List of Officers in Mughal Administration

The Indian subcontinent is a large territory and to rule such a large territory with such a diversity of people and cultures was an extremely difficult task for any ruler to accomplish. The Mughals established an empire and accomplished what seemed possible for only short periods of time. They expanded their kingdom from the latter half of the 16th century from Agra and Delhi. Until the 17th century, they controlled all of the subcontinents.
Structures of administration and ideas of governance were forced by them that outlasted their rule and left a political legacy that could not be ignored by the succeeding rulers.
The Mughal Empire was essentially military in nature where the word of the emperor was law. The administrative structure was highly centralized as viewed by historians like Irfan Habib, Athar Ali, etc. Mughal Empire was divided into Suba; Suba was further divided into Sarkar, Pargana, and Village. However, it also heads other territorial units such as Khalisa (Royal land), Jagirs (autonomous rajas), and Inams (gifted lands, many wastelands).
List of Officers in Mughal Administration
Administrative Unit |
Officers |
Province (Suba) |
1. Sipahsalar: Head executive (Under Akbar and later was known as Nizam of Subedar) 2. Diwan: Incharge of the revenue department 3. Bakshi: Incharge of the military department |
District (Sarkar) |
1. Fauzdar: Administrative Head 2. Amal/Amalguzar: Revenue collection 3. Kotwal: Maintenance of law and order, the trial of criminal cases, and price regulation. |
Pargana |
1. Shiqdar: Administrative head combined in himself the duties of fauzdar and kotwal 2. Amin Qanungo: Revenue officials. |
Village |
1. Muqaddam: Headman 2. Patwari: Accountant 3. Chowkidar: Watchman |
The above list of officers in the Mughal Administration will enhance the general knowledge of the readers.
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