Barid
Also called: Barid-i-mamalik · Topic: Turkic Invasions and the Delhi Sultanate · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
A barid was a news reporter and spy of the Delhi Sultanate. Barids were posted all over the kingdom. They secretly reported to the sultan on what nobles, officials and the public were doing. Their chief was the barid-i-mamalik, the head of the news and intelligence service. This network helped the sultan control powerful nobles.
Example
In the 13th century, Balban placed barids in every province and punished them if they failed to report wrongdoing. Ala-ud-din Khilji also used a strong spy network to stop nobles from plotting against him.
Don't confuse with
- Muqti (iqtadar): a muqti held an iqta, a piece of territory, and collected its revenue. A barid only watched and sent reports.