[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Histoire de la dernière révolution des États du Grand Mogol](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier) › [Travels in the Mogul Empire (Constable)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable) › 4.3 # Travels in the Mogul Empire (Bernier) 4.3 Travels in the Mogul Empire (Constable) 4.3 - **Language:** English ### [4.3.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.4.3.1) In fine, he is reduced to the necessity of supporting those troops of foreigners, or Mogols, which we have noticed ; and as they form the principal force of the kingdom, and are maintained at an incredible expense, a detailed description of this force may not be unacceptable. These troops, both cavalry and infantry, may be considered under two heads : one part as always near the Mogol's person ; the other, as dispersed in the several provinces. In regard to the cavalry retained near the King, I shall speak first of the Omrahs, then of the Mansebdars, next of the Rouzindars ; and, last of all, of the common troopers. I shall then proceed to the infantry, and describe the musketeers and all the foot-men who serve in the artillery, saying a word in passing on the horse artillery. It must not be imagined that the Omrahs or Lords of the Mogol's court are members of ancient families, as our nobility in France. The King being proprietor of all the lands in the empire, there can exist neither Dukedoms nor Marquisates ; nor can any family be found possessed of wealth arising from a domain, and living upon its own patrimony. ### [4.3.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.4.3.2) The courtiers are often not even descendants of Omrahs, because, the King being heir of all their possessions, no family can long maintain its distinction, but, after the Omrah's death, is soon extinguished, and the sons, or at least the grandsons, reduced generally, we might almost say, to beggary, and compelled to enlist as mere troopers in the cavalry of some Omrah. The King, however, usually bestows a small pension on the widow, and often on the family; and if the Omrah's life be sufficiently prolonged, he may obtain the advancement of his children by royal favour, particularly if their persons be well formed, and their complexions sufficiently fair to enable them to pass for genuine Mogols. But this advancement through special favour proceeds slowly, for it is an almost invariable custom to pass gradually from small salaries, and inconsiderable offices, to situations of greater trust and emolument. The Omrahs, therefore, mostly consist of adventurers from different nations who entice one another to the court; and are generally persons of low descent, some having been originally slaves, and the majority being destitute of education. The Mogol raises them to dignities, or degrades them to obscurity, according to his own pleasure and caprice. Some of the Omrahs have the title of Hazary, or lord of a thousand horse; some, of Dou Hazary, lord of two thousand horse; some, of Penge, lord of five thousand horse; some, of Hecht, lord of seven thousand horse; ### [4.3.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.4.3.3) some, of Deh Hazary, lord of ten thousand horse; and sometimes an Omrah has the title of Douazdeh Hazary, lord of twelve thousand horse; as was the case with the King's eldest son. Their pay is proportionate, not to the number of men, but to the number of horses, and two horses are generally allowed to one trooper, in order that the service may be better performed; for in those hot countries it is usual to say that a soldier with a single horse has one foot on the ground. But let it not be supposed that an Omrah is expected to keep, or indeed that the King would pay for, such a body of horse as is implied by the titles of Douazdeh or Hecht Hazary; high-sounding names intended to impose on the credulous, and deceive Foreigners. The King himself regulates as well the effective number that each Omrah is to maintain, as the nominal number which he need not keep, but which is also paid for, and usually forms the principal part of his salary. ### [4.3.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.4.3.4) This salary is increased by the money that the Omrah retains out of every man's pay, and by what accrues from his false returns of the horses he is supposed to provide : all which renders the Omrah's income very considerable, particularly when he is so fortunate as to have some good Jah-ghirs, or suitable lands, assigned to him for the payment of his salary : for I perceived that the Omrah under whom I served, a Penge-Hazary, or lord of five thousand, whose quota was fixed at five hundred horses, had yet a balance over after the payment of all expenses, of nearly five thousand crowns a month, although, like all those who have no Jah-ghirs, he was a Nagdy, that is to say, one who drew his pay in cash from the treasury. Notwithstanding these large incomes, I was acquainted with very few wealthy Omrahs; on the contrary, most of them are in embarrassed circumstances, and deeply in debt ; not that they are ruined, like the nobility of other countries, by the extravagance of their table, but by the costly presents made to the King at certain annual festivals, and by their large establishments of wives, servants, camels, and horses. ### [4.3.