Khalisa
/kəˈliːsə/noun
A historical term for land or revenue held directly by a ruler, especially in the Mughal Empire.
Did you know?In Mughal administration, khalisa lands were controlled for the imperial treasury rather than assigned as revenue grants to nobles.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Arabic
Arabic
khāliṣa (خالصة)
“Pure, unmixed, exclusive, or privately held; the feminine form of khāliṣ.”
Medieval Persian
Persian
khāliṣa / khalisa
“Property or revenue belonging directly to the ruler, including crown lands.”
16th–18th Centuries
Mughal Persian
khalīṣa
“Imperial land whose tax revenue was collected for the central treasury.”
18th–19th Centuries
Anglo-Indian English
khalisa
“A term used in colonial records for land under direct government or sovereign management.”
Modern English
English
Khalisa
“A historical administrative and revenue term, also encountered as a proper name or transliterated variant.”