What were the ahdis of Akbar ’s time ?

During the reign of Akbar, the 'Ahdis' (or Ahadis) were a distinct class of soldiers within the Mughal military structure. Unlike the regular troops recruited and maintained by the mansabdars, the Ahdis were 'gentleman troopers' who were recruited directly by the Emperor himself. They were considered the Emperor's personal soldiers and were not placed under the command of any specific mansabdar, instead receiving their pay directly from the central treasury. While the provided snippets discuss the general mansabdari system [1] and the recruitment of various social groups into later armies [2], historical records like the 'Ain-i-Akbari' clarify that Ahdis served as a highly trusted body of cavalry and foot-soldiers. They were often assigned specialized duties, including serving as palace guards or as part of the royal entourage, distinguishing them from the common mercenary or village-level officials.

Sources

1. [1] Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science, Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: Reshaping India’s Political Map > The Mughal administrative framework > p. 54
2. [2] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 15: The Marathas > Army > p. 237