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.4.3.5) The Omrahs in the provinces, in the armies, and at court, are very numerous ; but it was not in my power to ascertain their number, which is not fixed. I never saw less than five-and-twenty to thirty at court, all of whom were in the receipt of the large incomes already mentioned, dependent for the amount upon their number of horses, from one to twelve thousand. ### [4.3.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.4.3.6) It is these Omrahs who attain to the highest honours and situations of the State, — at court, in the provinces, and in the armies ; and who are, as they call themselves, the Pillars of the Empire. They maintain the splendour of the court, and are never seen out-of-doors but in the most superb apparel; mounted sometimes on an elephant, sometimes on horseback, and not unfrequently in a Paleky attended by many of their cavalry, and by a large body of servants on foot, who take their station in front, and at either side, of their lord, not only to clear the way, but to flap the flies and brush off the dust with tails of peacocks; to carry the picquedent, or spittoon, water to allay the Omrah's thirst, and sometimes account-books, and other papers. Every Omrah at court is obliged, under a certain penalty, to repair twice a day to the assembly, for the purpose of paying his respects to the King, at ten or eleven o'clock in the morning, when he is there seated to dispense justice, and at six in the evening. An Omrah must also, in rotation, keep guard in the fortress once every week, during four-and-twenty hours. He sends thither his bed, carpet, and other furniture; the King supplying him with nothing but his meals. These are received with peculiar ceremony. Thrice the Omrah performs the taslim, or reverence, the face turned toward the royal apartment; first dropping the hand down to the ground, and then lifting it up to the head. ### [4.3.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.4.3.7) Whenever the King takes an excursion in his Paleky, on an elephant, or in a Tact-Ravan (or travelling throne, carried upon the shoulders of eight men, who are cleverly relieved from time to time when on the march by eight others), all the Omrahs who are not prevented by illness, disabled by age, or exempted by a peculiar office, are bound to accompany him on horseback, exposed to the inclemency of the weather and to suffocating clouds of dust. On every occasion the King is completely sheltered, whether taking the diversion of hunting, marching at the head of his troops, or making his progresses from one city to another. When, however, he confines his hunting to the neighbourhood of the city, visits his country house or repairs to the mosque, he sometimes dispenses with so large a retinue, and prefers being attended by such Omrahs only as are that day on guard. ### [4.3.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.4.3.8) Mansebdars are horsemen with manseb pay, which is a peculiar pay, both honourable and considerable ; not equal to that of the Omrahs, but much greater than the common pay. Hence they are looked on as petty Omrahs, and as being of the rank from which the Omrahs are taken. They acknowledge no other chief but the King, and have much the same duties imposed upon them as the Omrahs, to whom they would be equal if they had horsemen under them, as formerly was sometimes the case ; but now they have only two, four, or six service horses, that is, such as bear the King's mark ; and their pay is, in some instances, as low as one hundred and fifty roupies per month, and never exceeds seven hundred. Their number is not fixed, but they are much more numerous than the Omrahs : besides those in the provinces and armies, there are never less than two or three hundred at court. ### [4.3.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.4.3.9) Rouzindars are also cavaliers, who receive their pay daily, as the word imports ; but their pay is greater, in some instances, than that of many of the mansebdars. It is, however, of a different kind, and not thought so honourable, but the Rouzindars are not subject, like the Mansebdars, to the Agenas ; that is, are not bound to take, at a valuation, carpets, and other pieces of furniture, that have been used in the King's palace, and on which an unreasonable value is sometimes set. Their number is very great. They fill the inferior offices; many being clerks and under-clerks; while some are employed to affix the King's signet to Baralies, or orders for the payment of money; and they scruple not to receive bribes for the quick issuing of these documents. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.4.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.4.3) · Pramāṇa