Medieval & Modern Indian History

🟢 Lite — Quick Review (1h–1d)

Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526)

• Qutb-ud-din Aibak (1206–1210): founded; slave-turned-governor; started construction of Qutub Minar
• Iltutmish (1211–1236): consolidated Turkic rule; introduced the Iqta system (military feudalism); Turkish slave aristocracy
• Razia Sultana (1236–1240): India’s first and only female ruler; deposed by nobles
• Balban (1287–1287): enforced strict justice; created “Diwan-i-Khalwat” (private audience)
• Alauddin Khalji (1296–1316): first to invade South India; market reforms (price control); measurement of land for revenue
• Muhammad bin Tughlaq (1325–1351): transferred capital to Daulatabad; introduced token currency (debasement); failed experiments
• Firuz Shah Tughlaq (1351–1388): built canals; Firuz Shah Tughlaq Mosque; built cities; Bengal declared independence
• Sikandar Lodi (1489–1517): introduced the Sikri system; Agra became important
• Ibrahim Lodi (1517–1526): last Sultan; Battle of Panipat (1526) → defeated by Babur

Mughal Empire (1526–1857)

• Babur (1526–1530): descendant of Timur and Chengiz Khan; invited by Rana Sanga and Daulat Khan Lodi; First Battle of Panipat; wrote Tuzuk-i-Baburi (autobiography in Chagatai Turkic)
• Humayun (1530–1556): lost to Sher Shah Suri at Kannauj (1540); exiled to Persia; regained throne with Safshahid’s help (1555)
• Sher Shah Suri (1540–1545): established Sur Dynasty; built Grand Trunk Road; introduced the Zabt system (revenue on land); currency reforms; postal system (dang)
• Akbar (1556–1605): extended Mughal Empire; Din-i-Ilahi (syncretic religion); Nine Jewels (Navaratna); conquests of Gujarat, Bengal; voluntary surrender of political authority by Rajput kings (Man Singh, etc.)
• Jahangir (1605–1627): Nur Jahan’s influence; holds of Nur Jahan’s father Itimad-ud-daulah’s tomb (Agra); memoir Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri
• Shah Jahan (1628–1658): built Taj Mahal (Mumtaz Mahal, 1632–1653); Moti Masjid, Red Fort; War of Succession between sons → Aurangzeb imprisoned him
• Aurangzeb (1658–1707): Deccan policy; suppression of Marathas, Sikhs; imposition of Jizya (stopped later); empire reached maximum extent but fractured; released Shahu (Maratha) in 1707
• Later Mughals (1707–1857): reduced to puppet rulers; power shifted to Nawabs, Marathas, Jats, Sikhs

Marathas (1674–1818)

• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (1647–1680): founded Maratha Empire (1674 at Raigad); naval power; guerrilla warfare; principles of administration (Ashta Pradhan); Swarajya
• Peshwa system (1713 onwards): became de facto rulers; Balaji Vishwanath, Bajirao I (Nana Saheb), Balaji Bajirao (Nana Saheb Peshwa); Third Battle of Panipat (1761) → Marathas defeated by Ahmad Shah Durrani
• Three Anglo-Maratha Wars (1777, 1803, 1817–1818) → end of Maratha independence

British East India Company (1600–1858)

• Established by Queen Elizabeth I (1600); charter to trade with the East
• Founded trading posts: Surat (1608), Bombay (1668), Madras (1639), Calcutta (1690)
• Battle of Plassey (1757): Robert Clive vs. Siraj-ud-daulah → Nawab of Bengal; 1000 rupees bribe to Mir Jafar; not a military victory
• Battle of Buxar (1764): Company vs. Mir Qasim, Shuja-ud-daulah, Shah Alam II → Treaty of Allahabad (1765): Diwani rights (right to collect revenue) granted to Company
• Doctrine of Lapse (1848–1856): Lord Dalhousie’s policy; denied adopted sons’ right to inherit; led to annexation of Jhansi, Nagpur, Satara
• Legislative Acts: Pitt’s India Act (1784), Charter Acts (1813, 1833), Government of India Act (1853)

