Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, or the Central and Western Rajput States of India v1.c18.s1.15

v1.c18.s1.15

Knight’s Fee or Single Horsemen.—A knight’s fee in these States varies. For each thousand rupees of annual rent, never less than two, and generally three horsemen were furnished ; and sometimes three horse and three foot soldiers, according to the exigencies of the times when the grant was conferred. The different grants ¹ appended will show this variety, and furnish additional proof that this, and all similar systems of policy, must be much indebted to chance for the shape they ultimately take. The knight’s fee, when William the Conqueror partitioned England into sixty thousand such portions, from each of which a soldier’s service was due, was fixed at £20. Each portion furnished its soldier or paid escuage. The knight’s fee of Mewar may be said to be two hundred and fifty rupees, or about £30.