Mughal Administration c6.s5.4

c6.s5.4

The artillery branch was, however, placed in charge of an officer called the *Mir Atish* or, popularly, *darogha-i-topkhanah*. Not only the artillerymen but also the musketeers were under his command. As the artillery of the Turks of Europe was much more advanced and efficient than that of the Mughal Emperors, the latter tried to get for their Mir Atish any good officer of the Turkish empire or even Persian that they could secure. On the whole, the Indian Muhammadans were remarkably incompetent in handling artillery, and this department was filled with Turkish and Feringi gunners and cannon-founders, while the musketeers were mostly recruited from certain Hindu tribes, such as the Bundelas, the Bahelias, and the men of Buxar. Each province and field army had its own special chief of artillery.