Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c6.s3.t1.52

c6.s3.t1.52

C. Trades and skilled professions.—We have spoken about the traders in the previous part. We will only observe in this connection that the state carefully protected the property and the rights of tradesmen within certain limits. It also appears that while the private property of the nobles was looked upon with suspicion, the possessions of the traders were scrupulously respected. In fact, Sultan Firuz Tughluq severely reprimanded the vile informers who maliciously directed the attention of the Sultan towards the growing wealth of some trader or banker with a view to appropriate it in part or whole.⁵ It is no wonder then, that the class of merchants (vaisyas) as a whole were literate and prosperous, and held much land free of rent.¹