Q. What was Iqta in sultanate period?
(a) Territories of land
(b) A tax
(c) A form of military
(d) None of these
Ans: (a) Territories of land
Explanation: In the Sultanate period, Iqta referred to (a) territories of land.
Iqta was a land-grant system that was prevalent during the Sultanate period in medieval India. It was a form of territorial assignment where the ruling authority, typically the sultan, granted certain territories of land to individuals, usually military officials or nobles, in exchange for their services.
The individuals receiving the Iqta, known as Iqtadars or Muqti, were granted the right to collect revenue and other resources from the assigned territories. They were responsible for maintaining law and order, providing military support, and collecting taxes from the land and its inhabitants.
Iqta served as a form of decentralized administration and a means to maintain control over different regions of the Sultanate. The Iqtadars had certain administrative and military powers within their assigned territories, making them both administrators and local military commanders.
It’s important to note that the exact nature and practices of the Iqta system varied over time and across different regions within the Sultanate period.
Therefore, the correct answer is (a) territories of land.
