Khalisa land
- The land of the kingdom was Jagirs (transferable and non-transferable or Tankha and Vatan).
- Khalisa land was the royal land and the land revenue of this land went to King.
The land revenue system of the Mughals
- Zamindars - Zamindars collected Land revenue and had police duties and in return for their service, they got a commission.
- Therefore Zamindar was not the owner of the land from which he collected Land revenue.
- Zamindar had Vatan(hereditary) right of revenue collection.
- He would collect Land revenue from others' land but would also pay land revenue from his lands( which were called Milkiyat).
- Nankar lands - These were the land of Zamindars which were declared tax-free/revenue-free in return for providing service of revenue collection.
- Primary Zamindars - They collected land revenue from peasants/ryots/ actual cultivators.
- He also collected Abwab(additional levies) over and above the land revenue from peasants.
- Ryots paid land revenue as per the recorded % in Pattas(documents), therefore Patta system prevented over-extraction.
- Intermediary zamindars - They collected land revenue from the Primary Zamindars.
- Then passed it on to Jagirdars or the state.
- Peasants were of 2 kinds:
- Khudkasht - Those with occupancy rights.
- They could not be removed from the land they cultivated.
- They kept occupancy rights as customary/traditional rights since they had cultivated a particular piece of land continuously for a long time.
- Pahikashts - They were landless, rightless peasants.
- They did not have occupant rights as were Vagrant peasants, that is cultivated different lands in different seasons.
Ijaradari system
- Here the right to collect the revenue was auctioned to the highest bidder.
- Those who won the auction were called Ijaradars.
- They were men of money like merchants and moneylenders, who were outsiders to the traditional rural economy.
- They would collect land revenue but may also collect taxes on shopkeepers and merchants, over and above for winning the auction.
- He may pay revenue in advance to Jagirdar or the state and later collect it from the areas or may pay partially in advance and rest later.
- If he failed to submit the agreed amount then the right to collect revenue could be reauctioned.
- Jahandar Shah introduced the Ijaradari system and it grew during Aurangzeb and spread rapidly in the 18th century.
- It was introduced by Jahandar shah (1712-13) in Punjab and Bengal, later in Awadh and Hyderabad.
- Farukksiyar introduced it even in Khalisha land.
- Under the British, it was introduced as a Farming system in 1772 in Bengal and Ijaradar was called a revenue farmer who won the right to collect land revenue in the auction.
- The Ijaradari system was introduced when there was a shortfall in revenue collection or when the Jagirdar of the state wanted to maximize land revenue collection.
The decline of Mughals
- Role of Aurangzeb - Continues warfare- Mughal empire reached its territorial peak, however, seeds of decline were also sown, during Aurangzeb's reign.
- Aurangzeb engaged in continuous warfare for roughly 40 years, which drained resources for the Mughal empire due to the high cost of war.
- These wars also hurt overland trade due to a decline in production and law and order instability.
- These wars also increased the economic burden on Mansabdars, who were required to maintain an army for the emperor, therefore wars contributed to the economic decline of the Mughals.
- Aurangzeb wanted to capture the whole of Deccan and annexed Golconda in 1687 and Bijapur in 1685(The two autonomous Muslim kingdoms).
- However he failed to defeat the Marathas convincingly, and by 1705 Marathas began winning after 1707, they reversed most territorial gains of Aurangzeb in 1st half of the 18th century.
- Therefore in the end these wars proved futile.
- Therefore Marathas became reasons for the military and territorial decline of the Mughals.
- The religiously decisive policy of Aurangzeb:
- They alienated the mass, for example, the application of Jizya on non-muslim(an additional tax) and not preparing temples, and reducing the allocation of land to temples.
- He also demolished some important Hindu temples.
- Aurangzeb executed important leaders which contributed to the alienation of the masses.
- For example, the 9th Guru Tegbahadur for Sikhs was executed in 1675, and Sambhaji(elder son of Shivaji) was executed after 3 weeks of torture in 1689.
- Both also refused conversion to Islam.
- Institutional failure/governance failure:
- Impersonal loyalty could not develop in the Mansabdari system, which was the core of the Mughal system.
- Therefore what existed was personal loyalty to the king which is a Parton(Mughal emperor)-client(Mansabdars) relationship, that is a give-and-take relationship.
