In the Mughal Mansabdari system, ‘Zat’ denoted the personal rank and status of the Mansabdar, which determined his salary. ‘Sawar’ denoted his military responsibilities, specifically the number of cavalry troopers he was required to maintain and bring to imperial service. The correct answer is (A) Respectively, the rank of the Mansabdar and his military responsibilities
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In the Mansabdari system, ‘Zat’ and ‘Sawar’ were dual ranks. ‘Zat’ indicated the personal rank, status and salary of the Mansabdar in the court hierarchy. ‘Sawar’ indicated the actual number of cavalry troopers (horses and riders) the Mansabdar was theoretically obliged to maintain and present for review. [Image illustrating the difference between Zat and Sawar] If the Sawar rank was equal to the Zat rank, it was considered a first-class Mansabdar, reflecting the full extent of his military commitment.