Describe the administrative system of Sher Shah
As A Ruler: Sher Shah is considered to be one of the
greatest rulers of medieval India.
According to Ershine "He rose to the throne from (on)
his own talents and showed himself worthy of the elevation which he
attained".
Sher Shah ascended to the throne of Delhi at the ripe age
of 67 by overthrowing the Mogul ruler Humayun and thus re-establishing the
Afghan power in India.
Early life: His original name was Farid and he was born in
1486 A.D. Sher Shah did not belong to a rich family and in no way was connected
with a royal family or with any well-known military commander or religious
preacher. Thus, he was a man without any high connections, influence or status
and he did not get any support from anybody in this career. Whatever he
achieved, he achieved simply by his own efforts and capability. Sher Shah's
father Hasan was a small jagidar at Sasaram in Bihar Sher Shah acquired rich
administrative experience by handling his father's jagir.
Following the confusion after the death and defeat of
Ibrahim Lodi, Sher Shah emerged as one of the most important Afghan Sardars. He
got the title "Sher Khan" after killing a tiger.
During his encounters with the Mughuls Sher Shah proved to
be a superior general and succeeded in defeating Humayun in the battle of
Chalsa (1539) and then the battle of Kanjauj after which he captured Delhi and
Agra and snatched the throne from the Mughals.
Extent of his Empire: His empire embraced practically the
whole of northern India, except Kashmir, Assam and Gujarat. In the West he
conquered Marwar and almost the entire Rajasthan. He defeated Maldeo the
powerful ruled of Marwar and then captured Ajmer, Jodhpur and Mewar. In the north
it was bounded by the Himalayas and in the South by the Vidhya mountains. The
empire includes most of Punjab upto river Indus and Multan and Sindh. In the
South it comprised of Rajputana, Malwa and Bundel Khand.
The Administration of Sher Shah. "He was in truth one
of the greatest rulers who ever sat on the throne of Delhi. No other ruler from
Akbar to Aurangzeb was able to control public business so minutely and
effectively as he" commented Sir Woolseley Haig.
"Sher Shah was a good administrator but he was not an
innovator" says Dr. Ram Prasad Tripathi.
Sher Shah was one of the best administrators among the
rulers of medieval India but he did not invent any novelty in administration. His
revenue administration was not entirely novel while his military reforms were
based on the reforms introduced by Alauddin Khilji. Sher Shah learnt from the
experiences of others. The different measures pursued by his predecessors were
so adopted by him that they looked like new innovations. Besides, he practised
them with such a masterly hand that all his administrative measures succeeded
in bringing out order, peace, strength and prosperity to the state as well as
to his subjects. That itself is sufficient to regard him as one of the best
administrations among the rulers of medieval India.
Sher Shah was not only a conqueror but also an excellent
administrative genius.
M.W. Crookes does justice by saying "That he, Sher
Shah introduced such reforms in his short reign of 5 years which is wonderful
proof of his executive ability"
According to Keen "No government, even the British has
shown so much wisdom as this Pathan."
Prof. Quango describes him as "The greatest
administrative and military genius among the Afghans"
The Centralised Administration: The king was the administrative
head and exercised all authority. He was a benevolent despot whose aim was to
do good to his subjects. His Ministers did not make decisions themselves. All
major decisions were taken by Sher Shah himself and the ministers and nobles
simply carried them out.
Sher Shah worked hard for sixteen hours a day and looked
after the working of every department of the state.
The Ministers: The ministers who assisted him were more
like Secretaries. They had no power of initiative or final decision of any
policy but they were there simply because of the convenience of the
administration. Sher Shah had four ministers after the model of the Sultanate
pd. There were departments whose administrative heads enjoyed the position of
ministers. They as follows:
1. Diwan-i-wazirat: The head of this department was called
the Wazir (Vazir). He was primarily, the finance minister and looked after the
income and expenditure of the State though he enjoyed a general supervisory
authority over all ministers.
2. Diwan-i-arz: This department was under the Arz-i-Mumalik
who was the army minister. He was not the commander-in-chief of the army but
looked after the recruitment, organisation, discipline, disbursement of the
salaries of the soldiers and officers and all sorts of supplies to the army.
