Chapter 15, Indian Ocean Basin

Buzurg ibn Shahriyar ( 10th)

wrote 136 stories in Book of Wonders of India(953) — (included tall tales, and reflections of 10th Century,

Gupta Dynasty

Under pressure from nomads, rulers resisted in 4th-5th, White huns invaded in 451, Mid-6th, Gupta state collapsed and devolved to local powers, India saty divided until 16th

Harsha

early 7th, King Harsha temp. restored imperial rule, came to throne at 16 age, huge forces, by 612—subdued those that did’t do his authority, Had embassies with Tang Taizong, Was Buddhist & religiously tolerant, built hospitals and gave out resources, patronized scholars

Collapse of Harsha’s Kingdom

He couldn’t fully restore centralized rule, tryed to ally with local rulers and BASICALLY held empire cus of his personalit and CONSTANT attention to affairs, Harsha was assasinated & left no Heir, Local rulers made N, India a contested region

Intro of Islam to NORTHERN India

Arab Forces conquered Sind into Umayyad Dynasty in 711 and was passed to Abbasid Caliphs, Merchants came to Port cities and integrated into their society, Migrations and invasions of Turkish from C. Asia

Mahmud of Ghazni

Leader of Turks in Afghanistan, 1001-1027 ( did 17 raids into India), wasn’t interested in conquer , wanted to plunder wealth in temples, demolished temples in India (sped up decline of Buddhism), 1025-Somnath Hindu Temple destroyed(50,000 killed)

The Sultanate of Delhi

Sultans were hate ( 19/35 sultans were killed), Sultans sponsered Islam and established it in Begal Regions. Quiz thingy

Chola Kingdom ( SOUTHERN INDIA)

11th, ruled coromandel Coast, Peaked when it conquered Ceylon, Navy dominated the Indian Ocean which was financed by trade, They allowed LOCAL AUTONOMY and focused on PROFIT rather than building powerful state, Due to not have a centralized state—> declined & native sinhalese expelled them

Kingdom Of Vijayanagar (SOUTHERN INDIA)

Indian were super defensive so the Sultanate sent Harihara and Bukka, they rejected Islam and formed Vijayanagar, Muslims still traded at S. India ports.

Southern India In general

Never had large Centralized state, states like chola, and delhi sultanate could fully unite India, by trade and social structure—> Society flourished

Agriculture in Monsoon World

Irrigation was needed in India due to monsoons, If there was light rain in summer/spring—> Drought and Famine,

Irrigation Systems

N. India had Surface water (Ganges river valley), S. India lacked this and needed Irrigation systems, They built dams, canals, monumental resevoirs to capture rain and canals carried this to fields, This also boosted need for labor and Agriculture

Populations Growth

600 = 53 mill

800= 64 mill

1000= 79 mill

1000-1500= growth slowed ; up 4-5 mill per century

1500= 105 mill ; growth rate grew again

Emporia

trading posts/hubs where merchants gathered, due to india’s central location —> clearing houses & cosmopolitan, Indian Ocean Basin=Maritime Silk Roads, Indian merchnats traveled far for goods, (arabs and persian mostly brought trade west), led to specialized production

The kingdom of Axum ( founded 1st in Ethiopia)

Small kingdom, Displaced Kush as Egypts prinicipal link to Southern lands, sent Nubian Kingdom to Decline, Axumite invaded kush and destroyed capital, adopted christianity( 4-5),, expanded a lot and resisted against arab/Muslims, Adulis port became very dominant, Maintained independence VIA Indian trade networks

Caste Systems ( maintained order by providing Guidance)

Adapted and changed to new circumstances, integrate migrants, Work relationships organized by subcastes (jati), Formed guilds, Merchants for diff. goods were different jati

Expansion of Caste system

established via economic development, Merchant guilds, Temples, and education ; was principal of social organization

Religious developments and Popularity of Hinduism

Jainism& Buddism decline, post-1000—hindu and islamic tradition dominated, Hinduism was in S. / Islam was in N., Buddhism declined due to Hinduism and Islam promising salvation, turks destrying stupas, (1196—muslims overran ravages schools where xuanxang studied)

Vishu and Shiva

Hinduism grew with Nuddhism decline

Vishnu—> Preserver of World, watched from heaven but could go into human form to teach

Shiva—> Fertility and destructive deity, gives and takes life

hindues associated other Gods with Vishnu and Shiva but mainly venerated them.

