Kings And Chronicles : The Mughal Courts

Question

Explain why granting of titles to ‘men of merit’ was an important feature of Mughal polity. Give two examples.

Answer

The granting of titles to man of merit was an important aspect of Mughal polity. A man’s ascent in the court hierarchy could be traced through the titles he held. The title Asaf Khan for one of the highest ministers originated with Asaf, the legendary minister of the prophet king Sulaiman (Solomon). The title Mirza Raza was accorded by Aurangzeb to his two highest ranking nobles, Jai Singh and Jaswant Singh. Titles could be earned or paid for Mir Khan offered Rs. one lakh to Aurangzeb for the letter alif, that is A, to be added to his name to make it Amir Khan. Other awards included the robe of honour (khilat), a garment once worn by the emperor and imbued with his benediction.

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