Chapter 15

India and the Indian Ocean Basin

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India After the Fall of the Gupta Dynasty

n  Invasion of White Huns from central Asia beginning 451 C.E.

n  Gupta state collapsed mid-sixth century n  Chaos in northern India

q  Local power struggles q  Invasions of Turkish nomads, absorbed into Indian

society

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King Harsha (r. 606-648 C.E.)

n  Temporary restoration of unified rule in north India

n  Religiously tolerant q  Buddhist by faith

n  Generous support for poor n  Patron of the arts

q  Wrote three plays n  Assassinated, no successor able to retain control

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Introduction of Islam to Northern India

n  Arabs conquer Sind (northwest India), 711 C.E. n  Sind stood at the fringe of the Islamic world n  Heterodox population, but held by Abbasid

dynasty to 1258 C.E.

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Merchants and Islam

n  Arabic trade with India predates Islam n  Dominated trade between India and the west to

fifteenth century n  Established local communities in India

q  Port city of Cambay

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Mahmud of Ghazni

n  Leader of the Turks in Afghanistan n  Raids into India, 1001-1027 n  Plunders, destroys Hindu and Buddhist temples

q  Often builds mosques atop ruins

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The Sultanate of Delhi

n  Consolidation of Mahmud’s raiding territory n  Capital: Delhi n  Ruled northern India 1206-1526 n  Weak administrative structure

q  Reliance on cooperation of Hindu kings

n  Nineteen out of thirty-five sultans assassinated

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Hindu Kingdoms of Southern India

n  Chola kingdom, 850-1267 C.E. q  Maritime power q  Not highly centralized

n  Kingdom of Vijayanagar q  Mid-fourteenth century to 1565 q  Northern Deccan q  Originally supported by sultanate of Delhi q  Leaders renounce Islam in 1336 q  Yet maintain relations with sultanate

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Major States of Postclassical India, 600-1600 C.E.

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Agriculture in the Monsoon World

n  Spring/summer: rains, wind from southwest n  Fall/winter: dry season, wind from northeast n  Seasonal irrigation crucial to avoid drought,

famine q  Especially southern India

n  Massive construction of reservoirs, canals, tunnels

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The Trading World of the Indian Ocean Basin, 600-1600 C.E.

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Population Growth in India

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Trade and Economic Development in Southern India

n  Indian regional economies largely self-sufficient n  Certain products traded throughout subcontinent

q  Iron, copper, salt, pepper n  Southern India profits from political instability in

north

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Temples and Indian Society

n  More than religious centers n  Center of coordination of irrigation, other

agricultural work q  Some temples had large landholdings

n  Education providers n  Banking services

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Cross-Cultural Trade in the Indian Ocean Basin n  Trade increases in postclassical period n  Larger ships

q  Dhows, junks n  Improved organization of agricultural efforts n  Establishment of emporia

q  Cosmopolitan port cities serve as warehouses for trade n  Specialized products developed (cotton, high-

carbon steel)

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The Kingdom of Axum

n  Example of trade-driven development n  Founded in the highlands of northern Ethiopia

about first century C.E. q  Adopted Christianity

n  Displaces Kush as Egyptian link to the south q  Axum destroys Kushan capital Meroë ca. 360 C.E. q  Major territorial expansion to late sixth century

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Obelisk at Axum

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Challenges to Caste and Society

n  Migrations n  Growth of Islam n  Urbanization n  Economic development

q  Development of jati (subcastes) q  Similar to workers’ guilds

n  Caste system expands from north to south n  Promoted by temples, educational system

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Decline of Buddhism

n  Buddhism displaced as Turkish invasions destroy holy sites, temples

n  1196, Muslim forces destroy library of Nalanda q  Thousands of monks exiled

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Development of Hinduism

n  Growth of devotional cults q  Especially Vishnu, Shiva

n  Promise of salvation n  Especially popular in southern India, spreads to

north

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Devotional Philosophers

n  Shankara, brahmin philosopher of ninth century C.E. q  Devotee of Shiva q  Synthesized Hindu writings in Platonic form q  Preferred rigorous logical analysis to emotional devotion

n  Ramanuja, brahmin philosopher eleventh to early twelfth century q  Challenges Shankara’s emphasis on logic q  Laid philosophical foundations of contemporary

Hinduism

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Conversion to Islam

n  Twenty-five million converts by 1500 (quarter of total population)

n  Possibilities of social advancement for lower-caste Hindus q  Rarely achieved: whole castes or jati convert, social

status remains consistent

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Sufis

n  Personal, emotional, devotional approaches to Islam

n  Important missionaries of Islam to India n  Some flexibility regarding local customs

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The Bhakti Movement

n  Attempt to bring Hinduism and Islam closer together

n  Twelfth-century southern Hindu movement, spread to north

n  Guru Kabir (1440-1518) q  Taught that Shiva, Vishnu, Allah all manifestations of

one deity q  Largely unsuccessful

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Indian Influence in Southeast Asia

n  Influence dates from 500 B.C.E. n  Evidence of Indian ideas and traditions

q  Kingship q  Religions (Hinduism, Buddhism) q  Literature

n  Caste system not as influential

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Early States of Southeast Asia

n  Funan q  Lower Mekong River,

first to sixth century C.E. n  Kingdom of Srivijaya

q  Centered in Sumatra, 670-1025 C.E.

n  Kingdom of Angkor q  Cambodia, 889-1431 C.E. q  Magnificent religious city complexes

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Early States of Southeast Asia: Funan and Srivijaya, 100-1025 C.E.

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Later States of Southeast Asia: Angkor, Singosari, and Majapahit, 889-1520 C.E.

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Islam in Southeast Asia

n  Early populations of Muslim traders n  Increasing popularity with Sufi activity n  Many convert, retain some Hindu or Buddhist

traditions

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State of Melaka

n  Founded late fourteenth century C.E. by rebellious prince of Sumatra

n  Dominated maritime trade routes n  Mid-fifteenth century converts to Islam

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