The Army of the Indian Moghuls: Its Organization and Administration c6: Chapter IV
The Army of the Indian Moghuls: Its Organization and Administration c6
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Chapter IV
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Single men who resorted to the Court in the hope of obtaining employment in the army, were obliged first to seek a patron. A man generally attached himself to a chief from his own country or of his own race: Mughals became the followers of Mughals, Persians of Persians, Afghāns of Afghāns, and so forth. On this point there were certain customary rules, which are thus stated by Khūshḥāl Chand, Berlin Ms. 495, fol. 1072b. A noble from Māwar-un-nahr recruited none but Mughals; if from Īrān, he might have one third Mughals and the remainder Sayyads and Shekhs, or if he took Afghāns and Rājputs, of the former he might entertain one sixth and of the latter, one seventh of his total number. Nobles who were Sayyads or Shekhs might enlist their own tribe, or up to one sixth they might take Afghāns. Afghāns themselves might have one half Afghāns and the other half Mughals and Shekhzādahs. Rājputs made up their whole force of Rājputs. At times men of high rank who desired to increase their forces would remit large sums of money to the country with which they were specially connected, and thereby induce recruits of a particular class to flock to their standard. For instance, in the reign of Muḥammad Shāh (1719—1748), Muḥammad Khān, Bangash, filled his ranks in this way with men from the Bangash country and with Afrīdī Pathāns. According to a man's reputation or connections, or the number of his followers, would be the rank (manṣab) assigned to him. As a rule, his followers brought their own horses and other equipment; but sometimes a man with a little money would buy extra horses and mount relations or dependents upon them. When this was the case, the man riding his own horse was called, in later parlance, a *silahdār* (literally, equipment-holder), and one riding somebody else's horse was a *bārgīr* (burdentaker). The horses and equipment were as often as not procured by borrowed money; and not unfrequently the chief himself made the advances, which were afterwards recovered from the man's pay. The candidate for employment, having found a patron, next obtained through this man's influence an introduction to the *Bakhshī-ul-mamālik* or *Mīr Bakhshī*, in whose hands lay the presentation of new men to the emperor, and on his verdict a great deal depended as to the rank (*manṣab*) which might be accorded.
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*The Bakhshī.* — This officer's title is translated into English sometimes by Paymaster-General, at others by Adjutant-General or Commander-in-Chief.¹ None of these titles gives an exact idea of his functions. He was not a Paymaster, except in the sense that he usually suggested the rank to which a man should be appointed or promoted, and perhaps countersigned the pay-bills. But the actual disbursement of pay belonged to other departments. Adjutant-General is somewhat nearer to correctness. Commander-in-Chief he was not. He might be sent on a campaign in supreme command; and if neither emperor, vicegerent (*wakīl-i-muṭlaq*), nor chief minister (*wazīr*) was present, the command fell to him. But the only true Commander-in-Chief was the emperor himself, replaced in his absence by the *wakīl* or the *wazīr*. The word *Bakhshī* means 'the giver,' from *bakhshīdan*, P. 'to bestow,' that is, he was the giver of the gift of employment in camps and armies (*Dastūr-ul-Inshā*, 232); or might it not better be connected with another meaning, "to divide into shares, to distribute," making *Bakhshī* to equal "the distributor, the divider into shares?” In Persia the same official was styled ‘The Petitioner’ (*‘āriẓ*). This name indicates that it was his special business to bring into the presence of the emperor anyone seeking for employment or promotion, and there to state the facts connected with that man’s case. Probably the use of the words *Mīr ‘Arẓ* in two places in the *Āīn-i-Akbarī* (Blochmann, i, 257, 259) are instances of the Persian name being applied to the officer afterwards called a *Bakhshī*. The first *Bakhshī* (for there were four) seems to have received, almost as of right, the title of *Amīr-ul-umarā* (Noble of Nobles); and from the reign of *‘Ālamgīr* onwards, I find no instance of this title being granted to more than one man at a time, though in Akbar’s reign such appears to have been the case (*Āīn*, i, 240, Blochmann’s note).
