SOAS Research Online

Abstract

The subject of Mughal Polity forms one of the most fascinating chapters in the history of the Mughal Empire. But an adequate treatment of this subject still remains a desideratum, although the Importance of its study has long been realised. When, therefore, Dr. C.C. Davies suggested that 1 should work on the Provincial Administration of the Mughal, 1 regarded it as a most welcome opportunity of supplying the gap in some measure. But the subject being so vast I undertook the work with great misgivings. The study of Mughal political institutions is fraught with many difficulties, arising partly from paucity of materials and partly from the obscurity of the data furnished by the extant materials. I have, however, spared no pains in my endeavour to reconstruct as fair a picture of it as possible. Far be it from me, however, to claim finality for my conclusions or exhaustiveness for my treatment. Indeed, perhaps none realises more than I do now how much yet remains to be done in this field. My only hope is that my effort may stimulate further research in this subject which offers immense scope for work.