Regional History of Medieval India (Society, Culture and Economy)

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Regional History of Medieval India: Society, Culture and Economy is a compilation of twenty chapters written on various themes associated with regional history during the medieval period. The chapters are contributed by scholars associated with the Center of Advanced Study, Department of History, Aligarh Muslim University, as well as those who belong to other universities from across the country and abroad. The volume offers varied, but comprehensive studies relating to medieval Indian History from the twelfth to the eighteenth century. The volume is based on extensive use of contemporary sources (including hitherto unknown), studied both at the macroscopic and microscopic levels. The book is divided into five main sections namely, literary sources, state and administration, society, culture and economy, art and architecture and religion and mysticism. This volume will be of much use for medieval, modern and Central Asian scholars and researchers.

Yaqub Ali Khan (b. 1956) completed his master's degree from the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur and holds a Ph.D. degree from the Centre of Advanced Study, Department of History, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. He has been engaged for a long time in teaching and exploring new historical facts at Kota Open University, Kota as a Head Historian, and A.M.U., Aligarh as a Professor. His academic work re- lates to mainly Sufism, tribal studies, epigraphic studies, architecture and monuments of India, and he has published a number of articles on the subject in reputed national and international journals. He has three books to his credit, Tribal History of India; Madhyakalin Etihasik Nibandh and Muslim Monuments of Rajasthan.

The colonial period witnessed the beginning of modern scholarship on medieval India. The trend was traceable to the availability of primary sources. Elliot and Dowson brought out English transla- tions of selected extracts from prominent Persian chronicles. From the second half of the nineteenth century, the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal (Calcutta) and Munshi Nawal Kishore (Lucknow) pub- lished complete texts of Persian works. As a complement to this exercise, government departments documented a large number of inscriptions and archaeological sites. The writings of European travellers, who visited different parts of medieval India, became available one after another. Early twentieth century saw the publi- cation of credible English translations of the monumental histories of Abul Fazl, Abdul Qadir Badauni and Khwaja Nizamuddin Ahmad. Professionally trained historians, based in the newly established universities and colleges, began to reconstruct the past of the medieval period. Apart from the ruling dynasties (Mamluks, Khaljis, Tughluqs and Lodis), detailed studies were produced on the reigns of successive Mughal emperors. In addition to political history, attention was paid to administrative institutions, economic organization and social practices. The nationalist stream of histo- riography was attracted to regional powers - Sikhs, Rajputs and Marathas - that had struggled against the Mughal Empire.