Canberra, 21 October 2020 The 17th century was the great age of the Mughal Empire. Akbar had reintegrated northern and central India and given it a modified Persian form. At his death, Akbar left behind an empire populated by 100 million people—at a time when the total population of the British Isles could not have […]
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Tag Archives: Bengal
Indian History Part 81 Akbar – Section IV. The Conquering Emperor 4. Bihar and Bengal – Expanding to the East
August 1, 2020 
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Canberra, 1 August 2020, Saturday In ancient times, the region known as Bengal now was called Vanga and at times Gauda. Epigraphic records show that around 11th century, the region started to be mentioned as Vangala-desa, which in turn was further localised to ‘Bangal’ (Bengal) by Muslim invaders—a name that is still used today. Brief […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 80 Humayun Section II: Trouble Brews in the East
April 12, 2020 0 Comments
Canberra, 12 April 2020 Although no material gains had been made in the campaign that he had mounted to Gujarat and Malwa, on his return to Agra Humayun celebrated his ‘victory’ with full-fledged revelry that lasted for nearly a year. Meanwhile Afghan power was resurgent in Bihar, now under the able leadership of Sher Khan. […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 56 Section I: Ghiyas ud-Din Tughluq Shah
April 22, 2017 1 Comment
Canberra, 22 April 2017 Ghiyas ud-Din’s accession to the throne calmed the paroxysm that had become commonplace in the sultanate from the last days of Ala ud-Din’s rule. Ghiyas had come up from humble origins—his father was a Qaraunah Turk and mother a Jat lady. The Qaraunah were a clan of the broader Mongol tribes […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 54 The Slave Dynasty Section II Shams ud-Din Iltutmish
October 11, 2016 0 Comments
Canberra, 12 October 2016 Qutb ud-Din Aibak’s untimely death caused a great deal of confusion amongst his followers. In Lahore, the officials placed his son Aram Shah on the throne, but the courtiers in Delhi refused to accept or support the new ruler. Aram Shah was generally considered to be weak, indecisive and unfit […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 47 KASHMIR: A KINGDOM APART Section I: The Karkota Dynasty
January 8, 2016 0 Comments
Canberra, 8 January 2016 The history of Kashmir is almost inextricably intertwined with the greater history of the broader region of which it forms a part—Central Asia, Afghanistan, China and Tibet—as much as it does of the Indian sub-continent. Kashmir by itself covers a large territory, which is mountainous, rugged and in places completely […]
Continue readingIndian History: Part 39 BENGAL RISING Part I THE PALA DYNASTY
April 11, 2015 1 Comment
Canberra, 11 April 2015 At the height of his power Harshavardhana of Kanauj had full sovereignty over Western and Central Bengal and also controlled some parts of the eastern kingdom of Kamarupa (Assam). Harshvardhana’s empire was already heading for ruin during the last years of his reign and his death accelerated the process of disintegration […]
Continue readingPart 28 A CENTURY OF DARKNESS: Section I EMPEROR HARSHA-VARDHANA ‘The Conquering King’
April 28, 2014 0 Comments
Introduction There is a general lack of information regarding events and developments that took place in the latter half of the 6th century A.D. within the Indian sub-continent. The political history is incoherent and the period can at best be considered one of ambiguity and transition—there are no great names that emerge and there are […]
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