Devotional Cults

Embraced cults cus. they promised salvation, connected Nishnu and Shiva to Local deities, (EX: chola kings made dancing shiva (lord of dancers) 5-5 S. India, ), Hindues sought mystic union(salvation) SO, they venerate, offer food/drink, temples and shrines were popular

Shankara ( 9th)

Devotee of Shiva, wanted to harmonize all Hindu writings, Thought world is illusion and reality is beyond (like Plato), thought LOGICAL REASONING could bring mental unity, considered world as understandable expression of reality although it is umcomprehensible to humans

Ramanuja (early-11th & 12th)

Devotee of Vishnu and Brahmin Philosopher, challenged Shankara’s view on logic, he thought personal devotion led to understanding, bliss comes from salvation and followed Bhagavad Gita

Islam and It’s Appeal

Islam won acceptance in Merchant communities, slowly many Indians converted, BY 1500= ISLAMIC MUSLIMS WERE 25 MILL (1/4 OF POP.), few indians hoped to improve social standing, converts improve social standing because whole jati’s adopted Islam

The Bhakti Movement

cult of love/devotion seeking to erase distintion between Islamd and Hinduism, emerged in 12th, it originally only encouraged Hindu values BUT changed as movement went North ( N. Leaders liked monotheism and spiritual equality for all)

States of SE Asia

Indian Merchants visited in ~500 BCE and did trade, S/SE asias rulers used trade profit to strengthen political control, Rulers borrowed Indian traditions while keeping own, elites sponsered Hinduism and Buddhism into courts, embraced literature like Ramayana & Mahabharata, kept local deities, Hinduism/Buddhism reinforced Moniarchial rule ( so rulers liked it)

Funan ( 1-6th)

1st state to reflect Indian Influence, Dominated lower Mekong River, Capital at port of Oceo ( grew wealthy via trade), used profit to build irrigation, Funan adopted Sanskirt term Raja, claimed divine sanction, Had admin. like India, Used Sanskrit for Business, Worshipped Vishnu and Shiva, fell due to internal struggle, when irrigation ruined—> funan declined

Srivijaya (670-1025)

le SE asia after Funan fell, taxed ships & powerful navy, Prospered via Seatrade, Mainly Buddhist

SE asia states key thingy

Funan= Land-based & Hindu

Angkor= Land-based & Buddhist

Srivijaya= Sea-based Buddhist

Singosari= Sea based & idk maybe hindu

Majapahit= Sea-based & Hindu

All kept SE asian traditions

Angkor (9th)

Khmer kings built capital at Thom that reflected hindu world order, (built temple incenter @ Mount Mero to rep Shiva, surrounded w/ small temples), 12-13—-Khmers added Buddhist templed but didn’t destroy Hindu ones, in 12th Angor Wat was constucted ( smaller), Angor abandoned by Thai invasions, rediscovered by French in 19th

Conversion to Islam

Arrived Via Merchants and small communities, ruler/elites interested in faith, late-13th—Marco Polo noted ppl. in town converted but countryside didn’t, Elites converted but didn’t push it on subjects, sufi’s taught poeple and adapted to local needs

Melaka (15th)

Founded by Paramesvara ( rebellious prince from Sumatra), built navy & controlled maritime trade, converted to ISlam in mid-15th, Sponsered Islam Spread (brought Sufi’s welcomed theologians and built mosques), Islam linked SE Asia to Larger world