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The document provides an overview of the political history of ancient India, focusing on the evolution of governance from the Vedic Age to the Mahabharata period. It discusses the development of political institutions, the concept of kingship, the role of the king as a protector and servant of Dharma, and the significance of village administration and the Panchayat system. Additionally, it highlights the transition from hereditary monarchy to the influence of public opinion in governance, as well as the divine theory of kingship presented in the Mahabharata.
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History - notesHISTORY-1
LL.B. 1 SEMESTER
UNIT -1
+ SURVEY OF POLITICAL HISTORY OF ANCIENT INDIA
Political system of a country indicates the structure of organizations that constitute
the State and its Government. Ancient India is no different and it had also developed
government and political institutions to give figure and form to the fundamental
ideology. The developed political institutions in ancient India as follows:
Vedic Age[1]: The characteristics of its government belong to the ancient Vedic
age. Ancient Indian Political System goes back to about five thousand years or more.
Ancient India is a land that has been shaping civilizations through settlement
patterns. Therefore, history of India becomes enriched with the description of the
Indus Valley civilization. The people formed urban societies with agriculture as an
occupation. Moreover this pattern gave rise to large units or clans formed by a group
of village. The circle continued with several clans forming the tribe and their leader
was Rajan or the Vedic king. He protected his people from enemies and was
accompanied with a senani or commandant, the Sabha and the Samithi in
administration. However, the invasion by the Aryans had changed the whole
scenario. Indian civilisation was again predominated by the nomadic culture[2].
Aryans Social Life[3]: The Aryans can be identified as the pioneers in
introducing the concept of society in Indian culture. This civilization was subjected to
various forms of kingdoms with a flow of political boundaries. In the later Vedic age,
the Gangetic Valley or Aryavartha became the centre of political activity.
Adifferent concept of society in India developed with the Aryans, in the early Vedic
period. The Early Vedic saw the rise of kingdom which was tribal in character. Each
tribe formed a separate kingdom. The basic unit of the political organization was
family and a number of families formed a Village. A reflection of the Ancient Indian
Political System can be traced in the social life of the Aryans. These villages were
headed by Gramani. Various Kingdoms like Kosala, Videha, Kuru, Magadha, Kasi,
Avanti and Panchala came into existence. The king was the highest authority and his
position was considerably supreme. Kingship became hereditary and the he was
responsible for defence and maintaining law and order of their kingdoms. Moreover,
they had vast empires and tried to extend their territories. In Manu Samhita the
history of kingship is described. In Hinduism, Manu is considered to be the first king
of the earth[4].
Concept of Dharmas[51: In earliest Indian Political System, the king was bound
by Dharma's or rule of law which were code of duties. Though a king, yet he had
limited powers. The king was required to take oath and loyalty of the people. The
king was not assigned with arbitrary powers and he was functional according to the
approval of the people. The king was then only a constitutional monarch and the
guardian, executor and the servant of Dharma. Besides, monarchies several
republics also evolved. After the Battle of Kurukshetra, large empire began to fade
away and several republican states emerged. The rulers were hereditary kings or
sub kings who ruled with the assistance of faithful ministers appointed by them.
Ancient Indian Political System revolved round the autocracy of the king and he was
assisted by councilors or ministers to share the multifarious activities of the state.The council of ministers was given great power and they continued to advice the
kings on their day to day handling of administration[6 ].
Village and Revenue Administration: Ancient Indian village administration
was a significant part of the Political System. In the Vedic period, the Aryans had
built up small villages and the administration of the area was looked after by the
village councils. A system of giving taxes also prevailed in the ancient society. Taxes
such as Pali, Sulk and Bhaga were collected from the people. The revenue was
spent for the benefit of the subjects. Mentions of village administration are found
during the fourth century B.C. when republican federation existed in the society of
India[7].
Panchayat System: At village level panchayat system is one of the essential
democratic institutions which developed in India. Panchayat system originated in
ancient India and references are found in the age of Mahabharat. This system is an
institution of the Local Self Government found at the village level. It constitutes of a
village council consisting of village elders. These local self governments perform
administrative and judicial function. The Panchayat system used to serve since
ancient times and at present it has become an integral part of Indian Administration.
At present Panchayat system is a three tier institution and continues to administer
the villages[8].
1. Concept of Kingship in Ancient Indian (Vedic age)
Meaning of Kingship: Kingship means hereditary rule i.e. rule by the members
of the same family. In other words in Kingship after the death of the king generally
the eldest son of the king becomes the king, while in republics the people choose
their representatives to rule themselves.
‘As we know that, of the Undecipherment of Indus valley script we can not say with
authority about Kingship and Republic in Indus valley period. Various kind of
dominance is required to govern the people, to run a sociely or an Institution. Rig
Vedic Aryans were semi nomadic people who probably came from central Asia
around 1500 B.C. and settled down in the north westem region of India, Saptsindhu
means the area of seven rivers[ 91.
‘Aryans came to India for two causes. a. Population force b. Paucity of grazing land.
The idea of kingship not only arises after the formation of tribes or rashtra but if we
go back in time we find that the concept of kingship perhaps took birth
simultaneously with the rise of any culture and civilization. Aryan society was a rural
society and family was the basic unit of the society. Family was headed by Kulpati
Gram was headed by gramini. Vish was headed by vishpati. Jana was headed by
Janapati
Essential purpose of all was to protect their community. We see it was the need of
the time as mentioned in Aiterya Brahman. There was a war between gods and
demons in which gods were defeated. They realized that their defeat was because
they had no King, The god said let us elect our king. Here the institution of Kingship
created because of the situation of the gods. Prajapati installed Indra as a King
because he was strong and powerful. Kingship was normally hereditary but there are
occasional references to the selection of the ruler through their choice, but usually
from the imperial family,ship in Vedic Age: Kingdom was traditional but elective monarchy or
election of the king was also there from, the majestic family was also there. King’s
command was checked by Sabha, council of elder people and Samiti council of
common people plus gana and vidath. King was helped by a few officials-Purohit,
Senani and Gramini. No regular taxation was thé~re but people voluntary offered
Bali (a sort of tax). The King had no right over the land. There was no officer for
administering justice and it was: discharged by the King himseij. There was no
standing army and the military functions were performed by different Trribal groups,
Vidhth, Gana ete.
gship in Later Vedic Age: Traditionaly monarchy continued Sabha, Samiti
lost their importance, The term Rashtra which indicates territory first appeared in this
period. Now the wars were fought for territories not for cows. The term Rashtra
appears for the first time in this period. The King's influence was strengthened by
rituals like Ashwamedha[ 10], Rajasuyal 11], Vajapeyal12] etc.
1. Kingship in Ramayana Period
Ramayana was written by Balmiki in that Lord Rama of Ikshwaku family (Dynasty)
son of king Dashratha has been explained in detail. The king Dashartha Kingdome
belonged to Awadh state. His capital was Ayodhya and Rama’s rule is well-known
for the golden age. In Ramayana we obtain a reasonable idea about their rule and
the ruling policy. In Ramayana we see that relevance of a state depends upon the
existence of the king and the expansion of a state depends upon the power of the
king. A strong king would have a large area and a weak king would have a small
area. It seems that the source of the state depends upon the theory of survival of the
fittest. Existence of the state depends upon the power of the king. That is why on the
death of the King Dashrath the priests asked Vashisth that on the same day there
must be a new King of Ishwaku family. In the absence of a new king, the state could
not continue to exist even a single day. Guru Vashisht says that people should
always be aware of the seven parts of the state[ 13]. After the death of king Dashrath
there arose the question who would be the king and this question was placed in front
of Vashist. Generally the eldest son in succession would become the King, who was
well versed in Vedas, far sighted respected by people, popular in the entire three
worlds, indulged in religious ceremony and rituals, strong, brave and who was
always ready to protect his people. In Ramayana fine and accountable of Kings are
follow the religious practices, moral values and patronage to knowledge.
According Ramayana there were two kinds of state a. Sovereign state b. Dependent
state
1. Sovereign State: Sovereign were those which where strong,
prevailing and used to collect taxes and gifts from the reliant
states. In Ramayana, King and state were two sides of a single
coin and the existence of the state lay in the existence of a king.
To enlarge their area of influence they acted according to religion
and moral values, And there was also control and power on the
position of the king who used to rule according to the desires of
the people and there are instances when an evil King was
disposed by public2. Dependent state: A dependent state does not exercise the full
range of power over external affairs. The controlling or protecting
state may also regulate some of the internal affairs of the
dependent state. Formal treaties and the conditions under which
the status of dependency has been recognized by other states
govern the balance of sovereign powers exercised by the
protecting state and the dependent state.
1. Balkand: Balkand is first chapter of Ramcharitra Mans which is
written by Tulsi das, in this chapter of Balkand Vishvamitra
advises Ram to kill Tarka because to kill her would be a victory of
good over evil and to kill demons (mischief sprite) to defend
general people or community is not a sin but a decent act and
above all it’s the obligation of the King to protect his public.
2. Ayodhya Kand: Ayodhya Kand is second chapter of Ramcharitra
Mans, in Ayodhya kand make out how a king should run his
administration when Ram says to Bharat his younger brother, that
an emperor should be pious and regimented (disciplined).
Vaimiki[14] said that relation between the King and his subject
was not of a master and slave but, which followed parental
principle. Public protested when Bharat was being coronated as
the King instead of Ram, which shows that people had influence
in royal affairs and even the opinion of the representative of
people was measured.
Kishkindaha Kand: Kishkandaha Kand is another chapter of Ramcharitra
Mans, in this chapter when Rama hurt Bali with an arrow, Bali says to Ram that he is
from a dignified family, pious who acted according to time, need and religion, helpful
to needy and he has all the required character of an emperor.
1. The Lanka kand: In this chapter Ramcharitra Mans gave idea
how was kingship of Ravana in Lanka, Ravana was great king and
Ravana's ten heads represent the ten crowns he wore as a result
of his being the sovereign of ten countries. According to
Ramayana, ‘Sone ki Lanka’ or Golden Lanka was the place where
the demon king Ravana dwelled in the “Treta yuga.” Lanka
flourished under his rule and Ravana had proceeded on a series of
campaigns conquering humans, celestials and demons. It is said
that Ravana ruled Lanka for several hundred years prior to the
times of Ramayana, when he was killed by prince Rama for
kidnapping his wife Sita. he pushpaka vimana or the aeroplane
which he flew is held as an example of great scientific
achievements made during his regime while Ravana also holds a
high position as a physician and there exists, to this day, seven
books on Ayurveda in his name. He is also believed to have
authored Ravana Sanhita, an anthology of Hindu astrology and his
description as a ten-headed person, Dasamukha or Dagagriva, is
believed to be a reference to his vast knowledge and intelligence.
His Kingdom had mainly concentrated around the Eastern and
Southern corners of the country and believed to have been lost to
the sea with the years[15].
Conclusion: After going through different chapters of Ramayana and
Ramcharitra mans like Kishkindakand, Ayodhyakand, Balkand, lankakand ete. inVedic Age, | bring to a close that Hereditary Monarchy was generally famous there.
The impious king was removed by the people. King was controlled by sabha and
Samiti and helped by Senani, Gramini, and Purohit. But in later Vedic age, Sabha
and Samiti lost importance. Hereditary Monarchy was there besides this there was
an important factor the spirituality of the King was added in which King was assumed
as the God himself, After observation of different chapters it's can say that King
would rule accordingly to religion, moral values welfare of the people and state
punished the wicked to protect the common people. In other word, it can say that the
benefit of King existed in the benefit of the state and people and lord Rama left no
stone untumed in establishing his state as an ideal state, through his character of
Kingship.
