thumb|right|A [[Maratha Empire|Maratha Durbar showing the Chief (Raja) and the nobles (Sardars, Jagirdars, Istamuradars and Mankaris) of the state.]]
A jagir (, Hindustani: जागीर/جاگیر, Jāgīr, Marathi: जहागीर, Jahāgīrá) also spelled as jageer, was a type of feudal land grant in the Indian subcontinent at the foundation of its Jagirdar (Zamindar) system. It developed during the Islamic era of the Indian subcontinent, starting in the early 13th century, wherein the powers to govern and collect tax from an estate was granted to an appointee of the state. The tenants were considered to be in the servitude of the jagirdar. There were two forms of jagir, one conditional, the other unconditional. The conditional jagir required the governing family to maintain troops and provide their service to the state when asked.
The jagirdar system was introduced by the Delhi Sultanate, but with a difference. In the Mughal times, the jagirdar collected taxes which paid his salary and the rest to the Mughal treasury, while the administration and military authority was given to a separate Mughal appointee. After the collapse and takeover of Mughals, the system of jagirs was retained by Marathas, Rajputs, Jats and Sikh jat kingdoms, and later in a form by the British East India Company.
Definition
Jagir (, Hindustani: जागीर/جاگیردار, Marathi: जहागीर, ) is a Persian word meaning 'place holder'.
Succession
A jagir was technically a feudal life estate, as the grant reverted to the state upon the jagirdar's death. However, in practice, jagirs became a hereditary position. The family was thus the de facto ruler of the territory, earned income from part of the tax revenues and delivered the rest to the treasury of the state during the Islamic rule period, and later in parts of India that came under Afghan, Sikh and Rajput rulers. The jagirdar did not act alone but appointed administrative layers for revenue collection. These positions, according to Shakti Kak, were called, among other titles, patwari, tahsildar, amil, fotedar, munsif, qanungo, chaudhri, and dewan.
13th-century origin and successors
This feudal system of land ownership is referred to as the jagirdar system. The system was introduced by the Sultans of Delhi from the 13th century onwards, was later adopted by the Mughal Empire, the Maratha Empire and continued under the British East India Company.
See also
- Indian honorifics
- Desmukh
- Indian feudalism
- Feudalism in Pakistan
- Kulkarni
- Lambardar
- Mankari
- Mansabdar
- Patil
- Saranjamdar
- Sardar
- Zamindar
- Ghatwals and Mulraiyats