Nobility Under the Mughals (1628- 1658)

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This study analyses the nature of the governing class during the reign of Shahjahan. Based on the major published and unpublished sources, it examines numerical strength and ethno-religious composition of the nobility. It confirms that racial or religious factors played but a marginal role in the political life of this group.

This work highlights the role of the nobility as mansabdars, jagirdars and as administrators at various levels. It underlines a link between the posts and the mansab and brings out some of the considerations on the basis of which subedaris, faujdaris and qiladaris were assigned. A special feature of the book is the presentation of the family groups of leading nobles whose share in wealth and power is exhibited through statistical methods. It is almost a throw back to Barni's Turkan-i-Chahalgani. Yet, with the help of contemporary evidence it is argued that merit and potential were the main criterion for recruitment as well as promotion of the nobles.

Pertaining to the three proposed phases of this reign, three appendices are prepared with the help of contemporary records which contain detailed lists of Shahjahani nobles. Most of the conclusions of the author are based on this immense material.

Firdos Anwar taught History at Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi. He obtained his Ph.D. degree from University of Delhi. The major areas of his interest are political, social and cultural aspects of Medieval Indian history on which he has published many papers.