Mansabdar

The Mansabdar was a military unit within the administrative system of the Mughal Empire introduced by Akbar later used in all over in early modern India. The word mansab is of Arabic origin meaning rank or position. The system determined the rank and status of a government official and military generals. Every civil and military officer was given a mansab, which determined their salaries and allowances.

Key facts

Military unit.unit_name: Mansabdar
Military unit.native_name: منصبدار
Military unit.image: Sheikh Farid Murtaza Khan.jpg
Military unit.caption: Shaikh Farid Bukhari, Mir Bakhshi of the Mughal Empire and Head of the Mansabdars (1600–1606) by Manohar and Daulat
Military unit.role: Administrative military elite
Military unit.dates: 1571 – /2 August 1858 (de jure)
Military unit.type: Cavalry
Military unit.country: Mughal Empire
Military unit.allegiance: 20px Emperor of Hindustan
Military unit.size: 1,803 (1595)3,243 (1637)14,499 (1690)
Military unit.garrison: AgraDelhiFatehpur SikriLahore
Military unit.garrison_label: Headquarters
Military unit.equipment: Various
Military unit.command_structure: Mughal Army Mughal Government
Military unit.commander1: Mir Bakhshi
Military unit.commander1_label: Military Commander
Military unit.commander2: Vazir-e-Azam
Military unit.commander2_label: Civil Head

via Wikipedia infobox

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Article

7 sections

Contents

History
Zat and Sawar
Main Features of Mansabdari System
Changes introduced by Jahangir and Shah Jahan
See also
References
Further reading

The term mansabdar means a person having a mansab. (which means a role) 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). Some great Amirs whose ranks were above 5,000 were also given the title of Amir-al Umara (Amir of Amirs).