also their judges in matters, civil and criminal, arising between themselves. Indeed, he had almost absolute power over their lives and properties, only that his actions were subject to the control of the Provincial Governor. In the Ayeen Akbari, mention is made of a class of persons called Zamindars, as forming an important part of the military force of the Empire. In Bengal they are described as furnishing large bodies of cavalry and infantry, besides cannon, boats and elephants[1]. These were probably the twelve traditional Bhuyan or "original" Zamindars of Bengal, who held a hereditary status in their respective territories. As Dr. Hunter says, such Zamindars held princely courts, maintained their own bodies of armed followers, dispensed justice in their territories or estates, and handed their position from father to son. But all of them paid a tribute or a land tax to the Mahomedan Government at Murshidabad, and, as a rule, in cases of death, the heir deemed it prudent to obtain from that "Government an official acknowledgment of his succession[2]. Sahasraksha, it is true, did not possess all the powers and privileges of such a first class Zamindar, but there seems to be little doubt as to his having been raised to a status higher than that of a mere revenue agent of the Ruling Powers. On the occasion of his being recognised as Zamindar, Sahasraksha was given the Zamindari right of Pargana Faizullahpur in the district of Nadia. True to his name he did many good acts and was held in high esteem by the people. In the fulness of time he passed away in peace.
