Medieval Indian History

The history of the Indian subcontinent can be divided into three categories. These are as follows:

• The Ancient Indian History
• The Medieval Indian History
• The Modern Indian History

Medieval Indian History is the phase of Indian history between Ancient and Modern Indian History. The time phase between the 6th century and the 16th century is referred to as Medieval Indian History. 

Introduction to the Medieval Indian History

Medieval Indian history started with the end of the Gupta empire in ancient history and the rise of the Mughal empire around the 16th century in the country. This was an expansion of the subcontinent and an abrupt change in the civilization. 

The period also witnessed the development of modern Hinduism and a decline in the practice of Buddhism. Islam became the major religion to practice. 

The Early Medieval Period and the Later Medieval Period

Medieval Indian History is also classified into two different periods. These are the early medieval period and the later medieval period. 

• The Early Medieval Period: In the early medieval period, more than 40 different states were present in the Indian subcontinent, giving rise to a variety of cultures, languages, and religions. Buddhism was the dominant religion during the early medieval period. 

There emerged many educational institutions, one of which was the Buddhist Nalanda University, in present-day Bihar, India. The early medieval period also saw the invention of a game known as Chaturanga, which became popular in Europe and came to be known as chess. 

In the southern kingdom, the Cholas became prominent and controlled the overseas empire, which stretched to present-day Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Indonesia. 

• The Later Medieval Period: During this period of history, the Turkish and the Islamics invaded the northern part of the country. These invaders formed the Delhi Sultanate, which ruled up to the 16th century. Buddhism lost its impact on the masses, but Hinduism was still in practice due to the impact of the invaders.

Around the 16th century, gunpowder was invented, and the country was witnessing the rise of a new Islamic empire: the Mughal Empire. At the same time, trade with the Portuguese was also taking place. 

Religious Developments in the Medieval History of India

Medieval India witnessed the growth of Hinduism over Jainism and Buddhism. Although Buddhism survived in the Gupta period, at the end of ancient India, it died as soon as the medieval period started.

Hinduism was considered much more devotional than the Vedic religion. People worshipped Vaishnavism (Lord Vishnu) and Shaivism (Lord Shiva). Large Hindu monastic communities were being born, which became places of studies, development, etc.

Social and Economic Conditions in the Medieval History of India

• Caste: with the growth of Hinduism also came the differentiation of the caste. The priests were considered the religious experts, and the people blindly believed them. They were given the highest hierarchy, and ironically, they supported cast division. 

The division on the basis of caste was apparent in the Gupta period, but it became more prominent in the medieval period. The occupation was divided on the basis of caste, and marriage was forbidden outside one’s caste. 

• The status of women: the status of women varied from time to time and from region to region. Overall their status seems to decline. High-status women like queens were given the privilege to participate in government issues, arts, music, and dance. 

Whereas the urban and the rural women were restricted to four walls to a great extent. The widows lost their recognition in the society. They had to practice sati after their husband’s death. 

Cultural Developments in the Medieval History of India

• Language and literature: During the medieval period, regional languages became prominent. Earlier, Sanskrit had been the primary language, but now the Tamil dialects were more practised. The Hindus used the local texts for writing sacred books. The Sanskrit language was also replaced by the regional languages. 

Literary works include grammar, manuals, rhetoric, prose, fiction, and drama.

The End of the Medieval History of India

The Medieval period in India came to an end when the last ruler of the Delhi Sultanate was defeated in the Battle of Panipat in the year 1526. These were the invaders from central Asia, the Babur, who became the founder of the Mughal Empire. This marked a historic start of a new era in the history of India known to be the Modern Era. 

Conclusion

This article explains in detail the medieval history of India, its brief classification, the social, political, economic, religious and cultural development, and periodic changes as a result of regime change.