Question

What was the main source of income of the three types of towns.

Answer 1

The three types of towns along with their main sources of revenue have been discussed below.

(1) Camp or court towns: These towns thrived on the revenue collected from agriculture and other sources.
(2) Pilgrimage towns: These temple towns invited a large number of regular tourists. To cater to the needs of these tourists, a large number of priests and shopkeepers were employed; this led to the growth of towns and the generation of income for its people.
(3) Port towns: The import and export of goods generated a huge revenue. Resources were spent by the Sultanate in the towns to boost the growth of the urban craft industry. This helped in generating ample revenue in these towns.