The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c23.s3.115

v4.c23.s3.115

Ruling a poor and thinly populated country, the king regarded captives as a form of wealth. Any foreigner residing in the country was not merely allowed but publicly encouraged to take a temporary wife for the period of his stay; he had to pay her off before leaving, and never under any circumstances could he take his female children out of the country, though he might, on heavy payment, take his male children (p. 480); every ship on arrival was carefully searched for women, and if, on leaving, it contained one woman more than it did on arrival, that ship was seized and the crew enslaved: women could breed subjects for the king and they were not allowed to emigrate.¹