1. KINGSHIP DURING MAHABHARAT PERIOD
Mahabharata consists of eighteen chapters and about one lakh couplets and
consists of twenty thousand slokas or verses. Mahabharata written by Ved
\Vyas[16]. According to the orthodox view, Mahabharat belongs to Dwapar Age[17].
But the modem historians believed that it was written in 950 B.C. According to a
tradition view Krishna passes away at the commencement of the Kalyug after the
lapse 36 years from the Mahabharat War. During this there were a large number of
states in India and normal form of government was Kingship but there were republics.
also which got developed form in Buddha age. The King was compulsory to act,
according to rule of fairness and ethics.
Mahabharata is related to the feud between the Kauravas (the hundred sons of
Dhitrastra) with their capital at hanstinapur and the pandavas (the five sons of
Pandu).the Pandvas became the heirs to kuru throne, since Dhritrastra was blind
and therefore not eligible to rule, The Pandvas were resented by the Kauravas, who
plotted against them and finally forced them to leave the country. Dhritrashstra
divided the kingdom and gave half to the pandvas, who rulled from indraprashta, But
this arrangement did not satisfy the Kauravas and they invited Pandvas to a
gambling match. Pandvas lost their kingdom. Pandavas went into exile for thirteen
years as a compromise to get back their kingdom. The Kauravas refused to give
back not only the kingdom but even five villages. A famous struggle at Kurukshetra
lasted eighteen days and fuslulted in the annihilation of the Kuravas. We find all the
tribes and people of the sub-content participated in the battle[ 18].
Mahabharat believes the divine theory of kingship i.e. the King is an ambassador of
God. In the Mahabharat Shantipary, Bhishm says that kingship is of divine source
and the king as a God is come in person form. The King should not at all be insulted,
because Agni, Aditya, Vayu and Kuber all exist in inside the King, The King should
forever indulge in interests and prosperity of citizens, The importance of a king
depends upon the value of administration. A King who is not competent of fulfilling
his duties is liable to be deposed by public or even could be killed by the people, for
example a emperor named Ven, father of Venya, was killed by seers because he
was not able to rule efficiently. In brief, it can say that during this period the king was
not an autocrat but an ambassador of the people. The people played an important
role in appointing or deposing King.
Ad stration: The King was head of the government or state who was the
head of justice and military department. In Shantiparv of Mahabharata Bhishm says
that basically itis riot possible to have all the character in a single person. That whyrequire of a council of ministers i.e. Sabha arose. In Mahabharat there is refer to of
appointment of Brahamans who skilled in medicine, scholars, and of fine moral
principles, and character, eighteen & shatriyas’ who are versed in war affairs and
twenty one vaishyas who are economically sound and three Shudra who are
well versed in serving and a scholar of mythology. These forty seven members of
sabha perform the administrative purposes but the ultimate authority was vested in
the Rashtra.
It can state that in monarchical shape of government the King would be the center of
and power and the common people have personally no right in the appointment and
deposition of the King but this right was enjoyed by members of royal family and
people of upper strata of the society. In the administration, Amatya, Sabha, Rashtra,
Janpad all played important role and Brahaman played a chief role.
Law and Justice: In Shantiparv of Mahabharat, Bhishm says that the safety of
the state and his people is stranded on the rule of law that’s means state should be
governed according bylaw and faimess. Fountain head of was justice King, in the
administration of justice punishment of Dand always played an essential role, And
the purpose of punishment was to punish the guilty and to save from harm the
innocent without any
prejudice, so that crime should be restricted. In brief, it can say that during
Mahabharat age position of law and justice was satisfactory.
1. Republic State in Ancient In
Character of Republics: in Chapter 107/108 of the Shantiparv of Mahabharat,
Yudhishtar asked to Bhishm “Your Excellency, | want to have facts about the
character of republics, is how they come in existence, how one could save them from
inner confliction and how they should over come their opponenties’. Bhishma said,
voracity, desire and anger among the emperors of the republics produce confliction
among them and after that they usually leave no stone unturned in getting satisfied
their selfish means, Republics split mainly because of disunity between the
republics. That is why republics ought to try to unite themselves in the confederation
of republics by which they get the monetary prosperity and maintain of other
republics. They could development only if they pursue the path of Dharma. The
rulers of the republic should keep their Kings under their control by following the path
of Dharma and religion. Republic should follow the diplomatic policy to settle issues
with their enemies. As soon as the conflictions emerge among the republics their
heads and other elders should find the solutions at once”. That is why he laid
importance on the unity of the republics for their continued existence. Bhishm in
Shantipary favours the thought of unity and this idea of unity is definitely relevant to
present time history tool19]
Concept of Republic in Vedic period: In relation to republic in Vedic Age,
different academics have given views. Some academics articulate that monarchy
was the only form of government known to the public of earliest India. And what are
maintained to be republics, were nothing more than tribal states. But this view was
not accepted by famous scholars Dr. A. S. Altekar and Dr. R. Sharma Shastri who
are of the observation that there were some types of republic in the Vedic Age.
According to Dr. R. S. Sharma Vedic Gana was prevailing, Tribal republic and the
Vedic Gana were self active armed organizations and were forerunners of theAyudhyajivi Sangh of Panini and Vedic Gan was primarily in a tribal republic (state).
The view of Shyam Shastri is that when the Aryans invaded India, they were
separated in number of gana and Jans and during the Vedic and Brahaminic period
a number of Jans passed into elective monarchy while a few retained their republic
form as late as Buddhist time. There were individual republic and confederation of
republics. Gana was the individual republics, and confederation of republics was
sanghatangan. Lack of unity was there between individual republics, but not among
the sanghthan republics. The republics of Yadav, Kukara, Bhoj, Andhakas and
Vrishinis formed themselves into a sangh presided over by Lord Krishna. The village
was the unit of administration. It was under a Gramani (Headman)
Republics during buddha period: The Buddhist literature, particularly
the Anguttara Nikaya[20] lists the sixteen mahajanapadas given as Kashi,
Kosala, Anga, Magadha, Vatsa, Avanti, Gandhara, Kamboja, Matsya, Kurus,
Panchala, Surasena, Chedi, Vajis, Mallas, and Assaka[21].
1. Kashi: its capital was Banaras; among the sixteen states Kashi
was at first the most powerful state and Kashi played a vital part
in the subversion of the Videhan monarchy. Eventually it had to
submit to the power of Kosala and later annexed to Magadh by
Ajatasatru.[22]
2. Kosala: It embraced the area occupied by eastern Uttar Pradesh
and has its capital at Shravasti, which is identical with Sahet -
Mahet in the borders of Gonda and Bahraich districts in Uttar
Pradesh. Kosala was bounded on the west by the river Gomati, on
the south by the Sarpika or Syandika (Sai), on the east by the
Sadanira (Gandak) which separated it from Videha and on the
north by the Nepal hills.
3. Anga: Anga in the east of Magadha roughly corresponds to the
modern districts of Monghyr and Bagalpur. Its capital Champa,
situated on the bank of the river of the same name, was noted for
its wealth and commerce. It was annexed to Magadha in the time
of Bimbisara.
4. Magadha: Between Anga and Vatsa there lay the kingdom of
Magadha, corresponding to modern Patna and Gaya districts,
bounded on the north and west by the rivers Ganga and Son, on
the south by the Vindhya outcrop and on the east by the river
Champa. Rajagriha or Girivraja, rendered impregnable by a
perimeter of five hills, was the Magadhan capital. The earliest
dynasty of Magadha was founded by Brihadratha. However,
Magadha came into prominence under Bimbisasra and Ajatsatru.
5. Vatsa: The Vatsa country had a monarchical form of government,
Its capital was Kausambi (identified with the village of Kosam, 38
miles from Allahabad. Kausambi, a very prosperous city was the
most important entre pot of goods and passengers from the south
and the west. Udayana, the ruler of this country in the sixth
century B.C. had to struggle against king Ajatasatru of Magadha
and king Pradyota of Avanti.
6. Avanti: The state of Avanti roughly corresponded to modern
Malwa. The river Vetravati divided Avanti into north and south.
Terrirorially, it was a big kingdom and its capital was Ujjayini or
modern Ujjain. The ruler of Avanti in the time of Buddha wasChanda Pradyota. He was a contemporary of Udayana of
Kausambi. Although he was given the nickname of Chanda on
account of his ferocity, he became a convert to Buddhism. Avanti
became a very important centre of Buddhism. The kingdom of
Avanti was finally annexed to Magadhan Empire by Sishunaga.
7. Gandhara: The state of Gandhara roughly corresponded to
modern Kashmir and extended upto the Kabul valley. Its capital
was Taxila which was a famous seat of learning where scholars
came from all over the world. According to the Buddhist tradition,
the Gandhara King Pukkusati exchanged gifts with Bimbisara in
Magadha and went on foot to see the Buddha. Later it formed the
twentieth province of the Achaemenid Empire (Persian) according
to the Greek historian, Herodotus.
8. Kamboja: It was the country adjoining Gandhara in the extreme
North-West with Dwarka as its capital. A little before 530 B.C.
Cyrus, the Achaemenid emperor of Persia, crossed the Hindukush
and received tributes from the people of Kamboja, Gandhara and
the trans-Indus area. During Kautilya’s time, Kamboja
transformed from a monarchy to a republic.
9. Matsya:The Matsyas were to the south of the Kurus and west of
the Yamuna. The Matsya country corresponded roughly to the
former state of Jaipur in Rajasthan.
10. Kurus: The Kuru state approximately to the modern Delhi and
the adjoining doab area. It was the very important kingdom of the
later Vedic age but during the sixth century B.C. the Kurus did not
occupy the same position. They set up their capital at Hastinapur
located in the district of Merrut in Uttar Pradesh.
11. Panchala: The Panchala Empire, which covered the modern
districts of Bareilly, Badaun and Farukhabad of Uttar Pradesh
state, lost its well-known position as in the Vedic period. The
Panchala capital was at Kampilla, perhaps modern Kampil in
Farrukhabad district in Uttar Pradesh.
12 Surasena: The Surasena was situated at the south east of Matsya state with
capital at Mathura, The capital also knows at the time of Megasthenes as the centre
of Krinshna worship. Later on the kingdom became an integral part of the Maghadh
Empire
13 Chedi: The kingdom of the Chedis corresponded roughly to the eastern parts
of Bundelkhand and adjoining areas, and their king lists occur in the Jatakas.
14. Vajjis: The Vajji region lay north of the Ganga and expanded
as far as the Nepal hills. Its western limit was the river Sadanira
(Gandak), which separated it from the Malla and Kosalan cities.
The Vajji state is said to have been a union of eight clans
{atthakula), of whom the Videhans, the Lichchhavis, the Jnatrikas
and the Vrijjis were the most essential place.
