The zat and sawar were parameters of defining a mansabdar’s “level”. Before this system was introduced, there was a single parameter the count of horses that a mansabdar maintained during Akbar’s times and therefore (possibly) the subsidy that he received in exchange for that. Mansabdars didn’t often maintain the required troops or horses, and this new, fairly elaborate system was used to classify mansabdars.The zat was a rank conferred by the king on the mansabdar, whereas the sawar was a count of horsemen that were to be maintained.