Declaration of Sheikh Alimullah about excessive taxation by the Marathas
Sheikh Alimullah's proclamation describes the advent of four Maratha generals in district (pargana) Dhar and the excessive tax and tribute demands made by their officials. He reports that because of these demands, many peasants had to sell all their possessions, and some fled. Despite this, only one-third of the 3000 rupees demanded in tribute was paid and the jagirdars are under obligation for the remaining portion.
Functional document type: Judicial Documents
Formal document type: Mahzar Nama
Themes: Agriculture, Desertion and Depopulation, Taxation and Tribute, War
Date:
Gregorian calendar:
1733
Fasli calendar: 1142
[Page 1r]
invocation (top centre): Arabic
بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم
مصلیاً علی النبیه الکریم
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Praying on the Compassionate Holy Prophet
endorsements (top): Persian
1
شیخ فتح احمد
قاضی خادم شرع دین محمد
سنه
۱۶
۱۱۴۶
2
بند التحریر المتن بیان واقع
[ت]1
3
دایم
[قاضی]
خادم شرع محمد
[
۱۱۴۲
]
4
انچه در متن است بیان واقعه
5
مهر نیابت قاضی خادم شرع شریف
سید محمد حنیف
۱۶
۱۱۴۷
6 هَذَا بَیَانَ صادِق
فقط
1[Round black ink seal] Sheikh Fath Ahmad Qazi, servant of
the law of the faith of Muhammad,
regnal year 16,
1146 [Hijri]
2Sworn [that] the writing of the document [is] a true declaration.
3[Round black ink seal] [Muhammad] Daim2
[Qazi]
servant of the law of Muhammad
[1142]
3
4Whatever is in the document [is] a true declaration.
5
[Round black ink seal] Seal of the deputy Qazi, servant of
the holy law, Sayyid Muhammad Hanif
16
1147
6
This account is true.
Nothing further.
main text: Persian
1اشتهار میخواهد و استخبار میطلبید
شیخ علیم الله
منصبدار شریک توجیه جاگیر
بدخشی خان
وغیره منسبداران چوکی خاص
2و متصدی محال جاگیر
صفی الدین محمد خان
وغیره منصبداران بابت دیهات پرگنه
دهار
سرکار
مندو
مضاف صوبه
مالوا
3از سادات کرام و مشایخ عظام ذو الاحترام و ارباب شرع و عدالت و اعیان پرگنه مرقوم
براینمعنی که از ابتدای
4شروع سال
سنه
۱۱۴۲
فصلی
خبر آمد آمد فوج بادشاهی در
مالوا
شهرت یافته بجاگیرداران و رعایا تقویت شده بود
5و هنوز افواج بادشاهی از
شاهجهان آباد
روانه نشده بود که
ملهار
و
رانو جی سیندهیه
و
انند راو پلنوار
وغیره
6چهار نفر ناسرداران غنیم لییم بجمعیت امبوه از دریای نربدا عبور نمود در محالات
مالوا
در آمده جابجا مکاسه داران
7بجمعیت کثیر سوار و پیاده ها تعین ساخته که جاگیر جاگیرداران بادشاهی ضبط کرده از
محصول دروبست بتصرف در آرند
8چنانچه مکاسه داران در محالات بهمین دستور بعمل آورده
نارو
و
سداسیو پندت
مکاسه داران پرگنه
دهار
در دیهات
9پرگنه شحنه و غله دار فرستاده عمل جاگیرداران برداشته چون عاملان و زمینداران و رعایا اتفاق نموده پیش ناسرداران
10غنیم پیغام دادند که سابق در
سنه
۱۱۴۱
فصلی
منجمله
کهندنی
از جمله مال جاگیرداران
سریصد سی و پنجروپیه
مقرر شده است و بعمل آمده
11الحال هم بدستور سابق بگیرند و تتمه را بجاگیرداران وا گذارند چنانچه درین رد بدل
دهات پرگنه بسیار زیر بار طلبانه آمدند
12ناسرداران غنیم لییم بعد جواب سوال گفتند که الحال جاگیرداران افواج بادشاهی را
برای کشتن مایان آورده چه سلوک
13و صُلح در میان مایان و شما مانده است که عمل میخواهند مدتی درین روبدل گزسته و بعد
روبدل بمکاسه داران
14پروانگی دادند که نظر بر تردد گماشته های جاگیرداران داشته در جمع مال نصف وا
گذارند و نصف را در وجه
کهندنی
15تحصیل کرده بگیرند مکاسه داران رعایا را شک ساخته بسختی تمام و طلبانه و وجه
کهندنی
خود تحصیل کرده گرفته چنانچه
16رعایا اکثر دیهات تاتخم ساهوکار فروخته
کهندنی
ادا ساخته و بعض رعایاء دیهات در وصول آن سرانجام در خود ندیده
17رو بفرار آوردند و اکثر مستاجر و مقدم برای ادای باقی در قید مکاسه دار هستند
باوجود دادن غله موجودات تا تخم
18ساهوکار مبلغ
سه هزار روپیه
در
کهندنی
باقی مانده بود از انجمله
