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Mansabdar was the generic term for the military -type grading of all imperial officials of the Mughal empire. The mansabdars governed the empire and commanded its armies in the emperor's name. Though they were usually aristocrats, they did not form a feudal aristocracy, for neither the offices nor the estates that supported them were hereditary.

The term is derived from Mansab, meaning 'rank'. Hence, Mansabdar literally means rank-holder.

Instituted by the Mughal emperor Akbar, mansabdari was a system common to both the military and the Civil department. Basically the Mansabdari system was borrowed from Persia. It was prevalent during the reign of Babur and Humayun. Akbar made some important changes to the system and made it more efficient. Mansabdar was referred to as the official, rank, or the dignity.

Two grades delineated the mansabdars. Those mansabdars whose rank was in one or two hazari or whose rank was 12,000 or more were called the omkars. Those mansabdars whose rank was below 1000, but not less than 20 were called the mansabdars. Basically the mansabdars can be called the lower omkars.

ZAT & SAWAR

The Mansabdars were differentiated by the Zat and the Sawar Rank. The Zat referred to the number of troops maintained by the mansabdar and the Sawar referred to the number of horses maintained by the mansabdar. The category can be shown as below:

No. of Sawar = No. of Zat => 1st Class Mansabdar No. of Sawar = 1/2 the No. of Zat => 2nd Class Mansabdar No. of Sawar < 1/2 the No. of Zat => 3rd Class Mansabdar

A Mansabdar was in the service of the state and was bound to render service when asked. Additionally, they were graded on the number of armed cavalrymen, or sowars, which each had to maintain for service in the imperial army. Thus all mansabdars had a zat, or personal ranking, and a sowar, or a troop ranking. All servants of the empire, whether in the civil or military departments were graded in this system. There were thirty-three grades of mansabdars ranging from 'commanders of 10' to 'commanders of 10,000'. Till the middle of Akbar's reign, the highest rank an ordinary officer could hold was that of a commander of 5000; the more exalted grades between commanders of 7000 and 10,000 were reserved for the royal princes. During the period following the reign of Akbar, the grades were increased up to 20,000 or even more.

Appointment, promotion, suspension or dismissal of mansabdars rested entirely with the emperor. No portion of a mansabdar's property was hereditary, a mansabdar's children had to begin life anew. A mansabdar did not always begin at the lowest grade, the emperor, if satisfied, could and actually did grant higher or even highest grade to any person. There was no distinction between civil and military departments, officers both civil and military held mansabs and were liable to be transferred from one branch of the administration to another. Each mansabdar was expected to maintain prescribed number of horses, elephants, equipment, etc., according to his rank and dignity. These rules, though initially strictly enforced, were later slackened.

Senior mansabdars were awarded a jagir (personal fief) rather than a salary. Rates of remuneration, which included both the mansabdar's salary and so much per sowar, were matched by jagirs affording a similar aggregate yield. If their specified yield came to more, the surplus was due to the imperial treasury; if the jagirdar extracted more than the specified yield, he kept it.

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• Abdul Karim on Banglapedia