India in the Middle Ages: Administration of Education and Finance System during the Mughal Era
Mughal hierarchy of command
Mughal kingship theory: "Shariat," which is the combined name of the Quran and Hadith, served as the foundation for the Mughal kingship idea.
"There is no greater bond than
kingship," said Babar when discussing his opinions on kingship. A king
should not live a secluded or slothful existence. Babur liberated the Mughal
kings from even the formal authority of the Caliph by taking on the title of
"Badshah." They were no longer ruled by any foreign entity or
individual.
The emperor was regarded by Humayun as
"God's representative on earth." He said that the emperor guards his
subjects in the same manner as God guards all living things on earth.
'Ain-e-Akbari' by Abul Fazal provides a
comprehensive explanation of the Mughal monarchy concept during Akbar's reign.
In his commentary on Akbar's reign, Abul Fazal stated that "kingdom is the
grace of God; it is achieved only by the person who has thousands of qualities
present together." Akbar regarded himself as the supreme arbiter of
Islamic law. The king's position was further enhanced by the declaration that
he was an arbiter. Ignoring conventional Islamic theology, Akbar embraced the
policy of 'Sulh Kul' because he felt that kingship was superior to religion and
sect. Aurangzeb, however, converted the kingdom to Islam.
The defence of the state (Jahambani) and power
over other states (Jahangiri) were clearly two of the emperor's tasks that the
Mughal monarchs took into consideration.
The management framework Because the Mughal
Empire's founder, Babar, and his successor, Humayun, did not receive a break
from internal and foreign battles and did not comprehend how the administrative
structure was set up, the third emperor, Akbar, founded the empire. The
bureaucratic system formed the foundation of the Mughal administrative
structure. In this administrative structure, there was a provincial government
structure in addition to the federal government.
Core Mughal Empire
government structure
To manage the centralized structure of the Mughal Empire, a central government system was established. With so many officers, everything ran well. One of these officials was a chief officer who went by the name "Vakil," which is a modern equivalent of the prime minister. The attorney's practical abilities were restricted, and the emperor was in charge of him.
Principal officials in the
central administration
After the emperor, Vakil-e-Mutlaq held the second-most
significant position. It was the emperor's appointment. Senior feudal lords and
the emperor's trusted advisors were typically appointed to this position.
Wazir, also known as Diwan-e-Aala, oversaw the financial division. It ruled over the state's finances and earnings. Accounts of the items were kept by the Wazir in addition to concerns such as salary, etc.
The chief of the army department was Mir Bakshi. The Mansabdari system of the Mughals added to the significance of this position because Diwan-e-Ala paid the salaries of all the Mansabdars under his supervision. Advice. Beneath Mir Bakshi were two principal assistant officials, known as Bakshiye Huzoor and Bakshiye Shahgird.
Sadr-us-far, also known as Sadrejahan, was in charge of religious affairs. Its role was to counsel the monarch on questions of faith. Qazi-ul-Qujat: He oversaw the Department of justice. Occasionally, Sadr-us-Sudur was also assigned to this position due to the religious official's proficiency in interpreting Sharia legislation. Khan-e-Saaman, or Mir Samaan, made arrangements for the provision of everything required in the court of royalty.
The commander of the royal artillery was Mir
Atish. It commanded both the men with guns and the soldiers with cannons. Given
that the rifles and cannons were brought from nations like Turkey or Iran, only
someone who was Turkish or Iranian was assigned to this position. Another name
for it was Daroga-e-Topkhana. This position was given the same respect as a
minister due to its strategic significance.
Mir Munshi: He was once a
royal letter writer.
Bahar Mir The purpose of this role is to inspect small vessels and inland waterways. In addition, he was in charge of Octroi, etc. Muhatsib: He was the public's moral standards inspector. Its purpose was to uphold public morals and subdue those who opposed Sharia.
The information above makes it abundantly evident that the Mughal era's central governance structure was a thorough institution that employed a large number of officials to oversee its operations. Each officer's authority was constrained, and authority was divided among all the officers in such a way that the administration's equilibrium was preserved. Administration at the provincial level
In order to lay the groundwork for provincial governance, Akbar first created 12 provinces. Later, he added three more provinces—Berar, Khandesh, and Ahmednagar—bringing the total to 15, which rose to 20 under Aurangzeb's rule."Subedar" was the province's chief. It was in charge of the province's court system, tax collection, and other matters, and it had its own army.
The "Central Diwan," who oversaw the
province's financial department, was superior to the "Diwan," who
reported to the Subedar. Diwan and Subedar ruled the province on an equal and
autonomous basis. "Qazi and Sadar": In general, Sadar and Qazi's
positions in the state were supplied to the same individual. In his roles as
Sadar and Qazi, he oversaw the subjects' moral fibre and adherence to Islamic
law and dispensed justice.