یکهزار روپیه
از گماشتهای جاگیرداران منجمله
19تحصیل عاملان گرفته تتمه را تمسک نویسانده گرفتند ازین سبب مبلغی کلی در مال
جاگیرداران پرگنه باقی مانده هر کس که
20ازینمعنی اطلاع و اگاهی داشته باشد مُهر گواهی خود ثبت نماید
کان ذلک
فقط
1Sheikh Alimullah, mansabdar part-owner of the taujih of the
jagir of Badakhshi Khan, etc., mansabdars of the Chauki Khas,4
2and the mutasaddi of the mahal of the jagir of
Safiuddin Muhammad Khan etc., mansabdars for the villages of pargana Dhar,
sarkar
Mandu belonging to suba Malwa
3wish to publicize and seek information from the kind elites and the great
honourable sheikhs and the masters of law and justice and grandees of the said
pargana, that from the beginning
4of the year 1142 Fasli, news came that the imperial army was marching to
Malwa, and the jagirdars and peasants were reassured.
5But the imperial army had not yet set out from Shahjahanabad when Malhar
[Rao Holkar] and Ranoji Shinde and Anand Rao Puwar, etc.,
6four wicked generals and base plunderers, crossed over the river Narmada with a mob of followers. Entering the mahals of Malwa, [and]
appointing mokasadars
7together with their many horsemen and foot soldiers in every place so that they
seized the jagirs of the imperial jagirdars, they brought the entire revenues under
their control.
8Just as the mokasadars implemented their work in the mahals, accordingly, Naru
and Sadashiv Pandit, mokasadars of pargana Dhar,
9sent a shahna and ghalledar to the
villages of the pargana and dismissed the [amil] of the jagirdars.
When the ʿamils, zamindars and peasants jointly represented in front of the wicked
generals and plunderers
10that before, in the year 1141 Fasli, the total of the khandani was was fixed as
thirty-five rupees per one hundred out of all the taxes
of the jagirdars, and carried out
accordingly.
11Now too, they shall take according to prior custom, and give the remainder to
the jagirdars. Consequently, the villages of the
pargana came under the great weight of the [revenue] demand during this transition.
12After a conversation, the wicked generals and base invaders
said, 'The jagirdars brought the imperial armies to kill us. What rule
13and compact remains between you and us that we wish to put into action?' At a
previous moment in this transition and after the transition,
14they gave permission to the mokasadars to take care of the
resistance of the agents of the jagirdars, hand over half the
taxes, and collect and take the other half as khandani.
15The mokasadars made the peasants doubtful, and collected the entire [revenue] demand and the amount of their own khandani with strictness.
16So the peasants of most villages sold everything to the sahukar in order to pay
the khandani, and some peasants of the villages did not see an end for themselves in
the collection of taxes
17and absconded. And many merchants and muqaddams are imprisoned by the mokasadars
for their arrears. Despite giving all the grain there was to
18to the sahukar, a sum of three thousand rupees was left of the khandani;
of this, one thousand
rupees was taken from the agents of the jagirdars for the collection of the amils;
19and they had a tamassuk written for the remainder. For this reason, all the dues of the
jagirdars are outstanding. Anybody who has
20information about this matter, shall affix his seal of evidence. And so it was.
Nothing further.
clerical notes (top right): Persian
داخل سیاهه سوانح نموده شد
فقط
داخل سیاهه اخبار نموده شد
فقط
Entered in the register of events.
Nothing further.
Entered in the register of news.
