Reshaping India’s Political Map: 11th to 17th Century

These flashcards cover the vocabulary, key figures, and administrative systems associated with the shifting political landscape of India between the 11th and 17th centuries, including the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughal Empire, and various resistance movements.

Medieval (Indian context)

The period from the 11th to the 17th centuries in Indian history, though the term originally referred to European history between the fall of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance.

Turkic

Refers to peoples, languages, and cultures historically associated with a vast region stretching across Central Asia to Turkey and Siberia.

Sultanate

A territory ruled by a ‘Sultan’ — a title adopted by some Muslim rulers.

Delhi Sultanate

A political entity formed in 1192 after the defeat of Prithviraj Chauhan, ruled by five successive Turkic-Afghan dynasties: the Mamluks, Khiljis, Tughlaqs, Sayyids, and Lodis.

Sikander Sani

An inscription meaning ‘the second Alexander’ found on coins minted by Ala-ud-din Khilji.

Token currency

A scheme introduced by Muhammad bin Tughlaq where cheap copper coins were declared to have the value of silver or gold coins.

Iconoclasm

The rejection or destruction of icons or religious images considered idolatrous.

Jizya

A discriminatory tax imposed on non-Muslim subjects to grant them protection and exemption from military service.

Infidel

Literally, someone who does not share the faith of a given religion; in medieval Islam, this referred to Christians or, in India, Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains.

Musunuri Nayakas

Telugu chieftains who formed a confederacy of over 75 leaders to expel Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s army from Warangal around 1330–1336.

Rana

A title often used for Rajput kings.

Kumbhalgarh Fort

A 15th-century stronghold built by Rana Kumbha in the Aravalli hills, famous for its $36\,km$-long wall.

Vijayanagara Empire

An independent kingdom established in the 14th century by two brothers, Harihara and Bukka, which became a significant force in southern India.

Gajapati

A title meaning ‘lord’ or ‘master’ used by the ruling dynasty of Odisha.

Āmuktamālyada

An epic poem in Telugu composed by Krishnadevaraya on the story of the Tamil poet-saint Āṇḍāl, which includes a section on Rājanīti (royal policy).

Battle of Talikota (1565)

A decisive battle where a coalition of Deccan Sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara forces, leading to the destruction of the city of Vijayanagara.

Baburnama

The candid autobiography of the first Mughal emperor, Babur, which detailed his impressions of India’s wealth, flora, and fauna.

Jauhar

An act of final resistance where Rajput women jumped into mass fires to avoid being captured or enslaved by invading armies, considered a means of preserving honor.

Sulh-i-kul

A doctrine promoted by Akbar meaning ‘peace with all’ or tolerance of all faiths.

Alamgir

The title assumed by Aurangzeb upon crowning himself emperor in 1658, meaning ‘conqueror of the world’.

Guerrilla warfare

A style of fighting used by groups like the Ahoms and Maharana Pratap where small units with knowledge of the terrain carry out surprise attacks and ambushes.

Paik system

An Ahom administrative system requiring every able-bodied man to provide labor or military service to the state in exchange for land rights.

Khalsa

A martial brotherhood established by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699, committed to justice, equality, and defense of the Sikh faith.

Iqta system

A Delhi Sultanate administrative tool where territories were assigned to nobles (iqtadars) to collect taxes, primarily to maintain the army.

Mansabdari system

A Mughal administrative framework where officers (mansabdars) were assigned a rank (mansab) and expected to maintain specific numbers of troops and animals.

Hundi

A written instruction to make payment to an individual that could be carried across political borders, serving as a precursor to modern banking.

Dāna

The practice of ruling classes donating land and wealth to temple deities.