3. Barid- i – Mumalk: looked after the intelligence
department. He reported important events and developments to the Sultan. He
looked after the news writers and spies of the State who were posted at all
important places in the empire. He also arranged news carriers to carry the
royal dak.
4. There seems to have been another high official who
looked after the royal household and personal safety of the Sultan.
5. Diwan-i-Insha: Ministry which drafter royal
proclamations in letters. All official correspondence with the governors and
other officials passed through this office.
6. Sadr-us-Sadr: presided over Diwan-i-Rasalat dealt with
religious matters, charity, endowments. He also looked into correspondence with
other states and received their envoys and dignitaries. He also in the capacity
of Qazi-i-Mumalik administered justice.
PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATION:
Sher Shah did not make any changes in the administrative
division.
1) Sarkars - Sher Shah's empire was divided into 47 units
called Sarkars or districts. There were two chief officers in every Sarkar.
i) Shiqdar-i-Shiqdaran or Chief Shiqdar was a military
officer. He maintained peace in his Sarkar and helped in the collection of
revenue and other taxes.
ii) Munsif-i-Musifan or the Chief Munsif. He was primarily
a judicial officers who decided only civil cases and looked after the working
of his subordinate judicial officers in the Parghanas.
2) Parghanas: Each Sarkar was divided into smaller units
called Parghanas. There was a Shiqdar (military officer), Amin or Munsif
(civilian judge) one Fotahdar (treasurer) and two Karkuns (clerks or writers)
in each Pargana.
3) Villages: Sher Shah left the administration of villages
in the hands of their hereditary officers like Chaukidars, Patwaris etc. The
village panchayat also enjoyed a large measure of independence in looking after
the welfare of the people. All of them assisted state officials in collecting
revenue and maintaining law and order.
Sher Shah introduced the system of transferring the
officers of the Sarkars and Parghanas every two or three years.
There were 'thanas' or military outposts when imperial
troops wen stationed.
III. FINANCE:
Land Revenue Reforms:
Sher Shah paid special attention to the land revenue
system. Having administered his father's jagir for a number of years and then
posing as the virtual ruler of Bihar. Sher Shah was well acquainted with the
working of the land revenue system at all levels.
Sher Shah believed that the welfare of the State could be
achieved only by looking after the welfare of the peasants.
Thus with the help of a capable team of administrators he
toned up th entire system.
1) He
first ordered the measurement of land according to a uniform standard.
2) A
record was kept of the settlement made between the government and the
cultivator. The peasants were given paras (title deeds) by the state specifying
the revenue which they had to pay. The farmer had to sign the Qabuliyat which
was kept as a record in the revenue office. The Qabuliyats were in local
languages.
3) The
state preferred to collect revenue in the form of cash for that purpose, prices
of every variety of cereals were fixed in different places.
4) He
divided the land according to its fertility, into good. middling and bad. The
average of these three was taken and thus the produce per bigha was
ascertained. The state share was fixed at 1/3rd of the average produce. The
state demanded revenue in cash.
Schedule of crop rates called "Rai"
was preserved showing method and rates of assessment.
5) The peasants
had also to pay two more taxes, named the ¡aribana (surveyor's fee) and the
mahasilana (tax collector's fee) to the state. These constituted 2.1/2 per cent
to 5 percent of their produce.
6) Besides
these, the peasants had to pay 2.1/2 percent of their produce in kind to be returned
to them in case of any natural calamity such a flood, famine etc.
7) Sher
Shah showed leniency at the time of assessment but was rather strict at the
time of collection. People who did not pay were flogged, punished etc.
8) Every
care was taken to protect the crop from destruction during the course of war
and it damaged the peasants were compensated by the state.
The officials to collect revenue:
1) At the village level the Muquddam collected revenue and
he had a supervisor called Patwari.
2) Pargana level - Shiqdar - collected revenue – Qanungo Supervisor.
3) Amin was the head of the revenue administration in the
centre.
The revenue administration suffered from certain defects.
I) The peasants who possessed middle and bad quality of
land had to pay more as compared to the owners of good quality land under this
system.
