Medieval Indian History for UPSC Prelims
Medieval Indian history notes and facts for UPSC Prelims preparation.
Unit 1: Sources and Historiography
Medieval India: Meaning and Scope
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Periodization of Medieval Indian History
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Sources of Medieval History
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Inscriptions as Sources
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Copper-Plate Grants Sources
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Temple Inscriptions Sources
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Prashastis and Genealogies Sources
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Persian Chronicles Sources
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Arabic Accounts Sources
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Sanskrit Literary Sources
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Regional Language Sources
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Travel Accounts Sources
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Numismatic Evidence Sources
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Archaeological Evidence Sources
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Architecture as Sources
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Land Grant Records Sources
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Rajatarangini Sources
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Tabaqat-i-Nasiri Sources
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Rihla of Ibn Battuta Sources
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Limits of Medieval Sources
Unit 2: Early Medieval Transition
Ancient to Medieval Transition
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Political Fragmentation
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Regionalization of Power
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Rise of Regional Kingdoms
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Early Medieval Polity
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Samanta System
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Indian Feudalism Debate
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Land Grants and Power
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Brahmadeya Grants
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Agrahara Settlements
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Devadana Grants
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Expansion of Agriculture
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Forest Clearance
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Peasantization of Tribes
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Rural Hierarchy
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Landed Intermediaries
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Temple-Centred Economy
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Urban Decline Debate
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Urban Revival Debate
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Background to Sultanate Rule
Unit 3: Society, Economy and Culture in Early Medieval India
Growth of Jatis
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Caste Proliferation
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Rajputization
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Kshatriya Identity
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Guilds in Early Medieval India
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Merchant Corporations
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Inland Trade Networks
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Coastal Trade Networks
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Coinage and Monetization
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Temple as Social Institution
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Temple as Economic Institution
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Sanskrit Cosmopolis
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Rise of Regional Languages
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Puranic Hinduism
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Shaivism
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Vaishnavism
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Shaktism
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Tantric Traditions
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Decline of Buddhism
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Early Medieval Cultural Change
Unit 4: North India and the Tripartite Struggle
Unit 5: Rajput and Other North Indian States
Rajput State Formation
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Chahamanas of Shakambhari
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Prithviraj Chauhan
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Paramaras of Malwa
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Bhoja of Paramara Dynasty
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Chandellas of Bundelkhand
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Khajuraho Temples
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Gahadavalas of Kannauj
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Jayachandra
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Kalachuris
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Tomaras of Delhi
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Solankis of Gujarat
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Kumarapala
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Utpala and Lohara Kashmir
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Kalhana
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Kamarupa Kingdom
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Himalayan Polities
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North India before Turkish Rule
Unit 6: Early Medieval South India
Unit 7: Cholas and Later South Indian Powers
Rise of the Cholas
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Vijayalaya Chola
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Aditya I
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Parantaka I
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Rajaraja I
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Rajendra I
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Chola Naval Expeditions
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Chola Administration
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Ur, Sabha and Nagaram
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Chola Revenue System
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Brihadeshwara Temple
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Chola Bronze Sculpture
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Medieval Pandyas
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Cheras of Kerala
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Ay Kingdom
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Hoysala Emergence
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Yadavas of Devagiri
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Kakatiyas
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Eastern Gangas
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South India before Sultanate Expansion
Unit 8: Arab and Turkish Contacts before 1206
Muhammad bin Qasim
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Raja Dahir
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Causes of Arab Invasion
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Arab Administration in Sindh
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Mansura
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Multan
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Arab Trade on Western Coast
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Arab Merchants in Malabar
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Early Muslim CommUnit ies
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Al-Biruni
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Kitab al-Hind
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Ghaznavid Kingdom
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Mahmud of Ghazni
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Ghaznavid Raids
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Somnath Raid
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Punjab under Ghaznavids
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Lahore as Ghaznavid Centre
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Impact of Ghaznavid Invasions
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Central Asian Links with India
Unit 9: Ghurid Expansion and Turkish Success
Ghurid Rise
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Muhammad Ghori
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First Battle of Tarain
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Second Battle of Tarain
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Battle of Chandawar
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Qutb-ud-din Aibak
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Bakhtiyar Khalji
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Conquest of Bihar
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Turkish Expansion in Bengal
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Buddhist Monastic Centres
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Turkish Military Organization
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Cavalry and Mounted Archery
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Horse Trade
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Slave Military Elite
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Persianate Political Culture
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Rajput Resistance
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Weaknesses of Rajput Polity
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Causes of Turkish Success
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From Raids to Rule
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Delhi Sultanate Background
Unit 10: Mamluk Dynasty
Establishment of Delhi Sultanate
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Lahore and Delhi Centres
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Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque
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Qutub Minar
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Iltutmish
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Consolidation
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Turkish Nobility
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Chihalgani
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Iqta under Iltutmish
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Tanka and Jital
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Caliphal Recognition
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Raziya Sultan
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Raziya and Nobles
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Nasiruddin Mahmud
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Balban
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Balban’s Kingship
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Blood and Iron Policy
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Sijda and Paibos
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Transition to Khalji Rule
Unit 11: Khalji Dynasty
Jalaluddin Khalji
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Khalji Revolution
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Alauddin Khalji