15. Mallas: The region of the Mallas, a republican, was divided
into two parts, both having its own capital. The two principal cities
were Kushinara (known with Kasia in the Gorakhpur district), and
Pava (present Padrauna). The importance of these two cities is
very great in the history of Buddhism as Buddha took his last
meals and was taken ili at Pava, and at Kusinara, he died.16. Assaka: The Empire of Assaka (Asmaka) was located nearthe
river Godavari in the South, and it became commercially
significant in course of time. Its capital was Patlia or Potna. All the
16 Mahajanapadas did not play the same role in contemporary
politics, Kashi, which was most important at first, lost its situation
to Kosla and Magadha. These two empires vied with each other
for manage of the Ganga basin, which, owing to the riverine
commercial traffic, had certain clear strategic and economic
reward.
Conclusion - In short we can say the existence of the republic cannot be definitely
proved during Rigvedic period: There is reference in Vedic literature which referred
to democratic system of govt. The kings mentioned here are probably the heads of
Kshatriya family assembling probably at the time of the coronation of the king. The
sovereign powers thus did not belong to the masses but to the few leaders of the
aristocratic classes. Public opinion had attained importance shown by the existence
of sabha and samiti, Samiti some times elected their king also. The presence of the
king in it was considered to be essential. From these examples we come to the
conclusion that public opinion was sufficiently important.
UNIT - 11
(A) KAUTILYA
Brief Introduction of Kautilya: Kautilya[23] is estimated to have lived from
350 — 283 B.C. He was an Indian political thinker in ancient India Chanakya is hyped
as the economist of India”. Kautilya was the adviser and Prime Minister of Emperor
Chandragupta. Kautilya was a professor at the University of Takshila (located in
present time in Pakistan) and was an expert in commerce, warfare, economics, ete.
His well-known works contain Chanakya Neeti, Arthashastra and Neetishastra.
At time of Kautilya birth he had a full set of teeth, which is a symbol that he would
become a king or ruler. But since Chanakya was born in a Brahmin family, it was well
thought-out improper. Consequently, his teeth were broken and it was forecasted
that he would make another person an emperor and rule by him, During in child age,
Chanakya had the qualities of a born leader. His level of awareness was beyond
children of his time,
Chanakya was thrown out of the court of King Nanda who was Magdh emperor as
he was a blunt man and spoke his mind clearly. Chanakya swore he would take
revenge. He comes across Chandragupta as a young child. Yet at that age, he was
a born leader and showed the qualities of a talented ruler. He was the guiding force
behind Chandragupta and the crucial person who made him a capable ruler.Kautilya puts in poison in little amounts daily in Chandragupta’s food in order to
make him immune to poisonous, lest some rival tries to toxic emperor
Chandragupta’s. Though Chandragupta was unknown this fact and once gave a little
parts of food to his wife after eaten that food she died she was in the ninth month of
pregnancy also. After that Chanakya cut open her belly and took out the baby. This
baby grew up to tum into capable emperor and famous named Bindusara.
In Bindusara emperor had a minister Subandhu who dislike Chanakya. He misguides
Bindusara that Chanakya had killed his mother. Without evaluating real facts,
Bindusara confronted Chanakya. After some time knowing the whole and real story,
he felt embarrassed at his speedy actions and begged for forgiveness. He ordered
Subandhu to go and apologize and make Chanakya come back. Subandhu was very
cunning and on the pretext of going to apologize to Chanakya, he killed him.
Theirefore ended the life of a great person like Chanakya just because of political
jealousy.
Kautilya's Arthashtra, a book on statecraft was written tin the Maurya period in
4» century B.C. the text was divided into 15 chapters, 380 Shlokas and 4968 Sutras
known as books. Different books deal with different subject matters concerning polity,
economy and society, the king's duties, the code of conduct of officers, agriculture
and industry, the inter-state relations[24].
Kautilya was the chief advisor of the king Chandra gupta maurya, in his rule the
biggest Hindu empire came into being. Kautilya’s wish was for his king to triumph
over the world. In his book Chankaya focused on king diplomacy related to Peace,
War, Neutrality, Marching, Alliance, Double Policy war, diplomacy and various parts
of life. His book is still being analysed and discussed in the strategic society[ 25]
SEVEN ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS
In book Arthashastra, Kautilya lists seven pillars for an organisation. “The king, the
minister, the country, the fortified city, the treasury, the army and the ally are the
constituent elements of the state” namely[26]:
1. The King (The leader): All great organisations have great
leaders. The leader is the visionary, the captain, the man who
guides the organisation. In today’s corporate world we call him
the Director, CEO, etc. Without him we will loose direction.
2. The Minister (The manager): The manager is the person who
runs the show - the second-in-command of an organization. He is
also the person whom you can depend upon in the absence of the
leader. He is the man who is always in action. An extra ordinary
leader and an efficient manager together bring into existence a
remarkable organization
3. The Country (Your Market): No business can exist without its
market capitalization. It is the area of your operation. The place
from where you get your revenue and cash flow. You basically
dominate this territory and would like to keep your monopoly in
this segment.
4. The Fortifid City (Head Office): a place from where all
planning and strategies are made. It's from here that your central
administrative work is done. It’s the nucleus and the center of any
organization.5. The Treasury: Finance is an extremely important resource. It is
the backbone of any business. A strong and well-managed
treasury is the heart of any organization. Your treasury is also
your financial hub.
6. The Army (Your Team): When we go to war, we need a well-
equipped and trained army. The army consists of your team
members. Those who are ready to fight for the organization. The
salesmen, the accountant, the driver, the peon - all of them add
to your team.
7. The Ally (Friend / Consultant): In life you should have a friend
who is just like you. Being, in the same boat, he can identify with
you and stay close. He is the one whom you can depend upon
when problems arise. After all, a friend in need is a friend in deed.
CHANAKYA SUGGESTION FOR A COUNTRY
Chanakya in his book Arthashatras suggested idea of a country reaching the
following levels of development in terms of ideologies and social and economic
development|27]:
+ Aself sufficient economy which is not dependent on foreign trade.
+ An egalitarian society where there are equal opportunities for all
+ Establishment of new colonies for the augmentation of resources.
He also advocated the development of the already annexed
colonies. His imperialistic views can be interpreted as the
development of natural and man made resources
* According to Chanakya, the efficient management of land is
essential for the development of resources. It is essential that the
state keeps an eye on the occupation of excess land by the
landlords and unauthorized use of land. Ideally the state should
monitor the most important and vital resource - Land.
+ The state should take care of agriculture at all times. Government
machinery should be directed towards the implementation of
projects aimed at supporting and nurturing the various process;
beginning from sowing of seeds to harvest.
+ The nation should envisage constructing forts and cities. These
complexes would protect the country from invasions and provide
internal security. The cities would act as giant markets increasing
the revenue of the state.
+ Internal trade was more important to Chanakya than external
trade. At each point of the entry of goods, a minimal amount of
tax should be collected. The state should collect taxes at a bare
minimum level, so that there is no chance of tax evasion.
+ Laws of the state should be the same for all, irrespective of the
person who is involved in the case. Destitute women should be
protected by the society because they are the result of social
exploitation and the uncouth behavior of men.
+ Security of the citizens at peace time is very important because
state is the only savior of the men and women who get affected
only because of the negligence of the state. Antisocial elements
should be kept under check along with the spies who may enter
the country at any time.+ Chanakya envisioned a society where the people are not running
behind material pleasures. Control over the sense organs is
essential for success in any endeavor. Spiritual development is
essential for the internal strength and character of the individual.
Material pleasures and achievements are always secondary to the
spiritual development of the society and country at large.
(B) Manu
Manu is a term found with various meanings in different mythologies of Hinduism. In
early texts|28], it refers to the representative man, or to the first man (progenitor of
humanity). In later texts[29], Manu is the title or name of mystical sage-rulers of
earth, or alternatively as the head of mythical dynasties that begin with each cyclic
kalpa (aeon) when the universe is born anew. The title of the text Manusmriti uses
this term as a prefix, but refers to the first Manu Svayambhuva, the spiritual son of
Brahma. On the the other hand in some Puranic mythology, each kalpa consists of
fourteen Manvantaras, and each Manvantara is headed by a different Manu. The
current universe, in this mythology, is asserted to be ruled by the 7th Manu named
Vaivasvata. In Vishnu Purana, Vaivasvata, also known as Sraddhadeva or
Satyavrata, was the king of Dravida before the great flood. He was warned of the
flood by the Matsya (fish) avatar of Vishnu, and built a boat that carried the Vedas,
Manu's family and the seven sages to safety, helped by Matsya. The myth is
repeated with variations in other texts, including the Mahabharata and a few other
Puranas. It is similar to other flood myths such as that of Gilgamesh and Noah[30].
Manusmrit, translated "Laws of Manu” or “institutions of Manu,” is the most
important and authoritative Hindu Law Book (Dharmashastra), which served as a
foundational work on Hindu law and jurisprudence in the ancient Indian society. Until
the modern times it was the standard reference for both the rulers who patronized
Vedic faith and the people who practiced it[31].
According to Hindu tradition Manu is considered to be the first sons of Brahma’s and
a progenitor of human race, so it is very difficult to decide the period of Manusmriti. It
considered to that law of Manu might have been identified to the Vedic people for a
long time before they were codified into their present form sometime during the post
Vedic period. In ancient India the people believed in the order and regularity of the
world as the manifestation of God's will and intent, and the clear victory of the divine
forces over the demonic, Therefore, the laws governing the perform of individuals
and the order and regularity of Hindu society were prepared by many scholars and
‘sages in ancient India since the primitive times.
Manusmriti schemes an ideal society and best human conduct as the basis to
establish a systematically society and divine centered life. To support those
principles and implement divine will, it offers numerous laws to minutely govern
human life and conduct as applicable to each individual according to her or his
society category, responsibilities and functions. Their object is to maintain control,
provide a basis for the rulers to enforce lawful conduct, and ensure the orderly
progression of the world through righteous conduct and observation of obligatory
duties by individuals. The power to implement the laws is carefully circulated among
the rulers and the guardians of society who support him in taken decision.
The laws that were proposed by Manu to govern human conduct and society reflect
the conditions, needs and values of the times in which they were formulated. Most of
them do not fit into the present day value system. They acknowledge prevailingsocial and gender inequalities as natural conditions of human existence, and
propose laws to govern the behavior of individuals without providing scope for any
changes that time may bring in the conditions of society or the lives of people.
Hence, today you may find many laws of Manu archaic, outdated, and even
primitive. The laws favor a paternalistic society and family system, vesting the
authority to regulate them with men, and proposing rather a subordinate status and
subservient role to women. They also betray a clear lack of trust in the integrity and
sexual choices of women, thereby suggesting that they should always be guarded by
men and should never be left alone in the presence of men outside their families. At
the same time, they do not ignore or undermine the role of women in family and
domestic matters, and urge men to treat them with honor and respect and not let
them suffer[321.
Manusmriti recognize and validate the caste system as the foundation of order and
regularity of society. It identifies four classes of people like Brahmanas, Kshatriyas,
\Vaisyas and Sudras, and their own roles in the protection of dharma. Brahmanas
and Kshatriyas are given many civil liberties and superior leniency in matters of
sentence for misbehavior, whereas Sudras are given the least number of civil
liberties but the harshest of punishments even for minor misdemeanors. Thus, it is
important to study Manusmriti with an open mind to understand its historical and
religious importance in the development of Hinduism from its early days to its current
shape.