- Where Patron gave Mansabs and Jagirs and in return, clients gave loyalty and an army.
- Post-Aurangzeb, weak Mughal emperors failed to maintain the balance of power in the Mughal court among Mansabdars.
- Therefore failed to keep Mandabdars under control.
- If the king was unable to satisfy Mansabdars with desired Jagirs and Mansabs, then disloyalty among Mansabdars took root.
The topic of the next class: The decline of Mughals to continue.
Here are 10 multiple-choice questions based on the provided class notes. Some questions have more than one correct option, including the option "All of the above." The answers are provided after each question.
1. Khalisa land refers to:
A. Transferable land
B. Non-transferable land
C. Royal land
D. Land revenue collected by Zamindars
E. All of the above
Answer: E. All of the above
2. Who collected land revenue and had police duties in the Mughal empire?
A. Zamindars
B. Primary Zamindars
C. Intermediary Zamindars
D. Ryots
E. All of the above
Answer: A. Zamindars
3. Which type of peasants had occupancy rights?
A. Khudkasht
B. Pahikashts
C. Both A and B
D. None of the above
Answer: A. Khudkasht
4. The Ijaradari system was introduced by:
A. Jahandar Shah
B. Aurangzeb
C. Farukksiyar
D. The British
E. All of the above
Answer: E. All of the above
5. What was the main reason for the economic decline of the Mughals during Aurangzeb's reign?
A. Continuous warfare
B. Decline in production
C. Law and order instability
D. Increased burden on Mansabdars
E. All of the above
Answer: E. All of the above
6. Aurangzeb's religious policies led to the alienation of the masses. Which of the following actions were part of these policies?
