“The nobility was recruited consciously by the Mughal rulers from diverse ethnic and religious groups.” Justify.
(i) The nobility was recruited from diverse ethnic and religious groups.
(ii) Nobility was composite one comprising Iranis, Afghans, Rajputs, Shaikhzdas, Deccanis on the basis of their service loyalty to the king.
(iii) This ensured that no faction was large enough to challenge the authority of the state.
(iv) The officer corps of the Mughals was described as a bouquet of flowers (guldasta) held together by loyalty to the emperor.
(v) People from many races (Arabs, Iranians, Turks, Tajiks, Kurds, Tatars, Russians, Abyssinians, people from Egypt, Syria, Iraq,Arabia, Iran, Khurasan, Turan) –have sought refuge in the imperial court.
(vi) Two ruling groups of Indian origin entered the imperial service- Rajputs and the Indian Muslims.
(vii) Examples- Raja Todar Mal, who belonged to the Khatri caste was Akbar’s finance minister.
(viii) Iranians gained high offices under Jahangir, whose politically influential queen, Nur Jahan (was an Iranian).
(ix) Aurangzeb appointed Rajputs to high positions, and under him the Marathas accounted for a sizeable number within the body of officers.
(ANY FOUR)