UNIT -
CONCEPT OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT IN ANCIENT INDIA
India is a federal state with a parliamentary form of government. It is governed under
the 1949 constitution (effective since Jan., 1950). The president of India, who is head
of state, is elected for a five-year term by the elected members of the federal and
state parliaments; there are no term limits. The kingdom of Magadha, ruled by
Bimbisara, is the most powerful state in India. The Indian epic the Ramayana is
composed by the sage Valmiki. The life of Siddhartha Gautama according to modern
scholar consensus. Life of Indian Emperor Chandragupta, first ruler of the Mauryan
Empire.
The three theories of origin of state in ancient India are as follows: 1. Social Contract
Theory 2. Divine Origin Theory 3. Organic Theory. The core issues in the study of
political science are the state and the government. The institution of state is studied
in relation to its origin, nature, aims and functions of the state in ancient India. The
dawn of civilization was stated to have marked the beginning of the origin of state.
The state in ancient India was considered necessary, for it ensures peace, order and
happiness. It was a social organization with political power. However, ancient
scholars were not unanimous in their opinion with regard to the origin of the state.
According to some, state was the outcome of a contract mainly political in nature
between the rulers and the ruled, They opine that prior to the origin of state there
was something called a golden age, wherein the people enjoyed a life of peace,
order, self-discipline and happiness. Similarly, several theories like force theory,
patriarchal theory, matriarchal theory, divine origin theory and finally the evolutionary
theory advanced the origin of the state[ 33].1. Social Contract Theory: The social contract theory, one of the
common theories of the origin of state, believes that state is a
result of a contract between the king and his subjects or
representatives. The king, thus appointed, was expected to save
the state and the subjects from external aggression and establish
order and security within the state. However, the earliest Vedic
works never stated that state was the result of a contract. But,
they clarified that king was elected to wage a successful war
against the demons[34].
2. Divine Theory: The Divine theory of origin of kingship as well as
the state was not widely acclaimed in the ancient Indian polity.
The emperor, according to this theory, was a subordinate to law,
which was made by the community and not him. The society as a
whole was given greater importance than the king. The king was
not allowed to act indiscriminately and was expected to act as a
father to his subjects, and treat them with affection and kind-
ness[35].
The Divine theory holds the vision that state is like an organism and that each
department has a specific function to perform. The theory believes that the healthy
functioning of the whole organism depends upon the healthy conditions of each part
of the body or organism and its efficient performance.
The seven parts of the body, that is, state are the king or the sovereign, the minister,
the territory and population, the fortified city or the capital, the treasury, the army, the
friends and the allies. Among all the seven elements or parts, it is the king who is
most important,
It was also stated in Manusambita that ‘when the world was not without a king and
dispersed in fear in all directions, the lord created a king for the protection of all. And
because, he's formed of fragments of all those gods, the king surpasses all other
beings in splendor’.
3. Organic Theory: Organic theory deals the view that state is like
an organism and that each department has a definite role to
execute. The theory deals that the healthy functioning of the
whole organism depends upon the healthy conditions of each part
of the body or organism and its efficient functioning. The seven
parts of the body, likes state are the king or the sovereign, the
minister, the territory and population, the fortified city or the
capital, the treasury, the army, the friends and the allies. Among
all the seven elements or parts, it is the king who is most
significant.
CONCEPT OF JUSTICE AND LAW IN ANCIENT IN INDIA
Administration of justice was not a part of the state’s duties in early times. We do not
find references to any judicial organizations in Vedic literature, The aggrieved party
in order to get its wrong redressed used to sit before the accused house and not
allow him to move till his (aggrieved party) claims was satisfied or wrong righted
Later justice was administered by the tribe and clan assemblies and the judicial
procedure was very simple. But with the extension of the functions of the state andthe growth of the royal powers, the king came gradually to be regarded as the origin
of justice and a more or less elaborate system of judicial administration came into
existence, The Dharma Shastras, Niti Shastras and the Arthashastra provide us
information about the well-developed judiciary. According to these literatures the king
is the fountain head of all justice and he was required to spend every day about a
couple of hours in adjudication. The paramount duty of the king is the protection of
his subjects which involves the punishment of the wrongdoer. The law to be
administered is the Dharma Shastras subject to local and other usages which are not
inconsistent with the shastras[ 36]
TYPES OF COURTS
According to Brihaspati[ 37] there are four types of courts likes
1. Movable courts
2. Stationary courts
3. Courts deriving authority from the king and
4. Courts presided by the king himself.
as pati also mentioned three types of nomadic courts as following:
First: For the promote toforest dwellers.
Second: For the profit of caravan serai merchants.
Third: For the advantage of military men
According to Bhrighu rishi[38]: There were some of the prominent courts for
justice as follows:
1. The Kings Court: At the head of the judicial system stood the
kings court at the capital and presided by the king himself. But
more often a learned Brahmana was appointed for the purpose
and he was known as Adhyaksha or Sabhapathi. Earlier the
Adhyaksha was selected for each particular occasion and in
course of time became a permanent officer of state and held the
position of the Chief Justice (Pradvivaka). Apart from the king, this
court consisted of the Pradvivaka and three or four jurors.
2. Court presided by the Chief Justice: The court presided by the
chief justice appointed by the king called Pradvivaka was the
second type of court.
3. Principal Courts: Another court of importance were the principal
courts in large town where royal officers assisted by learned
person administered justice. They were presided by Adhyakshas
appointed by the central government.
4, Popular Courts: One special feature of ancient Indian judicial
system is the existence of popular courts.
According to Yajnavalkya[ 39] for the first time refers to three types of popular
courts.
1. Kula: The Kula has been defined by the Mitakshara[40]as
consisting of a group of relations, near or distant. The Kula or joint
families were often very extensive in ancient India. If there was a
quarrel between two members the elders used to attempt to
settle it, The Kula court was this informal body of family elders.
2. 2. Sreni: When the effort at family arbitration failed, the matter
was taken to Sreni court. The term Sreni was used to denote the
courts of guilds which became a prominent feature of the
commercial life in ancient india from 500 B.C. Sreni had their own
executive committees of four or five members and it is likely thatthey might have functioned as the Sreni court also for settling the
disputes among their members. This was an assembly of persons
following a particular profession like betel sellers, weavers, shoe
makers and such like.
3. 3. Puga: Puga was an association of persons drawn from various
castes and following different professions but staying in the
same village or town. The Sabha or the village assembly of the
Vedic period and Gramavriddha court of the Arthasastra were the
forerunner of the Puga court.
CONCEPT OF DAND IN ANCIENT INDIA
Danda: The word Danda is derived from the words Dam and Dand, which refer to
tame, subdue, to conquer or to restrain and the like. This term also means a stick.
Danda, in fact, is one of the elements of a state. The main reason for institution of
Danda is to bring about discipline in the lives of human beings who by nature are evil
and corrupt. According to Manu, itis only the king who can protect the entire
mankind and for this protection, the king uses Danda as a means or as an
instrument. In the ancient Indian political system, it was the responsibilty of the king
to maintain Dharma by means of Danda. It was widely believed that it is only through
fear of punishment that the mankind can be made more disciplined. It is this
punishment that keeps a check on their actions consciously or subconsciously[ 41].
The Purposes of Punishment: Punishment has five recognized purposes as
follows[421:
1. Deterrence: Deterrence prevents future crime by frightening
the defendant or the public. The two types of deterrence are
specific and general deterrence. Specific deterrence applies to
an individual defendant. When the government punishes an
individual defendant, he or she is theoretically less likely to
commit another crime because of fear of another similar or worse
punishment. General deterrence applies to the public at large.
When the public learns of an individual defendant's punishment,
the public is theoretically less likely to commit a crime because of
fear of the punishment the defendant experienced. When the
public learns, for example, that an individual defendant was
severely punished by a sentence of life in prison or the death
penalty, this knowledge can inspire a deep fear of criminal
prosecution.
2. Incapacitation: Incapacitation prevents future crime by
removing the defendant from society. Examples of incapacitation
are incarceration, house arrest, or execution pursuant to the
death penalty.
3. Rehabilitation: Rehabilitation prevents future crime by altering
a defendant's behavior. Examples of rehabilitation include
educational and vocational programs, treatment center
placement, and counseling. The court can combine rehabilitation
with incarceration or with probation or parole. In some states, for
example, nonviolent drug offenders must participate in
rehabilitation in combination with probation, rather thansubmitting to incarceration (Ariz. Rev. Stat., 2010). This lightens
the load of jails and prisons while lowering recidivism, which
means reoffending
4, Retribution: Retribution prevents future crime by removing the
desire for personal avengement (in the form of assault, battery,
and criminal homicide, for example) against the defendant. When
victims or society discover that the defendant has been
adequately punished for a crime, they achieve a certain
satisfaction that our criminal procedure is working effectively,
which enhances faith in law enforcement and our government.
5, Res : Restitution prevents future crime by punishing the
defendant financially. Restitution is when the court orders the
criminal defendant to pay the victim for any harm and resembles
a civil litigation damages award. Restitution can be for physical
injuries, loss of property or money, and rarely, emotional distress
It can also be a fine that covers some of the costs of the criminal
prosecution and punishment.
Unit-4
A Brief survey of the Political History of Medieval India
Medieval period refer to the phase of Indian history that stretches from the fall of the
Gupta Empire and advent of Islam into India in other words the beginning of the
Sultanate period in the 13th century. Numeral Delhi Sultanates were in power from
1210 AD to 1526 AD. The Delhi Sultanate was established Muhammad Ghori by
defeating Prithviraj Chuhan (Rajput king) in the battle of Tarain-II in 1192 AD. In 1206
death of Muhammad Ghori, Qutb ud-Din became himself sultan of Delhi and
established the Slave dynasty; it came to an end in 1290 AD. The sultanate of Delhi
was in regular change as five dynasties (families) as follows:
Slave dynasty (1206 AD to 1290 AD)
Khalji dynasty (1290 AD to 1320 AD)
Tughlug dynasty (1320 AD to 1413 AD)
4. Sayyid dynasty (1414 AD to 1451 AD)
Lodi dynasty (1451 AD to 1526 AD).
THE SLAVE DYNASTY (1206-1290)
Muhammad Ghur or Muhammad Gori left his Indian empire in the care Qutb-ud-din
Aibak. Qutb-ud-din Aibak was his trusted former slave. On Muhammad's death,
Qutb-ud-din severed his ties with Ghazni. Muhammad Ghur dynasty referred to as
the ‘mameluks' or slave dynasty, The founders of these dynasties were Qutb-ud-din
Aibak, IItutmish and Balban who did not descend from a common ancestor. This
dynasty ruled over Delhi during the period 1206 to 1290
QUTB-UD-DIN AIBAK (1206-1210): after Muhammad Ghur, Qutb-ud-din
Aibak received title of Sultan of Delhi from Ghiyas-ud-din Mahmud, nephew and
successor of Muhammad of Ghur. He reinforced his position by political matrimonial
coalitions. He was very religious Muslim, his devotion to Islam is known by the two
mosques, Quwwat-ud-Islam built at Delhi and Arhai Din ka Jhonpara built at Aimer.
weUNneHe also started the construction of Qutub Minar. He died in 1210, from the effects of
a fall from his horse while playing polo, He was known as lakh bazirs or ‘giver of
lakhs'[43].
ILTUTMISH (1210-1236): Qutb-ud-din Aibak son was Aram Shah but
incompetent for post of sultan. Aram Shah challenged to Qutb-ud-din Aibak's. After
defeated Aram Shah in 1211 and Iltutmish made himself secure as the Sultan. His
full name was Shams-ud-din litutmish. He was Aibak’s son-in-law also. On his
accession to the throne he had to face many complexities. But Ittutmish proved
himself equal to the every situation. After defeated all rivals, and was honoured with
the patent of investiture from the Caliph of Baghdad in 1229. He was the first ruler to
adopt a monetary standard the silver ‘tanka’, the ancestor of modern rupees.