A. Application of Jizya on non-Muslims
B. Demolition of Hindu temples
C. Execution of Sikh leader Guru Tegbahadur
D. Execution of Sambhaji, son of Shivaji
E. All of the above
Answer: E. All of the above
7. What was the core of the Mughal system in terms of loyalty and power?
A. Personal loyalty to the king
B. Parton-client relationship
C. Balance of power in the Mughal court
D. Satisfaction of Mansabdars with Jagirs and Mansabs
E. All of the above
Answer: B. Parton-client relationship
8. What was a major factor contributing to the decline of the Mughals after Aurangzeb's reign?
A. Failure to maintain control over Mansabdars
B. Disloyalty among Mansabdars
C. Weak Mughal emperors
D. Unsatisfactory distribution of Jagirs and Mansabs
E. All of the above
Answer: E. All of the above
9. The decline of the Mughals was influenced by the rise of which power?
A. Marathas
B. British
C. Sikh empire
D. Hyderabad
E. All of the above
Answer: A. Marathas
10. What will be the topic of the next class?
A. The decline of the Mughals
B. The rise of the Marathas
C. The impact of British rule
D. The administration of the Sikh empire
E. None of the above
Answer: A. The decline of the Mughals
11. What were the two types of land in the Mughal kingdom?
A. Transferable and non-transferable
B. Tankha and Vatan
C. Khalisa and Jagir
D. Khalisa and Tankha
E. None of the above
Answer: C. Khalisa and Jagir
12. Who had the hereditary right of revenue collection in the Mughal empire?
A. Zamindars
B. Primary Zamindars
C. Intermediary Zamindars
D. Ryots
E. All of the above
Answer: A. Zamindars
13. Which category of peasants collected land revenue from actual cultivators?
A. Khudkasht
B. Pahikashts
C. Primary Zamindars
D. Intermediary Zamindars
E. None of the above
Answer: C. Primary Zamindars
14. What system prevented over-extraction of land revenue from the peasants?
A. Patta system
B. Ijaradari system
C. Jagirdari system
D. Mansabdari system
E. All of the above
Answer: A. Patta system
15. Who were the outsiders to the traditional rural economy and won the auctions to collect land revenue?
A. Zamindars
B. Ijaradars
C. Jahandar Shah
D. British revenue farmers
E. None of the above
Answer: B. Ijaradars
16. Which emperor introduced the Ijaradari system in Punjab and Bengal?
A. Aurangzeb
B. Jahandar Shah
C. Farukksiyar
D. The British
E. All of the above
Answer: B. Jahandar Shah
17. Under British rule, the Ijaradari system was introduced as a farming system in which region?
A. Punjab
B. Bengal
C. Awadh
D. Hyderabad
E. All of the above
Answer: E. All of the above
18. When was the Ijaradari system introduced in Khalisa land?
A. During Aurangzeb's reign
B. During Farukksiyar's reign
C. During the British rule
D. It was not introduced in Khalisa land
E. None of the above
Answer: B. During Farukksiyar's reign
19. The decline of the Mughals was primarily caused by:
A. Continuous warfare
B. Economic decline
C. Religious policies
D. Institutional failure
E. All of the above
Answer: E. All of the above
20. What was the core institution of the Mughal system that failed to maintain control?
A. Mansabdari system
B. Parton-client relationship
C. Mughal court
D. Sikh empire
E. None of the above
Answer: A. Mansabdari system
Certainly! Here are the next set of multiple-choice questions based on the class notes:
21. Which emperor's continuous warfare contributed to the economic decline of the Mughal Empire?
A. Shah Jahan
B. Akbar
C. Jahangir
D. Aurangzeb
E. Babur
Answer: D. Aurangzeb
22. Which two autonomous Muslim kingdoms did Aurangzeb annex during his reign?
A. Delhi and Agra
B. Jaipur and Jodhpur
C. Golconda and Bijapur
D. Lahore and Multan
E. None of the above
Answer: C. Golconda and Bijapur
23. Which empire posed a significant military and territorial threat to the Mughals in the 18th century?
A. British Empire
B. Maratha Empire
C. Sikh Empire
D. Rajput Empire
E. Ottoman Empire
Answer: B. Maratha Empire
24. What religious policies of Aurangzeb contributed to the alienation of the masses?
A. Imposing Jizya on non-Muslims
B. Demolishing Hindu temples
C. Executing important Sikh leaders
D. Allowing conversion to Islam
E. None of the above
Answer: A. Imposing Jizya on non-Muslims and B. Demolishing Hindu temples
25. Which important Sikh leader was executed during Aurangzeb's reign?
A. Guru Nanak
B. Guru Gobind Singh
C. Guru Tegh Bahadur
D. Guru Arjan Dev
E. Guru Har Rai
Answer: C. Guru Tegh Bahadur
26. What type of loyalty could not develop in the Mansabdari system?
A. Personal loyalty
B. Impersonal loyalty
C. Religious loyalty
D. Regional loyalty
E. None of the above
Answer: B. Impersonal loyalty
27. What was the core relationship in the Mughal system between the emperor and the Mansabdars?
A. Patron-Merchant relationship
B. Patron-Client relationship
C. Ruler-Subject relationship
D. Master-Servant relationship
E. None of the above
Answer: B. Patron-Client relationship
28. Who failed to maintain the balance of power in the Mughal court among Mansabdars after Aurangzeb?
A. British East India Company
B. Maratha Empire
C. Sikh Empire
D. Weak Mughal emperors
E. None of the above
Answer: D. Weak Mughal emperors
29. What could be a consequence of the king's inability to satisfy Mansabdars with desired Jagirs and Mansabs?
A. Increased loyalty among Mansabdars
B. Enhanced control over the Mughal court
C. Disloyalty among Mansabdars
D. Strengthened military power
E. None of the above
Answer: C. Disloyalty among Mansabdars
30. What is the topic of the next class based on the class notes?
A. Khalisa land
B. Ijaradari system
C. The decline of Mughals
D. Aurangzeb's religious policies
E. None of the above
Answer: C. The decline of Mughals
Certainly! Here are the next set of multiple-choice questions based on the class notes:
31. What were the consequences of continuous warfare during Aurangzeb's reign? (Select all that apply)
A. Drainage of resources
B. Decline in overland trade
C. Economic burden on Mansabdars
D. Increase in territorial gains
E. Strengthening of the Mughal Empire
Answer: A. Drainage of resources, B. Decline in overland trade, C. Economic burden on Mansabdars
