<P> The system was abolished during land reforms in East Bengal (Bangladesh) in 1950, India in 1951 and West Pakistan in 1959 . </P> <P> The zamindars often played an important role in the regional histories of the subcontinent . One of the most notable examples is the 16th century confederation formed by 12 zamindars in the Bhati region, which, according to the Jesuits and Ralph Fitch, earned a reputation for successively repelling Mughal invasions through naval battles . The confederation was led by a zamindar - king, Isa Khan, and included both Muslims and Hindus, such as Pratapaditya . The zamindars were also patrons of the arts . One of the zamindar of Bundelkhand had control over more than 52 villages . The Tagore family produced India's first Nobel laureate in literature in 1913, Rabindranath Tagore, who was often based at his estate . The zamindars also promoted neoclassical and Indo - Saracenic architecture . </P> <P> Before Mughal rule in India, the aristocracy collected and retained revenue from land and production . The Mughals appointed people to act as tax officers, sending them around the country to oversee collection of revenue and remit it to the capital city of Delhi . These people were known as the zamindari (intermediaries) and they collected revenue primarily from the Ryots (peasants) The zamindari system was more prevalent in the north of India because Mughal influence in the south was less apparent . </P> <P> The zamindari system ensured proper collection of taxes in a period when the power and influence of the Mughal emperors were in decline . With the Mughal conquest of Bengal, "zamindar" became a generic title embracing people with different kinds of landholdings, rights and responsibilities ranging from the autonomous or semi-independent chieftains to the peasant - proprietors . All categories of zamindars under the Mughals were required to perform certain police, judicial and military duties . Zamindars under the Mughals were, in fact, more the public functionaries than revenue collecting agents . Although zamindaris were allowed to be held hereditarily, the holders were not considered to be the proprietors of their estates . </P>

Who played the most important role in the feudal system