Itutmush built other three more stories, and in 1368, Firoz Shah Tughlak constructed
the fifth and the last storey[44].
RAZIYA SULTAN (1236-1240): Razia Sultan, a brave sultan belonged to slave
dynasty and was the first mulim women to rule India and only women to occupy the
throne of Delhi, She succeeded her father Shams-ud-din lltutmish to the Sultanate of
Delhi in 1236. She was talented, wise, brave, excellent administrator, and a great
warrior that attracted her father which resulted that she became the next sultan of
Slave dynasty. Though her reign was just for three years, her bravery, her struggle
and her undaunted spirit has been preserved in the treasures of history. Razia
Sultan’s Tomb in Delhi is one of those places, which relives the uncharted spirit of
the brave woman who ruled Delhi once and for all[45].
THE TUGHLAQ DYNASTY
The Tughlaq Dynasty (1320 AD to 1413 AD): Ghyasuddin Tughlaq, who was
the Governor of Punjab during the reign of Ala-ud-din Khilji, ascended the throne in
1320 A.D. and founded the Tughlaq dynasty. He conquered Warrangal and put down
a revolt in Bengal. Muhammad-Bin-Tughlaq succeeded his father and extended the
kingdom beyond India, into Central Asia. Mongols invaded India during Tughlaq rule,
and were defeated this time too[ 46].
Muhammad-Bin-Tughlaq; First shifted his capital from Delhi to Devagiri in
Deccan, However, it had to be shifted back within two years. He inherited a massive
empire but lost many of its provinces, more particularly Deccan and Bengal. He died
in 1351 A.D. and his cousin, Feroz Tughlaq succeeded him[47].
Feroz Tughlaq: The invasion of Delhi by Timur in 1398 may be said to mark the
end of the Tughlaq Empire. When ascended to the throne of Delhi, Firoz was a man
of 45 years, His mother was a Hindu princess of Dipalpur, who gave herself to his
father Razzab (the younger brother of Ghazi Malik) to save her people from the
demands and oppressions of the half-breed Turks. Firoz was trained in the art of the
administration under his late cousin, the “man of ideas" Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
Muhammad kept him with himself like his son. Once becoming Sultan, he reversed
every order of his predecessor. Firuzshah Kotla (in Delhi) is the city established by
him. It was destroyed by the later rulers. The empire which was broken during his
cousin Muhammad's reign was to be recovered back, He campaigned against
Bengal for two times, planned a new city Jaunpur in memory of Muhammad Bin
Tughlag. General administration Since he was half Muslim, got a religioustemperament, probably to prove himself equal to the Pure Muslims. He started
seeking advice of the Ulemas and ruled as per the Shariat. All the taxes which were
unlawful as per Shariat were abandoned by him[48].
The Sayyid Dynasty (1414-1451)
It was the fourth dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate and ruled the Sultanate from 1414
AD to 1451 AD. Khizr Khan was the founder of Sayyid Dynasty. After Timur invasion
in 1398 AD, the Tughlaq Dynasty became extremely weak. After the massacre,
people lived a completely chaos life without a central powerful authority for more
than one decade. In 1414 AD Khizr Khan acquired the Delhi Sultanate and founded
the Sayyid Dynasty[49].
Khizr Khan (1414-1421): Timur's nominee captured Delhi and was proclaimed
the new Sultan and the first of the Sayyid Dynasty, They ruled over Delhi and
surroundings districts.
Mubarak Shah (1421-1434): He succeeded Khizr Khan at the throne after his
successful expeditions against Mewatis, Katehars and the Gangetic Doab area, He
was killed by the nobles in his own court.
Muhammad Shah (1434-1443): The nobles put Muhammad Shah on the
throne, but could not survive the in-fighting among the nobles in the court. He was
authorized to rule a meagre area of around 30 miles and rest of the Sultnate was
ruled by the nobles.
Alam Shah (1443-1451): The last Sayyid king descended in favour of Bahlol
Lodhi and himself retired. Thus began the Lodhi dynasty, which confined to Delhi and
a few surrounding areas.
Lodi Dynasty was the last dynasty of Delhi Sultanate and ruled from 1451 AD to
1526 AD. The Lodi Dynasty was of Afghan origin and Bahlul Lodi was the founder of
Lodi Dynasty. In 1451 AD, Alam Shah, the last ruler of Sayyid Dynasty voluntarily
abandoned the throne of Delhi Sultanate in favour of Bahlul Lodi. In 1526 AD, the
Lodi Dynasty came to end after the first Battle of Panipat and marked the beginning
of Mughal Empire.
The Lodhi Dynasty (1451-1526 AD)
Bahlol Lodhi (1451-88 AD): Bahlul Lodi was the first ruler of the Lodi Dynasty.
He ruled the Delhi Sultanate from 1451 AD to 1489 AD. He was first Afghan dynasty
of India. He also knew as Pathans sultans. Sikandar Lodi established himself in
Punjab after invasion of Timur founded of Lodhi dynasty. He tried to restore the glory
of Delhi by conquering territories around Delhi. Extending his authority over Jaunpur,Rewail, |tawah, Mewar, Sambhal, Gwalior etc. Though he was himself illiterate, he
extended his patronage to art and learning[50].
Sikandar Lodhi (1489-1517 AD): His real name was Nizam Khan. After the
death of Bahlul Lodi, his son Sikandar Lodi succeeded him and ascended the throne
of Delhi Sultanate in 1489 AD. He ruled the Delhi Sultanate from 1489 AD to 1517
AD. Sikandar Lodi was a good and caring ruler for his Muslim subjects but he was
extremely strict and harsh for Hindus. He founded Agra in 1504 AD as his second
capital after Delhi. In 1504, he founded the city of Agra and made it his capital. Set
up an efficient spying system and introduced the system of auditing of accounts. He
was a poet himself and wrote verses in Persian under the pen-name of Gulrukhi, He
also repaired Qutab Minar. He was a fanatical Muslim and he broke the sacred
images of the Jwalamukhi Temple at Naga Kot and ordered the temples of Mathura
to be destroyed.
Ibrahim Lodhi (1517-26 AD): Ibrahim Lodi, the youngest son of Sikandar Lodi
succeeded his father in 1517 AD and ruled the Delhi Sultanate till 1526 AD. He was
the last Sultan of Lodi Dynasty as well as the Delhi Sultanate. At last Daulat Kan
Lodhi, the governor of Punab invited Babur to overthrow Ibrahim Lodhi. Babur
accepted the offer and inflicated a crushing defeat on Ibrahim Lodi. Defeated & killed
by Babur in the first battle of Panipat in 1526. In 1526 AD, the Mughal Emperor
Babur defeated him in the first Battle of Panipat and established the Mughal Empire.
Ibrahim Lodi died in the battle. He was the only Sultan who had killed in battle. This
battle is considered as ending of Lodi Dynasty and beginning Mughal Empire in
India[5 11.
KHILJ| DYNASTY (1290-1320)
After the decline of the Slave reign, the Sultanate became even more fragile and
instable due to the numerous revolts and internal aggression. The Khilii dynasty
started with the crowning of Jalaluddin Khili by the nobles. This was around the year
1290 A.D. But within a few years, he was killed by his nephew Alauddin Khili under a
conspiracy hatched by the latter. The Khilji dynasty is also known by the name of
Khalji dynasty. The history of Khilii dynasty is marked by brutal wars and internal
conflicts among the rulers. Read on about the history of the Khalji dynasty. The next
territory that Alauddin Khilji conquered was that of Gujarat. Around 1301 A.D, he
captured Ranthambhor and murdered the Rajput Hamir Deva. Then, he killed Rana
Rattan Singh and captured Chittor. By 1305, he had captured territories like Malwa,
Ujjain, Mandu, Dhar and Chander but couldn't capture Bengal. He had conquered
almost entire north India by the year 1311 A.D. and established his kingdom
successfully. Read about the main Khilji dynasty rulers of India[ 52].
JALAL UD-DIN FIRUZ KHILJl: The founder of the Khilji dynasty was Jalal-ud-din
Firuz Khilj, who ruled from 1290 - 1294. He attacked India and built his empire
which was capital in Delhi, however he never really ruled from Delhi. He builds
another capital at Kilokhri, and reigned from there for around 6 years. At the time
Mongols attacked the on country, Jalal-ud-din Khilji confront very bravely due to his
daring Mongols depart. They came back after, five years later and attack once again
when his nephew ascended on the throne. Jalal-ud-din Khilji was murdered by his
‘own nephew which known as Ala-ud-din Khilji, when he was going to visit in Kara.
ALA-UD-DIN KHILJI: After Jalal-ud-din Khili throne ascended by the second ruler
‘Ala-ud-din Khilj, whose real name was Juna Khan. He reigned in India from 1296-
1316. He was the nephew and son-in-law of the first Khilji ruler. Jalal-ud-din Khiljikilled the first Khilji ruler (or his father-in-law) and proclaimed himself as the ruler of
Delhi, Ala-ud-din extended his territory into the peninsular India very rapidly. Due to
an acute health condition Jalal-ud-din Khilji died on January 1316 A.D.
QUTB-UD-DIN MUBARAK SHAH: The last and third ruler of the Khilji dynasty
in India was Qutb-ud-Din Mubarak Shah. The third ruler of the Khilji dynasty was the
weakest ruler, during his reign, all taxes and penalties were eradicated. He released
all prisoners of war. Qutb-ud-Din Mubarak Shah killed by Khusru Khan, hence ended
the Khilji dynasty in India
ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEM OF ALAUDDIN KHILJI
Alauddin Khilji was a stern despot and exercise complete authority over his vast
empire. Alauddin combined efficiency with sternness. He suppressed rebellions with
a strong hand. To prevent future troubles he enacted various laws by which he put a
ban on the consumption of wine, prohibited social meetings among the nobility, and
even forbade inter-marriage among them without his special permission. He
employed many spies who kept him informed of the doings of his subjects. He
burdened his subjects with heavy taxes. Naturally, the wealthier classes were
subjected to more taxes. Sultan Alauddin Khilji realized the need of keeping
an efficient army. This could only be done at heavy expenses. To reduce heavy
military expenditure the Sultan fixed a price of every article and attempted to make
goods available in cheap rates[53].
1. Fountain head of administrative system:The Sultan was the
fountain head of the administrative system. The earlier Muslim
rulers carried on their administration by the Koranic principles and
the Ulemas or Muslim divines had a large say in the formulation of
policies. However, Alauddin Khilji differed from that of his
predecessors in this respect. He did not allow the Ulemas to lay
down the principles of administration. As he used to say, “I do not
know what is lawful and what is unlawful; whatever I consider to
be for the good of my kingdom | do.” These words sum up his
attitude towards government and its objects[54].
Ibn Batuta describes Alauddin Khalji as one of the best Sultans. This observation,
however, is not justified either by the manner in which he came to power or by the
way he carried on the government. However, when the vastness of his conquests is
taken into consideration, then only perhaps the remark that he was a great Sultan
can be justified.
Sir Wolseley Haig has remarked, “With the reign of Alauddin begins what may be
called the imperial period of Sultanate which lasted about half a century.”
