NOTE / S. INAYET. A. ZAIDI Akbar’s Relations with Rajput Chiefs and Their Role in the Expansion of the Empire ‘Akbar's relations with the Rajput chiefs should be studied and understood in a larger perspective. The latter should be seen as one of the social groups of the landed aristocracy. Akbar took the initiative in shaking hands with them and their positive response was with same consideration of personal interests. By the middle of the sixteenth century, the Rajputs had emerged as, a powerful group of zamindars. They had large territorial chiefdoms particularly in Rajasthan. It was one of the reasons why Akbar concentrated on the Rajputs of Rajasthan. However, in other parts of North India also, they enjoyed dominant position in many scattered parganas. The Ain-i-Akbari’s figures of army personnel and the war animals indicate that they maintained large armies. A critical study of the contemporary sources like the Tarikh-i-Alfi and the Akbarnama clearly indicate Bhar Mal's large following. Bhar Mal did not possess a large territory but he was Buzurg-i-Kalantaran. Therefore Akbar, who wanted to expand his empire, realised the significance of the Rajput chiefs, particularly in terms of their military strength. In the early phase of his reign, Akbar felt threatened sometimes from the Turani and sometimes from the Irani nobles, the only two racial groups that he inherited. When one of these groups created problems or revolted, he had to depend on the other. To create a more lasting equilibrium, he decided to recruit some more racial groups into his nobility. His choice was mainly confined to the Rajputs, the Shaikhzadas and the Afghans. The potentiality of the Shaikhzadas ‘whom he recruited was not much because of their limited numbers. Akbar preferred the Rajputs to the Afghans because the Mughals had seized political power from the Afghans. He knew how the Afghans hhad created a confederacy with the Rajputs and the Shaikhzadas against the Mughals, for the Afghans had political as well as social relations with the Rajputs, Akbar also knew that his father Humayun had been expelled: from India by the Surs. Therefore, he preferred the “Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi ‘Social Scents, Vol. 22, Nos. 7-8, July-August 1994[AKBAR'S RELATIONS WITH RAJPUT. 77 Rajputs to the Afghans. Interestingly, this preference is attributed to Shah Tahmasp of Iran who is reported to have advised Humayun during the latter's meeting with him in Iran that he should establish friendly relations with the Rajputs rather than with the Afghans. Akbar preferred the soft method in dealing with the Rajputs. Failing that, he opted for the hard method. The soft method was that of persuasion and conciliation, and the hard method was that of use of the armed forces. Agif Qandhari explains why Akbar opted for the soft method. He say$ that there were two to three hundred rajas who Possessed very strong forts. If each fort took one or half a year to conquer, it would have been impossible for any Emperor of Hindustan to conquer all the rajas by force during his lifetime, Therefore, conciliation was thought to be a better course by Akbar. The rulers who preceded in this country, after defeating the chiefs and imposing an amount of peshiash on them, left them free to manage the administration of their principalities. At the time of military campaigns they were asked to join the imperial forces. The amount of peshkash and military service was therefore not only a burden to the chiefs but also to the peasants and soldiers. Naturally, whenever the chiefs got an opportunity, they worked with full vigour and zeal to overthrow the yoke of the central power. Akbar made a drastic change in the nature of this relationship. Instead of leaving them free to handle their own affairs, Akbar brought them to the central stage and treated them as partners in the sovereign power and the wealth of the Empire. Besides, at the social level also, Akbar treated them on par with the Turani and Irani nobles. A perusal of the mansabs assigned to the Rajputs indicates that many of them were given high mansabs. From the very beginning they enjoyed high status at the Mughal court. Raja Bhar Mal and his son and successor Bhagwan Das Kachawaha of Amber were given the status of 5000 mansabdar in the Mughal hierarchy, which was not less than that given to any Turani or Irani noble. Towards the end of Akbar’s reign, Raja Man Singh Kachawaha had carned the status of 7000 zat and 7000 sunar. Other Kachawahas, namely Jagannath, Raj Singh, Madho Singh and Raisal Darbari Shaikhawat held. the 1 of 5000/3000, 4000/3000, 3000/2000 and 3000 respectively. This was followed by a similar policy towards the Rathors of different dominions. Rai Rai Singh of Bikaner, Pratap of Baglana and Raja Suraj Singh of Jodhpr were accorded the status of 4000, 3000 and 2000/2000 respectively. Other Rajput clans represented in the Mughal hierarchy were Bhaduria, Hada, Pundir, Tunwar, Bhati, Baghela and Chandrawat (a branch of Sisodias).78 SOCIAL SCIENTIST ‘The total strength of some important Rajput clans in 1605 was in the following decennial order: Clan Numerical Strength in Total mansabs Akbar's service 1. Kachawahas ln 29,700 2. .Rathors % 10,800 3. Bhaduriyas a 4,000 4. Baghelas : 2,100 From the early 1570s the Rajput chiefs were assigned significant offices. In 1572-73, while leaving for Gujarat, Akbar made Raja Bhar Mal Vazir-i-Mutlag of Agra. This meant that the administrative charge of the city was entrusted to him. In 1585-86, when the Empire ‘was divided into subas and in each