Revenue Administration of the Umayyads:
Its Distinctive Features:
- Umayyads had more sources of revenue than that of orthodox caliphs.
- Khums (1/5th share of war spoil to state),
- Kharaj (land tax to non-Muslims)
- Jizya (poll tax to non-Muslim.
- Umayyad added several new ones, such as the tributes under treaties, presents and gifts on festivals, child tribute on Berber tribes etc.
- Applied to non-Muslims.
- Land tax. 1/4th ½ of the total produce of land.
- Mawalis (new converts) were exempted but Ummayad forced them to pay kharaj which created resentment in their hearts.
- Protection money for non-Muslims.
- 1-4 dinars, 10-40 dirhams, depending upon the sources of income and wealth of the non-Muslims.
- During Umayyad caliphate, new converts had to pay Jizya.
- Morally reprehensible.
- Berber tribes born greater number of children and used to sell as slaves to Arab clergy and nobels.
- Had to pay tax on birth of child.
- Collected by provincial revenue officials and deposited in the provincial Bait al-Mal.
- The provincial Sahb al-Kharaj supervised this work.
- Expenses of the province like construction work, sobries, pension etc.
- After bearing expenses, whatever left was submitted to central treasury at Damascus.
Military System of the Umayyads:-
- Military system of Umayyad was borrowed from Byzantines.
Number and Pays of the Soldier:-
- Military service was compulsory for all male Muslim population.
- Large armies.
- 1000 dirhams a year.
- Special pay on special occasions like during war, after winning war etc. to win favourism/popularity.
- Horsemen received double the pay of the foot soldier.
- Iraqis were paid less than Syrians which created hatred in their hearts toward Umayyads.
- Huge financial military expenses was one of the reasons of weakening of Umayyad Caliphate/Reign.
Weapons & Equipment:
- Well-equipped according to the need of the time.
- Same weapons/equipment as those of Byzantines.
- Foot soldier was equipped with laces, bows and arrows, double-edged swords, long and small shield, mace with iron knobs, javelins etc, helmet and shirt of mail or breast plates.
- Horsemen Bows & Arrows, Lances, Swords and Shields.
- Heavy artillery like “Manjineeqs”, “arradah” and dabbabah. Transported by Camels.
- Roman/ or Byzantine metric system of Army.
- Unit of 10 soldiers “Ashra” Ameer al Ashra.
- Unit of 100 Squadron naib Commander.
- Ten squadron of 1000 men led by a Qaid.
- A corps of 10,000 solders under ten Qaids was commanded by an Ameer or General.
- For different kind of military forces.
- The infantry
- The cavalry
- A service corps.
- Corps of engineers, called Naqqabeen.
- Beside these, civil officers like the Qazi, the treasure, the paymaster, the translator etc.