Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c5.s4.t2.9

Language: English

c5.s4.t2.9

(a) *Shughl* and *Khitab*—As regards the *Shughl* or the offices at court, it was not possible to provide sinecures except for a few of the nobles. Other big offices in the gift of the monarch were not many. They included, as we have noticed, those of the royal household and the *karkhanas*, a few ministries and secretarial offices, governorships of certain districts and provinces and other civil and military offices, with titles of honour.² In the case of titles, though their range was as wide as the fancy and ingenuity of a monarch, discretion compelled the choice of a few to maintain their conspicuous dignity. Some of the distinctive titles were those of *Khvaja-Jahan*, *Imad-ul-mulk*, *Qivam-ul-mulk*, *Nizam-ul-mulk*, *A‘zam-ul-mulk*, *Qutlugh Khan*, *Ulugh Khan*, *Sadr-i-Jahan*, ‘*Alam-ul-mulk*, etc.³ Hindu influence made itself felt in outlying provinces; and the Sultans of Bengal even awarded such titles as *Nayaka Khan* and *Satya Raja*.⁴