subahdar

Subahdar, also spelled Subadar, is a historical title used in the Indian subcontinent to denote the governor of a subah, or province, within the Mughal Empire. The term derives from Persian subah (province) and dar (holder). A Subahdar held civil and military authority within his jurisdiction and was responsible for taxation, administration, law and order, and defense. Subahs were major administrative divisions established by the Mughal government as part of a centralized bureaucratic system; the emperor appointed Subahdars and could assign a subordinate official to administer a diwan (revenue) and a faujdar (military commander).

The Subahdar’s status varied over time and with the power of the central court. In the early Mughal era, powerful nobles often held subahdari to balance central authority, while later appointments were guided by the mansabdari system, linking rank with land revenue assignments. The office sometimes overlapped with other titles, including governors of districts or other provincial offices. The Subahdar was expected to keep provincial records, collect zamindari revenue when applicable, and maintain a contingent of troops for the emperor.

With the decline of central authority in the 18th century and the rising power of regional polities and European trading companies, the traditional Subahdar office faded or transformed in many regions. In some later Indian polities, local rulers and administrators retained similar titles or functions under different naming conventions.

The term continues to be encountered in historical texts and discussions of Mughal administration, colonial-era governance, and studies of South Asian imperial governance.