State and Government in Ancient India c21.s1.10

c21.s1.10

The control, which the paramount power exercised, naturally varied with the status of the feudatory and its own capacity to check him. General obedience to imperial orders was expected and exacted. The feudatories were usually required to acknowledge their subordinate position in the official charters they issued by mentioning the name of the emperor first. They could not issue their coinage. Attendance at the imperial court was required not only on ceremonial occasions, but also at periodical intervals; epigraphs and literary works usually describe the imperial courts as teaming with feudatories come to pay personal homage to the emperor. A regular tribute had to be paid; sometimes it was sent to the imperial capital; sometimes emperors used to collect it during their tours.² Special presents were also expected on the occasions of festivity in the imperial household like marriage or the birth of a son. The feudatories were also expected to offer their daughters in marriage, in case the emepror was inclined to wed them.