What were the ahdis of Akbar's time ?

During Akbar's reign, the 'Ahdis' (or Ahadis) were a distinct class of soldiers in the Mughal army. Unlike regular soldiers recruited and commanded by Mansabdars, Ahdis were 'gentleman-troopers' who were recruited directly by the Emperor himself [3]. They were considered a second class of the Mughal army, consisting of single men who did not belong to any Mansabdar's contingent but owed their allegiance directly to the throne [3]. They received higher pay than ordinary foot-soldiers or cavalrymen and were often employed as the Emperor's personal bodyguards or in specialized administrative-military roles. While the Mansabdari system formed the 'steel frame' of the military [1], the Ahdis represented a loyal, elite corps directly under imperial supervision, distinguishing them from the village-level officials or cashiers mentioned in other options [1].

Sources

1. [3] https://www.lkouniv.ac.in/site/writereaddata/siteContent/202004132159500580shama_mih_Central_Administration_of_Akbar.pdf
2. [1] https://www.jstor.org/stable/2053505