[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Polity, law and society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity) › [The Administration of the Sultanate of Dehli](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.qureshi-1942) › c12.7 # The Administration of the Sultanate of Dehli c12.7 The Administration of the Sultanate of Dehlī c12.7 - **Language:** English ### [c12.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.qureshi-1942.c12.7) There was a ministry for war called \*dīwān-i-'arḍ\*. At its head was the \*‘āriḍ-i-mumālik\*; he was responsible for maintaining the army in a state of efficiency and for the entire administration of military affairs.¹ He acted as the chief recruiting officer and fixed the salary of each recruit; the candidates displayed their skill and prowess in his presence and were then put on the pay roll.² At least once a year he inspected the troops and examined the condition of each trooper's equipment and mount.³ The promotion and degradation of the soldiers depended on the \*‘āriḍ\* who kept the muster rolls and revised salaries at each annual review.⁴ His office was responsible for the recommendation of assignments to soldiers and for the payment of the troops.⁵ When a campaign was undertaken, the \*‘āriḍ\* was in charge of all preparations.⁶ The choice of troops was generally left to him, though the general was nominated by the sulṭān.⁷ In all important wars the \*‘āriḍ\* himself accompanied the army; sometimes he nominated a deputy.⁸ The \*‘āriḍ\* also saw to matters of supply and transport; the commissariat was under his control. After a victory the \*‘āriḍ\* supervised the collection of the booty which was divided in the presence of the commander-in-chief.⁹ The \*Ādāb-u'l-mulūk\* describes a review. The \*‘āriḍ\*, from a place of vantage, saw the left wing, the centre and then the right wing march past him, both cavalry and infantry. The \*naqībs\* stood by, and the \*‘āriḍ\* scrutinized each soldier, his arms and his horse. Every soldier had an appointed place; the \*naqībs\* had charts for arranging the soldiers in battle array.¹⁰ Fīrūz Shāh's unwise leniency undermined discipline; in spite of repeated postponements a number of soldiers failed to attend for examination.¹ Balban’s \*‘āriḍ\* treated the troops kindly and helped deserving men with money or material from his private resources, but he insisted on a high standard of efficiency.² He had a high sense of his responsibility and considered his post as “the guardianship of the empire.”³ The \*dīwān-i-‘arḍ\* was rightly called the ‘source of the livelihood of the fighters for the Faith’; more difficult to understand, however, is a statement by Baranī that ‘Alā-u’d-dīn Khaljī’s court poets received their salaries from this department.⁴ This implies that all salaries were disbursed by the \*‘āriḍ\*’s office; if so, one can see the beginnings in this system of the Mughul custom of putting all public servants on the army pay-list and giving them \*manṣabs\*. The \*‘āriḍ\* was assisted by a large clerical staff and had his lieutenants at the centre as well as in the provinces.⁵ - [Previous: c12.6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.qureshi-1942.c12.6) - [Next: c12.8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.qureshi-1942.c12.8) - [Up: c12](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.qureshi-1942.c12) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.qureshi-1942.c12.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.qureshi-1942.c12.7) · Pramāṇa