his defeat by Sher Shah, a high imperial title as ruler of Ambar. The
son of Baharma, Bhagwan Das, occupied the throne when Akbar won {74}
Panipat. Jodhpur, in those days, occupied a far higher position than
did Jaipur. Its Raja, Maldeo Singh, had given to the great Sher Shah
more trouble in the field than had any of his opponents. He had,
however, refused an asylum to Humayun when Humayun was a fugitive. He
was alive, independent, and the most powerful of all the princes of
Rajputana when Akbar ascended the throne of Delhi. Jaisalmer,
Bikaner, and the states on the borders of the desert were also
independent. So likewise were the minor states of Rajputana; so also
was Sind; so also Multan. Mewat and Baghelkhand owned no foreign
master; but Gwalior, Orchha, Chanderi, Narwar, and Pannao suffered
from their vicinity to Agra, and were more or less tributary,
according to the leisure accruing to the conqueror to assert his
authority.

But even in the provinces which owned the rule of the Muhammadan
conqueror there was no cohesion. The king, sultan, or emperor, as he
was variously called, was simply the lord of the nobles to whom the
several provinces had been assigned. In his own court he ruled
absolutely. He commanded the army in the field. But with the internal
administration of the provinces he did not interfere. Each of these
provinces was really, though not nominally, independent under its own
viceroy.

According to all concurrent testimony the condition of the Hindu
population, who constituted seven-eighths of the entire population of
the provinces subject to Muhammadan rule, was one of contentment.
They {75} were allowed the free exercise of their religion, though
they were liable to the _jizyia_ or capitation tax, imposed by
Muhammadans on subject races of other faiths. But in all the
departments of the Government the Hindu element was very strong. In
most provinces the higher classes of this faith maintained a
hereditary jurisdiction subordinate to the governor; and in time of
war they supplied their quota of troops for service in the field.

Each province had thus a local army, ready to be placed at the
disposal of the governor whenever he should deem it necessary. But,
besides, and unconnected with this local army, he had almost always
in the province a certain number of imperial troops, that is, of
troops paid by the Sultan, and the command of which was vested in an
officer nominated by the Sultan. This off