Hi ,
I am creating this thread so that for a given topic we can list most important points that should be included in the answer. This is not an answer writing thread.Here for every topic we will collect atleast 5 points and atmost 15 . These may act as brief notes.
I will start with Irrigation in Ancient India
1) water reservoirs at Dhlavira . Dockyar at Lothal
2) Sudarshan Lake at Girnar , Water Channels at Sringaverpura
3) Mention of araghatta in Gatha Saptasati by hala.
4) any evidence in Gupta period ?
5) mention of the diverting of waters of Ravi by Suyya. This is mentioned in Kalhanas Rajat Rangini..
Please give pointers to Pallava contribution in culture and Tripatrite struggle for Kannauj
Comments
British Historian View: war like attitude of seljuk and turkish tribe; pacifist nature of Indians and small size of rajput states
mostly rejected by historians as Rajputs were also considered brave and war like..there was glorification of war so tehy cannot be considered as Pacifist
Jadunath sarkar: 1. Equality and Social solidarity amoung Turks
2. absolute faith in God and role of islam in giving them a purpose
comprehensive View:
(based on IGnou notes and satish chandra)
draw backs of indian rulers
1 small states in perpetual intense conflict which consumed and resources and prevented a strong state to emerge
2. Armies were mostly feudal levy. no " unity of command"
3 lack of strong central army.. loyalty of soldiers likely with samantas...such an army can only be expected to fight as horde rather than as united force
4 few castes and clans allowed to fight in army( debatable)
5 caste system (Debatable)
6 lack of strategic outlook; neglect of frontier passes and surrounding areas
turkish adavantage:
1 Turks had superior Military technology; use of iron stirrum and horse shoe, these were present in india but how much was it used is unknown; iron stirrup provided momentum abd stability to rider
2 Introduced the "age of horse" . Used mobile cavarly which provided speed and agility to their attack..they were skilled horseman, good archers, quality of central asian horses also better
3 large standing army; little feudal levy, experience of fighting as a unit
4 role of religion in providing them sense of purpose
some ppl suggest the hierarchical nature of indian society and disconnect of masses with indian ruler as one of the reasons, but in medieval times in most empires there was little connect between masses and rulars and almost all societies had hierarchy though it was easier in Turks for a lowly man to rise to top.
1. Replacement of Feudal,Multi centered Polity of country by Centralized state
2. Emergence of sultan as focal point of administration
3 Institution of iqta which was used to draw surplus revenue and for maintenance of troops. These were transferable unlike feudal grants ( though it also became heredatory when authority of sultan weakened)
4All india administration provided by bringing the chief cities and great route under the control of govt of delhi
5 Rise of Urban Cities as nobility preferred to live in cities
6 Rise in importance of Delhi
7 Islam as the religion practiced by ruling elites (this point can be avoided)
1. Balban era beginning of strong centralized govt.
2 Iranian theory of kingship: semi divine origin of King; King being answerable only to God
3 Declared himself to be zil e allah and introduced the practise of sijda and pabos indicating subservience of nobles
4 Thus by claiming semi divine origin he placed the office of sultan above the fellow nobles
5 maintained a grand court and huge public process; both of which had the political purpose of glorifying the Sultan
6 claimed descedent of iranian hero afarsiyab; practised racial excluvism in administration
I shall be buying current gen ncerts so please suggest accordingly, I am lost in myriad of various books.
1. early turkish ruling class was a co sharer of political and financial power with Sultans
2. Imp. Nobles and sultans came from the family of turkish slave families
3. Noble class was hostile to inclusion of outsiders ex Yaqut , appointee of razia and raihan a converted muslim
4 apart from turkish it also had Tajik nobles who were freemen
5 Numerous factions in Nobility which guarded their exclusive position and were hostile to entry of outsiders. Race and religion played imp role in formation of nobility
6 . Balban believed in iranian theory of semi divine kingship. He palce the office of Sultan above nobles and crushed the power of 40 turkish noble families
7. khalji dynasty brought new ruling class khalji to power. they brought new groups like mongol, abbysynians, converted Indians
8 Tuglaqs introduced foreign elements (Khurasanis) . also capable person from lowly origins were also made nobles. Afghans and hindus also associated with administration
9. Afghans were also recruited in Feudal beurocracy . Many were given land and settled in disturbed areas like awadh where they formed part of local Gentry
Isn't Iqta system = feudalism? in a sense that land revenue was collected by iqtadar n army was also maintain by them.part of loot given to sultan n rest distribution among them
American Revolution did resulted in loss of 13 colonies in America but it prompted them to take precautionary measures to prevent any revolution in India and to strengthen their control over india.
Britain had to find new market for its factory goods and raw material for their factory and to protect its monopoly of trade in india to compensate the loss in America.it initiated differential trade tariff and started building railways to give competitive effect to their goods in indian market and use india as raw material hub.
By enacting pitts law, it took subordinate east india company rule and created dual system of govt with overriding power with crown.it was made in series to curb monopoly of company india.
Governor was given more power to interfere in princely states affair in the form to subsidiary alliance.it uses both expansionist tactics and friendship to consolidate their control over the administration of country.
It use experience governors like Cornwallis and wessely touse their experience of failure in America and not to repeat them in india.it gave veto power to cornwalis over administration and army.wessely uses subsidiary alliance for his expansionist goal.
British also took initiative to knock out French from india by annexing yanam and Pondicherry and also defeated their alliance of mysore.
Hence loss of American colony gave them lessons which they took to strengthen their control over india.