India and the Indian Ocean Basin
The Quest for Centralized Imperial Rule
a. Fall of Gupta in the 400s led to period of _________________b. Tension existed between regional kingdoms and nomadsc. Harsha (606-648) restored unified rule in North India* Used military to rule much of the central and eastern Gangetic Plain.* Developed a time of peace and prosperity, Restoration of
_______________* Built roads, hospitals, temples and Buddhist monasteries* Patron of the arts – wrote three Sanskrit plays* _______________________ of other religions
Decentralization
Gupta Age
Tolerance
Harsha was a gifted warrior - administrator, a sensitive poet and playwright, and became one of
India's most celebrated heroes. In 641 Harsha sent an envoy to the Chinese emperor and established the first diplomatic
relations between India and China. Does Harsha’s Kingdom compare more to Charlemagne’s rule or to the Renaissance? Why?
Introduction of Islam to Northern India
a. The Sind were conquered by Arab Muslims and passed to the Abbasidsb. Muslim merchants formed small communities in all major cities of
coastal India – diffusion of Indian ideas such as numerals
c. Turks convert to Islam and moved to Afghanistand. Mahmud of Ghazni controlled Afghanistan and mounted raiding
expeditions into Northern India
* Destroyed ________________ and __________________ sites* Plundered and raided wealth of Indian cities
Hindu
Buddhist
How did Mahmud’s actions in India impact the spread of Islam?
When Mahmud ascended the throne in 998 at the age of 27, he already showed remarkable
administrative ability and statesmanship. At the time of his accession, Ghazna was a small
kingdom. The young and ambitious Mahmud aspired to be a great monarch, and in more than 20 successful expeditions he amassed the wealth with which to lay the foundation of a vast empire that eventually included Kashmir, the Punjab, and
a great part of Iran.
The Sultanate of Delhi (1206-1526)
a. Mahmud’s successors conquered north India, 1206
b. Established an Islamic state known as
the ______________________ of Delhic. Authority of the sultan did not extend
far beyond the capital at Delhi * No permanent bureaucracy or administration * Depended on the goodwill of ___________ kings to carry out policies * Sponsored Islam and helped to secure a place for their faith in India
Sultanate
Hindu
The Sultanate of Delhi (1206-1526)
Film Clip
Qutb Minar is the world's tallest brick minaret. Construction
commenced in 1193 under the orders of India's first Muslim ruler Qutb-
ud-din Aibak, and the topmost storey of the minaret was completed in 1386
by Firuz Shah Tughluq. The Qutb Minar is notable for being one of the
earliest and most prominent examples of Indo-Islamic
architecture.
Patterns of Conversion
a. Limited forced conversion: _____________ Mystics and traders carried Islam
to new areas of Indiab. Most converts were ___________________ who saw some similarities in
religious practices of the Sufis. c. Some converts were low caste Hindus – drawn to promise of social
_________________________d. Most Hindus did NOT convert – saw Muslims as foreign out-castes
Sufi
Buddhist
equality
Hindu Kingdoms of Southern India
a. The south was politically divided but relatively peaceful
b. The Chola Kingdom (850-1267)• Large Kingdom that controlled
Coromandel coast, Ceylon, and parts of S.E.Asia
• __________ dominated waters from South China Sea to Arabian Sea
• Did not have a tight ________________ government but local autonomy was strong
• Raja Raja the Great. He ruled from 985-1014 AD – expanded the empire, minted coins for trade
• Began to decline by the 12th century
Navy
centralized
Film Clip
The Chola kings built temples and endowed them with great wealth. The temples acted not only as places of
worship but also as centers of economic activity, benefiting their entire community.
Chola Kingdom and Empire
Hindu Kingdoms of Southern India
c. Kingdom of Vijayanagar (1336-1565)• Established by two Indian brothers –
Harihara and Bukka• They renounced _________ in 1336 and
returned to their Hindu faith• Dominated the whole southern end of
India and as far north as the Krishna River
• Capital city of Vijayanagar (City of Victory) – had more than half a million people
• Oligarchic Rulers – great wealth from precious stones - __________ of arts and built temples
• Overran by __________ invaders
Islam
Patrons
Muslim
Film Clip
Vittala Temple – The main pavilion consists of 56 pillars elaborately carved and when struck,
emit different musical notes.
Kingdom of VijayanagarVirupaksha Temple is the main
center of pilgrimage at Hampi and has been considered the most
sacred over the centuries. It is fully intact among the surrounding ruins
and is still used in worship. The temple is dedicated to Shiva.
Kingdom of Vijayanagar