After the Gupta Empire collapsed in 550, India remained fragmented/disunited for the next 1000 years
North and South India increasingly developed different political systems
However despite the fragmentation, Hinduism provided some cultural unity
Southern Indian Political Structures
Much more stable than North India
Chola Dynasty ruled most of South India from 850-1267
Extended to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in 1000s
Vijayanagara Empire then ruled most of South India from 1336–1646
Founded by two brothers named Harihara and Bukka who were sent to South India by the Delhi sultante to extend its control there
Instead of incorporating South India into the Delhi sultante, they found their own kingdom
Northern Indian Political Structures
Had more disorder and change compared to South India
Rajput kingdoms formed after fall of the Gupta Empire
Bunch of Hindu kingdoms that were often at war with one another
As a result no centralized government arose
Delhi Sultante comes into power from 1206–1526
Controls Delhi and much of North India
Many resented the sultanate due to Hindu-Muslim conflicts
One factor contributing to conflicts was jizya, which was a tax on all non-Muslim subjects
Were not able to efficiently centralize their rule and instead had to rely on local elites and regional governors to maintain their rule
Lost power to Mughals
🙏 Religion
The Arrival of Islam
Muslims tried to convert Indians forcefully but this didn’t work out well
Instead most Muslim converts in India were actually voluntary
Ex: Many Muslim merchants would settle in India and marry, and their wives would convert to Islam
Islam also attracted low-caste Hindus as Islam didn’t have a caste system and they also hoped they would be treated better
Biggest group that converted to Islam were Buddhists as many were fed up with corruption among monks and raids on monasteries
Sufis
Were the most effective at converting people to Islam
Encouraged a personal, emotional, devotional approach to Islam
Altered Islam to be more palatable to Indians
Were tolerant to local traditions
Did not forcefully convert people
Allowed people to be Muslims while continuing to honor local deities
Bhakti Movement
Started in South India
Emphasized spiritual/direct connection to God instead of studying texts and performing rituals
Emphasized the importance of equality and individual freedom
Did not discriminate against women and rejected the caste system
Similar to Sufi Muslims as both movements were mystical movements that gained popularity
Sought to reconcile differences between Islam and Hinduism
đź‘ĄÂ Social Structures
Caste system = India’s strongest historical continuity
Islam coming didn’t change this major social structure
Muslims in fact were able to fit into the caste system used to organize society
Women
In Hindu society, women were not given much freedom and rights:
Were expected to be obedient and submissive to their husbands and to fulfill their duties as wives and mothers
Faced significant limitations in terms of legal rights and social status
When Islam came, it did not need to alter how it viewed women greatly so in a way the way Hinduism and Islam treated women was largely the same
💾 Cultural and Technological Interactions
People in South Asia and the Middle East shared their intellectual knowledge with each other
“Arabic Numerals” spread from India to Middle East
Indian developments in algebra and geometry also spread to Middle East
Arab developments in astronomy and mathematics spread to India
Qutub Minar = example of Muslim architecture in India
Urdu is a syncretic language that combined elements of Hindi, Arabic, and some Persian
Southeast Asia
Had lots of fine spices
Trade voyages between India and Southeast Asia introduced Hinduism and Buddhism
Buddhism became and is still the most prominent religion even today in Southeast Asia
Also was in between South Asia and East Asia, so trade wise it was very powerful
Sea-Based Kingdoms
Srivijaya Empire: Hindu kingdom based in Sumatra from 670 to 1025
Made money by charging fees for ships traveling between India and China
Majapahit Kingdom: Buddhist kingdom based in Java from 1293 to 1520
Also made money by controlling sea routes
Land-Based Kingdoms
Sinhala dynasties based in Sri Lanka; Buddhism heavily ingrained in political and social structures
Khmer Empire aka Angkor Kingdom
Flourished thanks to its complex irrigation systems, which allowed them to harvest rice crops several times a year
Has temples that show Indian cultural influence:
Hindu artwork and deities originally dotted these temples but later they converted to Buddhism and they added Buddhist art and sculptures to the temples without destroying any of the Hindu stuff
Angkor Wat = very grand Buddhist temple
Islam
First Southeast Asian Muslims were local merchants
Sufis established missionaries in Southeast Asia
Became popular in Sumatra, Java, and the Malay Peninsula