The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c14.53

v4.c14.53

The administration of the army was even more efficient. The system of branding the horses of the contingents which assignees were bound to supply, to prevent them from borrowing horses for the muster-parades, had been invented by the Saljūqs in the twelfth century but the only Indian ruler who had hitherto been able to enforce it had been ‘Alā-ud-dīn Khaljī. Sher Shāh enforced it rigorously. The great Akbar after him attempted, but failed, and his secretary Abu-’l-Fazl contemptuously observes that Sher Shāh sought the applause of posterity by reviving the regulation of ‘Alā-ud-dīn, of which he had read, but the remark is typical of Akbar’s panegyrist, whose bitterness may perhaps be explained by his master’s failure.