Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation
Which statements about 'Mughal Mansab' system are correct? 1. Zat rank indicated position and salary. 2. Sawar rank indicated number of horsemen to maintain. 3. Mansabdars with 1000+ Sawar were nobles (Umara).
Solution & Analysis
Answer: A
Concept
The Mansabdari system was a dual-rank system that perfectly balanced a noble's bureaucratic status with their military commitment.Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: Zat rank determined the noble's personal prestige and fixed their salary.
Statement 2 is correct: Sawar rank specified the number of cavalrymen they had to provide for war.
Statement 3 is incorrect: In the terminology of the era, Mansabdars with ranks of 1000 or below were called Amirs, while those above 1000 were called Amir-al Kabir (Great Amirs).Logical Breakup
Logic 1: The distinction between Zat (status) and Sawar (force) allowed the Emperor to reward a noble with higher pay without necessarily giving them a larger army.
Logic 2: The term 'Umara' is the plural of 'Amir,' and the specific classification of nobles shifted based on their numerical rank threshold (typically 1000).