The agrarian system of Moslem India

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 1804119261

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-188010

Document type:: Monograph

Author:: Moreland, William Harrison http://d-nb.info/gnd/172263670

Title:: The agrarian system of Moslem India

Edition:: 2. ed. Reissue (d. Ausg. Cambridge) 1929; [Reprint]

Place of publication:: Delhi

Publisher:: Oriental Books, Munshiram Manoharlal

Year of publication:: 1968

Scope:: XVII, 296 S.

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

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APPENDIX B 219 who could remove him, or transfer him to another charge, at any time. The passages proving this statement are too numerous to quote: one cannot usually read ten pages or so without finding instances of this exercise of the royal authority. The biographies already summarised suffice to show that in the thirteenth century a Muqti had no necessary connection with any particular locality; he might be posted anywhere from Lahore to Lakhnauti at the King’s discretion. Similarly, to take one example from the next century, Barni (427 ff.) tells how Ghiyas- uddin Tughlaq, on his accession, allotted the iqtds among his relatives and adherents, men who had no previous territorial connection with the places where they were posted, but who were apparently chosen for their administrative capacity. Such arrangements are the antithesis of anything which can properly be described as a feudal system. The Muqti was essentially administrator of the charge to which he was posted. This fact will be obvious to any careful reader of the chronicles, and many examples could be given, but the two following are perhaps sufficient. Barni (p. g6) tells at some length how Balban placed his son Bughra Khan on the throne of Bengal, and records the advice which he gave on the occasion. Knowing his son to be slack and lazy, he insisted specially on the need for active vigilance if a king was to keep his throne, and in this connection he drew a distinction between the position of King (iglimdari) and that of Governor (wilayatdari) a King’s mistakes were, he argued, apt to be irretrievable, and fatal to his family, while a Muqti who was negligent or inefficient in his governorship (wilayatdari), though he was liable to fine or dismissal, need not fear for his life or his family, and could still hope to return to favour. The essential function of a Mugqti was thus governorship, and he was liable to fine or dismissal if he failed in his duties. As an instance from the next century, we may take the story told by Afif (414), how a noble named Ainulmulk, who was smployed in the Revenue Ministry, quarrelled with the Minister, and was in consequence dismissed. The King then offered him the post of Muqti of Multan, saying, ‘Go to that province (iqta), and occupy yourself in the duties (karhd wa kardarha) of that place.” Ainulmulk replied: “When I undertake the adminis- tration (‘amal) in the igtd, and perform the duties of that place, it will be impossible for me to submit the accounts to the Revenue 2.

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