32. Who were the primary beneficiaries of the Ijaradari system?
A. Zamindars
B. Peasants
C. Khudkashts
D. Ijaradars
E. Mughal emperors
Answer: D. Ijaradars
33. What was the role of Ijaradars in the traditional rural economy?
A. Collecting land revenue
B. Providing service of revenue collection
C. Taxing shopkeepers and merchants
D. Auctioning the right to collect revenue
E. None of the above
Answer: A. Collecting land revenue, C. Taxing shopkeepers and merchants
34. In which regions was the Ijaradari system introduced by Jahandar Shah? (Select all that apply)
A. Punjab
B. Bengal
C. Awadh
D. Hyderabad
E. Rajasthan
Answer: A. Punjab, B. Bengal
35. When was the Ijaradari system introduced by the British in Bengal?
A. 1705
B. 1712-13
C. 1772
D. 1687
E. 1689
Answer: C. 1772
36. What was the primary reason for the introduction of the Ijaradari system?
A. Shortfall in revenue collection
B. Maximizing land revenue collection
C. Consolidating power for the Mughal emperor
D. Promoting rural development
E. None of the above
Answer: A. Shortfall in revenue collection, B. Maximizing land revenue collection
37. How did the decline of the Mughal Empire impact the balance of power among Mansabdars?
A. Increased power and control for Mansabdars
B. Weakening of the Mansabdari system
C. Enhanced loyalty to the Mughal emperor
D. Strengthening of the regional rulers
E. None of the above
Answer: B. Weakening of the Mansabdari system
38. What could be a consequence of the king's inability to satisfy Mansabdars with desired Jagirs and Mansabs?
A. Increased loyalty among Mansabdars
B. Enhanced control over the Mughal court
C. Disloyalty among Mansabdars
D. Strengthened military power
E. None of the above
Answer: C. Disloyalty among Mansabdars
39. Which religious group faced alienation under Aurangzeb's policies?
A. Muslims
B. Sikhs
C. Hindus
D. Christians
E. None of the above
Answer: C. Hindus
40. What is the next topic in the class notes?
A. Khalisa land
B. Ijaradari system
C. The decline of Mughals
D. Aurangzeb's religious policies
E. None of the above
Answer: C. The decline of Mughals
| Topic | Key Points |
|---|---|
| Khalisa land | - Jagirs were transferable and non-transferable lands of the kingdom. |
| - Khalisa land referred to royal land, and the land revenue from this land went to the king. | |
| The land revenue system of the Mughals | - Zamindars collected land revenue and had police duties. |
| - Zamindars were not the owners of the land; they collected revenue from it. | |
| - Zamindars had hereditary rights of revenue collection called Vatan. | |
| - Zamindars collected revenue from others' land and also paid revenue for their own lands (Milkiyat). | |
| - Nankar lands were tax-free/revenue-free lands of Zamindars in return for their service of revenue collection. | |
| - Primary Zamindars collected land revenue from peasants/ryots and additional levies called Abwab. | |
| - Ryots paid land revenue based on recorded percentages in Pattas (documents) to prevent over-extraction. | |
| - Intermediary Zamindars collected land revenue from Primary Zamindars and passed it on to Jagirdars or the state. | |
| - Peasants were categorized as Khudkasht (with occupancy rights) and Pahikasht (landless peasants without rights). | |
| Ijaradari system | - The right to collect revenue was auctioned to the highest bidder. |
| - Those who won the auction were called Ijaradars, who were outsiders to the traditional rural economy and usually merchants or moneylenders. | |
| - Ijaradars collected land revenue and might also collect taxes on shopkeepers and merchants. | |
| - The Ijaradari system was introduced by Jahandar Shah and spread during Aurangzeb's reign and in the 18th century. | |
| - The British introduced it as a Farming system in Bengal in 1772, where the right to collect land revenue was auctioned to revenue farmers called Ijaradars. | |
| The decline of Mughals | - Aurangzeb's continuous warfare drained resources and hurt overland trade. |
| - Wars led to economic burden on Mansabdars and contributed to the decline of the Mughals. | |
| - Aurangzeb failed to annex the whole of Deccan and faced resistance from the Marathas. | |
| - The religious policies of Aurangzeb alienated the masses, leading to unrest. | |
| - Institutional failure and governance issues weakened the Mughal system. | |
| - Weak Mughal emperors post-Aurangzeb failed to maintain the balance of power among Mansabdars, leading to disloyalty and instability. | |
| Next topic | The decline of the Mughals (to be covered in the next class). |
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