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 CONTENT

CHAPTER 15:- EARLY MEDIEVAL INDIA 3

CHAPTER: 16 - DELHI SULTANATE 6
CHAPTER: 17 - INDIA UNDER THE DELHI SULTANATE 11
CHAPTER 18:- BHAKTI MOVEMENT IN MEDIEVAL INDIA 14
CHAPTER: 19 - VIJAYANAGAR AND BAHMANI KINGDOMS 17
CHAPTER: 20 - THE MUGHAL EMPIRE 21
CHAPTER: 21 - INDIA UNDER THE MUGHALS 27
CHAPTER: 22 – THE MARATHAS 30
CHAPTER: 23 – THE COMING OF EUROPEANS 33

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 CHAPTER: 15 - EARLY MEDIEVAL INDIA
• After the death of Harsha, there was no rulers of this period. The most important
political unity in north India for about king was Bhoja.
five centuries • Chauhans faced the onslaught of the
• Palas of Bengal reigned supreme till the
Muslims under Muhammad of Ghori. The
Pratiharas became the most powerful
rulers of north India. But in the tenth Paramaras were also important Rajput
century, the Rashtrakutas of Deccan rulers of this period. The most important
tried to extend their power in north India king was Bhoja.
but ultimately failed in their attempt.
ARAB CONQUEST OF SIND (712 A.D.)
RAJPUT KINGDOMS • Religion Islam was born at Mecca in
• The dominance of Rajputs began from the Arabia. Its founder was Prophet
seventh and eighth centuries and lasted till Muhammad. But his teachings made the
the Muslim conquest in the twelfth century. wealthy people of Mecca his enemies.
• The period of Muslim aggression, the • Therefore, he migrated to Medina in
Rajputs were the main defenders of the 622 A.D., which was the starting point
Hindu religion and culture origin of of the Muslim calendar and the Muslim
Rajputs. era called hijra.
• They were considered as the descendents of • After eight years he returned to Mecca
the foreign invaders and the Indian with his followers. He died in 632 A.D .
Kshatriyas. • The followers of Muhammad set up an
• Foreign invaders were Indianized and
empire called the Caliphate.
absorbed into Indian society.
• It can be said that diverse elements • The Umayyads and the Abbasids were
constitute in the shaping of the Rajput clan. called the caliphs. They expanded their
• They became homogenous by constant rule by conquests and spread their
intermarriage and by adopting common religion Islam.
customs. They made war as their chief • In 712 A.D., Muhammad bin Qasim
occupation. However, trade and agriculture invaded Sind. He was the commander
also prospered. of the Umayyad kingdom. Qasim
• They built strong forts defeated Dahir,the ruler of Sind
• Gurjara-Pratiharas were the earliest of the • Qasim organized the administration of
Rajput rulers. Sind. The people of Sind were given the
• Its first great leader was Harischandra. He
status of zimmis (protected subjects).
conquered extensive territory in Rajaputana
• There was no interference in the lives
and ruled with his capital at Bhinmal.
and property of the people. Soon, Qasim
• The Gurjaras were in different branches.
was recalled by the Caliph.
One branch ruled Gujarat and another at
Avanthi. • Muslims could not expand their
• The Pratiharas involved themselves in a authority further into India due to the
three cornered contest with the Palas of presence of the powerful Pratihara
Bengal and the Rashtrakutas of Deccan. kingdom in western India.
• Later the Pratiharas became weak. The • Although the conquest of Sind did not
Chauhans, the most valiant of the Rajput lead to further conquests immediately, it
races, ruled Ajmir. had resulted in the diffusion of Indian
• Chauhans faced the onslaught of the
culture abroad.
Muslims under Muhammad of Ghori. The
• Many Arab travellers visited Sind.
Paramaras were also important Rajput
Indian medicine and astronomy were

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 CHAPTER: 16 - DELHI SULTANATE
Five different dynasties – the Slave, Khalji, • He shifted his capital from Lahore to Delhi.
Tughlaq, Sayyids and Lodis – ruled under the • The meantime, Temujin popularly known
Delhi Sultanate as Chengiz Khan, the leader of the
SLAVE DYNASTY Mongols,started invading Central Asia. He
defeated Jalaluddin Mangabarni, the ruler
• The Slave dynasty was also called
of Kwarizam.Mangabarni crossed the river
Mamluk dynasty. Mamluk was the
Indus and sought asylum from Iltutmish.
Quranic term for slave. The Slave
dynasty ruled Delhi from A.D. 1206 to • Iltutmish refused to give him shelter in
order to save his empire from the onslaught
1290. In fact, three dynasties were of the Mongols.
established during this period. They • Fortunately for Iltutmish, Chengiz Khan
were retuned home without entering into India.
• Qutbi dynasty (1206-1211) founded by • In fact, the Mongol policy of Iltutmish
Qutbuddin Aibak saved India from the wrath of Chengiz
• First Ilbari dynasty (1211- 1266) Khan.
founded by Iltutmish • Iltutmish was a great statesman. He
• Second Ilbari dynasty (1266-1290) received the mansur, the letter of
founded by Balban recognition, from the Abbasid Caliph in
Qutbuddin Aibak (1206-1210) 1229 by which he became the legal
• Qutbuddin Aibak was a slave of sovereign ruler of India. Later he nominated
Muhammad Ghori, who made him the his daughter Raziya as his successor.
Governor of his Indian possessions. He
set up his military headquarters at
Indraprasta, near Delhi.
• He raised a standing army and ODSTU.COM
established his hold over north India
even during the life time of Ghori.
• After the death of Ghori in 1206, Aibak
Fig. SILVER TANKA OF ILTUTMISH
declared his independence. He severed
all connections with the kingdom of Raziya (1236-1240)
Ghori and thus founded the Slave • She appointed an Abyssinian slave
dynasty as well as the Delhi Sultanate. Yakuth as Master of the Royal Horses.
• He assumed the title Sultan and made Also, Raziya discarded the female
Lahore his capital. apparel and held the court with her face
• Muslim writers call Aibak Lakh Baksh unveiled. She even went for hunting and
or giver of lakhs because he gave liberal
led the In 1240,
donations to them .
• He also started the construction of after Era of Balban (1246-1287)
the name of a famous Sufi saint Khwaja • Ghiyasuddin Balban, who was also
Qutbuddin Bakthiyar. It was later known as Ulugh Khan, served as Naib
completed by Iltutmish. Aibak died or regent to Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud.
suddenly while playing chaugan (horse He also strengthened his position by
polo) in 1210. marrying his daughter to the Sultan.
• Balban was all powerful in the
Iltutmish (1211-1236) administration but he had to face the
• Iltutmish belonged to the Ilbari tribe and intrigues of his rivals in the royal court
hence his dynasty was named as Ilbari
dynasty.
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 Balban’s general prosperity of the nobles, inter
marriages between noble families,
•He knew that the real threat to the inefficient spy-system and drinking
monarchy was from the nobles called liquor were the basic reasons for the
the Forty. He was convinced that only rebellions.
by enhancing the power and authority of • Therefore, he passed four ordinances.
the monarchy he could face the He confiscated the properties of the
problems. nobles. The intelligence system was
• According to Balban the Sultan was reorganized and all the secret activities
God’s shadow on earth and the recipient of the nobles were immediately reported
of divine grace. Balban introduced to the Sultan.
rigorous court discipline and new • The public sale of liquor and drugs was
customs such as prostration and kissing totally stopped. Social gatherings and
the Sultan’s feet to prove his superiority festivities without the permission of
over the nobles. Sultan were forbidden. By such harsh
• He also introduced the Persian festival measures his reign was free from
of Nauroz to impress the nobles and rebellions.
people with his wealth and power. He
stood forth as the champion of Turkish
nobility. ODSTU.COM
• Indian Muslims were not given
important post in the government. He
appointed spies to monitor the activities
of the nobles.
• Balban was determined to break the
power of the Forty, the Turkish nobles.
He spared only the most obedient nobles
and eliminated all others by fair or foul
means. Malik Baqbaq, the governor of
ODSTU.COM
Badaun, was publicly flogged for his
cruelty towards his servants.
• He established a separate military
department - diwan-i-arz – and
reorganized the army.
• Main architects of the Delhi Sultanate.
He enhanced the power of the
monarchy. However, he could not fully
safeguard India from the Mongol
invasions
THE KHALJI DYNASTY (1290-1320) Reforms of Alauddin Khalji

• Khalji dynasty marked the zenith of • Maintained a large permanent standing

Muslim imperialism in India. The army and paid them in cash from the
founder of the Khalji dynasty was royal treasury
Jalaluddin Khalji • He introduced the system of dagh
Alauddin Khalji (1296-1316) (branding of horses) and prepared huliya
(descriptive list of soldiers). In order to
• He framed regulations to control the ensure maximum efficiency, a strict
nobles. He was convinced that the

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 CHAPTER: 19 - VIJAYANAGAR AND BAHMANI KINGDOMS
VIJAYANAGAR EMPIRE • The dispute over Raichur Doab, the
Sources region between the rivers Krishna and
• Four dynasties – Sangama, Tungabhadra and also over the fertile
Saluva,Tuluva and Aravidu – ruled areas of Krishna-Godavari delta led to
Vijayanagar from A.D. 1336 to 1672 this long drawn conflict. The greatest
• Krishnadevaraya’s Amukthamalyada, ruler of the Sangama dynasty was Deva
Gangadevi’s Maduravijayam and
Allasani Peddanna’s Manucharitam are Raya II.
some of the indigenous literature of this • The next dynasty, Saluva dynasty
period founded by Saluva Narasimha reigned
• The Moroccan traveler, Ibn only for a brief period (1486-1509)
Battuta,Venetian traveler Nicolo de Krishna Deva Raya (1509 – 1530)
Conti, Persian traveler Abdur Razzak • The Tuluva dynasty was founded by Vira
and the Portuguese traveler Domingo Narasimha. The greatest of the Vijayanagar
Paes were among them who left rulers, Krishna Deva Raya belonged to the
valuable accounts on the socio conomic Tuluva dynasty.
conditions of the Vijayanagar Empire. • The Muslim armies were decisively
• Hampi ruins and other monuments of defeated in the battle of Diwani by Krishna
Vijayanagar provide information on the Deva Raya.
cultural contributions of the • He defeated the Gajapathi ruler
Vijayanagar rulers. Prataparudra and conquered the whole of
Telungana. He maintained friendly relations
POLITICAL HISTORY (ODSTU.COM) with the Portuguese
• Vijayanagar was founded in 1336 by • Albuquerque sent his ambassadors to
Harihara and Bukka of the Sangama Krishna Deva Raya.
• Though a Vaishnavaite, he respected all
dynasty. They were originally served
religions. He was a great patron of literature
under the Kakatiya rulers of Warangal.
and art and he was known as Andhra Bhoja.
• Then they went to Kampili where they
Eight eminent scholars known as
were imprisoned and converted to
Ashtadiggajas were at his royal court.
Islam. Later, they returned to the Hindu
• Allasani Peddanna was the greatest and he
fold at the initiative of the saint
was called Andhrakavita Pitamaga. His
Vidyaranya.
important works include Manucharitam and
• They also proclaimed their
Harikathasaram
independence and founded a new city
• Krishna Deva Raya himself authored a
on the south bank of the Tungabhadra
Telugu work, Amukthamalyadha and
river. It was called Vijayanagar meaning
Sanskrit works, Jambavati Kalyanam and
city of victory.
Ushaparinayam.
• The decline of the Hoysala kingdom
• He also built the famous Vittalaswamy and
enabled Harihara and Bukka to expand
Hazara Ramaswamy temples at
their newly founded kingdom.
Vijayanagar. He also built a new city called
• Vijayanagar Empire comprised the
Nagalapuram in memory of his queen
whole of South India up to
Nagaladevi.
Rameswaram. The conflict between
• During the reign of Rama Raya, the
Vijayanagar Empire and the Bahmani
combined forces of Bijapur, Ahmadnagar,
kingdom lasted for many years.
Golkonda and Bidar defeated him at the

