When Ibn Battuta reached the borders of the sultan of Delhi’s territory, he encountered the sultan’s highly sophisticated bureaucracy. Then, as now, centralized governments depended on information. If the sultan was to maintain control of his lands, he needed to know as much as possible about the activities of his subjects. In an age when land travel was by foot or by horse, this imperative posed a significant challenge when the territory in question was far away from the capital. As you read Ibn Battuta’s description of his experience entering the sultan’s lands, pay particular attention to the sultan’s communication systems. Why did the sultan devote so much money and resources to speeding up the pace of information flow?

When we reached this river called Panj Ab, which is the frontier of the territories of the sultan of India and Sind, the officials of the intelligence service came to us and sent a report about us to the governor of the city of Multán. From Sind to the city of Dihli [Delhi], the sultan’s capital, it is fifty days’ march, but when the intelligence officers write to the sultan from Sind the letter reaches him in five days by the postal service. In India the postal service is of two kinds. The mounted couriers travel on horses belonging to the sultan with relays every four miles. The service of couriers on foot is organized in the following manner. At every third of a mile there is an inhabited village, outside which there are three pavilions. In these sit men girded up ready to move off, each of whom has a rod a yard and a half long with brass bells at the top. When a courier leaves the town he takes the letter in the fingers of one hand and the rod with the bells in the other, and runs with all his might. The men in the pavilions, on hearing the sound of the bells, prepare to meet him, and when he reaches them one of them takes the letter in his hand and passes it on, running with all his might and shaking his rod until he reaches the next station, and so the letter is passed on till it reaches its destination. This post is quicker than the mounted post. It is sometimes used to transport fruits from Khurásán which are highly valued in India; they are put on plates and carried with great speed to the sultan. In the same way they transport the principal criminals; they are each placed on a stretcher and the couriers run carrying the stretcher on their heads. The sultan’s drinking water is brought to him by the same means, when he resides at Dawlat Abád, from the river Kank [Ganges], to which the Hindus go on pilgrimage and which is at a distance of forty days’ journey from there.

When the intelligence officers write to the sultan informing him of those who arrive in his country, he studies the report very minutely. They take the utmost care in this matter, telling him that a certain man has arrived of such-and-such an appearance and dress, and noting the number of his party, slaves and servants and beasts, his behavior both in action and at rest, and all his doings, omitting no details. When the new arrival reaches the town of Multán, which is the capital of Sind, he stays there until an order is received from the sultan regarding his entry and the degree of hospitality to be extended to him. A man is honoured in that country according to what may be seen of his actions, conduct, and zeal, since no one knows anything of his family or lineage. The king of India, Sultan Muhammad Sháh, makes a practice of honouring strangers and distinguishing them by governorships or high dignities of State. The majority of his courtiers, palace officials, ministers of state, judges, and relatives by marriage are foreigners, and he has issued a decree that foreigners are to be given in his country the title of ‘Aziz [Honourable], so that this has become the proper name for them.

Every person proceeding to the court of the king must needs have a gift ready to present to him, in order to gain his favour. The sultan requites him for it by a gift many times its value. When his subjects grew accustomed to this practice, the merchants of Sind and India began to furnish each newcomer with thousands of dinars as a loan, and to supply him with whatever he might desire to offer as a gift or to use on his own behalf, such as riding animals, camels, and goods. They place both their money and their persons at his service, and stand before him like attendants. When he reaches the sultan, he receives a magnificent gift from him and pays off his debt to them. This trade of theirs is a flourishing one and brings in vast profits.

Source: Sir E. Denison Ross and Eileen Power, eds., Ibn Battuta: Travels in Asia and Africa, 1325–1354 (New York: Robert McBride and Co., 1929), pp. 183–185.

Questions to Consider