[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) › [Storia do Mogor](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci) › [Storia do Mogor (Irvine)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine) › 210.2 # Storia do Mogor 210.2 Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 210.2 - **Language:** English ### [210.2.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.210.2.1) The queens and princesses are paid half from the royal treasury and half in land or in rents, which always yield more than the amount in exchange for which they have been granted. All the other women of the royal household are paid in ready money. Some of the chief physicians and some men of learning are also paid as the queens and princesses are, in proportion to their allowances. For paying the great multitude of people in the prince's service four places \[of payment\] are fixed, where all is carried out with much order. The persons who have three sadis of pay and higher rates, as far as seven hazaris, are required to maintain horses according to their pay. For this purpose they have assignments which produce a good revenue. A man getting the pay of a hazari in the first class is obliged to keep two hundred and fifty horsemen of different races—that is to say, sixty-four Pathans, sixty-four Mughals, sixty-four Rajputs; the remainder are Saiyids, Shekhzadahs, and so forth. The regulation still observed up to this day was made by King Akbar. ### [210.2.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.210.2.2) Those with the same rate in the second class are obliged to keep one hundred and twenty-five horsemen of the above races, and the same with all the other classes. So much so that all these lords are obliged to have cavalry, but proportionally, according to the rate of pay and the class they hold. In addition to their pay the king gives them, for the upkeep of this cavalry, lands and a special income, which ought to produce thirty rupees a day for each horseman. But usually these assignments bring in more than is set down in the king's registers as the sum for which they are allotted. A man, then, who has a hazari in the first class receives altogether every year — that is to say, in cash for his own pay and what is fixed for his soldiers — the sum of one hundred and forty thousand rupees. Those who have lower pay, such as four, five, and seven sadis and the rest, who are also under an obligation of maintaining cavalry, conduct themselves by the same regulation and in the same order. This governs all ranks up to seven hazaris. ### [210.2.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.210.2.3) Troopers in the king's service who have the pay of a bisti (twenty), are required to keep each one horse ; those who have two bisti must keep two ; and those who have the sad panjai (sad-panjahi) — that is, one hundred and fifty rupees — ought to keep three horses ; those with a sadi, two ; those with two sadis, four. Although in the course of time a man may get advanced as far as seven hazari (thousand), he remains always under the same obligation of maintaining four horses bearing the king's brand. All the horsemen who are mansabdars under the king must have impressed on the right flank of their horses a mark made like this y\*), which is the royal brand. From the day that they get this mark made their pay begins. The generals also cause a brand to be placed on the horses of their troopers, but it is made on the left flank. Their brand is usually the first letter of their name, and their men's pay begins also on the day that the brand is imprinted. Every horseman in the king's service must have a Turkish horse, and not one reared in India. The latter are timid and restive. They must also equip themselves with armes blanches and a coat of mail. The princes of the blood royal administer their households in the same manner, but from the pay of their soldiers there is a deduction of twenty per cent. ### [210.2.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.210.2.4) In spite of all that is said above, I must give warning that the king does not generally pay everyone by the rules that I have inserted. For since there are in his service an innumerable crowd of men with varying employments and duties, he on his side makes many differing rates of pay, giving from a bistī (twenty) and a bistī and a half to some, up to a sadī (hundred) and a sadī and a half to others, going on increasing, to some more to some less, till one hazārī (thousand) is reached. At that point the title of umarā (noble) is given, and from hazārī (thousand) a man rises from rank to rank by gradations. There is still another mode of payment called ruzindar (rozīnah-dār) — that is, pay by the day given to infantry and cavalry. Yet, although they have this name, they are not thus paid: several months are allowed to elapse. Usually in the mahal, or the apartments in which are secluded the women of the king's household, as I have described several times (III. 3-10), all allowances are of this sort, excepting, however, those of the queens and princesses. Of these \[allowances\], the lowest are of half a rupee; the rest are of one, two, four, seven, ten, and up to twenty and thirty; in this the quality of the person and his merits are regarded. Christians — that is to say, the gunners and the surgeons — are also paid after this manner. ### [210.2.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.210.2.5) All soldiers, high and low, generals and captains, are forced to give surety, and without it they cannot obtain employment. This practice is so common and so general that even the princes find it necessary to conform to the custom. Whenever the king, or some commander in his name, wants to raise soldiers, infantry or cavalry, it is not necessary to make any great stir. For a thousand at a time will attend to take service, and of these the best are chosen. This applies as much to the cavalry as to the infantry; still, there are more who present themselves for the latter service than the former. When the horse of a trooper dies, he must on the same day bring the hide with the brand and the other marks on it for inspection of the officer in charge of that duty. He is given seven days to buy another, otherwise his pay is reduced. Twice a year the bachi (bakhshī), the chief commander of cavalry, holds a review of all the cavalry present at court, examines all the horses, and sees whether any of them are old and unfit for service. In the latter case he makes the owners get rid of them and buy others. Throughout the empire there are similar officers bearing the same name, and these are required each in his locality to perform the same duty. When the king dispatches any officer, it is necessary for him to appear at the head of his troops and show them in review order on the river-bank below the royal palace, and three days after that he is bound to start. ### [210.2.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.210.2.6) If the troopers are not good men and do not make a good appearance they are turned out, or their pay is deducted from that disbursed to the generals or captains. These gentlemen (the generals) have generally each in his stable fifty, a hundred, and up to two hundred horses for show or service. On the day of the review they equip their servitors and mount them on these horses, and pass them off as soldiers, putting to the account of profit the pay these men draw. In every quarter of the empire there are officials who keep an eye on everything, or, at least, ought to do so; for, being at a distance from the court, they do not acquit themselves of their duty as loyal subjects ought. But they are negligent by reason of the presents given them to that intent by the persons interested. Owing to these considerations they practise concealment, and never dream of enforcing the performance of duties. Many a time have I witnessed this. Those who ought to keep fifty horses, more or less, very frequently have no more than six to eight, and entertain no soldiers, although there are men ready to enlist with branded horses, such as I have described. To all these regulations they pay little or no heed, thinking solely of their own enjoyments, without troubling about anything else. ### [210.2.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.210.2.7) The generals and officers keep to no fixed rules in paying their soldiers, for to some they will give twenty or thirty rupees, to others forty, fifty, or a hundred. Usually they make great promises, but not even a half is received, each one paying according to his caprice and the reputation that he is emulous of acquiring for his efficient retinue or establishments. The wretched soldiers naturally agree to anything, all the more readily since they have no other means of livelihood. All this contributes much to the bad payment of everyone that is so common; for the money they get comes to them only in driblets, and when all is said and done it does not come to a great deal. For in respect of one year's service they receive six or eight months' pay. Even that is not all in coin; they are always foisted off as respects two months' pay with clothes and old raiment from the household. Over and above this, there is almost always due to them the pay for two or three years' service. The soldiers are obliged to borrow money at interest from the sarráfs, or money-changers. These men lend to them, it is true, but it is hardly ever without a command from the general or officer; and these latter have an understanding with them about the profit from interest, which they share between them. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.210.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.210.2) · Pramāṇa