suba two governors were appointed, Raja Jagannath Kachawaha and Raja Durga Sisodia were appointed the governors of Ajmer province. Raja Bhagwan Das and Rai Rai Singh of Bikaner were made the governors of Lahore. The subas of Agra and Kabul were placed under the charge of Raja Askaran and Man Singh. Ram Das Kachawaha distinguished himself by presiding over a variety of offices. He was associated with the diwani affairs of the / Empire. When the Khalisa territory of the Empire was divided into * four divisions, one division, comprising the four subas—Agra, | Allahabad, Bihar and Bengal was placed under his charge. In 1595-96, | he was appointed the Diwuan of Gujarat. In 1595, when Prince Murad was given the charge of the Deccan, Raja Suraj Singh Rathor was made his naib. Towards the end of Akbar's reign, Man Singh held the subas of Bihar and Bengal. Between 1595 and 1605, the giladari of three important forts of Rohtas, Ranthambhor and Gwalior was held by Man Singh, Jagannath and Raj Singh. ‘Among the Rajputs, the Kachawahas were the most trusted and were entrusted. the surveillance of the Mughal harem. Bhagwan Das, Ram Das and Raisal Darbari consecutively held this charge. This office was very important since it functioned as the secretariat at the royal residence of Akbar. Ram Das is known to have made arrangements for a meeting between Akbar and Jain monk Jinachandra Suri in his garden. Others present in the meeting were Prince Salim and various other nobles. Significantly, Akbar did not confine the recruitment orily to the chiefs of the clan but also gave mansais and offices to other members of the clan. Obviously, this was a move to break tribal solidarity, aAKBAR'S RELATIONS WITH RAJPUT 79 strategy he consistently followed without making any distinction between the Turani, Irani or Rajput tribes. At the social plane also, Akbar treated them like other racial groups of his nobility. From the very beginning, Akbar established matrimonial relations with the Rajputs as he did with the Turani, Irani and Shaikhzada families. The real intention behind this elation was to cement the bond of friendship with the local zamindars. Both the Akbarnama and the Baburnama explicitly maintain that marriages were contracted with the girls of local zamindar families 'to conciliate’ or ‘to soothe the mind’ of the zamindars. With this objective in view Babur married a Yusufzai girl and Humayun married a Mewati girl. Akbar's marrying the Rajput princesses was an identical act. But this strategy was not an innovation of the Mughals. In fact it was one of the characteristics of the feudal or mediaeval Indian polity. In India, before Akbar, the superior political powers married daughters/sisters of their subordinate chiefs. In other societies in the ‘mediaeval times, particularly in Burope, we do find references to such marriages. Giving daughters/sisters in marriage to the overlords was a hallmark of political as well as social submission by the vassals. Even. Babur had to give his eldest sister Khanzada Begum in marriage to Shaibani Khan when the latter defeated Babur at Samarqand in 1501. ‘This marriage was a part of the alliance contracted between Babur and the Khan. Bhar Mal's entry into Akbar's service and marriage of the Kachawaha princess with the Emperor in 1562 should be seen as a continuation of this tradition. Thereafter the members of the Mughal royal family married many Rajput princesses. The Rajput clans with which Akbar established matrimonial relations were the Rathors of Jodhpur, Bikaner and Merta; the Bhatis of Jaisalmer; the Gehlots of Dungarpur; the Baghelas of Bhatta; the Rajputs of Nagarkot; the Ujjainya’ s of Bhojpur etc. ‘One significant aspect of these marriages was that these were not imposed marriages and in many cases the Rajput chiefs brought dolas themselves to marry the princesses to the members of the Mughal royal family. Moreover, the Rajput wives enjoyed full freedom in the Mughal harem and because of their influence, Hindu festivals like Dusshera, Diwali, Holi, Rakhi, ctc., were celebrated at the Mughal court with fanfare and gaiety. ‘An equally significant aspect was the establishment of social intercourse between the two families. On special occasions the Rajput wives of the Mughals used to visit their parental homes. Akbar even sent the newly-born Prince Daniyal to the care of Raja Bhar Mal's wife at Amber. Akbar also shared grief and happiness with the Rajputs. At the moment of grief, they visited and consoled each other. When there89 SOCIAL SCIENTIST ‘was death in a Rajput family, AKbar paid personal visits and condoled the dead. On the other hand, we also know that after the death of Akbar’s mother, Hamida Begum, several Rajput chiefs shaved their heads. The titles Mirza, Farzand (son), and Bhaiya (brother) given to Man Singh, Manohar Shaikhawat.and Ram Chand Baghela respectively were the manifestations of social closeness of the two families. The title Mirza was generally suffixed with their names by the Mughal personnel. Rai Manohar Shaikhawat even emerged as one of the celebrated Persian poets of his time. He was very dear to Akbar. Akbar took ppersonal interest and supervised founding of a town and its buildings in Shaikhawati and the town was given the name of Manoharpur. The surviving verses of Manohar show the complete rejection of tagleed (imitation) which caused bigotry in the two religions. he pleaded for applying aq! (wisdom) and rationality in following any religion. This philosophy was very much in consonance with Akbar's attitude. But Akbar, however, did not favour him