Medieval Indian History

Notes:
Calicut is a metropolitan city in the state of Kerala in southern India on the Malabar Coast. Kamal-ud-Din Abd-ur-Razzaq ibn Ishaq Samarqandi visited Calicut in early 1440s. He wrote a narrative of what he saw in Calicut which is valuable as information on Calicut’s society and culture.

Notes:
Ashta Pradhan was a council of eight ministers that administered the Maratha empire. The council was formed in 1674 by founding Emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji.The term Ashta Pradhan literally translates to “the Prime Eight”, from the Sanskrit ashta (“eight”) and pradhan (“prime”). The body discharged the functions of a modern council of ministers; this is regarded as one of the first successful instances of ministerial delegation in India. The council is credited with having implemented good governance practices in the Maratha heartland, as well as for the success of the military campaigns against the Mughal Empire.

Notes:
Ibn batutta was an Arab traveler and adventure frm Morocoo. His book is a primary source of history of the region of Muhmmad bin Tughluq it throws ligh on the socio-political condition of his times.

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Mughal Emperor issued coins from this mint in all the three metals in 1570. Silver coins of Akbar were issued from this mint with the mint epithet ‘Hazrat’. Copper coins were also issued along with gold.

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The Tomb of Itimad-Ud-Daula was constructed by the Mughal queen Nur Jahan. IT was constructed between 1622 and 1628 where her father Itimad Ud Daula was buried.

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Iltutmish was known for innovations including the introduction of a new currency system and administrative reforms. He introduced the silver tanka and copper jetal, organized the Chalisa (a group of forty noblemen), and implemented the iqtadari system to manage land. The concept of the Divine Right Theory, however, is credited to Balban, one of his successors. This doctrine asserts the monarch’s authority is derived directly from God, and it was not a part of Iltutmish’s governance.

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The Gujjari Mahal was built by Firoz Shah Tughlaq for his beloved Gujri Rani, a native of Hisar with whom he fell in love.

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On the invitation of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, Shivaji visited the imperial court at Agra in 1666 AD. But there, Aurangzeb  didn’t give him respectable welcome and imprisoned him and his 9-year old son Sambhaji. Though, Shivaji was able to escape  with his son in disguise from jail and from there onwards, Shivaji and Mughals became bitter enemies.

Notes:
In the Shivaji’s Ashtapradhan (or Council of Eight Ministers), Pandit Rao (or Dandaphyaksha) was the religious advisor of king and also looked after the religious matters.

Notes:
For the welfare and betterment of an empire, the Mughal emperor Jahangir issued the ordinances called as Dastur-ul-Amal (or 12 rules of code of conduct).