Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Agra Subah was established under the reign of Emperor Akbar as one of the core territories of the Mughal Empire. This province stretched from the borders of Delhi and Awadh in the north to the regions of Malwa and Ajmer in the south and west. The establishment of the subah allowed the central government to exert control over a vast and diverse landscape.
The Agra Subah was divided into thirteen distinct sarkars including the capital district of Agra, Kalpi, Kannauj, Kol, Gwalior, Erach, Payanwan, Narwar, Mandlaer, Alwar, Tijara, Narnaul, and Sahar. These administrative units were overseen by officials who reported directly to the subahdar to maintain order across the province. The Ain-i-Akbari provides a comprehensive list of these districts revealing the meticulous planning of the administration.
Under the reign of Shah Jahan the subah was led by a series of subahdars including Qasim Khan, Wazir Khan, Islam Khan, Safdar Khan, Syed Khan Jahan, Azam Khan, Saif Khan, Raja Bethal Das, and Shaikh Farid. Rajaram II of Satara also governed the province during the period of 1628 to 1631. These individuals were chosen for their loyalty administrative skills and military prowess to ensure the province remained stable and productive.
The Agra Subah bordered Delhi and Awadh to the north and the regions of Malwa and Ajmer to the south and west. This strategic location made it a vital link between the northern plains and the southern territories ensuring that trade routes and military movements could flow freely through the heart of the empire. The province served as a buffer zone between the Mughal Empire and its expanding rivals.
The decline of the Agra Subah was marked by the rise of the Maratha Empire and the weakening of central Mughal authority. As the Maratha forces expanded their influence they began to encroach upon the territories of the Agra Subah gradually eroding the empire's control over the region. The administrative structure that had once been so effective began to crumble with local governors losing their ability to maintain order and collect taxes.