2) The taxation under which the peasants had to pay. 1/3 of
their product as revenue, the jaribana and the mahasilana and further tax for
emergencies was certainly heavy for the peasants.
3) The collection in cash depended on correct information,
proper inquiry, prompt report and instruction from the central government. The
procedure was dilatory and not quite dependable. It delayed the work of
collection thus causing confusion.
4) Having a common schedule for the whole of North India
was a major defect as land and production varied from area to area.
5) There was corruption in the revenue department and Sher
Shah failed to uproot it.
Evaluation:
1) He inspired some efficiency in the administration
because of his vigilance and strictness.
2) Because of prior assessment he freed the farmers from
arbitrary collection.
3) Land was surveyed and measurement was undertaken in the
entire Empire. There was uniformity in the revenue administration.
Other Sources of Revenue:
1) Khams 1/6 of the plunder taken during the time of war,
jaziya - tax levied on the Hindus, Salt tax, Custom duties, mint, sugar tax,
sales tax (sale of property) and presents from subordinate rulers, governors,
nobles, traders etc.
IV. Trade & Commerce Reforms:
1) Currency:
He brought an improvement in currency. Well executed coins
of gold, silver and copper, uniform in value, replaced the old debased ones of mixed
metal.
"His silver rupee was so excellent as to be considered
a standard coin for centuries after him: - R.P. Tripathi. His silver rupee and
copper dam had the halves, quarters, eights and sixteenths. Sher Shah's coins
were both square and circular in shape and bore, the name and title of the
emperor and the place of mint. Some coins were in Devanagari and bore the name
of the four Kalifs.
The stabilization of currency helped in Trade.
V.A. Smith observes "Sher Shah is entitled to the
honour of establishing the reformed system of currency, which lasted throughout
the Mughul period, was maintained by the East India Company upto 1835 and is
the basis of the existing British Currency."
The stabilization of currency helped in trade.
ii) Roads and Sarais:
A serai was a well-fortified lodging.
One of the greatest achievements of Sher Shah in
administration was his construction of roads and Sarais, connecting important
parts of his empire with his capital. This was another important measure to
promote trade and commerce.
Sher Shah repaired many old roads and constructed new ones
also.
1) He restored the imperial Grand Trunk Road from the river
Indus in the West to Sonargaon in Bengal.
2) He built a road which ran from Agra to Jodhpur and the
Fort of Chittor.
3) Another road which ran from Agra to Burhanpur was built.
4) Another road from Lahore to Multan was built.
Trees were planted on both sides of the road. Wells were
sunk at intervals.
Sher Shah constructed nearly 700 sarais on both sides of
the road. Each Sarai had separate quarters for the Hindus and Muslims, a well
and a mosque and was looked after by the Shiqdar.
Every sarai has several watchmen under a Shahana.
Many of these Serais developed into Market Towns, Qasbas
was a place where peasants flocked to sell their produce.
Official known as the Daroga i - Dak Chowki was reponsible for
the efficient working of this dept, it was not an innovation of Sher Shah but
he revived the system.
Other direct reforms to boost trade and commerce:
Sher Shah abolished all these duties which were charged on
merchandise at different places within the empire. He ordered for the collection
of trade tax only at two places, one when the goods entered the territory of
his empire and the other, where it was sold (at the time of sale).
Goods produced in Bengal or imported from outside paid
custom duty at the border of Bengal and Bihar at Sikriga and goods coming from
the West and Central Asia paid custom duty at Indus.
This encouraged trade and commerce.
Shen Shah made local village headmen (muqaddams) and Zamindars
responsible for any loss that the merchants suffered on the roads. The Zamindars
had to find the lost goods or else they would be severely punished. Thus in
this way Sher Shah protected the prosperity of the traders.
Police System.
Sher Shah reestablished law and order across the length and
breadth of his empire. He dealt with zamindars who refused to pay revenue, or
disobeyed orders.
There was no separate department of police at that time.
The local officers were held responsible for maintaining law and order. Incase
the offender was not detected the less was made up by the Iocal officials.