On the advice of Mir Bakshi, who was in charge of the province's army recruiting as well as its management and direction, "Provincial Bakshi" was appointed. Kotwal" was used to making arrangements for the state's internal security and tranquillity.
District Management
Every province was separated into many districts or sarkars.
The district's top military officer was known as "Faujdar." This was overseen by a military squad that managed the district's law and order, security, and peacekeeping. The district's "Amalgujar" was utilized to collect land income. It owned the authority to disburse and retrieve farmer Takabi loans. In addition to routinely sending the district's revenue to the royal treasury, he was required to submit monthly reports to the court detailing his income and expenses. Bitikchi" were Amalgujar's primary helpers. He used to compile significant agricultural data and records.
Management of Pargana
Subdivision
The Pargana level appointed the following officials, who oversaw the government there:
Shikdar: He was responsible for maintaining Pargana-level peace and order and providing the province administration with information about it.Aamil: Aamil was in charge of figuring out the Pargana-level income. Munsif was another name for him. Kanungo: As part of his duties to inspect the area, he was the Patwari of the Pargana officer.
Fotdar: The Parganas
revenue was gathered close to him.
Qazi: Cases used to be settled even at the Pargana level by an appointed Qazi who reported to the provincial Qazi.
Village government
The hamlet was not subject to Mughal authorities for governance, as the settlement was viewed as an independent entity by the Mughal emperors. Instead, only the conventional Gram Panchayats were responsible for their communities' sanitation, safety, and education, among other things.
The head of the village, known variously as
Chaudhary, Mukaddam, or Khut, was the chief official. A 'Patwari' was present
to help. The 'Patwari' received 1% of the revenue during the Mughal era in the
form of 'Dasturi' (commission).
Mavda' or 'Dih'? The villages under the parganas
were referred to as "Mavda" or "Dih" during the Mughal era.
Chakla: In Shahjahan's time, districts known as "Chakla" were established as a new entity situated between parganas and sarkars. Various parganas emerged under. Officer 'Musaddi' oversaw port management during the Musaddi-Mughal era.
It is evident from this that the bureaucratic
Mughal administrative system ruled from the top down, from the national
government down to the village level, and that the system of governance as a
whole functioned well because of the cordial relationships between the
different tiers of government.
The banking system of the
Mughals
Mughal system of money
Coins were manufactured of all three metals—copper, silver, and gold—during the Mughal era. On the silver coins of Babar, one side included the inscription "Karma" along with the names of the four "Caliphs," while the other side bore "Babar's name" and "title."In Kabul and Kandahar, Babar coined two different silver coins: "Shahrukh" and "Babri."Pure silver coins were introduced by Sher Shah in place of mixed metal coinage. It was referred to as "Rupaya" (180 grains). In addition, he unveiled the "Paisa," a copper coin.
Akbar provided the Mughal era's money with an orderly and thorough foundation. In 1577 AD, he established a "royal mint" in Delhi and named "Khwaja Abdus Samad" as its director. Akbar coined the gold "Muhar" coin at the start of his reign. This was the Mughal era's most widely used currency.
As per "Aine-Akbari," one "Muhar" was equivalent to "nine rupees."At 101 tolas in weight, Akbar's "Shamsab" gold coin was the heaviest one he had struck. In large deals, it was employed. In addition, Akbar unveiled the 'Ilahi' gold coin. Whose worth was equivalent to Rs ten? This coin was "circular."
Sher Shah established the "Rupaya," a
standard silver coin with a weight of 175 grains. This served as the
cornerstone of the Mughal era's monetary system.
The "Jalali," a square or square
silver coin, was first issued by Akbar. A copper currency known as the
"Daam," introduced by Akbar, was worth one-fourth of a rupee.
The term "Jital" refers to the
smallest copper coin. This equated to "Daam's" twenty-fifth portion.
It was only applied to accounting. However, it was absent in the
"coin" form. It was sometimes referred to as "Paisa" or
"Phulus."
Akbar had 'Ram-Siya' inscribed in Devanagari and
the idols of 'Ram and Sita' etched on several of his coins.
The value of a 'Rupee' was 40 damas until 1616, but from 1627 AD, it dropped to roughly 30 damas. Jahangir made available a coin called 'Nisar' that was worth a quarter of a rupee. An "Ana" coin was introduced by Shahjahan in place of the "Daam" and "Rupee."The most rupees were conveyed under the reign of Aurangzeb during the Mughal era.
Abul-Fazal states that there were four mints producing gold coins, fourteen mints producing silver coins, and forty-two mints producing copper coins in 1575 AD. In Mughal, 'Daroga' was the title of the mint official at the time.
On several of his coins, Jahangir had both his
and Noor Jahan's names engraved. On several coins, however, his likeness is
seen clutching a wine cup.
