Page 5 - #1812080101

• Hindu and Muslim women even inherited zamindaris which they were free to sell
or mortgage.

The Zamindars and their Power:

• The zamindars had extensive personal lands termed milkiyat (property) and
enjoyed certain social and economic privileges in rural society.
• The zamindars often collected revenue on behalf of the state.
• Most zamindars had fortresses as well as an armed contingent comprising units of
cavalry’, artillery and infantry. In this period, the relatively ‘lower’ castes entered
the rank of zamindars as zamindaris
• were bought and sold quite briskly.
• Although, there can be little doubt that zamindars were an exploitative class, their
relationship with the peasantry had an element of reciprocity, paternalism and
patronage.

Forests and Tribes:

• Forest dwellers known as ‘jangli’ were those whose livelihood came from the
gathering of forest produce, hunting and shifting agriculture.
• Sometimes the forest was a subversive place, a place of refuge for troublemakers.
• Forest people supplied elephants to the kings.
• Hunting was a favourite activity for the kings, sometimes it enabled the emperor to
travel extensively in his empire and personally attended the grievances of his
subjects.
• Forest dwellers supplied honey, bees wax, gum lac, etc.
• Like the ‘big men’ of the village community tribes also had their chieftains.
• Many tribal chiefs had become zamindars, some even became kings.
• Tribes in the Sind region had armies comprising of 6,000 cavalry and 7,000
infantry.

Class 12 History Notes Chapter 8 Important Terms:

• Raiyat: It is used to denote a peasant in Indo-Persian sources.
• Hasil: It was the actual amount of revenue collected.
• Khud-kashta Peasants: The peasants who were the residents of the village in
which they had their lands.
• Pahi-kashta: The peasants who generally belonged to another village.
• Shroff: A money changer who also acts as a banker.
• Amin: The officials that were responsible for imperial regulations.
• Pargana: An administrative subdivision.
• Jama: The assessed amount and to be collected as revenue.

Time line: