Relatively little is known about the operation of legal systems in India during the period of Muslim political dominance, primarily because most disputes were settled outside of the courts that were maintained by the ruling powers. Even during the Mughal period, when the government was more highly centralized than at any other time before the British conquest, Mughal law enforcement seldom reached the village level. Only in cases where there had been a very considerable breach of the peace, or where the revenue of the village had not been paid, were villagers likely to come into contact with Mughal law enforcement officials. One reason why the Mughal legal system was relatively undeveloped in the rural areas was that the Mughals possessed neither the manpower nor the means of communications that would enable them to staff and operate such a system of courts extensive enough to provide convenient access to the villagers.