Revolt of 1857

• Also called Sepoy Mutiny, First War of Independence
• Triggered by Mangal Pandey (32nd Bengal Infantry, Barrackpore, March 1857); greased cartridge controversy (cow and pig fat)
• Bahadur Shah Zafar (last Mughal emperor) declared Emperor of Hindustan by rebels
• Key leaders: Mangal Pandey, Bahadur Shah Zafar, Rani Lakshmibai (Jhansi), Begum Hazrat Mahal, Tantia Tope, Kunwar Singh
• Suppressed by Sir Colin Campbell (later Lord Clyde); Bahadur Shah Zafar exiled to Rangoon
• Result: End of Mughal Empire; Crown directly took over (Government of India Act 1858); Queen Victoria’s Proclamation

Indian National Congress & Freedom Movement

• Founded: 1885 by A.O. Hume and W.C. Banerjee; Bombay; 72 delegates at first session
• Early phase: Moderates (Dadabhai Naoroji, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Surendranath Banerjee) — demanded self-government through petitions, resolutions, debates
• Extremists (1905–1919): Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bipin Chandra Pal; “Lal Bal Pal”; Swadeshi movement; Boycott of British goods
• Muslim League: Founded 1906 by Aga Khan III; later demanded separate electorates (Lahore Resolution 1940)

Mahatma Gandhi & the Freedom Movement

• Returned from South Africa (1915); Champaran Satyagraha (1917) — indigo farmers; Kheda Satyagraha (1918) — peasant relief; Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918) — textile workers
• Rowlatt Act (1919): “Black Act”; Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (April 13, 1919) — General Dyer; 379-1500 dead
• Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–1922): Boycott of courts, schools, foreign goods; Chauri Chaura incident (1922) → Gandhi suspended movement
• Civil Disobedience Movement (1930): Dandi Salt March (388 km, March-April 1930); 78 volunteers; broke British salt monopoly; Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931)
• Round Table Conferences (1930–1932): Three conferences in London; Gandhi attended second as sole Congress representative
• Quit India Movement (1942): “Do or Die”; Aruna Asaf Ali hoisted flag; leaders arrested
• Partition: Mountbatten Plan (June 1947); Radcliffe Line; 14-15 August 1947; violence, displacement of 1-2 crore people

⚡ Exam Tip: AILET frequently asks about causes of 1857 Revolt, Gandhi’s movements and their significance, Battle of Plassey vs. Buxar differences, and key dates. Don’t confuse Mughal rulers — remember their succession wars.

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🟡 Standard — Regular Study (2d–2mo)

Delhi Sultanate — Administration & Culture

• Iqta System: Land grants to nobles (iqtadars) for military service; not hereditary; revenue collected by state
• Sultanate Culture: Persian influence; Sufi saints (Nizamuddin Auliya, Baba Farid); architecture (Qutub Minar, Alai Darwaza); introduction of the Ghaznavi style
• Market Reforms: Alauddin Khalji fixed prices, quality control, monopoly on sales; abolished feudal privileges
• Tughlaq Architecture: Tughlaqabad Fort; distinctive sloping walls; use of grey sandstone

Mughal Administration

• Central: Emperor (最高的); Four ministers — Diwan (finance), Mir Bakshi (military), Mir Saman (royal household), Sadr-us-Sudur (religious grants)
• Provincial: Subahdars (governors); Faujdars (military commanders); Diwans (finance)
• Revenue: Zabt system (record-keeping, measurement); Dahsala system (Aurangzeb’s land revenue); ryots (cultivators) paid in cash or kind
• Mansabdari: Graded military-civilian posts (mansabdars); paid in cash (naqd) or jagir; dual system — grades 1-33 for princes and high nobles
• Religious Policy: Akbar most liberal — abolished jizya, invited Jesuit priests, Din-i-Ilahi; Aurangzeb reimposed jizya, destroyed temples

British Economic Policies & Impact

• Permanent Settlement (1793): Lord Cornwallis; fixed revenue in perpetuity; Zamindars became landowners; peasants became tenants; led to Bengal famine of 1770 (ignored)
• Ryotwari System (Madras Presidency): Thomas Munro; individual ryots registered; revenue directly collected
• Mahalwari System (1833): Holt Mackenzie; village communities collectively responsible
• Deindustrialization: British manufactures flooded Indian market; collapse of handicraft industries; weavers, artisans displaced
• Land Reforms: Zamindari abolition acts post-independence; ceiling laws

