AMSCO 1.3 - Developments in South and Southeast Asia

Hinduism

Hinduism is a polytheistic religion and associated with a hierarchical caste system. The clash between Hinduism and Islam created devoplements in politics, economics/math, and architecture. ;

Buddhism

Buddhism also had a strong presence in the area, particularly in the Sinhala dynasties in present-day Sri Lanka and the great kingdoms of Southeast Asia. I get into more detail in the boxes below. ;

Chola Dynasty

The Chola Dynasty was the first dynasty in Southern India. It had reigned for over 400 years. The rule of the dynasty was extended to Ceylon, which is modern-day Sri Lanka. The Southern part of India was more stable than Northern India.;

Vijayanagara Empire

The Vijayanagara Empire was the second dynasty in Southern India after the Chola Dynasty. It all started when two brothers, Harihara and Bukka, were sent from the Delhi Sultanate to the region. They were sent to the area because the Delhi Sultanate wanted to extend their rule. The two brothers, who were born Hindu, had converted to Islam because they were living in the Delhi Sultanate. When the two brothers arrived in the area, they converted back to Hinduism and created their dynasty in the mid-1300. However, in the mid-1500s, a group of Muslim kingdoms overthrows the Empire.;

Rajput Kingdoms

After the fall of the Gupta Empire, the Rajput kingdoms started to form in NORTHERN India (present-day Pakistan). These Kingdoms were all led by different Hindu clans that were often at war with each other. Because they were constantly fighting and had competition, no centralized government arose. These kingdoms were then vulnerable to attack for Muslim powers. ;

Himalayas

The Himalaya Mountains were able to defend India for Muslim armies, but passes in the northwest allowed for invasions by Muslim armies. Each attack from the Muslims had disrupted a region that had been mostly Hindu and Buddhist. Because of this, over time, the Islamic presence grew.;

Delhi Sultanate

In the 13th century, Islamic forces managed to conquer the city of Delhi. They brought Islam into Indian and the Delhi Sultanate reigned for 300 years. Because Islam was now going to be introduced in India, the interaction had dominated the political history of the era. In the Delhi Sultanate, there was not an organized nor efficient bureaucracy like in China. Because of this, the sultans had difficulty imposing laws and policies. The Sultanate had defended against the Mongols, but lost power to the Mughals in 1526.;

Jizya

The Jizya was a tax that all non-Muslim subjects of the Delhi Sultanate had to pay. This was one way, that the Muslims spread Islam. Many Hindus converted to Islam because they did not want to pay the tax.;

Decentralization (Delhi Sultanate)

Through its reign, the Delhi Sultanate never organized an efficient bureaucracy in the style of the Chinese. For this reason, sultans had difficulty imposing their policies in a land as vast and diverse as India. Despite the strong Islamic presence in the region, local kingdoms continued to play a major role in India's decentralized political landscape.;

Mughals

The Mughals were an Empire whose leaders traced back to the Mongols. The Delhi Sultanate had prevented an attack from the Mongols but lost to the Mughals in 1526. ;

Universalizing Religion

Islam was a universalizing religion, meaning that they tried to appeal to everyone around the world. They tried to appeal to everyone by having an emphasis on equality for all believers. They gained many converts because of this. People in the lower caste level in India would convert hoping that they would be able to move up the caste system. This was not the case though.;

Proselytizing

Islam wanted to also be a Proselytizing religion. This meant that they were actively seeking converts. Most of the converts of Islam came voluntary. This was because the Muslim ruler found that forcing Hindu and Buddist subjects to convert was not successful. Many of the citizens also converted to avoid paying the Jizya. Additionally, when a Muslim merchant would marry an Indian women, the wife could convert to the husbands religion. ;

Caste System

Many Hindus in the lower levels of the caste system would convert to Islam because the religion treated everyone the same. Islam appealed to the people who suffered the most under the existing social structure. However, once converting to Islam, the lower level caste members did not see a change in social status. Muslim merchants and migrants also found a place inside the caste system based on their job. This created subcastes based on jobs, which acted like workers guilds. India's caste system is its strongest historical continuity.;

Algebra & Geometry

People in South Asia and the Middle East often shared their intellectual and cultural achievements with each other. The Indian developments in Algebra and Geometry were translated into Arabic and spread across Dar-al Islam.

Indian Numerals

One result in the movement of trading ideas, was the numeral system that was created. The "Arabic numerals" were actually first created in India. The "Arabic numerals" are the numbers that we know and use today.;

Qutub Minar

In India, the sultans put up buildings that had Hindu art and the geometric patterns that were preferred by Islamic Architecture. The city of Delhi is filled with examples of Islamic architecture built during the Delhi Sultanate. One example is Qutub Minar which is an elaborate mosque on top of a Hindu Temple. It is the tallest structure in India today.;

Urdu

Because of the rise of Hindu's and Muslims in South Asia, a new language called Urdu was created. It is a mix of Hindi, Arabic, and Farsi. Today, it is the official language of Pakistan.;

Bhakti Movement

The Bhakti Movement started when some Hindus began to draw upon traditional teachings about the importance of emotion in their spiritual life. This movement focused on developing a strong attachment to a particular deity. It was appealing to many because it did not discriminate against women or people of low social status.;

Srivijaya Empire

Southeast Asia was ever strongly influenced by its neighbors. Indian merchants traded gold, silver, metal goods, textiles, and introduced Southeast Asia to Hinduism and Buddhism. The Srivijaya Kingdom was the Hindu Kingdom based on Sumatra. It built a large navy and charged a shipping fee for ships traveling between India and China. It was sea-based because the kingdom drew power from the sea.;

Majapahit Kingdom

Majapahit Kingdom was a sea-based kingdom based on Java that had 98 tributaries at its height. It prospered by controlling sea routes. Unlike Srijaya, Majapahit was Buddhist. It was sea-based because the kingdom drew power from the sea.;

Sinhala Dynasties

The Sinhala Dynasty was a land-based dynasty, meaning that they drew power from control of their land. They had their roots in the arrival of early immigrants and merchants from North India. IN the 3rd century, Buddhists arrived and the island became a center of Buddhist study. The government of one of the kingdoms oversaw the creation of a water network that created an excellent irrigation system. This contributed to economic growth.;

Khmer Empire (Angkor Kingdom)

The Khmer Empire was also a land-based Empire. They were prosperous because they had an advanced irrigation system. The system allowed for farmers to harvest rice crops several times a year and the drainage system reduced the impact of monsoon season. This leads to economic growth. Starting in the 12th and 13th centuries, they started adding Buddhist sculptures and artwork to the temples without destroying any of the Hindu Artwork.

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat is an ornate and Majestic Buddhist temple that was constructed by the rulers.

Sukhothai Kingdom

The Sukhothai Kingdom invaded the Khmer Empire, which forced them out. However, the ruins of the magnificent structure of Angkor Wat are still here today and speak to the sophistication of Southeast Asian culture and the influence of Indian culture on the region.

Sufis

The Sufis still did missionary work in Southeast Asia. It is because of their tolerance for local faiths, that people felt comfortable converting to Islam. They could be Muslim and still honor local deities.