2. Central Administration: Sultan Alauddin Khalji established a
strong central government during his reign in which the Sultan
was the head of the administration. AH executive”, legislative and
judicial powers were centred in the hands of the “Suttan and he
had the supreme power in all the three departments. K. M. Ashraf
remarks, “The Sultan of Delhi was in theory an unlimited despot
bound by no law, subject to no material check and guided by no
law or will except his own.”There were two powerful classes—nobility and ulema in the Sultanate throughout the
13th century. Alauddin snatched all the powers from the nobility and deduced them
to the position of mere servants. He also minimized the powers of Ulema in the
affairs of State and religion
Dr. Ishwari Prasad writes, “Alauddin was opposed to the interference of the Ulema in
matters of State and in this respect, he departed from the tradition of the previous
Sultans of Delhi. The law was to depend upon the will of the monarch and had
nothing to do with the laws of the prophet. This was the guiding maxim of the new
monare!
3. Ministers: A powerful ministry was organized by the Sultan for
the smooth running of administration. Each minister was attached
to one Particular department. Their duties were to tender advice
to the Sultan but there was not bound to act according to their
counsel, The post of minister was not reserved for any class. It
was the privilege of the Sultan to appoint or suspend a minister.
The ministers had to work in their respective departments
according to the will of the Sultan. The following were the notable
ministers during the reign of Aluddin Khalji.
4, Wazir: Wazir was the most powerful minister of the Sultan. His
position was next to the Sultan in the Sultanate. He was both a
civil and military officer. He was in charge of revenue department
and he had a right to inspect the departments of other ministers.
Various appointments were made by the Sultan in consultation with the Wazir. He
used to command the royal forces at the time of war.
1. Diwan-i-Ariz - This was a department pertaining to the army and
war and the incharge of this department was named Ariz-i
Mamalik. He assisted the Sultan in recruitment of soldiers, organi-
zation of the army and expeditions.
2. Qazi-ul-Quzat - He was incharge of judicial department. He was
expected to administer justice according To Islamic law.
3. Mir Arigf - He was the lord of petitions. People could not
approach the Sultan directly, They could only send their petitions
to the Sultan through the Mir Ariz.
4, Diwan-i-Ashraf - He was the accountant general. He used to
maintain the accounts of the Sultanate.
5. Mustaafi The auditor general was known as Mustaufi. He
audited the accounts of the Sultanate.
G. Bakshi-i-Fauj -He was the pay master of the royal army.
|. Amir-i-Kohi -He was in charge of the agriculture department.
J. Diwan-i-Riyasat and Shahana-I-Mandi — They looked after the
affairs of the market. They used to keep close watch on the prices.
K. Kotwal — During pre-Mughal period the post of Kotwal was very
significant. The person who worked on it had to maintain law andorder in the city. He was also expected to check thefts and
robberies. To provide peaceful life to the citizens was the first and
foremost duty of the Kotwal.
Besides the above referred officials, there were several other officers who looked
after the affairs of administration, out of which the following were significant: a. Vakil-
|-Dar (Incharge of the keys of the gates of palace. b, Amir-i-Hajib (Incharge of
festivals). c, Amir-Akhur (In charge of royal stables). d. Amir-i-Shikar (Lord of the
Hunts). e. Sar-i-Jandar (Head of the bodyguards).
4. Provincial Administration - The empire of Alauddin was
divided into several provinces due to its large extent, The
incharge of each province was known as governor. They were
almost kings in miniature but they had to obey the orders of the
Sultan. They had all executive, legislative and judicial powers
People could prefer appeal against their decisions to the Sultan or
to Qazj-ul-Quzat. They had independent army and ‘hey made use
of it in realizing revenue. At the time of war, they sent their army
for assistance of the royal army.
The vast empire of Alauddin Khalji was divided into eleven Provinces: I. Gujarat, II.
Mlultan and Sehwan, [Link], IV. Samana and Sunam, V. Dhar and Ujjain, VI.
Jhain, VII. Chittor, VII. Chanderi, IX. Badaun, X. Avadh, XI. Kara.
Besides these provinces there were some States which accepted supremacy of the
Sultan. The rulers of these States were more independent than the Governors.
Owing to strong monarchy of Alauddin veteran governors like Ghazi Malik, Malik
Kafur and others dared not disobey the commands of the Sultan.
‘Towns were the lower units. The administration of the towns was in the hands of
separate officers. Villages were the smallest units of administration. Alauddin used to
keep a close watch over local and village administration.
5. Judicial System — Alauddin Khalji was a lover .of justice. Dr. K. S.
Lai has remarked, “The Sultan was as relentless and unflinching in
administering justice as Balban.” He was the fountainhead of
justice. He listened to the appeals and gave his judgements.
Qazi-ul-Quzat was next to him. Justice was administered by Qazis (junior officers) in
the provinces. Panches and Panchayats used to settle the disputes in the villages.
Alauddin was in favour of awarding impartial and immediate justice’.
Severe punjshmeala were in vogue during the reign of Alauddin. Mutilation of limbs
was very common. Nobody could escape justice on the basis of his piety or wealth.
The criminals were tortured to accept their crimes. Contemporary historian, Barani
has written that owing to cruelty of Alauddin and his barbarous justice thefts and
dacoities were not heard of in his reign.
6. Police and Intelligence System — Alauddin established a strong
and effective police and intelligence system in his territories. TheKotwal was the chief police officer and it was his first and foremost
duty to establish law and order in the Sultanate. Alauddin is also
known for establishing a strong spy system in the country.
Intelligence department was the base of his strong autocratic rule.
Without an effective espionage system, he might not have achieved success in
establishing control over the Amirs and nobles, Barani has also written, "No one
could stir without his (Alauddin’s) knowledge and whatever happened in the houses
of Maliks and Amirs, officers and great men, was communicated to the Sultan, The
fear of spies led barons to cease speaking anything aloud in the Hazur Sultan and if
they had to say anything they said through gestures. Day and night did they tremble
in their own houses on account of the activity of the patrol? Neither did they do
anything nor did they utter a single word which could subject them to reproof or
punishment.”
MARKET REFORMS OF ALAUDDIN KHALJI[55]: The market reforms of
Alauddin Khalji were oriented towards administrative and military necessities.
Medieval rulers believed that necessities of life, especially food grains, should be
available to the city folk at reasonable prices. But few rulers had been able to control
the prices for any length of time. Alauddin Khalji was more or less the first ruler who
looked at the problem of price control, ina systematic manner and was able to
maintain stable prices for a considerable period. It has been pointed out that
‘Alauddin Khalji instituted the market control because after the mongol seige of Delhi,
he wanted to recruit a large army. Alll his treasures would have soon exhausted if he
was to spend huge resources on army. With low prices the sultan could recruit a
large army with low expenses. Whatever may be the reason for the market reforms,
elaborate administrative arrangements were made to ensure that the market control
was followed strictly.
Alauddin fixed the prices of all commodities from grain to cloth, slaves, cattles etc.
He also set up three markets at Delhi, the first for food grains, the second for cloth of
all kinds and for expensive items such as sugar, ghee, oil, dry fruits ete, and the third
for the horses, slaves and cattle. For controlling the food prices, Alauddin tried to
control not only the supply of food grains from the villages, and its transportation to
the city by the grain merchants, but also its proper distribution to the citizens. A
number of measures were taken to see that prices laid down by the Sultan were
strictly observed.
Market for cloth, dry fruits, ghee etc. was called Sarai-i-adl. All the clothes brought
from different parts of the country and also from outside were to be stored and sold
only in this market at government rates. To ensure an adequate supply of all the
commodities, all the merchants were registered and a deed taken from them that
they would bring the specified quantities of commodities to the Sarai-i-ad! every year.
The Merchants who, brought commodities from long distances including foreign
countries were given advance money on the condition that they would not sell to any
intermediaries. In cases of costly commodities an officer was to issue permits to
amirs, maliks etc. for the purchase of these expensive commodities in accordance
with their income. This was done to prevent any black marketing of these expensive
products. The third market dealt with horses, cattle and slaves. The supply of horses
of good quality at fair prices was important for the army.SHER SHAH SURI
Farid Khan to Sher Khan: On the death of Ibrahim Lodi, Bahar Khan had proclaimed
himself as the Sultan of Bihar, assuming the title of Muhammad Shah Nuhani, Farid
joined the service of Sultan Muhammad Shah, who rewarded him the title of Sher
Khan, for killing a tiger with his bare hands during a hunting expedition. Impressed
by his service, Muhammad Shah made him the deputy to his minor son, Jalal Khan.
After some time, Sher Khan took leave to visit his Jagirs. During his absence,
Muhammad Sur poisoned the Sultan's ears that Sher Khan was planning to join
Mahmud Lodi, a brother of the late Sultan Ibrahim Lodi, and requested him to confer
his Jagirs on Suleiman. Muhammad Sur sent a force to occupy the Jagirs and
defeated Sher Khan’s army. Thus Sher Khan was once again deprived of his,
paternal Jagir[56].
During the Service of Babur, with the intention of recapturing his Jagirs, he joined the
services of Junaid Birlas, the Mughal governor of Jaunpur. Junaid was much pleased
with Sher Khan and gave him troops to recover his parganas, Unable to resist,
Muhammad Sur and Sulaiman fled; Sher Khan got possession of his own parganas
as well as Muhammad Sur's. He then befriended Muhammad Sur and retumed him
the possession of Chaundh. After leaving Nizam (his own brother) in charge of the
Jagirs, he went to Junaid Birlas and was presented to Emperor Babur at Agra in
1527. He accompanied Babur in the siege of Chander, He remained for some time
among the Mughals, where he had the opportunity to observe their military
rrangements and the character of their nobles, Once he said to his Afghan fellows,
luck and fortune favour me, I will very shortly expel the Mughals from Hind, for the
Mughals are not superior to the Afghans in battle or single combat; but the Afghans
have let the empire of Hind slip from their hands, on account of their internal
dissensions. Since I have been amongst the Mughals, and know their conduct in
action, | see that they have no order or discipline, and that their kings, from pride of
birth and station, do not personally superintend the government, but leave all the
affairs and business of the State to their nobles and ministers, in whose sayings and
doings they put perfect confidence. If fortune extends a hand to me, the Shaikh shall
soon see and hear how | will bring the Afghans under my control, and never permit
them again to become divided’[571.
ADMINISTRATION OF SHER SHAH SURI
Sher Shah Suri, also known as Sher Khan or the Lion King, was one of the greatest
administrators of medieval Indian. The Sher Shah Suri administration was based
on the old institutions in a new spirit, and in this task attained to much success that
he almost transformed the medieval Indian administration and made it serve the
interest of the people. He created no new ministry and his administrative divisions
and sub-divisions were borrowed from the past, and so also the titles of his
officer[581.
The Central ad stration: Like all rulers of the Sultanate of Delhi, Sultan
Sher Shah was a despot and was at the top of the Central administration. But unlike
his predecessors, he was a benevolent despot, exercising power for the benefit of
the people. Still all the strings of policy and civil and military powers were
concentrated in his hands. His ministers were in charge of the daily routine work of
administration and had no authority to initiate policy or to propose radical changes in
the mode of transacting business or in the administrative setup[ 59].The Empire assisted by ministers. Thus, Sher Shah had four ministers after the
model of the Sultanate period, They were as such:
1. Diwan-i-Wazarat,
2. Diwan-i-Ariz,
3. Diwan-i-Risalat, and
4. Diwan-i-Insha.
Thus, there were minor officers, two of whom (the chief qazi and the head of the
news department) enjoyed quite high rank and are placed by some writers in the
group of minister. Hence it may be said that the machinery of the central government
under Sher Shah Suri was just the equal as under earlier Slave dynasty.
