Political Developments & Economy (15th & 16th Century)

Answer : The reign of Sri Krishnadevaraya (r. 1509-1529 C.E.) stands out as the high point in the history of the Vijayanagar Empire. Emperor Krishnadevaraya also earned the titles Kannada Rajya Rama Ramana ,Moorurayaragand (meaning “King of three kings”), and (Andhra Bhoja). He consolidated and expanded the empire through astute use of his massive military, successfully campaigning against the kingdoms to his north. The Vijayanagar administration system under Krishna Dev Roy was centralized, elaborate and just. The ....

Answer : Rana Kumba (1438-68) was a great ruler of Mewar in medieval period. He was a great patron of literature and art. He had a keen interest in music and he was a great musician himself. He was a great Veena player. He wrote works like Sangit Raj, Sangit Mimansa, ‘Sangit Ratnakar’ and Sudprabandh.

Rana Kumba gave patronage to many craftsmen and sculptors. He gave special attention to military architecture. He strengthened the defences ofof Chittor and ....

Answer : The attempt to reform prevalent socio-religious practices is quite common in all civilizations; it is a part of the reformers’ efforts to refine and refurbish the inner resources of their civilizations. It is through such processes of renewal that all civilizations try to overcome internal stagnation and meet external challenges.

The 16th century movements in India were attempts to bring together cultural elements and intellectual resources in order to cope with the changing social situation. The ....

Answer : Some scholars like Shastri and Mahalingam say that the Vijayanagar polity was a centralized polity, and the king had control over the Nayaks and the provincial governors. Shastri emphasized the centralized nature of the Vijayanagar state more emphatically than Mahalingam. He said that Vijayanagar state was a centralized bureaucratic set up. This view is based on the accounts of Paes and Nuniz, Portuguese travelers, who described the Nayaks as agents of the Vijayanagar state, indicating ....

Answer : Iqtadari was a unique system of land distribution evolved during the sultanate period, the parallel of which is hard to find elsewhere in the history of India.

The Jagirdari system was quite distinct from it. It was system of the allotment of vast tract of land, called Iqtas, among the military nobles. As we know, the conquest of the country by the Turks is a paradox of the Indian history.

A handful of the Turkish nobles, assisted ....

Answer : The Bahmani Sultanate or Bahmanid Empire was a Muslim state of the Deccan in southern India and was one of the great medieval Indian kingdoms. The sultanate was founded on 3rd of August 1347 by the Turkish Governor Ala-ud-Din Hassan Bahman Shah.

Source material for reconstructing the history of the Bahmani Kingdom consists of contemporary writings in the forms of historical narratives, travellers’ accounts and works written immediately after the period. Futuh–us–Salatin by Isami is the ....

Answer : The Vijayanagar Empire was a South Indian dynasty based in the Deccan. Perhaps the last magnificent chapter in the history of independent India is the history of Vijayanagar. It was founded by Harihara I and his sibling Bukka Raya in 1336, the empire ruled untill 1646.

Domingos Paes and Fernao Nuniz, who visited the Vijayanagara Empire in the first half and the latter part of the 16th century respectively, describe in glowing terms the agriculture and ....

Answer : Religion played a predominant role in the Medieval Indian society, and something concrete in this specific domain was also needed to bridge the gulf between the tow communities at the socio-cultural levels. The saints and scholars of both the communities were conscious of this fact; and, before long, there emerged from among their ranks, Bhakti reformers and Sufi saints, who took up the cause of socio-religious reforms and preached the gospels of Equality of Mankind, ....

Answer : In 1347 A.D. there occurred a serious revolt in Daultabad or Devgiri which proved quite successful, and the nobles raised Hassan Gangu, a powerful noble and capable soldier to the exalted post of the king. As Hussan Gangu claimed to have descended from king Bahman of Persia, he assumed the title of Ala-ud-Din Hassan Shah Bahman. There were 18 rulers of the Bahmani Kingdom who ruled for about 180 years (i.e. 1347 to 1526 A.D.) ....

Answer : In the beginning when in India the Muslims and Hindus came into contact with each other, they naturally became hostile to each other because of their different cul­tures and different ways of living. But with the passage of time and living side by side for a very long time they lost much of their differences and came nearer to each other day by day. They now began to live like good neighbours and consequently they ....

Answer : Chaitanya was a contemporary of Vallabha Swami who preached the Bhakti cult in Bengal. He was born in Nadia in 1485 A.D. At an early age of 25 he left his home and became a ‘Sanyasi’. He was an ardent devotee of Krishna and preached the worship of Krishna among the people. Chaitanya was a revivalist. At the mention of the name of Krishna he went into ecstasy or swooned. He ultimately settled in Puri ....