Nothing further.
witness (right margin): Persian
1گواه شد عامل
مقیم خان
2
اسد دوستدار
رسول الله
3بیان واقع است
4
محمد یعقوب خان
۱۱۴۴
5شهد بمافیه
6
محمد واصل
7هذا بیان واقع
فقط
8
…
فتح ز
فضل الله
9شهد بما فیه
10
کنده بدل نفس
محمد عارف
۱۱۱۸
11بیان واقعست
12
…
13بیان واقع است
14
…
15 انچه در متن مسطور است
16
سید محمود
[چشتی|حسینی]
17گواه شد
18
محمد باقر
فدوی
…
محمد فرخ سیر
بادشاه غازی
۱۱۲
…
19
شیخ عبد الکریم
[خطیب]
جمعه قصبه پیران
دهار
20
[شهد ]
…
بمافیه
فقط
21گواه شد
22
امیر
فدوی
محمد فرخ
…
بادشاه غازی
۱۱۲۶
23شهد بمافیه
24
…
[فتح]
محمد
25شهد بمافیه
26
عبد الغنی
27شهد بمافیه
28
شیخ
[نعمت]
الله
...
29
[لاریب فیه]
30
شیخ جمیل الله
31السهروردی
فقط
32هذالمسطور
[صادق]
33
خلیل
[منعم است]
34
[لاریب فیه]
35
…
عبد
36
सा
का
जसवंत
[राय]
प्र
धार
37
सा
चा
हमीरचंद
प्र
धार
1Witnessed by amil
Muqim Khan.
2[Square black ink seal]
Asad Dostdar [friend of the]
Prophet of God5
3The declaration is true.
4[Oval black ink seal]
Muhammad Yaqub Khan
1144
5Testified.
6[Square black ink seal]
Muhammad Vasil
7This statement is true.
Nothing further.
8[Octagonal black ink seal]
…
victory by the grace of God.6
9Testified.
10
[Round black ink seal]
[Dedicated servant]
Muhammad Arif
1118
11The statement is true.
12[Round black ink seal]
…
13The statement is true.
14[Oval black ink seal]
…
15 That which is described in the statement.
16[Oval black ink seal]
[Sayyid Mahmud]
…
17Witnessed.
18[Large round black ink seal]
Muhammad Baqir
servant of
…
Muhammad
Farrukhsiyar
Badshah Ghazi
112
…
19
Sheikh Abdul Karim
[khatib]
of the assembly of the city of pirs
Dhar
20
[Testimony ]
…
given.
Nothing further
21Witnessed.
22[Large round black ink seal]
Amir, servant of
Muhammad Farrukh
…
Badshah Ghazi
1126
23Testified.
24[Oval black ink seal]
…
[Fath]
Muhammad
25Testified.
26[Square black ink seal]
Abdul Ghani
27Testified.
28
Sheikh Nimatullah
…
29
[Unquestionable.]
30Sheikh Jamilullah
31al-Saharwardi.
Nothing further.
32That which is written [is true].
33
Khalil
[is blessed]
34
[Unquestionable.]
35
…
Abd
36Witnessed: qanungo
Jaswant
[Rai]
,
pargana
Dhar
37Witnessed: chaudhri
Hamir Chand,
pargana
Dhar
clerical notes (top right): Persian
1حسب الحکم
[امرس]
اعلی
2بنام امارت و ایالت
[[مرتست|فریتت]]
3
[[حسمت|حشمت]
و شوکت
[مرکب|مراتب]
عمرا سادی والا نسار]
4راجه دهیراج
جیسنگه
سوای
1According to the order of
…
2 in the name of
…
of power and governance
3
…
4 Raja Dhiraj
Jai Singh
Sawai
clerical notes (top centre): Persian
[در باب دکل … و غیره]
[Regarding] … [etc.]