Ariz-i-Mamalik (Army Ministry): after central administration second category
ministry was Ariz-i-Mamalik. Who was the army minister. He was not the
commander-in-chief of the army. He was in charge recruitment cell and maintains
discipline. He had to make planning for payment of salaries of the army and their
officers and to look after the disposition of army on the field of battle. However, in the
military department Sher Shah was personally interest, he generally interfered with
the work of Diwan-i-Ariz. Sher Shah fixed the salary of individual soldiers and looked
their welfare also.
Foreign minister: The third category ministry was the Diwan--Risalat or Diwan-
i-Muhtasib (Foreign minister). He was in charge of not only diplomatic
correspondence, but also the charity and endowment department. His work was
related to ambassadors and representatives.
Diwan-i-Insha: The fourth types of ministry were known as Diwan--Insha. The
heads of Diwan-i-Insha had to draft imperial announcement and dispatches. His
responsibility was also to communicate with governors and other local executive
officers. He maintained Government record also.
Diwan-i-Qaza and Diwan-i-Barid: The other departments which were
sometimes reckoned as ministers were Diwan-i-Qaza and Diwan-i-Barid. The chief
gazi was the head of the first. He had to supervise the administration of justice
besides deciding cases, whether in the first instance or appeals from the courts of
provincial qazis| 60].
The Barid-i-Mamalik: was the head of the Intelligence department, and it was
his duty to report every important incident to the king. He had a host of news writers
and spies who were posted in towns, markets and in every important locality. He also
made arrangements for the posting of new-carriers at various placed to carry the
royal dak[61].
There seems to have been a high official in charge of the royal household and the
various workshops attached to it. His duty was to administer the king's household
department and to keep watch over crowds of servants attached to it. He was very
near the royal person and therefore, enjoyed a high prestige.
Provincial administration of Sher Shah[621: Dr. Saran maintains that
Sher Shah did have large military governorship. Throughout the Sultanate period,
including the reign of Sher Shah and his son Islam Shah, there were administrative
divisions corresponding to provinces, but they were not uniform in size or income.
They were not called subas or provinces, but were known as iqtas which were
assigned to important chiefs. Besides these, there were numerous of vassalage
under the sultans of Delhi. Such states and the igtas did not enjoy a uniform politicalstatus and were not governed by the same system of administration. But while
during the reign of earlier sultans of Delhi the control of the central government over
them was nominal, under Sher Shah it was substantial and strict. It will, thus, be
seen that there were military governorships in the time of Sher Shah, such as those
of Lahore, the Punjab, Malwa and Ajmer. The officials in charge of these provinces
were commanders of large armies. Sher Shah established a new type of provincial
administration in Bengal, which he divided into a number of sarkars, placing each in
charge of an Afghan officer. At the head of the entire province he placed a civilian
with a small army under his command. His principal duty was to supervise the work
of the officers of the sarkars and to settle their disputes. This was done to guard
against rebellions.
All other provinces had governors and a few other officers who seem to have
enjoyed the same designation in various provinces, barring which there was no
uniformity in their administrative machinery or method. In fact, we have not means of
ascertain the names and number of officers appointed to various provinces; nor do
we know whether the governor was authorized to appoint his colleagues or they
were appointed by Sher Shah himself. In short, the provincial administration under
Sher Shah was not so much organized as that under Akbar. But it was definitely a
good step forward.
Land Revenue System of Sher Shah[63]: Before Sher Shah, the land rent
was realized from the peasants on the basis of estimated produce from the land but
this system did not seem to be faultless as the produce was not constantly the same.
It increased or decreased year after year. Sher Shah introduced a number of reforms
in the fields of revenue. These are as follows.
1. Sher Shah was the first Muslim ruler who got the whole of the
land measured and fixed the land-tax on it on just and fair
principles.
2. The land of each peasant was measured first in “bighas” and then
half of it was fixed as the land tax. According to More land in
certain portions of the empire such as Multan the land tax was
however one-fourth of the total produce
3. The settlement made between the Govt. and the peasant in
respect of the land revenue was always put in black and white.
Every peasant was given as written document in which the share
of the Govt. was clearly mentioned so that no unscrupulous
officer might cheat the innocent peasant. This is known as ‘Pata’.
4, Each and every peasant was given the option to pay the land-tax
either in cash of in kind. The subjects of Sher Shah used to Kabul
(Promise) that they should pay taxes in lieu of Patta.
5. The peasants were required to credit the land-tax direct into the
Govt. treasury, to be on the safe side, so that the collecting
officers might not charge them any extra money.
6. Strict orders had been issued to the revenue authorities that
leniency might be shown while fixing the land tax, but strictness
in the collection thereof should be the inevitable rule
7. But suitable subsidy was granted to the farmers in the time of
drought, famine or floods from the royal treasury.
8. Special orders were issued to soldiers that they should not
damage the standing crops in any way. According to Abbas Khan,the cars of those soldiers, who disregarded these orders, were cut
off. Even when Sher Shah led an expedition to the territory of his
enemy, he was very particular about it that no harm shall come to
the farmers in any way from the excesses of his soldiers.
9. In case of damages compensation was granted to the former by
the Govt. This arrangement of Sher Shah was as reasonable as
was adopted not by Akbar only but was followed by the British
Govt. also. The well-known ‘Ryatwari System’ which has been in
vague till now, was not founded by Akbar but by Sher Shah.
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MUGHALS EMPIRE
Babur (reign - 1526 to1530 AD) The founder of the Mughal Empire in India,was the
descendant of as Changez Khan. Ousted by his cousins, he came to India and
defeated Ibrahim, the last Lodi Sultan in 1526 at the First Battle of Panipat. There
was a brief interruption to Mughal rule when Babur’s son Humayun (reign — 1530
101540 AD) was ousted from Delhi, by Sher Shah, an Afghan chieftain. It was
Babur's grandson Akbar (reign — 1556 to1605), who consolidated political power and
extended his empire over practically the whole of north India and parts of the south:
Jahangir (reign- 1605 to 1627 AD) who succeeded Akbar was a pleasure loving man
of refined taste, Shah Jahan (reign 1628 to 1658 AD) his son, ascended the throne
next. Shah Jahan’s fame rests on the majestic buildings he has left behind — the Taj
Mahal, the Red Fort and the Jama Masjid. Aurangzeb (reign — 1658 to 1707 AD) was
the last Great Mughal ruler.
ADMINISTRATION OF AKBAR
The administrative machinery of the Mughuls, which functioned during the Mughut's
rule, was launched by Akbar. ‘Mughul Administration means Akbar's Administration.
Akbar was not only a brave warrior, a successful leader and a great religious
reformer but also a great administrator. He initiated various reforms in every parts of
the administration
Central Administration: Akbar was the overall in-charge of the central
government. All the executive, judicial and legislative powers of the state were
combined in him. There were no limitations on his despotism and his word was law.
But Akbar had always the welfare of his people in his mind and so his was a
benevolent despotism. He himself supervised all the branches of his administration
and worked hard to discharge his manifold duties, He would hold an open court,
listen to the complaints of his subjects and try to pacify them|64].
Akbar administration was assisted by a numerous ministers. The most important
ministers were Vakil, Diwan, Mir Bakshi, Sadar-i-Sadur, Khan-i-Saman, Muhtasib
Daroga-i-Dak ,Chowki. There works were as follows:1. The Vakil - He maintained a general control over all the central
departments and acted as the chief adviser of the King, who was
in-charge of finance and revenue also.
2. Mir Bakshi - He maintained the records of all the Mansabdars
and distributed pay among the high officials.
3. Sadar-i-Sadur - He acted as a religious adviser to the king,
disbursed royal charity and discharged the function of the Chief
Justice of the empire.
4. Khan-ieSaman - Beside these ministers, there were other
ministers of lower rank- Khan-i-Saman, who was in-charge of the
royal household; Muhtasib, who saw that the people (Muslims) led
a highly moral life according to the Muslim law.
5. Daroga-i-Dak Chowki - Daroga-i-Dak Chowki an officer who was
in-charge of the postal and intelligence department.
Provincial Administration: Akbar divided his vast empire into fifteen Subas or
provinces. In each suba or province there was a Subedar, a Diwan, a Bakshi,
a Sadar, a Qazi, a Kotwal, a Mir Bahr and Waqa-i-Nawis.
1. The Subedaror Governor - He was the head of the provincial
administration. He enjoyed vast powers and was in-charge of the
provincial military, police, judiciary and the executive.
2. The Diwan- was in-charge of the provincial finance and all bills of
payments were signed by him.
3. The Bakshi - He looked after the management of the provincial
army. The Sadarwas in-charge of the judicial charity department.
4, The Qazi - He was in-charge of the judicial department of his
province. He supervised the work of Qazisin the districts and
towns.
5. The Kotwal- Was the supreme administrator of all the ‘thanas’ of
the province and was responsible for the maintenance of law and
order in all the cities, The Mir Bahr was in-charge of customs and
taxation department.
6. The Waqa-i-Nawis - Was in-charge of the secret service of the
province.
The provinces were further divided into Sarkars and Sarkars into Parganas. The
head of the Sarkar was Faujdar who kept his own small force and maintained law
and order in his area, He was assisted by a number of other officials who collected
the revenue, maintained the accounts and deposited the money into the state
treasury. The head of the Parganas was called Shikdar whose functions were the
same as those of the Faujdar in a Sarkar. Each Pargana comprised several
villages, Each village was under the charge of a Mugaddam, a Patwari and
a Chowkidar who carried on the work of administration with the help of the
village panchayat.
Military Administration: Akbar paid much attention towards the organization,
equipment and discipline of the army. For efficient military administration he
introduced a new system known as the Mansabdari System. The Mansabdars had to
maintain soldiers according to his grade or rank. There were thirty three grades of
these Mansabdars who maintained soldiers ranging from 10 to 10,000. They were
paid salaries in cash and the system of assignments of lands was discouraged. They
were directly under the charge of the emperor and were promoted, degrade or
dismissed at his will. He also revived the practice of taking the descriptive rolls of thesoldiers and branding the horses. A large number of troops were, no doubt, supplied
by these Mansabdars but Akbar had maintained a standing army of his own. The
Mughul army consisted of infantry, cavalry, artillery, elephants, and navy. The cavalry
was the most important wing of the army and special attention was paid towards its
organization and equipment[65].
Land Revenue Administration: Land Revenue was the chief sources of
income of the Government. So, Akbar paid special attention towards the organization
of the land revenue administration. With the help of his Diwan (Revenue Minister),
Raja Todar Mal, Akbar introduced many reforms in his revenue department. First of
all, the land was measured into ‘bighas’, secondly, all the cultivated land was
classified into four divisions — Polaj, Parauti,Chachar and Banjar. The Polaj land
was always cultivated and was never allowed to fallow; the Parauti land was,
allowed to fallow for a year or two to recover its strength; the Chachar land had to
be left uncultivated for three or four years and Banjar land had to be left fallow for
five years or more. Thirdly, the total produce of each land was determined
separately, Fourthly, the share of the state was fixed at one-third of the total produce.