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¹ Blochmann, *Āīn*, i, 161, has Paymaster and Adjutant-General.
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*Duties of the Bakhshī-ul-mamālik.* — These duties comprised the recruiting of the army; maintaining a list of *manṣabdārs* with their postings, showing (1) officers at Court, (2) officers in the provinces; keeping a roster of the guard-mounting at the palace; preparing the rules as to grants of pay (*tankhwāh*); keeping up a list of officers paid in cash, and an abstract of the total pay-bills; the superintendence of the mustering for branding and verifying the troopers’ horses and the orders subsidiary thereto; the preparation of the register of absentees, with or without leave, of deaths, and dismissals, of cash advances, of demands due from officers (*muṭālibah*), of sureties produced by officers, and the issue of written orders (*dastak*) to officers sent on duty into the provinces.¹ One special duty belonging to the *Bakhshī* was, in preparation for a great battle, to assign posts to the several commanders in the van, centre, wings, or rearguard. The *Bakhshī* was also expected on the morning of a battle to lay before the emperor a present state or muster roll, giving the exact number of men under each commander in each division of the fighting line.
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¹ *Dastūr-ul-Inshā*, 232, *Dastūr-ul-‘Aml*, B.M. 6599, fol. 159*a*, and B.M. 1641, fols. 28, and 17*b* to 22*a*.
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*The other Bakhshīs.* — Besides the First Bakhshī, ordinarily holding the title of *Amīr-ul-umarā*, and styled either *Bakhshī-ul-mamālik* (B. of the Realms) or *Mīr Bakhshī* (Lord B.), there were three other *Bakhshīs* at headquarters. It is a little difficult to fix upon the points which distinguished their duties from those of the First *Bakhshī*. The Second *Bakhshī*, usually styled *Bakhshī-ul-mulk* (B. of the Kingdom), was also called the *Bakhshī-i-tan*.¹ As *tan* (literally, body) was a contraction for *tankhwāh*, pay (literally *tan*, body, *khwāh*, desire, need), it might be supposed that his duties were connected with the records of *jāgīrs*, or revenue assignments granted in lieu of pay, just as in the revenue department the accounts of these grants were under a special officer, the *Dīwān-i-tan*. But on examining such details of the Second *Bakhshī’s* duties as are forthcoming, I find that this supposition does not hold good. On the whole, the duties of the First, Second, and Third *Bakhshīs* seem to have covered much the same ground. The main distinction, perhaps, was that the Second *Bakhshī* dealt more with the recruiting and promotion of the smaller men, while only those above a certain rank were brought forward by the *Mīr Bakhshī*. The Second *Bakhshī* was, it would appear, solely responsible for the bonds taken from officers, a practice common to all branches and ranks of the imperial service. His office would seem also to have been used to some extent as a checking office on that of the First *Bakhshī*, many documents requiring his seal in addition to that of the *Mīr Bakhshī*, and copies of many others being filed with him. The same remarks apply generally to the Third *Bakhshī*, the greatest difference being perhaps that he took up only such recruiting work as was specially entrusted to him, and that whatever he did required to be counter-sealed by the First and Second *Bakhshīs*. His duties were on altogether a smaller scale than those of the other two.
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¹ Dānishmand Khān, 18th Shawwāl 1119, Khāfī Khān, ii, 601, Yaḥyā Khān, fol. 114*a*.
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From the details in one work, *Dastūr-ul-ʿAml*, B.M. 1641, fols. 28*b*, 29*a*, it might be inferred that the Second *Bakhshī*’s duties were connected with the *Aḥadīs*, or gentlemen troopers serving singly in the emperor’s own service. The difficulty, however, at once arises that the Fourth *Bakhshī* had as his alternative title that of *Bakhshī* of the *Aḥadīs*. The third *Bakhshī* was also called occasionally *Bakhshī* of the *Wālā Shāhīs*, that is of the household troops, men raised and paid by the emperor out of his privy purse.¹
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¹ *Kāmwar Khān*, entry of 1st Jamādī I, 1119.
