Medieval India for UPSC

Political Fragmentation of North India before the Turkish Invasions · Arab Conquest of Sindh (712 CE) · The Ghaznavid Invasions · Al-Biruni and the Kitab-ul-Hind · Muhammad of Ghor's Conquest of North India · Battles of Tarain (1191-1192) · Causes of the Rajput Defeat · Bakhtiyar Khalji's Conquest of Bihar and Bengal

Qutb-ud-din Aibak and the Founding of the Delhi Sultanate · Shamsuddin Iltutmish's Consolidation of Turkish Rule · Razia Sultana · Ghiyasuddin Balban's Theory of Kingship · Mongol Invasions and the Sultanate's Northwest Frontier

Jalaluddin Khalji and the 'Khalji Revolution' · Alauddin Khalji's Conquests and Expansion · Peninsular Kingdoms before the Khalji Raids: Yadavas, Kakatiyas, Hoysalas and Pandyas · Marco Polo's Account of South India · Alauddin Khalji's Market Control Reforms · Alauddin Khalji's Agrarian and Administrative Measures · Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq and the Founding of the Tughlaq Dynasty · Muhammad bin Tughlaq's Experiments · Ibn Battuta's Rihla · Firoz Shah Tughlaq's Reign and Reforms · Disintegration of the Delhi Sultanate under the Later Tughlaqs · Timur's Invasion of Delhi (1398)

The Sayyid Dynasty · The Lodi Dynasty and Ibrahim Lodi · Central Administration of the Delhi Sultanate · The Iqta System · Provincial and Local Administration under the Sultanate · Army Organisation under the Delhi Sultanate · Land Revenue System under the Delhi Sultanate · Agrarian Economy and the Peasantry under the Sultanate · Trade, Urbanisation and Crafts under the Sultanate · Sultanate Currency and Coinage: Tanka, Jital and the Token Currency · New Technology and Agricultural Innovations · Sultanate Architecture: Arch, Dome and Early Indo-Islamic Monuments · Nobility and Ruling Classes under the Sultanate · Slavery under the Delhi Sultanate · Position of Women under the Sultanate · Hindus under the Sultanate

Foundation of the Vijayanagara Empire · Vijayanagara-Bahmani Conflicts over the Deccan · Saluva and Tuluva Dynasties of Vijayanagara · Krishnadeva Raya and the Zenith of Vijayanagara · Decline of Vijayanagara: Battle of Talikota · Vijayanagara Administration: Kingship and the Nayaka System · Nayaka Kingdoms after Vijayanagara: Madurai, Thanjavur and Ikkeri · Vijayanagara Economy: Agriculture, Trade and Hampi · Vijayanagara Society and Temple Patronage · Foreign Travellers to Vijayanagara: Conti, Abdur Razzaq, Paes and Nuniz · Vijayanagara Architecture and the Lepakshi Murals · Portuguese Arrival in India (1498) · Foundation of the Bahmani Kingdom · Mahmud Gawan's Administrative Reforms · Decline of the Bahmani Kingdom into the Deccan Sultanates · The Bengal Sultanate · The Jaunpur Sharqi Dynasty · The Malwa Sultanate · The Gujarat Sultanate · Mewar under Rana Kumbha and Rana Sanga · Kashmir under the Sultanate: Zainul Abidin's Rule · Orissa: The Gajapati Kingdom · Assam: Foundation of the Ahom Kingdom

The Bhakti Tradition's Evolution into Medieval North India · Nathpanthis, Siddhas and Yogis · The Virashaiva (Lingayat) Movement · Nirguna and Saguna Bhakti · Ramananda and Vaishnava Bhakti in North India · Kabir: Teachings and Legacy · Ravidas, Dadu Dayal and the North Indian Sant Tradition · Mirabai: The Devotee Princess · Women in the Bhakti Movement · Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Bengal Vaishnavism · Surdas and the Ashtachhap Poets · Tulsidas and the Ramcharitmanas · Namdev and the Varkari Tradition in Maharashtra · Maharashtra Sants: Jnaneshwar, Eknath and Tukaram · Vallabhacharya and the Pushtimarg · Shankaradeva and Bhakti in Assam · Origins and Core Concepts of Sufism · Sufi Silsilahs: Ba-shara and Be-shara Orders · The Chishti Order · Chishti Devotional Practices · The Suhrawardi Order · Qadiri and Naqshbandi Orders in Mughal India · Sufis and Political Authority · Wahdat-ul-Wujud and Sufi Philosophical Thought