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 construction of tall Raya Gopurams or •
The peak of literary achievement was
gateways and the Kalyanamandapam reached during the reign of Krishna
with carved pillars in the temple
Deva Raya. He himself was a scholar in
premises.
• The horse was the most common animal Sanskrit and Telugu. His famous court
found in these pillars. poet Allasani Peddanna was
distinguished in Telugu literature.
BAHMANI KINGDOM
• The founder of the Bahmani kingdom
was Alauddin Bahman Shah also known
ODSTU.COM as Hasan Gangu in 1347. Its capital was
Gulbarga.
• power of the Bahmani kingdom reached
its Gulbarga to Bidar. The power of the
Bahmani kingdom reached its peak
under the rule of Muhammad Shah III.
Fig. Eastern Gopuram Of Varadharaja Perumal It extended from the Arabian sea to the
Temple Bay of Bengal.
• The most important temples of the • On the west it extended from Goat to
Vijayanagar style were found in the Bombay. On the east, it extended from
Hampi ruins or the city of Vijayanagar.
Kakinada to the mouth of the river
• Vittalaswamy and Hazara Ramaswamy
temples were the best examples of this Krishna.
style. The Varadharaja and
Ekamparanatha temples at Kanchipuram Mahmud Gawan
stand as examples for the magnificence
• The Bahmani kingdom reached its peak
of the Vijayanagara style of temple
architecture. under the guidance of Mahmud Gawan. He
was a Persian merchant
• He was also a learned person. He possessed
a great knowledge of was also a learned
person. He possessed a great knowledge of
mathematics.
• He made endowments to build a college at
Bidar which was built in the Persian style of
architecture. He was also a military genius.

ODSTU.COM

Fig. Elephant Chariot – Hampi Ruins

• Chidambaram speak the glorious epoch
of Vijayanagar
• The metal images of Krishna Deva Raya
ODSTU.COM
and his queens at Tirupati are examples
for casting of metal images Fig. Golkonda Fort
• Different languages such as Sanskrit, • Thus he expanded the Bahmani Empire
Telugu, Kannada and Tamil flourished through his conquests.
in the regions. • His administrative reforms were also
• important. They were aimed officers were
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 CHAPTER: 21 - INDIA UNDER THE MUGHALS
MUGHAL NOBILITY • In Rajasthan, Oswals, Maheshwaris and
• The nobles of the Mughal period formed a Agarwals came to be called the
privileged class. Most of them were Marwaris. Multanis, Khatris and
foreigners such as Turks and Afghan many Afghanis conducted trade with central
of them settled down in India and made it Asia.
their permanent home. • In south India, the Chettis on the
RURAL MASSES Coramandal coast and the Muslim
• While the wealthy people wore silk and merchants of Malabar were the most
cotton clothes, the poor people wore the important trading communities.
minimum cloths • Indigo and food grains were exported
• Nikitin observed that the people of Deccan from north India through Gujarat
were bare-footed. It might be due to high ART AND ARCHITECTURE
cost of leather.
• Some of the Mughal gardens such as the
AGRICULTURE AND TRADE
Nishat Bagh in Kashmir, the Shalimar Bagh
• An estimate claims that the population of at Lahore and the Pinjore garden in the
India at the beginning of the seventeenth Punjab have survived even today.
century was about 125 million During the • During the reign of Sher Shah, the
seventeenth century two new crops, mausoleum at Sasaram in Bihar and the
namely, tobacco and maize were added. Purana Qila near Delhi were built
Potato and red chillies came later in the
eighteenth century. But, no new agricultural
technique was introduced during this
period.
• However, India was able to export food
items like rice and sugar to the ODSTU.COM
neighbouring countries
Growth of Trade Fig. Purana Qila
• The Indian trading classes were large in • Large scale construction of buildings
numbers and spread throughout the started with the advent of Akbar. He built
country. They were well organized and many forts and the most famous one was
highly professional. Seth, bohra traders the Agra Fort. It was built in red sandstone.
specialized in long distance trade while His other forts are at Lahore and Allahabad.
local traders were called banik.
• Another class of traders was known as
banjaras, who specialized in carrying
bulk goods. The banjaras used to move ODSTU.COM
to long distances with their goods on the
back of oxen.
• Bulk goods were also taken through
rivers on boats. The trading community Fig. DIWAN-I-KHAS
did not belong to one caste or religion. • The climax of fort-building reached its
The Gujarathi merchants included the climax during the reign of Shah Jahan. The
Hindus, Jains and Muslims. famous Red Fort at Delhi with its Rang
Mahal, Diwan-i-Am and Diwan-i-Khas was
his creation
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