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Mongol Invasions
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Siri Fort
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Gujarat Campaign
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Ranthambore Campaign
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Chittor Campaign
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Malwa Campaign
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Malik Kafur
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Devagiri Campaign
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Warangal Campaign
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Dwarasamudra Campaign
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Madurai Campaign
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Deccan Tributary Policy
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Alauddin’s Centralization
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Alauddin and Ulema
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Amir Khusrau
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Alai Darwaza
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Fall of Khalji Dynasty
Unit 12: Tughlaq Dynasty
Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq
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Tughlaqabad Fort
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Muhammad bin Tughlaq
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Capital Transfer
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Token Currency
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Doab Taxation
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Diwan-i-Kohi
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Qarachil Expedition
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Khurasan Project
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Ibn Battuta
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Rebellions under Muhammad Tughlaq
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Decline in Deccan
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Firoz Shah Tughlaq
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Public Works of Firoz
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Diwan-i-Khairat
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Diwan-i-Bandagan
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Jizya under Firoz
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Ashokan Pillars
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Timur’s Invasion
Unit 13: Sayyid, Lodi and Sultanate Decline
Collapse of Tughlaq Authority
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Sayyid Dynasty
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Khizr Khan
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Mubarak Shah Sayyid
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Bahlol Lodi
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Afghan Polity
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Afghan Tribal Nobility
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Sikandar Lodi
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Foundation of Agra
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Sikandar Lodi’s Administration
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Ibrahim Lodi
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Conflict with Afghan Nobles
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Jaunpur and Sharqi Challenge
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Lodi Relations with Rajputs
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Late Sultanate Revenue
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Late Sultanate Military Structure
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Lodi Tomb Architecture
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Causes of Sultanate Decline
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Transition to Early Modern India
Unit 14: Sultanate Administration
Nature of Delhi Sultanate
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Sultan as Authority
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Caliphate and Legitimacy
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Theory of Kingship
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Centralized Monarchy
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Nobility under Sultanate
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Turkish Nobles
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Afghan Nobles
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Indian Muslim Nobles
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Ulema and State
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Wazir
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Diwan-i-Wizarat
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Ariz-i-Mamalik
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Diwan-i-Arz
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Diwan-i-Insha
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Diwan-i-Risalat
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Barid System
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Qazi and Justice
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Sadr-us-Sudur
Unit 15: Sultanate Economy, Army and Society
Unit 16: Vijayanagara Empire
Vijayanagara Foundation
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Harihara I
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Bukka I
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Vidyaranya Tradition
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Sangama Dynasty
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Devaraya I
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Devaraya II
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Saluva Dynasty
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Tuluva Dynasty
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Krishnadevaraya
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Amuktamalyada
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Vijayanagara Administration
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Nayankara System
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Amara-Nayakas
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Vijayanagara Revenue
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Hampi
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Vijayanagara Trade
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Vijayanagara Temples
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Foreign Travellers
Unit 17: Bahmani and Deccan Sultanates
Bahmani Kingdom Foundation
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Hasan Bahman Shah
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Gulbarga
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Bidar
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Bahmani Administration
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Tarafdars
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Afaqis and Dakhnis
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Mahmud Gawan
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Mahmud Gawan’s Reforms
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Mahmud Gawan Madrasa
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Bahmani-Vijayanagara Rivalry
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Raichur Doab
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Deccan Art and Architecture
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Bahmani Breakup
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Ahmadnagar
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Bijapur
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Golconda
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Deccan before Europeans
Unit 18: Provincial Sultanates and Regional States
Bengal Sultanate
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Ilyas Shahi Dynasty
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Adina Mosque
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Hussain Shahi Dynasty
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Gaur and Pandua
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Bengal Trade
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Jaunpur Sultanate
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Sharqi Dynasty
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Atala Mosque
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Gujarat Sultanate
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Ahmad Shah I
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Ahmedabad
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Mahmud Begarha
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Champaner
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Gujarat Maritime Trade
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Malwa Sultanate
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Mandu Architecture
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Kashmir Sultanate
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Zain-ul-Abidin
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Kashmir’s Cultural Life
Unit 19: Eastern, Western and Frontier Regions
Odisha under Eastern Gangas
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Anantavarman Chodaganga
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Jagannath Temple
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Gajapati Kingdom
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Kapilendra Deva
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Assam and Eastern Frontier
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Sukapha
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Ahom Administration
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Kamata Kingdom
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Koch Background
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Mewar Kingdom
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Rana Kumbha
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Kumbhalgarh Fort
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Marwar and Rathores
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Sindh after Arabs
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Sumra and Samma Dynasties
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Kerala Regional Polities
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Zamorin of Calicut
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India before European Arrival
Unit 20: Bhakti, Sufism, Art, Literature and Technology
Bhakti Movement
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Alvars and Nayanars
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Ramanuja
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Madhvacharya
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Ramananda
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Kabir
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Ravidas
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Guru Nanak
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Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
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Sankardev
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Sufism in India
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Chishti Order
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Suhrawardi Order
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Nizamuddin Auliya
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Regional Architecture Styles
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Medieval Literature
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Science and Technology
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Vasco da Gama at Calicut