History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c16.9

c16.9

*Martab* means a beast of burden, *murattab* means one who gives ترتيب or arranges and *martab* may also be a derivation from مرتبه which means position or dignity. Therefore, it is difficult to fix the meaning of the word *martab*. In the above passage, however, *martab* or *murattab* stands for a soldier whose salary was fixed by the sultan at 234 *tankahs*. In those times raw men were not recruited and given training by the state. Only professional soldiers were enrolled. It stands to reason, therefore, that a soldier possessed (at least) one horse. But if he possessed two horses he was given an extra allowance of 78 *tankahs* for the additional horse. Thus a man with two horses, who was technically known as *do as-pah* got 234 *tankahs* as his personal salary as a soldier possessing one horse and 78 *tankahs* for maintaining the second horse. Since he received allowance for an extra horse the sultan insisted upon his maintaining the additional horse. Ordinarily a soldier getting 234 *tankahs* was required to keep only one horse, and was technically known as *yak aspah*. It is obvious that no extra allowance was paid to a *yak aspah* or to one who had more than two horses.