INDIA 1500 AD

INDIA

Introduction

The Delhi Sultanate was the greatest civilization and would dominate the next 500 years due to its prospering economy, religious tolerance, its extensive art and architecture, and its societal values and class structure.

Economy & Trade

Agriculture

• Agriculture was a major occupation at that time. Land was the source of production.
• The village was a self-sufficient unit; the men took to the tilling and harvesting of crops, the women lend their hands to various functions like taking care of the animals.
• The soil was so fertile that it could produce two crops per year
• The main crops were: wheat, rice, seasame, sugarcane, cotton, etc.
• Fruit: grapes, dates, apples, oranges, bananas, jack fruits
• The main exports: Medicinal herbs, spices, tobacco, tea and coffee
• Land was the pivot around which the whole village life revolved.

Industries

Trade & Commerce

• Inland and foreign trade flourished; inland trade included various classes of merchants and shop-keepers. The Gujarati’s, Chetti’s, and Banjaras were the main traders. The Banjaras carried out the business of transporting agricultural goods from one part of the country to another.
• The main imports: silks, velvets, embroidered materials, horses, guns, gun-powder, & some precious metals
• The main exports: grain, cotton, precious stones, indigo, hides, opium, spices and sugar
• The countries involved in commerce: Iraq, Persia, Egypt, East Africa, China, Central Asia, and Afghanistan

• There were village and cottage industries
• Village industries included oil pressing and making of jaggery (dark brown sugar made of from the sap of palm trees)
• Cottage industries included weaving and spinning of cotton, metal and stone work
• There were goldsmiths and silversmiths
• Textile industry was the biggest at the time; textiles included cotton cloth, woollen, and silks.
• Industries of embroidery, gold thread work and dyeing were also included.
• Industrial centres: Dehli, Jaunpur, Lucknow, and Cambay

• During the initial years of the sultanate, most ancient religious sects in India were Vedic; which included religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Vaishnavism, Shaivism
• But with time many religions declined or were concentrated only in some parts of India ---> rise of Islam.
• Sunnis and Shi'as composed a majority of Indians
• Sufism was popular among the people as it was similar to Buddhism and shared similar values with Hinduism
• Love towards god, non violence, practice of self discipline, etc
• The Sultanate experienced a cultural renaissance. The resulting "Indo-Muslim" fusion left lasting monuments in architecture, music, literature, and religion.
• The Urdu language was developed
• Rulers tried to spread Muslim culture/religion through India
• Invited artists, scholars from other parts of Islamic world to Delhi.
• New culture formed, blending Muslim & Indian elements
• The Sultans based their laws on the Qur'an and the Shariah, and permitted non-Muslim subjects to practice their religion

Religion & Philosophy

Arts & Architecture

Architecture continued

Qutab Minar

QUT

Quwwat ul-Islam

Tughlaqabad Fort

Tomb of Balban

• Govenor of Delhi and the first Sultan of the Sultanate, Qutb Minar started the construction of the Qutb Minar which was then finished after his death by his sucessor
• Qutb Minar made from red sandstone and marble
• Tallest minaret in India, standing 283 feet high
• covered with Indian floral motifs and verses from the Qur'an
• Currently located in Mehrauli Archeological park, which is fine example of Delhi Sultanate achitecture; including the tomb of the sultan Balban
• First known building in India that featured a true arch.

Art

• The Delhi Sultanate cherished paintings
• The paintings represented a period of inventiveness that set stage for the development of the Mughal and Rajput school of art
• Features of the paintings are based on Indian traditions
• The style of painting was borrowed from the Islamic traditions thus leading to Indo-Persian styles
• Earlies work of art dated from 15th century includes a copy of Shahnama a.k.a The books of Kings - long epic poem

Architecture Continued

• Another historically important monument is the Alai Darwaza, which is the main gateway on the southern side of the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque
• Features the earlies survuving true dome in India
• Built by the second Khilji sultan, Ala-uddin Khilji

Alai Darwaza

• Around 1100 AD invaders from Abbasid Empire conquered Northern India
• Invaders were Muslim - needed mosques to pray
• Began building big mosques to show how powerful and rich they were
• Had large courtyards surrounded by a covered walkway with columns
• Quwwat ul-Islam - earliest mosque in Delhi
• Tuglaqabad fort - castle

Human Rights & Class Structure

Human rights & Class Structure Continued

and lastly:

• Women played a respectable position in the family
• Participated in religion ceremonies

at first:

• The top of the class system were the Muslim nobles, they were the most respected/privileged class in society.

• Persian, Turkish, Afghan, Arab, Abyssinians etc

• The second class were the Indian Muslims who either converted or were descendents of those who converted
• treated unfairly

but then:

• The attitudes changed when migration of the Turks from central Asia to India was stopped
• Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji appointed Malik Kafur, an Indian Musalman as his general
• had the nobles more accepting of the Indian muslims

Lower class:

• Cultivators, artisans, shop keepers, clerks, traders, servants, slaves etc.
• slaves were limited to only domestic work
• Sultans would provide them proper education and training so a good number of slaves rose to eminence

The Delhi Sultanate (1500 AD)

by: Ramsha & Solena