The Legacy of Muslim Rule in India c9.s3.18

c9.s3.18

In the Mughal period the same trends continued. Things might have improved under the able and shrewd Akbar, but only might. He too was part of the system. He too was surrounded by the same sort of people who were ready of speech and expert at intrigue. Corruption in the Mughal times was so widespread - in the army, in civil administration and even in judiciary - that narration of individual cases cannot just be done. Exceptions apart, the more important the Amir, the larger his expenses, and the greater his attempt at grabbing more and more wealth. The biographical notices collected by Blochmann afford instances of the possibilities which Akbars service offered. Hakim Ali, for instance, came from Persia to India poor and destitute, but won Akbars favour, and being his personal servant rose to the rank of 2000. Peshrau Khan again was a slave who was given to Humayun as a present; he rendered service in many different capacities and died a commander of 2000, leaving a fortune of 15 lakhs (equivalent to nearly a crore of rupees at modern values).⁶² No one was immune from this temptation. Shaikh Ibrahim Chishti of Jaunpur died at Fatehpur, bidding farwell to mountains of gold, 25 crores in cash taken into the treasury; the rest in the words of Badaoni, fell to the share of his enemies - his sons and representatives.⁶³ Under Akbars successor things were certainly bad. Jahangir believed in frequent transfers, and the certainty of a speedy change meant increased activity in exploitation⁶⁴ Under Shahjahan and Aurangzeb the peasant was systematically fleeced.