The Shiqar-i-Shiqdaran in the Sarkars (district further
divided into Parganas) and the Shiqdaran in the Pargana had to maintain law and
order. ln the villages the headman performed this function.
The law and the enforcement were severe but successful.
Elliot has remarked "In the time of Sher Shah, an old
woman might place a basket of ornaments on her head and go on a journey"
Judicial System:
Sher Shah had high ideals of justice "Justice"
said he is the most excellent or religious rites and it is approved both by the
king of the infidels and the faithful" He did not spare oppressors whether
they were high nobles, men of his own tribe or near relations.
The sultan was the highest judicial authority in the state.
Next to him was the Chief Qazi who was the head of the Diwan-i-Quazat.
The cases concerning the revenue of civil cases were
decided by Chief Munsif in Sarkars and by Munsifs /Amin in Parganas. While the
criminal cases were decided by the Shiqdar-i-Shiqdaran and Shiqdar in their
respective areas.
The criminal law was uniform, severe and offenders were
punished by flogging, fines, imprisonments and even amputation of limbs. The
punishment depended on the gravity of the crime.
In large towns Kotwals might have been appointed to look
after police work.
Sher Shah expresses (also thought) "Justice does not
consist in abstaining from oppression but in fair and honest dealing with
men".
ARMY: Sher Shah realised the importance of an efficient
military establishment. He invited Afghans from all parts of the country as
well as from Afghanistan and gave them posts suitable to their status and
ability. However, other Muslims and Hindus too were employed in the army. The
army had a tribal base. The soldiers were under their immediate tribal chief
who indeed owed their allegiance to Sher Shah. Sher Shah maintained a permanent
standing army at the centre like Ala-ud-din Khilji. Sher Shah took personal
interest in the recruitment, training, promotion, discipline, fixing of
salaries and supply of arms, clothes etc. to his soldiers.
In order to reform the army and reduce corruption he
revived the practice of Dagh (branding the horses) and Chehra (the descriptive
rolls). As a result of these reforms much of the corruption was eliminated and
the army became a powerful instrument of force. There was strict discipline in
the army. He set up cantonments in different parts of the empire and a strong
garrison was posted in each of them. He built a number of forts for the defence
of his empire.
Intelligence Department: Sher Shah maintained a highly
efficient espionage system. Spies were appointed at all important places and
with all important officers. The spies were expected to inform the sultan of all
important news immediately. The defaulters were severely punished. Two horses
were kept at every sarai so that the news carriers could get fresh horses at
short intervals to maintain speed. The success of Sher Shah's administration
largely depended on the efficient organisation of his spy-system.
An Estimate of Sher Shah:
According to H.L.O. Garret "Few men have crowded more
into the short space of five years than this able and conscientious man"
Sher Shah is a remarkable figure in medieval Indian History. He was a brave
general and a capable ruler". Sher Shah was something more than the
capable leader of a horde of fierce Afghans" says V.A. Smith.
He had an excellent taste in architecture, manifested
especially in the noble mausoleum at Sesseram in Bihar which he prepared for
himself.
Sher Shah was tolerant towards his Hindu subjects in
general and allowed them to perform their religious rites, fairs and festivals.
However, he did not abolish Jaziya tax but he encouraged intercaste marriages,
appointed Hindus in his services and encouraged Sanskrit literature. He also
maintained equal justice for all. Besides, Sher Shah adopted the principle that
the duty of a monarch was not simply maintenance of peace and order but to
attempt for the welfare of his subjects. He therefore consistently tried to do
good to the peasants, traders, soldiers and all his subjects. That is why he
could succeed in his administration in a short time.
W. Crooke says "Sher Shah was the first who attempted
to found an Indian Empire broadly based upon the people's will...” Akbar also
worked on this ideal. Ofcourse, Akbar improved all measures adopted by Sher
Shah but it was Sher Shah who prepared the ground for the glorious reign of
Akbar.
Dr.R.P. Tripathi writes "Had Sher Shah lived longer he
might have don taken the wind out of Akbar's sails. He was undoubtedly one of
Lot. the greatest statesmen among the Sultans of Delhi. Indeed, he had paved
the way for the highly enlightened policy of Akbar and was the true
precursor."
