The Institutes of Akbar 160.1.p5

160.1.p5

A commander of 5000 was not necessarily at the head of a contingent of 5000 men. In fact, the numbers rarely even approach the number expressed by the title of a Mançabdár. Thus Nizám says of Todar Mall and Qutbuddín Muhammad Khán, as if it was something worth mentioning, that the former had 4000 cavalry, and the latter 5000 naukars, or servants, i. e., soldiers, though Todar Mall was a commander of 4000 (Nizám says 5000), and Qutbuddín a commander of 5000. Of ’Abdul Majíd Áçaf Khán, a commander of 3000 (vide Aín 30, No. 49), Nizám says, ‘he reached a point when he had 20,000.’ In the Pádisháhnámah, where more details are given regarding the number of men under each commander, we find that of the 115 Commanders of 500 under Sháhjahán only six had contingents of 500, whilst the last had only 50 troopers. This also explains the use of the word tá zát after the titles of Mançabdárs; as panj hazárí i zát sih hazár suwár, “a Commander of 5000, personally (zát, or by rank), and in actual command of 3000 cavalry.” Sometimes we meet with another phrase, the meaning of which will be explained below, as Sháyistah Khán panj hazárí, panj hazár suwár i duaspah sihaspah, “Sháyistah Khán, a Commander of 5000, contingent 5000 cavalry, with two horses, with three horses.” A trooper is called duaspah, if he has two horses, and sihaspah, if three, in order to change horses during elghárs or forced marches. But keeping duaspah sihaspah troopers was a distinction, as in the Pádisháhnámah only the senior Mançabdárs of some ranks are so designated, viz., 8 (out of 20) Panjhazárís; 1 Chahárhazárí; 2 Sihhazárí; 2 Duhazárí; 2 Hazár o pançadí; 1 Hazárí; and 1 Hafçadí.
The higher Mançabdárs were mostly governors of Çúbahs. The governors were at first called sipahsálárs; towards the end of Akbar’s reign we find them called Hákims, and afterwards, Çáhib Çúbah or Mancabdars are also called ta’inátíyán (appointed), whilst the troops of their contingents are called tábínát (followers); hence tábínbáshí, the Mancabdár himself, or his Bakhshí (pay-master, colonel).
The contingents of the Mancabdárs, which formed the greater part of the army, were mustered at stated times, and paid from the general, or the local treasuries; vide Áíns 6, 7, 8. Akbar had much trouble with these musters, as fraudulent practices were quite common. The reform of the army dates from the time when Shahbáz Khán (vide pp. 140, 188) was appointed Mír Bakhshí. The following passage from Badáoní (II, p. 190) is interesting:
‘The whole country, with the exception of the Kháliçah lands (domains), was held by the Amírs as jágír; and as they were wicked and rebellious, and spent large sums on their stores and workshops, and amassed wealth, they had no leisure to look after the troops or take an interest in the people. In cases of emergency, they came themselves with some of their slaves and Moghul attendants to the scene of the war; but really useful soldiers there were none. Shahbáz Khán, the Mír Bakhshí, introduced the custom and rule of the dágh o mahallí, which had been the rule of A’láuddín Khiljí, and afterwards the law under Sher Sháh. It was settled that every Amír should commence as a commander of twenty (bístí), and be ready with his followers to mount guard and...., as had been ordered; and when, according to the rule, he had brought the horses of his twenty troopers to be branded, he was then to be made a Çadí, or Commander of 100 or more. They were likewise to keep elephants, horses, and camels, in proportion to their Mançabs, according to the same rule. When they had brought to the musters their new contingent complete, they were to be promoted according to their merits and circumstances to the post of Hazárí, Duhazárí, and even Panjhazárí, which is the highest Mançab; but if they did not do well at the musters, they were to be put down. But notwithstanding this new regulation, the condition of the soldiers got worse, because the Amírs did what they liked; for they put most of their own servants and mounted attendants into soldiers’ clothes (libás i sipáhí), brought them to the musters, and performed everything according to their duties. But when they got their jágírs, they gave leave to their mounted attendants, and when a new emergency arose, they mustered as many ‘borrowed’ soldiers as were required, and sent them again away, when they had served their purpose. Hence while the income and expenditure of the Manṣabdár remained in statu quo, ‘dust fell into the platter of the helpless soldier,’ so much so, that he was no longer fit for anything. But from all sides there came a lot of low tradespeople, weavers, and cotton-cleaners (naddáf), carpenters, and green-grocers, Hindú and Musalmán, and brought borrowed horses, got them branded, and were appointed to a Manṣab, or were made Krorís, or Ahadís, or Dákhilís to some one; and when a few days afterwards no trace was to be found of the imaginary horse and the visionary saddle, they had to perform their duties on foot. Many times it happened at the musters, before the emperor himself in the Díwán-khánah i khás, that they were weighed in their clothes, with their hands and feet tied, when they were found to weigh from 2½ to 3 man, more or less (?) and after inquiry, it was found that all were hired, and that their very clothes and saddles were borrowed articles. His Majesty then used to say, “With my eyes thus open, I must give these men pay, that they may have something to live on.” After some time had passed away, His Majesty divided the Ahadís into duaspah, yakaspah (having one horse), and nīmaspah (having half a share in a horse), in which latter case two troopers kept one horse together, and shared the stipulated salary, which amounted to six rupees.’