Who among the following introduced Mansabdari System?

 

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Medieval History-Question16

Important gk questions with answers in English on mansabdari system such as Who introduced Mansabdari System, main features of Mansabdari system etc.

1. Who among the following introduced Mansabdari System?
A. Sher Shah
B. Akbar
C. Jahangir
D. Shah Jahan

Akbar

Note: Akbar introduced the Mansabdari System. After the conquest of Gujarat in 1573-74, the officers were classified into different ranks or Mansabs, which led to the growth of Mansabdari System.

The system was at the core of the Mughal civil and military administration and also of the Mughal Nobility.

The word Mansab is of Arabic origin meaning rank or position. Hence, Mansabdar means the holder of a rank, or an officer. The Mansabdari system was of Central Asian origin.

In the mansabdari system founded by Akbar, the mansabdars were military commanders, high civil and military officers, and provincial governors. Those mansabdars whose rank was one thousand or below were called Amir, while those above 1,000 were called Amir-al Kabir (Great Amir).

The Mansabdari System was introduced by Mughal emperor Akbar as new administrative machinery and revenue system.

Mansabdars were paid either in cash (naqd) or in the form of assignments of areas of land (jagir) out of which they had the authority to collect the land revenue and all other taxes through an authority appointed by the emperor. The revenue that was generated through their jagir was handed over to them and the same was deducted from their salary. The mansabdar paid the salary of cavalrymen that he maintained out of his salary. Those who received pay in cash were known as naqdi and those paid through assignments of jagirs were called jagirdars.

The mansab or rank was designated by dual representation - one by personal rank called zat and the other by cavalry rank called sawar.

Every mansabdar was given the rank of both zat and sawar and a mansabdar was paid rupees two per horse.

To be more precise, a mansabdar was given rupees one thousand additional allowance if he had received the rank of five hundred sawars.

Mansabdars were classified into 3 categories .Those holding ranks below 500 zat were known as mansabdars, those holding ranks of more than 500 zat that, but below 2,500 zat were named amirs and fall in the second category. In the administration, the third category was of amir-i-umda or amir-i-azam or omrahs -those mansabdars who holding the ranks of 2,500 zat and more. The lowest rank holder was provided with 10 mansabs.

Mansingh,the first Mansabdar of 7000 zats and Bhagwan Das with 5000 zats ,enjoyed the privileged positions in the Mansabdari system of the empire.

The total number of mansabdars during the reign of Akbar was nearly 1800,but towards the end of Aurangzeb's rule their number increased to approximately 14,500.The jagirs were given to mansabdar in such a manner as not to be transferred to other’s name,hence the post of mansabdar was not hereditary in any way and after his death or dismissal his personal estate was confiscated by the emperor deducting what mansabdar owed to the state and returning the balance to mansabdar's heir. This law or rule was known as zabti.

The son of a mansabdar, if he was granted a mansab, had to begin his tenure as mansabdar afresh as per the rules and regulations which were imposed on him by the emperor. This rules were made integral to the system so that the mansabdar could not misuse his position and exploit the masses.

                                                                                                                         

*This Question is a part of previous year paper gk questions on Medieval History of India.