because of the similarity of their ideas. In fact, Akbar never took it otherwise even if somebody disagreed with him. An outstanding example is Mah Singh who refused outright to become a member of the din-i-lradat-i Ghazinan, the so-called (wrongly translated) Din-i-lIahi.! Akbar never imposed his ideas over anyone, whatever the rationale behind these ideas. Akbar, with the help of senior Rajput nobles personally persuaded a Rajput widow to desist from committing safi. Akbar was personally against this practice and used to dissuade widows from committing sati, particularly those who were doing it under compulsion. With the growing interaction between Akbar and the Rajput chiefs, it became clear that their interests were identical and complementary. Experiencing equal status and treatment at the Mughal court, the Rajputs did not look back and wholeheartedly participated in the territorial expansion of Akbar’s Empire. They knew that the expansion of the Empire would also enhance their share in political power as ‘well as in the surplus income accruing to the Empire. They rendered military services in the far-flung regions. They were sent to the north- west frontiers against Mirza Hakim and the Raushanyas. Raja Bhagwan Das was sent to Kashmir to deal with the Chak rulers and ‘other local zamtindars. The armed forces of Man Singh and Rai Rai Singh Rathor fought bravely in Gujarat. The Rajput forces also served in areas now under Bihar, Bengal and Orissa. Rawal Har Rai of Jaisalmer and Rai Rai Singh were asked to join Mirza Abdur Rahim Khan-i Khanan against Mirza Jani Beg, the ruler of Sind. The important role played by the Rajput forces under the command of Raja Bhagwan Das and Man Singh against Rana Pratap cannot be overlooked. Many subordinate sardars of the Rana were forced toAKBAR'S RELATIONS WITH RAJPUT 81 accept Akbar's sovereignty. The geographical situation of Rana’s patrimony and the support of the Bhils, who were efficient archers and traditionally attached to the Ranas, however, made it possible for the Sisodia chiefs to survive the Mughal onslaught. Akbar showed his appreciation of the services of the Rajput chiefs by promoting them to higher mansats and increasing their jagirs. The income from these jagirs was far more than their erstwhile chiefdoms. Akbar, however, did not accord any special treatment to the erstwhile principalities. These territories were treated as part and parcel of the Mughal Empire. The revenue of these principalities was always adjusted against their salaries. Akbar made only one concession in this regard—a small part of the revenues was always assigned to them in. their home territories so that their families were not disturbed from their home towns. The reason for assigning jagirs contiguous to their home towns was to faciliate accommodation of their traditional military personnel in the armed forces. This also explains the interest of the Rajput chiefs in seeking assignment around their watans. However, the resumed revenues of their principalities were included in the khalisa (imperial land) and assigned to other nobles. At the very outset, Akbar made it clear that paramount power in regard of succession rests with him. In the early 1570s when there was dispute over the succession of the Jodhpur gaddi, Akbar, keeping Jodhpur in Khalisa for nearly twenty years, gave tika to his favourite Udai Singh, popularly known as Mota Raja. In case of the gaddi of Umarkot, when their arose a controversy over succession between the deceased Meghraj's son Kishan Singh and brother Man Singh, Akbar overruled the succession of Kishan Singh and granted it to Man Singh. ‘The succession issues at Bundi and Bandhogarh were dealt with in a similar fashion. If Akbar resumed full or part of the Rajput principalities, he also created new watan jagirs for his favourites. Narain Das Khangarot ‘was given Naraina in watan jagir. Similarly in 1604, Akbar assigned some revenues of Shamsabad to Rai Rai Singh of Bikaner. The significance of Akbar-Rajput relations lay not merely in the territorial and political expansion of the Mughal Empire but more importantly in the enduring social and cultural interaction among the various social groups of the different regions. The Rajputs established social contacts with the local people wherever they were posted such as by establishing matrimonial relations with the local ruling families. Man Singh and his brother Chander Singh married the ncesses of Cooch, Bihar and Gwalior. They also built new buildings those regions. Both temples and mosques were built by them. Man ‘Singh built a temple at Mathura and mosques at Lahore and Rajmahal. These Rajput chiefs brought wealth and prosperity to their erstwhile principalities and the adjoining regions. The material2 SOCIAL SCIENTIST prosperity enjoyed by the local people made Akbar into almost an avatar (incarnation) of Lord Rama and Krishna in their eyes? ‘Thus the concept of oneness at the political, administrative, social and cultural levels was strengthened by Akbar's Rajput relations, NOTES AND REFERENCES 4, The translation of the term is rendered wrongly as Din-i-llahi which t= believed to be @ new religion propagated by AKbar. In fact, Akbar initiated a neutral ideology. Therefore, the meaning of the term is ‘Ordinances of Divine faith’ or Regulations for theee privledged to be (His Majesty’) disciples. 2. Inthe town Sandla, the Thakurs had a portrait of Akbar at the maln gate of the {fort. Before entering the fort they first worshipped the portrait since they owed thelr status as assignees ofthe place to Akbar.