CH 8 AGRICULTURE AND FOOD MANAGEMENT

A set of 50 flashcards covering important concepts, events, and figures related to the Mughal Empire.

How did Babur justify his invasion of India in his memoirs?

Claimed political legitimacy as Timur's descendant and aimed to overthrow Lodi misrule.

Why is Baburnama considered unique among early Indian historical sources?

Written in first-person, rich in geographical, cultural, and military detail — reflects Timurid worldview.

What administrative innovation did Sher Shah Suri introduce that the Mughals adopted?

Standardised land revenue system using measured land (zabt) and issued rupee-based currency.

How did Humayun’s exile shape Mughal diplomatic relations?

Strengthened ties with Safavids; introduced Persianate court culture upon his return.

What made the Second Battle of Panipat (1556) historically decisive?

Re-established Mughal rule in India; Akbar's regency began under Bairam Khan.

How did Akbar’s Mansabdari system transform military organisation?

Ranked officials (mansabdars) based on zat and sawar; linked military, revenue, and loyalty.

Why was Akbar’s Din-i Ilahi not widely accepted despite imperial backing?

Elitist, lacked mass appeal, and conflicted with orthodox religious sentiment.

How did Todar Mal's revenue reforms ensure administrative uniformity?

Surveyed land, fixed crop rates, and classified regions — institutionalised land tax system.

What does the Ain-i Akbari reveal about Mughal imperial ideology?

Showcases a rational, centralised, and hierarchical empire balancing diversity and authority.

How did Akbar's Rajput policy ensure political stability?

Offered alliances via marriage, land, and position — neutralised military threats.

What was the role of Jagirdars in the Mughal fiscal system?

Held temporary land assignments in return for service and revenue collection.

How did Aurangzeb’s Deccan campaigns strain Mughal resources?

Long wars exhausted treasury, overextended army, and failed to ensure stable control.

Why is Dara Shikoh’s intellectual legacy considered syncretic?

Translated Upanishads; sought common ground between Islam and Hindu philosophy.

What structural flaw existed in the Jagirdari system?

Frequent transfers led to revenue over-extraction and neglect of local administration.

How did the Mughals use architecture to communicate imperial grandeur?

Built forts, mosques, and gardens (e.g., Fatehpur Sikri, Red Fort) reflecting power and aesthetic synthesis.

Why was Shah Jahan’s reign marked as the ‘Golden Age of Mughal Architecture’?

Patronised Taj Mahal, Jama Masjid, and city planning of Shahjahanabad — blending form and ideology.

How did Mughal policies toward Hindu temples vary across emperors?

Akbar patronised, Aurangzeb occasionally destroyed; policies reflected political and religious calculus.

What does the concept of ‘Padshahat’ represent in Mughal ideology?

Centralised sovereignty seen as divinely sanctioned and universally binding.

How did the Mughal state manage diversity within its empire?

Used religious tolerance, administrative inclusiveness, and regional accommodation.

Why did European travelers describe the Mughal empire as a 'rich but fragile' state?

Wealthy at the core but dependent on personal loyalty and prone to factionalism.

How did Akbar’s Ibadat Khana reflect his approach to religion?

A space for inter-religious dialogue; expressed curiosity beyond orthodoxy.

What distinguished the Mughal concept of sovereignty from the Delhi Sultanate?

Mughals claimed Timurid legitimacy, focused on integration over mere conquest.

How did Mughal painting reflect syncretism in visual culture?

Combined Persian, Indian, and European elements — seen in portraiture and court scenes.

What was the impact of the mansabdari system on social mobility?

Enabled upward mobility for military elites, especially Rajputs and Afghans.

How did Jahangir’s memoirs expand upon the legacy of Baburnama?

Added focus on justice, aesthetics, and nature — deeper insight into imperial psychology.

How did the Mughals justify empire-building through lineage?

Traced ancestry to Timur and Genghis Khan — legitimised rule via bloodline.

What role did Persian serve in Mughal administration?

Official language of court, revenue, and diplomacy; reflected cultural orientation.

How did Aurangzeb's reimposition of jizya affect imperial legitimacy?

Alienated non-Muslim elites; seen as retreat from Akbar’s inclusive model.

What economic function did Mughal karkhanas perform?

State-run workshops for luxury goods, arms, and imperial gifts — linked court to market.

Why did Mughal provincial administration become increasingly unstable after Aurangzeb?

Weak center, jagirdari conflicts, and emergence of regional power centers.

How did Mughal court culture regulate hierarchy and loyalty?

Etiquette, titles, gift exchange, and court rituals reinforced imperial authority.

What role did Sufis and Ulama play in legitimising Mughal authority?

Provided spiritual endorsement, but also challenged rulers on theological grounds.

How did the Mughal state balance agrarian extraction with peasant welfare?

Through regulation of tax rates, grain storage policies, and famine relief — though inconsistently applied.

How did the Mughal state’s revenue base contribute to its military power?

Land revenue funded cavalry, artillery, and military campaigns across regions.

What administrative tools were employed to maintain imperial cohesion?

Revenue registers, mansabdari rolls, detailed farmans, and regular court correspondence.

How did Mughal patronage shape the evolution of Indo-Islamic literature?

Funded Persian poetry, translations, biographies — encouraged literary syncretism.

What lessons did Akbar draw from Sher Shah’s administrative model?

Adopted land measurement, highway infrastructure, and coinage reforms.

How did Mughal trade policies reflect their imperial priorities?

Encouraged inland and overseas trade; taxed production and transit without direct regulation.

What was the significance of the term ‘Sulh-i-kul’ in imperial governance?

Policy of universal peace and religious tolerance initiated by Akbar.

How did European presence challenge Mughal economic autonomy?

Introduced new trade routes, drained bullion, and later exerted political control.

What fiscal crisis emerged from jagir over-assignment in late Mughal era?

More jagirdars than available jagirs; led to competition, corruption, and revenue decline.

Why is the Mughal state termed a 'patrimonial-bureaucratic empire'?

Authority based on kinship loyalty, reinforced by structured bureaucracy and land grants.

How did Mughal gardens reflect imperial cosmology?

Symbolised paradise, order, and divine rule — central axis planning mirrored cosmic order.

What role did court women play in Mughal political and cultural life?

Influenced succession, patronised architecture and art, and acted as intercessors.

How did Mughal decline open space for regional polities like the Marathas or Sikhs?

Weak central control enabled assertion of regional autonomy and new power centres.

What was the significance of the mansab system's dual rank structure?

Differentiated personal status (zat) and cavalry obligation (sawar); managed loyalty and capacity.

Why did Akbar abolish the practice of pilgrimage tax and jizya?

Aimed at religious inclusivity and winning loyalty from diverse communities.

How did Mughal imperial tours (qafilas) function as political rituals?

Displayed power, ensured local compliance, and helped gather information from provinces.

What structural limits made the Mughal state dependent on intermediaries?

Vast geography, low communication — required zamindars and jagirdars for control.

How did Mughal military technology shape battlefield dominance?

Use of gunpowder artillery, matchlocks, cavalry, and elephant corps enabled strategic superiority.