Correct Option
(D) Both statements 1 and 2 are incorrect regarding the differences between Jagirdars and Zamindars in Mughal India.
Incorrect Options
Statement 1 is incorrect:
- Jagirdars were Mughal officials who received land assignments (jagirs) in lieu of salary under the mansabdari system. Their primary responsibilities included revenue collection and military administration, not judicial or police duties. They were expected to maintain troops for the emperor but did not possess independent administrative authority over their assigned land.
- Zamindars were hereditary landlords and revenue collectors. While their main function was to collect taxes from peasants, they often held significant local influence, controlled local governance, and maintained militias, thus performing duties beyond mere revenue collection, including aspects of law enforcement and administration in their territories.
Statement 2 is incorrect:
- Jagirs were not hereditary. They were granted by the Mughal emperor and were subject to transfer at his discretion, often every few years, to prevent the jagirdar from developing strong local roots and becoming autonomous.
- Zamindars, on the other hand, generally held hereditary rights over their land and revenue collection, passing them down through generations within their families. This hereditary nature was a defining characteristic of their position.