Babur: Central Asian Background and Rise · First Battle of Panipat (1526) · Battle of Khanwa (1527) · Babur's Military Innovations · The Baburnama as a Historical Source · Humayun's Reign and Conflicts · Sher Shah Suri's Rise: the Afghan Interlude · Sher Shah Suri's Administrative and Revenue Reforms · Humayun's Return to Power (1555)

Akbar's Early Reign and Consolidation · Akbar's Conquests and Territorial Expansion · Akbar's Rajput Policy · The Mansabdari System · The Jagirdari System · Zabt (Dahsala) Land Revenue System · Central Government Structure under Akbar · Provincial Administration under Akbar · Akbar's Religious Policy · Akbar's Court Culture: the Navratnas

Jahangir's Reign and Consolidation · Nur Jahan's Political Role · Shah Jahan's Accession and 'Golden Age' · Mughal Architecture · Mughal-Deccan Relations under Shah Jahan · Mughal Foreign Policy: Qandahar and Balkh · The War of Succession among Shah Jahan's Sons

Guru Nanak: Life and Teachings · The Succession of Sikh Gurus · Guru Arjan Dev: Adi Granth and Martyrdom · Guru Hargobind: Militarisation of the Sikh Panth · Guru Tegh Bahadur's Martyrdom · Guru Gobind Singh and the Founding of the Khalsa (1699) · Banda Bahadur's Revolt

Aurangzeb's Accession and Early Reign · Aurangzeb's Religious Policy · Aurangzeb's Deccan Campaigns: Conquest of Bijapur and Golconda · Aurangzeb and the Marathas: Prolonged Deccan Wars · Aurangzeb's Relations with the Rajputs · Popular Revolts under Aurangzeb · Francois Bernier's Account of Mughal India · European Travellers to Mughal India: Tavernier, Manucci and Others · Decline of the Mughal Empire: Causes and Historiography · The Later Mughals (1707-1757) · Nadir Shah's and Ahmad Shah Abdali's Invasions

The Mughal Army: Organisation and Composition · The Mughal Nobility: Composition and Role · Zamindars under the Mughals · Iqta, Jagir, Khalisa and Zamindari Compared · Village Community and Rural Life under the Mughals · Mughal Agrarian Economy and Cash Crops · Trade and Commerce under the Mughals · Merchant Communities, Banjaras and Credit: Sarrafs and Hundi · Ports and Maritime Trade: Surat, Masulipatnam, Hooghly and Calicut · Mughal Currency and Coinage: Rupiya, Dam and Mohur · Arrival of European Trading Companies · Urban Centres and Artisanal Production under the Mughals · Science and Technology in Mughal India: Paper, Gunpowder, Astronomy and Medicine · Mughal, Rajput and Deccani Painting · Music in the Medieval Courts: Amir Khusrau, Dhrupad and Tansen · Middle Strata and Professional Classes in Mughal Society · Position of Women in Mughal Society · Slavery in Mughal India · Mughal Religious Syncretism: Dara Shikoh · The Ain-i-Akbari as a Historical Source

Background: Maratha Society and Deccan Geopolitics · Shivaji's Early Life and Conquests · Shivaji's Conflicts with Bijapur and the Mughals · Treaty of Purandar and Shivaji's Agra Visit · Shivaji's Coronation (1674) and Later Campaigns · Shivaji's Death and Succession · Rise of the Peshwas · Maratha Expansion under Baji Rao I · The Maratha Confederacy · Third Battle of Panipat (1761) · Shivaji's Administration: the Ashtapradhan Council · Maratha Provincial and Local Administration · Maratha Judicial System · Maratha Revenue System: Chauth and Sardeshmukhi · Maratha Trade and Economy · Maratha Military Organisation and Forts · Maratha Naval Power

Hyderabad: Nizam-ul-Mulk and the Asaf Jahi Dynasty · Bengal under Murshid Quli Khan and Successors · Awadh under Saadat Khan and Successors · Mysore under Haidar Ali · Rajput States in the 18th Century · Jat State of Bharatpur · Sikh Misls and the Rise of Sikh Power in Punjab

Persian Literature under the Sultanate and the Mughals · Development of Urdu Language and Literature · Hindi and Bhakti Poetry: Growth and Spread · Growth of Regional Languages and Literatures · Sanskrit Scholarship in the Medieval Period · Historical Writing: the Tarikh Tradition and Akbarnama