporters

Mir saman- In charge of imperial household

Qazi- Head of the judicial department

Sadr-us-Sudur: Head of the Ecclessiastical Department, hence regulated the religious policy of the state; was also in charge of Public Authorities and Endowments.

Other Officials: (i) Muhtasibs (enforced public morals), (ii) Waquia Navis (News reports), (iii) Khufia Navis (Secret letterwriters), (iv) Harkarahs (spies and special couriers).

केन्द्रीय सशस्त्र पुलिस बल (सहायक कमांडेंट) के लिये स्टडी किट

Study Kit for Central Armed Police Forces(AC)

Organization of the Government

• Parganas and Sarkar continued as before. Chief officers of the Sarkar were Fauzdar and Amalguzar. the former being in charge of law and order and the later responsible for the assessment and collection of the land revenue.

• Mughal empire was divided into subas which was further subdivided into sarkar. parganas and villages. However, it also had other territorial units as ‘Khalisa’, (royal land), Jagirs (autonomous rajas) and Inams (gifted lands, mainly waste lands). There were 15 territorial units (subas) during Akbar’s reign, which later increased it) 20 under Aurangzeb’s reign.

• Akbar divided the empire into 12 subas . These were Bengal. Bihar. Allahbad. Awadh. Agra. Delhi. Lahore. Multan. Kabul. Ajmer. Malwa. & Gujarat. A Subbahdar. diwan. bakshi. sadr, qazi. and a waqia- navis were appointed each to of the provinces

Province (Suba)

1. Sipahsalar—The Head Executive(under Akbar and later he was known Nizam or Subedar)
2. Diwan—Incharge of revenue department
3. Bakshi—Incharge of military dept.

District/Sarakar

• Fauzdar—Administrative head

• Amal/Amalguzar—Revenue collection

• Kotwal—Maintenance of law and order, trial of criminal cases and price regulation.

Pargana

• Shiqdar—Administrative head combined in himself the duties of ‘fauzdar and kotwal’

• Amin, Qanungo—Revenue officials

केन्द्रीय सशस्त्र पुलिस बल (सहायक कमांडेंट) के लिये स्टडी किट

Study Kit for Central Armed Police Forces(AC)

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