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*Provincial and other Bakhshīs.* — In addition to the *Bakhshīs* at headquarters there were officers with similar functions attached to the governor of every province. With the office of provincial *Bakhshī* was usually combined that of *Wāqiʿah-nigār*, or Writer of the Official Diary. And in imitation of the imperial establishments, each great noble had his own *Bakhshī*, who performed for him the same functions as those executed for the emperor by the imperial *Bakhshīs*.
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*First Appointment of an Officer.* — On one of the appointed days, the *Bakhshī* laid before His Majesty a written statement, prepared in the office beforehand and called a *Ḥaqīqat* (statement, account, narration, explanation). The man’s services having been accepted, the emperor’s order was written across this paper directing the man to appear, and a few days afterwards the candidate presented himself in the audience-hall and made his obeisance. When his turn came the candidate was brought forward, and the final order was passed. The following is a specimen of a *Ḥaqīqat*, with the orders upon it: —
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Report
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is made that So-and-So, son of So-and-so, in hope of serving in the Imperial Court, has arrived at the place of prostration attached to the Blessed Stirrup (*i.e.* the Court). In respect of him what are the orders?
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[First Order.] The noble, pure, and exalted order issued that the above-named be brought before the luminous eye (*i.e.* of His Majesty), and he will be exalted according to his circumstances.
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[Second Order in two or three days' time.] To day the aforesaid passed before the noble sight; he was selected for the rank (*manṣab*) of One Thousand, Two Hundred Horse (*suwār*).
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The next step was the issue of a *Taṣdīq*, or Certificate, from the *Bakhshī's* office, on which the *Bakhshī* wrote his order. It was in the following form: —
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Certifies
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as follows, that So-and-So, son of So-and-so, on such-and-such a date, of such-and-such a year, in the hope of serving in this homage-receiving Court, arrived at the Blessed Stirrup and passed before the luminous sight. The order, to which the world is obsequious and the universe submissive, was issued that he be raised to the rank (*manṣab*) of one Thousand, Two Hundred Horse (*suwār*).
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One Thousand, *zāt*. Two Hundred, *suwār*.
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[Order thereon of the *Bakhshī*.] Let it be incorporated in the Record of Events (*Wāqiʿah*).
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On the arrival of the Certificate (*Taṣdīq*) in the office of the *Wāqiʿahnigār*, or Diary Writer, he made an appropriate entry in his record and furnished an extract therefrom, which bore the name of a *Yād-dāsht*, or Memorandum. In form it was as follows: —
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Memorandum (*Yād-dāsht*).
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On such-and-such a date, such-and-such a day of the week, such-and-such a month, such-and-such a year, in the department (*risālah*) of One endowed with Valour, a Shelter of the Courageous, the Object of various Imperial Condescensions, Submissive to the Equity of the world-governing favours, the *Bakhshī* of the Realms So-and-so, and during the term of duty as Event Writer of this lowliest of the slaves So-and-so, it was reduced to writing that So-and-so, son of So-and-so, having come to the place of prostration in the hope of service at the Imperial Court, on such-and-such a date passed before the pure and noble sight. The world-compelling, universe-constraining order obtained the honour of issue, that he be raised to and selected for the rank (*manṣab*) of One Thousand Personal (*zāt*) and Two Hundred Horsemen (*suwār*) in the chain (*silk*) of rank-holders (*manṣabdārān*). -- On such-and-such a date, in accordance with the Certificate *Taṣdīq*), this Memorandum (*Yād-dāsht*) was penned.
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One Thousand, *zāt*. Two Hundred, *suwār*.
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I. [Order of the Wazīr.] After comparing it with the Diary (*Wāqi‘ah*), let it be sent to the Office of Revision (*‘Arz-i-mukarrar*).
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II. [Report of the Event Writer.] Agrees with the diary (*Wāqi‘ah*).
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III. [Order of the Superintendent of Revision, literally Renewed Petition (*‘Arz-i-mukarrar*).] On such-and-such a date, of such-and-such a month, of such-and-such a year, it was brought up for the second time.
