Mughal Empire

In the Mughal administration, **Jama** was the total amount of land revenue assessed by the government, which could be based on the crop yield or land's productivity. The **Hasil**, on the other hand, referred to the actual amount of revenue that was collected from the land after assessment. These terms were essential in the agrarian economy and fiscal policies of the Mughal Empire, and they helped in the efficient administration of resources.

Francois Bernier was a French physician who traveled to India between 1656 and 1668. During his time in India, he wrote extensively about the social, political, and economic conditions of the country. His work, "Travels in the Mughal Empire," is a significant source of information about the Mughal Empire and Indian society. He was one of the first Europeans to describe the religious diversity, caste system, and the prosperity of the Mughal Empire in great detail.

Khud-kashta farmers were essentially self-sufficient cultivators who worked on land that they either owned or had been assigned to them by the state. In the Mughal era, the state provided land for cultivation in return for a share of the produce. These farmers were responsible for their own agricultural work, unlike tenant farmers or landless laborers. This system helped create a class of independent farmers who played a crucial role in the agrarian economy of the Mughal period.

The personal land owned by zamindars was known as Milkiyat. This was land that the zamindars held for their personal use, distinct from the land they held in revenue collection for the state.

The Revolt of the Deccan (also known as the Maratha Rebellion) started in Pune district under the leadership of the Maratha king Shivaji and his successors against the Mughal Empire in the 17th century.

Sir William Foster, a prominent British historian, referred to Mughal cities as "Camp Towns" due to the military nature of their construction, with fortified walls and organized streets resembling a military camp.

Barnier, a French traveller who visited India during the Mughal period, referred to Mughal cities as "camp towns" due to the following reasons:

1. Transitory Nature:
Barnier observed that many Mughal cities, especially the imperial ones, had a transient and temporary character. The Mughal emperors often moved their courts and administrative centers from one place to another, creating a sense of impermanence in these cities.

2. Military Presence:
Mughal cities, particularly those under the emperor's control, had a strong military presence, and the layout of these cities often resembled a camp in its organization. The forts, markets, and living quarters were organized with military precision, resembling the structure of a military camp.

3. Encampment of the Mughal Army:
The Mughal Empire's military influence in the city planning was visible, and the emperor's army would often encamp in various locations, adding to the temporary nature of these cities.

Barnier, a French traveller who visited India during the Mughal period, referred to Mughal cities as "camp towns" due to the following reasons:

1. Transitory Nature:
Barnier observed that many Mughal cities, especially the imperial ones, had a transient and temporary character. The Mughal emperors often moved their courts and administrative centers from one place to another, creating a sense of impermanence in these cities.

2. Military Presence:
Mughal cities, particularly those under the emperor's control, had a strong military presence, and the layout of these cities often resembled a camp in its organization. The forts, markets, and living quarters were organized with military precision, resembling the structure of a military camp.

3. Encampment of the Mughal Army:
The Mughal Empire's military influence in the city planning was visible, and the emperor's army would often encamp in various locations, adding to the temporary nature of these cities.