Administrative System of the Marathas c27.s7.7

c27.s7.7

3. *Ashva Zakati* is a cess we have mentioned in a previous Book. It is interesting to note that a similar tax is mentioned by Abul Fazl. "From foresight and on account of the large profits of the horse-dealers, His Majesty enforced a tax of three Rupees for every Iraqi Mujammas and Arab, imported from Kabul and Persia; two and a half Rupees for every Turkish and Arabian horse imported from Quandahar, and two for Kabul horses and Indian Arab breed."¹⁸ Manucci also mentions a similar tax.¹⁹ "Most of the horses used by the Mogul come from the regions of Balkh, Bukhara and Kabul. Thence come every year more than one hundred thousand, and on them the King makes a great profit by the duty he imposes. At the crossing of the Indus alone a payment twenty-five per cent. on their value is made."