AcquératsEnslaved Africans of the French fort of Ouidah.
AgouInterpreter in the Hueda administration.
AkhiganOfficial responsible for the trade in the Dahomey administration.
AldéeFrom the Porguese word aldeia; a village or small rural community.
Aplogan(Gan meaning chief) high officials of the Hueda administration.
ArrackLiquor or spirit, commonly distilled from coconut palm sap, rice or sugarcane.
BételPepper plant whose leaves are consumed in Asia.
BonyonPrincipal royal merchant under Dahomey.
Chambrede justiceChamber of Justice, French sovereign tribunal or commission of the Royal Council temporarily established to search out those who have embezzled royal funds.
ChaudrieCourt in Pondicherry ruling on disputes between Indian inhabitants.
ChettyA South Indian merchant caste, divided over years into several subcastes, each functioning as a separate caste.
CockavoThe highest military officer in Ouidah in the Dahomey administration.
CokiPrincipal royal merchant under Dahomey.
DiwanProvincial revenue farmer and administrator, usually Mughal.
DubashLiterally ‘two languages’; interpreter; translator.
ÉcuFrench currency equal to three livres tournois
FanamSouthern Indian currency, gold or silver coin equal to four sous.
FarmanLiterally ‘command’; imperial grant, patent, charter.
FaujdarLiterally ‘army-holder’; head of tributary military or police force, usually Mughal.
Ferme généraleConsortium of tax-farmers collecting indirect revenues and the revenues of the royal domain in France.
FinancierFisco-financial administrator for the French monarchy, the function combined collecting royal revenue and providing credit to the king.
GoganHigh official of the Hueda administration.
GuinéesThin cotton textiles mainly produced on the Coromandel Coast.
Livre tournoisFrench currency equal to 20 sous
MarakkayarA subdivision of Tamil Muslims of Coromandel.
MehuHigh official of the Dahomey administration.
NayakSouthern Indian ruler, often a tributary state under Vijayanagara empire.
NawabA Mughal provincial governor or viceroy.
PagodaSouthern Indian currency, gold or silver equal to eight livres tournois and ten sous; also a Hindu temple.
PīshkashOffering, tribute, gift, most often to a government official.
QuècheSmall French ship of 200 to 500 tonneaux.
Receveur généralFunction in the French fiscal system in charge of collecting direct taxes from the receveurs locally and transferred it to the royal treasury or kept it available for the royal administration in the provinces.
RupeeMughal currency, silver coin. The value of the Pondicherry rupee was around thirty to thirty-three sous.
SalempourisWhite or blue cottone textiles from the Coromandel Coast.
Sol(Plural sous) French currency equal to twelve deniers
TopazMestizo Indo-Portuguese soldier.
VellalarA Tamil africultural caste.
Yevogan(Yevo meaning white) the official responsible for all dealing with Europeans in the Hueda and Dahomey administration.