Which one among the following statements about the Mansabdari system is correct?
- A.All army troopers were allotted mansabs.
- B.Mansabs were usually assigned on the basis of ancestry.
- C.Position and salary of mansabdars were indicated by a numerical designation called zat.
- D.Mansabdars were never paid in cash.
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is C. Under the Mughal mansabdari system, every officer held a numerical rank called zat, which fixed his position in the hierarchy and his personal salary.
Akbar organised the system so that all nobles and high officials were mansabdars, holding both civil and military duties. Besides zat, a second number called sawar showed how many horsemen the mansabdar had to maintain. Mansabs were granted, raised or taken away by the emperor at will and were not hereditary. Mansabdars were paid either in cash (naqdi) or through revenue assignments called jagirs.
A is wrong because mansabs were given only to officers and nobles, not to ordinary soldiers, who were maintained by the mansabdars.
B is wrong because mansabs depended on the emperor's choice and the holder's service, not on ancestry, and were not inherited.
D is wrong because many mansabdars, called naqdi, were paid in cash, while others received jagirs.
Exam tip: zat – personal rank and pay; sawar – number of cavalrymen; payment by cash (naqdi) or jagir.
Practice Questions
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