Travels in the Mogul Empire (Bernier) 4.2
Travels in the Mogul Empire (Constable) 4.2
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4.2.1
Second. — The empire of the Great Mogol comprehends several nations, over which he is not absolute master. Most of them still retain their own peculiar chiefs or sovereigns, who obey the Mogol or pay him tribute only by compulsion. In many instances this tribute is of trifling amount; in others none is paid; and I shall adduce instances of nations which, instead of paying, receive tribute. The petty sovereignties bordering the Persian frontiers, for example, seldom pay tribute either to the Mogol or to the King of Persia. Nor can the former be said to receive anything considerable from the Balouches, Augans, and other mountaineers, who indeed seem to feel nearly independent of him, as was proved by their conduct when the Mogol marched from Ateck on the Indus to Kaboul; for the purpose of besieging Kandahar. By stopping the supply of water from the mountains and preventing its descent into the fields contiguous to the public road, they completely arrested the army on its march, until the mountaineers received from the Mogol the presents which they had solicited in the way of alms.
4.2.2
The Patans also are an intractable race. They are Mahometans, who formerly inhabited a country in the vicinity of the Ganges, toward Bengale. Before the invasion of India by the Mogols, the Patans had rendered themselves formidable in several places. Their power was felt principally at Dehli, many of the neighbouring Rajas being their tributaries. Even the menials and carriers of water belonging to that nation are high-spirited and warlike. 'If it be not so, may I never ascend the throne of Dehli' is the usual phraseology of a Patan, when wishing to enforce the truth of any assertion. They hold the Indians, both Gentiles and Mogols, in the utmost contempt; and, recollecting the consideration in which they were formerly held in India, they mortally hate the Mogols, by whom their fathers were dispossessed of great principalities, and driven to the mountains far from Dehli and Agra. In these mountains some Patans established themselves as petty sovereigns or Rajas; but without any great power.
4.2.3
The King of Visapour, so far from paying tribute to the Mogol, is engaged in perpetual war with him, and contrives to defend his dominions. He owes his preservation less to the strength of his arms than to many peculiar circumstances. His kingdom is at a great distance from Agra and Dehli, the Mogol's usual places of residence; the capital city, called also Visapour, is strong, and not easily accessible to an invading army, because of the bad water and scarcity of forage in the surrounding country; and several Rajas for the sake of mutual security join him, when attacked, with their forces. The celebrated Seva-Gi not long ago made a seasonable diversion in his favour, by plundering and burning the rich seaport of Sourate. There is again the wealthy and powerful King of Golkonda, who secretly supplies the King of Visapour with money, and constantly keeps an army on the frontiers, with the double object of defending his own territories and aiding Visapour in the event of that country being closely pressed.
4.2.4
Similarly, among those not paying tribute may be numbered more than a hundred Rajas, or Gentile sovereigns of considerable strength, dispersed over the whole empire, some near and some at a distance from Agra and Dehli. Fifteen or sixteen of these Rajas are rich and formidable, particularly Rana, formerly considered Emperor of the Rajas, and supposed to be descended from King Porus, Jesseingue and Jessomseingue. If these three chose to enter into an offensive league, they would prove dangerous opponents to the Mogol, each of them having at all times the means of taking the field with twenty thousand cavalry; better than any that could be opposed to them. These horsemen are called Ragipous, or sons of Rajas. Their military occupation, as I have stated elsewhere, descends from father to son; and every man receives a grant of land on condition that he be always prepared to mount his horse and follow the Raja, whither he shall command. These men endure a great deal of fatigue, and require only discipline to become excellent soldiers. Third,—It is material to remark that the Great Mogol is a Mahometan, of the sect of the Sounnys, who, believing with the Turks that Osman was the true successor of Mahomet, are distinguished by the name of Osmanlys. The majority of his courtiers, however, being Persians, are of the party known by the appellation of Chias, believers in the real succession of Aly.
4.2.5
Moreover, the Great Mogol is a foreigner in Hindoustan, a descendant of Tamerlan, chief of those Mogols from Tartary who, about the year 1401, overran and conquered the Indies. Consequently he finds himself in an hostile country, or nearly so; a country containing hundreds of Gentiles to one Mogol, or even to one Mahometan. To maintain himself in such a country, in the midst of domestic and powerful enemies, and to be always prepared against any hostile movement on the side of Persia or Usbec, he is under the necessity of keeping up numerous armies, even in the time of peace. These armies are composed either of natives, such as Ragipous and Patans, or of genuine Mogols and people who, though less esteemed, are called Mogols because white men, foreigners, and Mahometans. The court itself does not now consist, as originally, of real Mogols; but is a medley of Usbecs, Persians, Arabs, and Turks, or descendants from all these people; known, as I said before, by the general appellation of Mogols.
4.2.6
It should be added, however, that children of the third and fourth generation, who have the brown complexion, and the languid manner of this country of their nativity, are held in much less respect than new comers, and are seldom invested with official situations: they consider themselves happy, if permitted to serve as private soldiers in the infantry or cavalry.—But it is time to give your lordship some idea of the armies of the Great Mogol, in order that you may judge, by the vast expenditure to which they subject him, what are really his effective means and resources. I shall first speak of the native army, which he must perforce entertain.
4.2.7
Under this head are comprehended the ragipous of Jesseingue and of Jessomseingue; to whom, and to several other Rajas, the Mogol grants large sums for the service of a certain number of their ragipous, to be kept always ready and at his disposal. Rajas bear an equal rank with the foreign and Mahometan Omrahs, whether employed in the army which the King retains at all times near his person, or in those stationed in the provinces. They are also generally subjected to the same regulations as the Omrahs, even to mounting guard; with this difference, however, that the Rajas never mount within a fortress, but invariably without the walls, under their own tents, not enduring the idea of being confined during four-and-twenty hours, and always refusing to enter any fortress unless well attended, and by men determined to sacrifice their lives for their leaders. This self-devotion has been sufficiently proved when attempts have been made to deal treacherously with a Raja. There are many reasons why the Mogol is obliged to retain Rajas in his service. First. Ragipous are not only excellent soldiers, but, as I have said, some Rajas can in any one day bring more than twenty thousand to the field. Second. They are necessary to keep in check such Rajas as are not in the Mogol's pay; to reduce to submission those who take up arms rather than pay tribute, or refuse to join the army when summoned by the Mogol.
4.2.8
Third. It is the King's policy to foment jealousy and discord amongst the Rajas, and by caressing and favouring some more than others, he often succeeds, when desirous of doing so, in kindling wars among them. Fourth. They are always at hand to be employed against the Patans, or against any rebellious Omrah or governor. Fifth. Whenever the King of Golkonda withholds his tribute, or evinces an inclination to defend the King of Visapour or any neighbouring Raja whom the Mogol wishes to despoil or render tributary, Rajas are sent against him in preference to Omrahs, who being for the most part Persians, are not of the same religion as the Mogol, to wit Sounnys, but Chias, as are the Kings of Persia and Golkonda. Sixth. The Mogol never finds the Rajas more useful than when he is engaged in hostility with the Persians. His Omrahs, as I have just remarked, are generally of that nation, and shudder at the idea of fighting against their natural King ; especially because they acknowledge him as their Imam, their Calife or sovereign pontiff, and the descendant of Aly, to bear arms against whom they therefore consider a great crime. The Mogol is also compelled to engage Patans in his service by reasons very similar to those I have assigned for employing ragipous.