Land revenue was paid in cash or in kind, but cash payment was preferred. Loans
with small interest were advanced to the cultivators. In case of famine, drought or
another unexpected calamity, remission was granted and even loans were advanced
for purchase of seeds and animals. The revenue collectors were asked to be friendly
towards the cultivators and not to oppress them on every account. As a result of
these measures the revenue of the state greatly increased, the cultivators became
better off and the country became prosperous. The abundance of food also made the
life of the common man better and happier than before[ 66].
Judicial Administration (Judicial Reforms): Akbar set up various reforms in
the administration of justice. Previously to Akbar almost all the cases were decided
according to the Islamic law. For the first time, Hindu law was administered in
deciding the cases where the parties Hindus, but Islamic law continued to function
where the parties involved were Muslims. The emperor was the highest court of
appeal. Capital punishment was given only in severe cases[67].
Social Reforms: Despite his multifarious activities Akbar found time to undertake
several social reform measures for wedding out the evils of both the Muslim and
non-Muslim societies. His principle of religious toleration did not, however, make him
blind to certain evils in the Hindu society, In 1563, the Pilgrim Tax, which was a
great burden on the Hindus, was abolished. In 1564, Jaziya, a tax which was
imposed on non-Muslims, was also abolished. Akbar tried to stop the practice of Sati.
Child marriage was discouraged and female-infanticide was forbidden. Widow-
marriage was encouraged. in 1582, an order was passed appointing a number of
officers to regulate the transactions of sale and purchase of a certain number listed
articles. In the same year (1582) a very important proclamation was made liberating
all the slaves in the empire[68].
From the above account it is quite clear that Akbar was a great administrator and the
administrative machinery that he set up continued to function throughout the Mughul
period.
SHIVAJI
Introduction of Shivaji: Shivaji was born in 1627. He was the son of Shahji
Bhonsle and Jija Bai, Shahji Bhonsle acted as the king maker in Ahammednagar.
After its extinction, transferred his service to Bijapur. Shivaji spent his childhoodunder the protection of a Brahmin official called Dadaji Kondadev. While Jija bai built
up the character of Shivaji, Kond Dev trained him in the art of fighting and
administration. Shivaji aimed to create an independent kingdom of his own right from
the beginning of his career. His primary aim was to carve out an independent
kingdom for himself in Maharashtra. At the age of 20 years he started his adventures
on a wider scale. Many courageous Maratha leader gathered round him. In 1643
Shivaji captured the fort of the singhgarh from Bijapur and then gradually the forts of
Chaken, Purandar, Varanati, Torna, Supa, Tikona, Lohgarch, Rairi were taken over.
Shivaji had won over many of his officers of Bijapur to his side by bringing them. The
conquest of Javli made him in disputed master. Shivaji came into conflict with the
Mughals first in 1657. Aurangazeb had attacked Bijapur, which sought his help
Shivaji could realize that it was in his interest also to check the power of the Mughals
from penetrating in the Deccan. Therefore he helped Bijapur and attacked south
west territory of the Mughals. He looted Junar and troubled the Mughals at several
places. But when Bijapur made peace with the Mughals, he also stopped raids on
Mughals territory. With Aurangazeb away in the north, Shivaji resumed his career of
conquest at the expense of Bijapur. He captured Konkan. Bijapur now decided to
take stern action Afzalkhan who was a reputed commander of Bijapur was deputed
for his task in 1659. With a large army, He tried to terrify Shivaji by wholesale
destruction of temples, agriculture and populace with in his territories Afzalkhan
assured Shivaji that if he would come to meet him in person and agreed to accept
the suzerainty of Bijapur he would so given the a additional territory as Jagir. Shivaji
got scant of Afzalkhan and decided the pay him in the some coins. He agreed to
meet Afzalkhan after a solemn promise of his personal safety. Shivaji went prepared
and murdered khan in cunning but daring manner, Shivaji put his leaderless army to
rout captured all goods and equipment including his artillery. Flushed with victory, the
Maratha troops overran the powerful fort of Panhala and poured in to south Konkan
and Kolhapur districts making extensive conquest. Shivaji's exploits made him a
legendary figure. His name passed from house to house and was credited with
magical powers. People flocked to him from the Maratha areas to join his army.
Meanwhile, Aurangazeb was anxiously watching the rise of a Maratha power so near
the Mughal frontier. Aurangazeb instructed the new Mughal govemor of Deccan,
Shiasta Khan to invade Shivaji dominion. At first the war went bodly for Shivaji
Shaista Khan occupied Poona and made it his headquarter. He sent army to capture
Konkan from Shivaji, Mughal secured their contest on north Konkan. Driven into a
corner Shivaji made bold stroke, He infiltrated in to the camp of Shaista Khan at
Poona and at night attacked Khan, killing his son, and one of his captains and
wounding khan. This daring attack put the Khan in to [Link] anger Aurangazeb
transferred Shaista Khan to Bengal. Meanwhile Shivaji made another bold move. He
attacked Surat and looted it in to his hearts content, returning home laden with
Treasure. After the failure of Shaista Khan Aurangazeb deputed Raja Jai Singh of
‘Amber to deal with Shivaji[69].
In 1670 AD Shivaji again started fighting against the Mughals and succeeded in
capturing many farts from among those which he had surrounded to by the treaty of
Purandar. He conquered forts like singhgarh, Purandar, Kalyan Mahuli ete. and
successfully raided to the territories of the Mughals in Deccan. He also plundered
Surat in 1670 for the second time. Thus within a few years; Shivaji captured many
farts and territories from the Mughals and Bijapur. In 1674 Shivaji held his
coronation, assumed the title Chatrapathi and made Raigarh his [Link] 1677-78
AD Shivaji attacked east Kamatak on the pretext of getting share of his fathers jagirfrom his brother. He then conquered the forts of Jinji and vollore and the territory
between rivers Thungabhadra and Kaveri in Karnataka. The Karnatak expedition
was the last major expedition of Shivaji. Shivaji died in 1680 shortly after his return
the Kamatak expedition[ 70].
Shivaji Administration System
Shivaji had laid the foundation of a sound system of administration. His
administrative system was largely borrowed from the administrative practices of the
Deccan [Link] all other medieval rulers, Shivaji was a despot with all powers
concentrated in his [Link] possessed all executive and legislative power. ‘Shivaji’
was a great organizer and constructive civilian administrator. The one of the novelty
of Shivajis administration was the introduction of Maratha language as the state
language.
(i) Central Administration: The administration was divided into eight
departments headed by ministers who are sometimes called Ashta pradhan. The
eight ministers were (1) Peshwa who looked after the finances and general
administration. (2) Sari-Naubat who was the Senapati. (3) Majumdar looked after the
accounts. (4) Waqai navis looked after the intelligence, post and household affairs
(5) Surnavis or Chitnis looked after official correspondence (6) Dabir looked after
foreign affairs (7) Nyayadhish looked after justice and (8) Pandit Rao looked after
ecclesiastical affairs. The ashtapradhan was not a creation of Shivaji. Many of these
officers like Peshwa, Majumdar, Waqai navis, Dabir and Sumavis had existed under
the Deccani rulers also. All the members of the astha pradhan except Pandit Rao
and Nyaydhish were asked to lead military campaigns. Under Shivaji these offices
were neither hereditary nor permanent. They held the office at the pleasure of the
king. They were also frequently transferred. Each of the ashta pradhan was assisted
by eight assistants’ diwan, Majumdar, Fadnis, Sabnis; Karkhanis, Chitnis, Jamadar
and [Link] dealt with all diplomatic correspondences and wrote all royal
letters. The Fadnis used to respond to the letters of commanders of the forts. The
;otnis looked after the income and expenditure of the royal treasury[71].
i) Provincial and Local Administration: The provincial administration was
also organized on the Deccani and Mughal [Link] the provincial units already
existed under the Deccani rulers. Shivaji reorganized and in certain cases renamed
them. The provinces were known as Prants. The Prants were under the charge of
subedar. Over a number of Subedar there were Sarsubedar to control and supervise
the work of subedar. Smaller than prant were Tarfs which were headed by a
[Link] there were Mauzas or villages which were the lowest unit of
administration. At the level of village, Kulkarni used to keep accounts and maintained
records while Patil had legal and policing power. At the level of Pargana, Deshpande
used to keep account and maintain records while Deshmukh had legal and policing
powers. The Police officer in rural area was called Faujdar and in urban area was
called Kotwal. The Maratha polity did not have unified civilian-cummilitary rank.
Under the Marathas performance based Brahmin elites manned the central
bureaucracy and the local administration. In this capacity they were called
Kamvishdar who enjoyed wide powers of tax assessment and collection. They
adjudicated cases, provided information about local conditions and kept records.
Later on, the British District collector was modelled on this Maratha officer only[721.
1. Army: Cavalry and infantry constituted the primary part of the army of Shivaj
The paga cavalrymen were called the bargirs. They were provided horses by the
state while the silahdars purchased their armies and horses themselves. The pagacavalry was well organized. Twenty five horsemen formed a unit which was placed
under a havildar. Shivaji preferred to give cash salaries to the regular soldiers,
though some time the chief received revenue grants strict disciplines was maintained
in the army. The plunder taken by each soldiers during compaign was strictly
accounted for, farts and security occupied an important place in the army
organization of Shivaji. Shivaji maintained a navy as well. Shivaji had 400 ships of
different kind. The navy was divided in to two parts and each part was commanded
by darive Nayak and mai Nayak respectively.
10. Finance and Revenue: The revenue system seems to have
been patterned on the system of Malik Ambar land revenue; Trade
Tax etc. were the primary source of the fixed income of Shivaji.
But income from these sources was not sufficient to meet the
expenditure of the state. Therefore Shivaji collected the chauth
and Sardeshmukhi from the territory which was either under his
enemies or under his own influence. The chauth was 1/4 part of
the income of the particular territory while the Sardeshmukhi was
1/10. Shivaji collected these taxes simply by force of his army.
These taxes constituted primary source of the income of Shivaji
and after wards helped in the extension of the power and territory
of the Marathas. The revenue system of Shivaji was Rytowari in
which the state kept direct contact with peasants. Shivaji mostly
avoided the system of assigning Jagir to his officers and whenever
he assigned Jagir to them, the right of collecting the revenue was
kept with state officials.
UNIT-V
SOCIETY IN MEDIEVAL INDIAN SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON THE
CONDITION OF WOMEN
Medieval India was not women’s age it is supposed to be the ‘dark age’ for them.
Medieval India saw many foreign conquests, which resulted in the decline in
women's status, When foreign conquerors like Muslims invaded India they brought
with them their own culture. For them women was the sole property of her father,
brother or husband and she does not have any will of her own. This type of thinking
also crept into the minds of Indian people and they also began to treat their own
women like this. One more reason for the decline in women's status and freedom
was that original Indians wanted to shield their women folk from the barbarous
Muslim invaders. As polygamy was a norm for these invaders they picked up any
women they wanted and kept her in their “harems”. In order to protect them Indian
women started using 'Purdah’, (a veil), which covers body. They were not allowed to
move freely and this lead to the further deterioration of their status. These problems
related with women resulted in changed mindset of people. Now they began to
consider a girl as misery and a burden, which has to be shielded from the eyes of
intruders and needs extra care. Whereas a boy child will not need such extra care
and instead will be helpful as an earning hand. Thus a vicious circle started in which