What do the term ‘Jaat’ and ‘Sawar’ in Mansabdari system mean?
The emperor Akbar himself appointed the mansabdars. He was at liberty to increase or decrease the number of Sawars or the position of mansabdars. There were two categories of mansabdars namely : (a) Jaat (b) Sawar.
Jaat means that the rank, place and salary of the person has been fixed. But the rank Sawar denoted the number of horses. According to their ranks the mansabdars were classified into three categories. Only that person can be appointed as a mansabdar whose Jaat and Sawar ranks were at par.