Question

Who was Sher Shah Suri? Discuss his administration and the revenue system.

Accepted Answer

Sher Shah was the son of an Afghan jagirdar. His name was Farid Khan. He was given the title of 'Sher' after he killed a tiger. Sher Shah conquered a number of Rajput states. He extended his empire from Jhelum in the west to Brahmaputra in the east and from the Himalayas in the north to Malwa in the south.

ADMINISTRATION: The king was the head of civil and military administration. He was helped by many officials. The Mir Bakhshi looked after the military administration. The head of the revenue department was the Wazir. The Sadr-i-Sudur kept a record of grants and donations. The Khan-i-Saman looked after the requirements of the royal household.

The empire was divided into fifteen provinces known as subas. Each suba was governed by a subadar. Each suba was divided into districts and each district into parganas. A number of villages made up a pargana.

REVENUE SYSTEM: The main source of revenue was the land tax paid by the peasantry. Peasants paid taxes through the rural elites, that is, the headmen or the local chieftain. They were referred to as zamindars.

Who was Sher Shah Suri? Discuss his administration and the revenue system.

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