Administrative System of the Marathas c27.s11: 4. Mulukhgiri
Administrative System of the Marathas c27.s11
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4. Mulukhgiri
c27.s11.1
The term Mulukhgiri is of Muhammadan origin, derived from Persian *Mulk*, country and *giriftan* to take. The Sultans of Gujrat also regarded Mulukhgiri as a legitimate source of income.⁹ Professor Jadunath Sarkar observes in this connection, "The coincidence between Shivaji's foreign policy and that of a Quranic sovereign is so complete that both the history of Shivaji by his courtier Krishnaji Anant and the Persian official history of Bijapur use exactly the same word, Mulk-giri, to describe such raids into neighbouring countries as a regular political ideal. The only difference was that in theory at least, an orthodox Muslim King was bound to spare the other Muslim states in his path, and not to spoil or shed the blood of true believers, while Shivaji (as well as the Peshwas after him) carried on his Mulk-giri into all neighbouring states; Hindu no less than Islamic, and squeezed rich Hindus as mercilessly as he did Muham-madans.¹⁰ In practice, however, the Muham-madan invader had very little mercy for his brother in faith and while some of the Maratha expeditions were but a prelude to the conquest and annexation of the country invaded, all the Mulukgiri expeditions led by Muhammadan generals, whatever might have been their aim, were not rewarded with similar success.
c27.s11.2
⁹ Mirat-i-Ahmadi.
c27.s11.3
¹⁰ Sarkar, Shivaji, First Ed., p. 480.