The mansabdari system was characterized by …

The mansabdars constituted the ruling section in the imperial structure. The Mansabdars were said to be the pillars of the Mughal administration; the entire nobility, in fact belonged to mansabs; among them one or the other held a mansab. Mansabdari system was nothing but a system of nobles or mansabdars under which a mansabdar or noble was granted the rights to hold a jaguar which meant revenue assignments (not the land itself) for services rendered by them, but the authority bestowed upon them was not unbridled but with the direct control of these nobles in the hands of the king. The mansab or rank was designated by dual representation - one by personal rank (called zat) and the other by cavalry rank (called sawar). Every mansabdar was given the rank of both zat and sawar and a mansabdar was paid rupees two per horse.