Indian History Part 49 The Ghaznavids Section IV: The Beginning of the End

  Canberra, 8 April 2016 In 1118, Bahram Shah settled down to rule the Ghaznavid kingdom, having conclusively dealt with the challenges that were mounted against his coming to the throne. He assumed a number of honorifics—some of which compared him, in a flatteringly favourable manner, to the status and titles that were assumed by […]

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Part 49 The Ghaznavids Section III: Incipient Decline

  Canberra, 22 March 2016 For the next fifty years after Ibrahim’s stable rule, the Ghaznavids were on a slope of gradual decline, ultimately culminating in a fatal struggle with the Ghurids for supremacy and then mere survival. This insipient decline could also be noticed in the domestic affairs of the State. Ibrahim was succeeded […]

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Indian History Part 49 The Ghaznavids Sect II: Fragile Equilibrium

  Canberra, 8 March 2016 Farrukh-Zad continues to remain a shadowy figure in the firmament of the Ghaznavid dynasty, especially since very little is known regarding his personal preferences and behaviour pattern, making it difficult to build a picture of his personality. However, he managed to induce a sense of peace into the kingdom, which […]

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Part 42 THE RAJPUT CLANS Section II: Early Rajput Kingdoms

Canberra, 2 August 2015 The second half of 8th century saw two critical developments in the Indian political scenario, which were to have profound influence on the next thousand years of political growth in the sub-continent. The first was the rise of regionalisation. During this period, a large number of regional kingdoms, of varying sizes, […]

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Part 30 THE RASHTRAKUTA DYNASTY

Section I THE DECCAN RASHTRAKUTAS  Canberra, 11 June 2014 The Rashtrakuta dynasty played an important role in the medieval history of India, from mid-6th century till their decline into irrelevance around the middle of the 13th century. The information available about this dynasty is in terms of inscriptions, copper plates and grants and coins that […]

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