later addition (middle centre): Persian
نمبر ۶
Number 6
Notes
1. This word is likely است, 'is'. [BACK]
2. The first portion of this person's name, Muhammad, is read from the top of the seal, where it is elevated for respect and also modifying 'the law'. [BACK]
3. There appears to be a religious inscription around the border of the seal, possibly including the shahada or Muslim declaration of faith. [BACK]
4. I.e. members of the special bodyguard or inner circle. See for instance Irvine p. 260 and Maathir al-Amara 838,. [BACK]
5. The phrase used is the end of the shahada and is likely meant to refer to this declaration of faith. [BACK]
6. Part of this phrase may have a second reading as the name of the person sealing, Fazlullah. [BACK]
Islamic judge
Islamic judge
holder of a mansab or imperial rank, a noble (usually also a jagirdar)
revenue assessment
rights to collect taxes from a certain area as payment for imperial services and associated expenses
holder of a mansab or imperial rank, a noble (usually also a jagirdar)
a revenue district or set of villages
rights to collect taxes from a certain area as payment for imperial services and associated expenses
holder of a mansab or imperial rank, a noble (usually also a jagirdar)
district
territorial division, larger than district; generic term for a sovereign or government (Mughal term)
province (Mughal term)
Muslim religious leader, saint
district
Mughal solar calendar, established by Emperor Akbar
holder of rights to collect taxes from a certain area as payment for his/her services and expenses (usually also a mansabdar)
a revenue district or set of villages
revenue assignee (similar to jagirdar; derives from Bijapur administrative practice carried over into the Maratha empire)
rights to collect taxes from a certain area as payment for imperial services and associated expenses
holder of rights to collect taxes from a certain area as payment for his/her services and expenses (usually also a mansabdar)
revenue assignee (similar to jagirdar; derives from Bijapur administrative practice carried over into the Maratha empire)
a revenue district or set of villages
revenue assignee (similar to jagirdar; derives from Bijapur administrative practice carried over into the Maratha empire)
district
representative or servant of the tax collector
storekeeper of grain (also spelled ghalladar)
district
revenue official
holder of rights to collect taxes from a certain area as payment for his/her services and expenses (usually also a mansabdar)
revenue official
landlord
Mughal solar calendar, established by Emperor Akbar
tribute
holder of rights to collect taxes from a certain area as payment for his/her services and expenses (usually also a mansabdar)
holder of rights to collect taxes from a certain area as payment for his/her services and expenses (usually also a mansabdar)
district
holder of rights to collect taxes from a certain area as payment for his/her services and expenses (usually also a mansabdar)
revenue assignee (similar to jagirdar; derives from Bijapur administrative practice carried over into the Maratha empire)
holder of rights to collect taxes from a certain area as payment for his/her services and expenses (usually also a mansabdar)
tribute
revenue assignee (similar to jagirdar; derives from Bijapur administrative practice carried over into the Maratha empire)
tribute
moneylender
tribute
village headman
revenue assignee (similar to jagirdar; derives from Bijapur administrative practice carried over into the Maratha empire)
moneylender
tribute
holder of rights to collect taxes from a certain area as payment for his/her services and expenses (usually also a mansabdar)
revenue official
bond or record of debt
holder of rights to collect taxes from a certain area as payment for his/her services and expenses (usually also a mansabdar)
emperor (alternately, padshah)
religious warrior; an honorific
Muslim preacher
an elder; often refers to the head of a Sufi religious order
emperor (alternately, padshah)
religious warrior; an honorific
record-keeper (similar to deshpande)
district
landlord (similar to desai, deshmukh)
district
Participants
Supplicant:
Sheikh
Alimullah
Notary:
Sheikh
Fath Ahmad
Notary: Muhammad Daim
Notary:
Sayyid Muhammad Hanif
Witness:
Asad Dostdar
Witness:
Muqim Khan
Witness:
Muhammad Yaqub Khan
Witness:
Muhammad Vasil
Witness:
Muhammad Arif
Witness:
Sayyid Mahmud
Witness:
Muhammad Baqir
Witness:
Sheikh
Abdul Karim
Witness:
Amir
Witness:
Fath Muhammad
Witness:
Abdul Ghani
Witness:
Sheikh
Nimatullah
Witness:
Sheikh
Jamilullah Suhrawardi
Witness:
Khalil
Witness:
Jaswant Rai
Witness:
Hamir Chand
Language(s)
Arabic
Persian
Source
Choudhary Family Collection, Bada Raola Dhar, no shelfmark
Archival Collection: Purshottam Das collection
Transcribed from manuscript image.
Edited by Elizabeth Thelen
Encoding support and website development by Lizzy Williamson, Eva Bodenschatz, Richard Holding, Julia Hopkin and Gary Stringer