Abstract
The introduction which is primarily aimed at defining and locating Medieval India is an unnecessary inclusion in this work since writings on defining Medieval India has been abundantly written by Prof. M. Habib in his introduction to Elliot and Dowson’s ‘History of India as Told by its Own Historians’. Introduction in the supplement to the same in Vol. II and Vol. III by K.A. Nizami has exhausted the said debate. Dr Seshan’s inclusion of the eighteenth-century debate is also needless after innumerable works on the theme by Muzaffar Alam, Seema Alvi, Shahid Amin, etc. The introduction is devoid of the intent in justifying the topic of the work.
Chapter 1 on sources too shows the ignorance of the author on Medieval historiography where important works by K.A. Nizami, Harban Mukhia and Mohibul Hasan have analysed all the categories of sources such as political biographies, political literature, mystic literature and traveller’s account in details.
It is surprising that while writing on Medieval India, the author has completely ignored Z.A. Desai’s volumes on Medieval Inscriptions—Epigraphia India (Arabic and Persian Supplement).
The succeeding Chapter 2 on ‘State’, Chapter 3 on ‘Modern Perception of Medieval State’ and Chapter 4 on ‘Kingship’ are all theoretical with no attempt to identify the facts on basis of evidence. The sources on the concept of state and kingship as practiced in Medieval India are absent. Much has been devoted to Al Farabi, but in Indian context, the works of Firdausi, Hasan Nizami and Abul Fazl are more relevant, which highlights the institutions of state, kingship and administration. The works on statecraft was a common theme among scholars of the thirteenth century. Siyasat Namah was considered as the model for writers on statecraft. Ziauddin Barani’s ideas on kingship and state was influenced by Siyasat Namah wherein he produced the Fatawah-i-Jahandari.
The chapter on ‘Kingship’ had not identified the Mughal rule which was following the Yasa-i-Chenghezi and Yasa-i-Timuri 1 as its kernal for statesmanship and kingship. The conflict between Akbar and Prince Salim with regard to Akbar’s intentions of nominating his grandson Khusrau as his successor was challenged as per the laws of inheritance incorporated in the Yasa-i-Timuri which stated that the son cannot succeed to the throne in the lifetime of his father.
The legitimacy of acquiring kingship in Medieval India was ‘Longest the Sword, Greater the Claim’.
The chapter on ‘Administrative Systems’ is an abridged version of various modern works meant solely for the convenience of graduate students. There are many modern works on administration and institutions of Medieval India which deal with assimilative information on all administrative departments and institutions. There are also separate works on Judiciary, Revenue System, Trade and Commerce and on Central and Provincial Administrations.
Chapters 6 and 7 are again briefs on the theme under study but they have been well presented and documented for understanding the process of social change, the factors facilitating such changes, the emergence of various religious movements, etc.
The chapter on ‘Economy’ provides ample knowledge on Medieval India’s economy, trade, revenue system, markets and their development and change with the arrival of the Europeans; however, information on currency and mint towns is lacking.
The eighth chapter on ‘The Transition out of Medieval’ is a repetition of the debates on eighteenth-century India. The author should have incorporated the various theories forwarded by modern scholars involved in the debate and should have taken a position in agreement and disagreement with the theories.
Works on Medieval India should always incorporate references to original sources which Dr Seshan has completely avoided. It is difficult to digest information which are devoid of any citation of original primary sources. Since the author has primarily addressed to the course of postgraduate syllabus, it however does not justify the title of the book which demands much deeper understanding of the theme rather than provide abridged versions of the texts written on Medieval India.
Footnotes
1.
Administrative Law formulated by Chenghiz Khan and Timur.