Subah
The word subah emerged from the Arabic and Persian languages before entering South Asian administrative vocabulary. It arrived with the Mughal Empire to label its provincial subdivisions. A governor or ruler of a subah held the title subahdar, sometimes called Subeh. This term later evolved into subedar to describe an officer in the Indian and Pakistani armies. The concept spread beyond the Mughals as other polities across the Indian subcontinent adopted it for their own provinces.
Emperor Akbar established twelve initial subahs between 1572 and 1580 during his major administrative reforms. These first provinces included Kabul, Lahore, Multan, Delhi, Agra, Avadh, Illahabad, Bihar, Bangal, Malwa, Ajmer, and Gujarat. His conquests expanded the total number of subahs to fifteen by the end of his reign. In 1568, he created the Malwa subah with Ujjain as its capital. The Bengal subah began operations on the 12th of July 1576 with its capital at Tanda. By 1595, the capital moved to Rajmahal, then shifted again to Dhaka in 1610.
Jahangir increased the number of subahs to seventeen when he carved Orissa out of Bangal in 1607. Shah Jahan pushed the count to twenty-two provinces through further territorial expansion. He separated the sarkar of Telangana from Berar in his eighth regnal year to create a new subah. This province merged with Zafarabad Bidar subah in 1657. Aurangzeb added Bijapur in 1686, Sira in 1687, and Golkonda in 1687 to reach a total of twenty-seven subahs during his rule. Qandahar served as a separate subah until Persia captured it in 1648. Balkh and Badakhshan were lost to Abd al-Aziz Khan in 1647.
Subahs divided into Sarkars or districts for local governance. These districts further split into Parganas or Mahals for village-level administration. The governor of each subah was known as a subahdar who oversaw the entire region. Kabul Subah included Kashmir Sarkar which was added in 1586. Multan Subah gained Thatta Sarkar in 1593. Agra was renamed Akbarabad in 1629 while Delhi became Shahjahanbad in 1648. Kashmir was carved out of Kabul and Thatta separated from Multan under Shah Jahan's reign.
The Mughal Empire began dissolving in the early 18th century leading to widespread provincial independence. Many subahs came under Maratha influence or East India Company suzerainty. Kabul fell to Nader Shah after the Battle of Khyber Pass on the 26th of November 1738. Lahore was captured by Ahmad Shah Durrani on the 15th of September 1758. Gujarat was taken by Damaji Rao Gaekwad in February 1758. Delhi remained under British control until George Anson captured it on the 21st of September 1857. Bengal seceded under Murshid Quli Khan on the 12th of July 1717.
In modern Urdu language, the term subah refers to a province within Pakistan. The word riyasat describes federated states in contemporary Pakistani administration. These terminologies derive partially from the administrative structure of British India which borrowed heavily from Mughal systems. Four provinces currently bear the name Subah in the Urdu language spoken across Pakistan. Punjabi and Balochi speakers also use this designation for their regional divisions today.
Common questions
What is the origin of the word subah in Mughal history?
The word subah emerged from Arabic and Persian languages before entering South Asian administrative vocabulary. It arrived with the Mughal Empire to label its provincial subdivisions.
How many initial subahs did Emperor Akbar establish between 1572 and 1580?
Emperor Akbar established twelve initial subahs between 1572 and 1580 during his major administrative reforms. His conquests expanded the total number of subahs to fifteen by the end of his reign.
When did the Bengal subah begin operations and where was its capital located initially?
The Bengal subah began operations on the 12th of July 1576 with its capital at Tanda. By 1595, the capital moved to Rajmahal, then shifted again to Dhaka in 1610.
Which provinces were added to the Mughal Empire under Aurangzeb's rule?
Aurangzeb added Bijapur in 1686, Sira in 1687, and Golkonda in 1687 to reach a total of twenty-seven subahs during his rule. Qandahar served as a separate subah until Persia captured it in 1648.
What happened to Kabul Subah after the Battle of Khyber Pass on the 26th of November 1738?
Kabul fell to Nader Shah after the Battle of Khyber Pass on the 26th of November 1738. The Mughal Empire began dissolving in the early 18th century leading to widespread provincial independence.