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paid very well. Mughal Mansabdars were one of the highest paid in the world. Some of

them got a salary up to Rs. 30,000 per month!
land Revenue system

Akbar designed his land revenue system with the help of a brilliant revenue-expert, Raja
Todarmal. Under Akbar’s and Todarmal’s system called dashala or ten yearly settlement,
average production of different crops as well as their average prices prevailing over the
last ten years, was calculated. Each province had some fixed revenue circles with fixed
revenue rates for individual crops. This system of revenue collection was called Zabt system.
One-third of the average production was the state’s share. The peasants were given the
choice of paying in cash or in kind, though the government preferred cash payment. Akbar
was concerned about the peasant’s welfare. The peasant was given remission in the land
revenue, if crops failed on account of droughts, floods etc. peasants were given loans to
buy seeds, implements and animals. The peasants could not be thrown out of the land as
long as he paid the land revenue.
Emperor Akbar decided to classify land according to its fertility. Polaj is a land which is
cultivated every year and is never allowed to remain uncultivated. Parouti is a land which
is not cultivated for some time, so that it regain its natural fertility.

Chachar is a land that has remained uncultivated for three or four years. Banjar is a land
which is uncultivated for five years or more. In Akbar’s empire, different revenue was fixed
for each of these land categories.
Akbar’s land revenue system continued till the end of the Mughal empire.
akbaR - the GReatest muGhal

Akbar is known as ‘Akbar the Great’, and with good reason. He built a vast empire, but
in doing so he always used diplomacy instead of force wherever possible. Akbar is greatly
respected for his wise policies. Let us learn a little more about some of them.

CultuRal ContRibutions

Akbar never received formal education. In spite of this, he was a great patron of learning.
It is believed that Akbar’s library had more than four thousand manuscripts.
Akbar patronised talented persons from all fields. The ‘nine gems’, namely authors Abul
Fazal, Faizi and Abdur Rahim Khan - i - Khana, the witty Birbal, efficient officials Raja
Todarmal, Raja Bhagwan Das and Raja Man Singh, musician Tansen of Gwalior and artist
Daswant, adorned Akbar’s court.

Abul Fazal was Akbar’s close friend. He wrote Akbar’s biography Akbarnama. This book
gives us plenty of information about Akbar’s reign, which was indeed a golden age in every
respect.

ReliGious PoliCy
Akbar established harmony in his empire by following the policy of religious tolerance. He

abolished the tax Zazia which the Non-Muslim had to pay. He also abolished the pilgrim tax
on bathing at holy places. He stopped the practice of forcible conversion of prisoners of

66 Social Studies-7