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In the later notices of the system we find few mentions of the paper called in the *Āīn* (Blochmann, i, 258) the *ta‘līqah*, which was, it seems, an abridgment of the *Yād-dāsht*. This paper the *ta‘līqah*, formed at that time the executive order issued to the officer concerned (*Āīn*, i, 255). I have found *ta‘līqah* used once in this sense as late as 1127 H. (1716), by Sayyad ‘Abd-ul-Jalīl, Bilgrāmī, in his letters sent from Dihli to his son, “Oriental Miscellany,” Calcutta, 1798, p. 247).
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The *Aḥadīs*. — Midway between the nobles or leaders (*manṣabdars*) with the horsemen under them (*tābinān*) on the one hand, and the *Aḥshām*, or infantry, artillery, and artificers on the other, stood the *Aḥadī*, or gentleman trooper. The word is literally ‘single’ or ‘alone’ (A. *aḥad*, one). It is easy to see why this name was applied to them; they offered their services singly, they did not attach themselves to any chief, thus forming a class apart from the *tābinān*; but as they were horsemen, they stood equally apart from the specialized services included under the remaining head of *Aḥshām*. The title of *Aḥadī* was given, we are told (*Seir*, i, 262, note 201), to the men serving singly “because they have the emperor for their immediate colonel.” We sometimes come across the name *Yakkah-tāz* (riding alone), which seems, when employed as the name of a class of troops, to mean the same body of men as the *Aḥadīs*. Horn, 20, 56, looks on the *Aḥadīs* as a sort of body-guard or corps *d’élite*; and in some ways that view may be taken as true, though there was not, as I think, any formal recognition of them as such. The basis of their organization under Akbar is set out in *Āīn* 4 of Book ii (Blochmann, i, 249), and they are referred to in several other places (i, 20, 161, 231, 246, 536). In the strictest sense, the body-guard, or defenders of the imperial person, seem to have been the men known as the *Wālā Shāhī* (literally, of or belonging to the Exalted King), and, no doubt, these are the four thousand men referred to by Manucci (“Catrou,” English ed. of 1826, p. 297) as ‘the emperor’s slaves.’¹ Whether slaves or not, the *Wālā Shāhī* were the most trusted troops of the reigning sovereign. From various passages I find that they were chiefly, if not entirely, men who had been attached to his person from his youth and had served under him while he was still only a royal prince, and were thus marked out in a special manner as his personal adherents and household troops. The *Yasāwals* or armed palace guards were something like the *Wālā Shāhī* so far as they were charged with the safety of the sovereign; but they differed from the latter in not having the same personal connection with him. The *Aḥadīs* received somewhat higher pay than common troopers. In one instance we are told expressly what those rates were in later times. On the 2nd Ṣafar of his second year (1120 H. = 22nd April, 1708), Bahādur Shāh, as Dānishmand Khān tells us, ordered the enlistment of 4,700 extra *Aḥadīs* at Rs. 40 a month, the money to be paid from the Exchequer.
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¹ The word meant may be *Bandah-hāe*, or, perhaps preferably, the *Qūl*, the Chaghatāe for ‘slave.’ — P. de Courteille, 433.
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Towards the end of the eighteenth century the household troops, we are told, *Seir*, i, 94, note 90, amounted to 40,000 men, all cavalry, but usually serving on foot in the citadel and in the palace. They consisted then of several corps besides the *Aḥadīs*, such as the *Surkh-posh* (wearers of red), the *Sulṭānī* (Royal), the *Wālā Shāhī* (High Imperial), the *Kamal-posh* (Blanket Wearers). Haji Mustapha is not, however, quite consistent with himself, for elsewhere (*Seir*, i, 262, note 201), when naming still another corps, the *A‘lā Shāhī* (Exalted Imperial), he asserts that the *Surkh-posh* were all infantry, eight thousand in number. The curious title used above, *Kamal-posh*, comes from the Hindī word *kammal*, a coarse blanket, having also the secondary meaning of a kind of cuirass (*Seir*, i, 143, note 105). The latter is no doubt the signification here.