How were Taluqdars facilitated by the rulers ?
How were Taluqdars facilitated by the rulers ?
Official answer
Under the Nawabs of Awadh, taluqdars enjoyed considerable power and privileges.
How rulers facilitated them:
- They were allowed to hold their estates (taluqas) and lands, often held by their families for generations.
- They were permitted to maintain armed retainers (troops) and fortresses, giving them control over the countryside.
- They collected revenue from the peasants and enjoyed local authority and prestige within their territories.
Marking scheme
- 1.1 mark: taluqdars were allowed to hold estates/land, maintain armed retainers and forts, and collect revenue with local authority.
- 2.Full credit for any two of: land control, armed retainers/forts, revenue collection and prestige.
Hint
Under the Nawabs, taluqdars held estates, kept their own armed retainers and forts, and collected revenue.
Quick oral answer
Under the Nawabs, taluqdars were allowed to keep their ancestral estates, maintain their own armed retainers and forts, and collect revenue from peasants, enjoying great local power and prestige.
Common mistakes
- 1.Describing British facilitation instead of the earlier rulers'/Nawabs' facilitation asked in the question.
- 2.Forgetting that taluqdars maintained their own armed troops and fortresses.
- 3.Vaguely saying 'they were rich' without naming estates, retainers or revenue rights.
Analysis and explanation
This background explains why the British dismantling of the taluqdari system provoked such anger, as voiced by Hanwant Singh.
Concept:
- Before annexation, the Nawabs let taluqdars retain estates, keep armed retainers, build forts and collect revenue, making them powerful intermediaries.
Exam pointer:
- The question asks about the pre-British position; focus on land control, armed retainers and revenue rights, not on British policy.
Wider significance:
- These entrenched privileges made taluqdars natural leaders of resistance once the British stripped them of land and troops.
Interesting facts
Some Awadh taluqdars controlled large numbers of villages and could field armed retainers running into the thousands.
After the revolt, the British reversed policy and restored many taluqdars to secure their loyalty, confirming them as landholders.
Question details
Q38 of 41 questions
- Board
- CBSE
- Class
- Class 12
- Subject
- History
- Year
- 2026
- Section
- Section D
- Marks
- 1
- Chapter
- Rebels and the Raj: The Revolt of 1857 and its Representations
- Topic
- Position of Taluqdars under the Nawabs
- Bloom's level
- understand
- Syllabus topic
- Theme 11: Rebels and the Raj — Taluqdars of Awadh before British Annexation
- Author
- CBSE
- Reviewed by
- Padhantu Academic Team
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Frequently asked questions
What privileges did taluqdars enjoy under the Nawabs?
They held large estates, maintained armed retainers and forts, and collected revenue from peasants, wielding significant local authority.
Why is this background important for 1857?
Because the British later took away these estates and troops, turning powerful taluqdars into leaders of the revolt in Awadh.