The scale of measurement: "Sikandari Gaj,"
or 39 fingers, or 32 inches, was a common measurement used in North India
before Akbar's accession to the throne. However, 'Ilahi-Gaj' (41 Angul or 33
points (inches)) took its place during Akbar's rule.
The 'Bahar' is a weight unit that Arab traders
introduced to the seaside regions. Likewise, 'Candy' was the common unit of
weight in Goa.
Mughal legal structure
The state's highest judge was none other than the Mughal emperor. He once sat in the courtroom every "Wednesday" and made choices.'Qazi' was the chief judge after the king. In order to aid him, the laws of the Quran were interpreted by "Muftis."Cases pertaining to "property" or "religion" predominated in the Qazis court.
Akbar had selected Hindu pundits to hear Hindu issues throughout his rule. Jahangir had designated 'Shrikant,' a Hindu, as a 'judge' to hear Hindu matters. All of the Mughal emperors, aside from Akbar, viewed the Islamic legal system as the cornerstone of justice. The compilation of "Fatwa-e-Alamgiri" is the most noteworthy act of justice-related activity completed by Aurangzeb.
Aurangzeb promulgated state secular laws without
delay. The directives he gave were kept in "Jabavit-e-Alamgiri."
The state of education
during the Mughal era
In the Mughal era's educational system, a time frame was established. Primarily, children received education not just at home but also in mosques through the 'Maktab' system.
The school and college buildings were approved
by Babar through the department known as 'Shuharte-Aam'.
The monarchs had a desire to learn and pursue
academics as well. Humayun constructed a library in the old Delhi fort that he
named "Shermandal."
Akbar also made a lot of effort toward educational improvement. He constructed madrasas and khanqahs across theHe started a translation department as well. Scholar Darashikoh of the Mughal dynasty translated several Hindu sacred writings into Persian, including the Geeta, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and the Upanishads. 52 Upanishads were translated for him; the collection was called "Seer-e-Akbar."
Muslim education was taught in the higher education hub of Fatehpur Sikri. The elite women had an acceptable degree of education. The royal women were intelligent and spoke more than one language. The military system of the Mughals
The Mughal army was composed of a diverse group of recruits, including Iranians, Turanis, Afghans, Indian Muslims, and Marathas.
The 'decimal system' was used to build the
Mughal army.
There were four divisions within the Mughal
armed forces:
Armies of kings in subordination
Soldiers of the Mansabdars
Ahdi warriors.
Soldier enrolled (additional
soldier)
In a sense, the "Ahadi soldiers" were
the king's army. The state provided for their enlistment, pay, clothing, and
horses; they were also housed under their own Amir and Bakshi.
The Mughals' massive army
was split up into the following components:
Infantry: The largest branch was this one. of the army of the Mughals. The infantry of the Mughals was composed of two categories of soldiers: Ahsham troops, who wielded bows, arrows, spears, swords, daggers, and other weapons, were composed of shooters, shamshirbaaz, and swordsmen, among others.
Sehbandi soldiers: These warriors were chosen from among the jobless. Who contributed to the land income collection? The Cavalry Army was regarded as the "lifeblood" of the Mughal Army. There were two categories of mounted combatants in this:
Bargir: The state provided
all of the soldiers' gear.
Silerdar: He was the one who had to set up all the weapons and horses. They were only appointed during times of conflict. They received a larger income than bargirls.
In addition to this, there were a few additional horsemen:
The horseman with two horses was named Du-Aspa. Singh-Aspa, the cavalier, possessed three horses.
Yak-aspa, the man with just
one horse
A horse stood between two
soldiers at Nim-Aspa.
In order to preserve army effectiveness, Akbar established the Dahabisti rule, which required every soldier to maintain a pair of horses.
Bringing excellent armour with him, Babar arrived in India. He utilized it to successfully capture the fort of "Bhera" for the first time.'Mir-e-Aatish' was the title of the Mughal artillery leader. Elephant Army: Since ancient times, India has specialized in using elephants in their armed forces. Nonetheless, Akbar changed the way it was run during the Mughal era. Navy: The Mughal Empire was mostly a terrestrial state, so there was no well-established "Navy" during that time.
Following Akbar, Aurangzeb was one of the Mughal
rulers who was aware of the nine powers. "Mir Jumla" and
"Shaista Khan" both made significant contributions to this work.
Aurangzeb, assisted by the "Sidis of Janjira" and the
"Moplah" people, had built up a formidable armada.
Subject List
Mughal finance, education,
and administration
Overview
Babur (1526–1530 AD): Art, architecture, and
culture of the Mughal era
1658–1707 AD: Aurangzeb
Emperor Akbar (1556-1605 AD), Shahjahan
(1627-1657 AD), and Jahangir (1605-1627 AD)
Humayun (1530–1540 AD and 1555–1556 AD) and
Shershah Suri (1540–1545 AD)