Key Freedom Fighters & Their Contributions

• Bal Gangadhar Tilak: “Swaraj is my birthright”; founded Kesari newspaper; supported armed resistance
• Lala Lajpat Rai: “We shall die but we shall not give up”; led protest against Simon Commission; lathicharge led to his death
• Bipin Chandra Pal: “National self-reliance”; champion of swadeshi
• Aurobindo Ghosh: advocated complete independence; philosopher; founded Baroda College
• Subhas Chandra Bose: formed Indian National Army (INA) with Japanese help; Azad Hind Fauj; 1943 formed Provisional Government of Azad Hind; controversial death in plane crash (1945)
• Bhagat Singh: Hindustan Socialist Republican Association; Central Legislative Assembly bombing (1929); executed 1931
• Rajendra Prasad: first President of India; leader of Champaran
• Jawaharlal Nehru: first Prime Minister; architect of foreign policy (non-alignment)

Constitutional Developments

• Indian National Congress demand: Swadeshi, Swaraj (self-government)
• Act of 1919 (Montagu-Chelmsford): diarchy in provinces; limited Indian participation
• Act of 1935: federalism; dyarchy abolished at centre; provincial autonomy
• August Offer (1940): war credits, future constitution-making
• Cripp’s Mission (1942): rejected by Congress
• Wavell Plan (1945): Simla Conference
• Cabinet Mission Plan (1946): proposed confederation; accepted by Congress and League with reservations

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🔴 Extended — Deep Study (3mo+)

Deep Dive — Key Battles & Treaties

Event	Year	Significance
Battle of Tarain	1192	Prithviraj Chauhan defeated by Muhammad Ghori
Battle of Panipat (1st)	1526	Babur defeats Ibrahim Lodi; end of Sultanate
Battle of Khanwa	1527	Babur defeats Rana Sanga
Battle of Plassey	1757	Robert Clive vs. Siraj-ud-daulah; Nawab’s death; not decisive victory but political
Battle of Buxar	1764	Company defeats Nawab; Diwani rights granted
Battle of Plassey	1757	Robert Clive vs. Siraj-ud-daulah; Nawab’s death; not decisive victory but political
Battle of Buxar	1764	Company defeats Nawab; Diwani rights granted
Third Battle of Panipat	1761	Ahmad Shah Durrani defeats Marathas
Anglo-Maratha Wars	1777, 1803, 1818	End of Maratha power
Revolt of 1857	1857	First war of independence
Partition of India	1947	Mountbatten Plan; Radcliffe Line

Important Treaties & Documents

• Treaty of Paris (1763): Ends Seven Years’ War; French influence reduced
• Treaty of Allahabad (1765): Diwani rights to Company; Non-diwani areas to Mughal emperor
• Treaty of Paris (1783): Ended American Revolutionary War (American independence)
• Treaty of Amritsar (1809): Sutlej declared boundary between Sikh and British territories
• Treaty of 1817: E.g., Baramati Treaty with Marathas

Famous Personalities — Full Details

Shivaji Maharaj (1630–1680)

• Born in Shivneri Fort; mother Jijabai; father Shahji Bhonsle (deshmukh of Poona)
• Encrypted administration: Ashta Pradhan (8 ministers); all sources agree, Peshwa foremost
• Military innovations: Guerrilla warfare (ganimi kava); infantry (pagas); naval force; fort architecture
• Administration: Princely states (garhs); revenue from jagirs; Marathi as official language
• 1659: captured Torna; 1674: crowned Chhatrapati at Raigad; established Swarajya

Mahatma Gandhi (1869–1948)

• Born: Porbandar, Gujarat; trained as lawyer in London; worked in South Africa (1893–1914); faced racial discrimination
• Philosophy: Satyagraha (truth-force); Ahimsa (non-violence); Sarvodaya (welfare of all); Trusteeship
• Methods: Fasting, peaceful protests, boycotts, civil disobedience
• Major campaigns: Champaran (1917), Kheda (1918), Rowlatt Satyagraha (1919), Non-Cooperation (1920), Salt March (1930), Quit India (1942)
• Last fast: Calcutta, January 1948 (after Partition violence)
• Assassinated: January 30, 1948 by Nathuram Godse

Aurangzeb — The Controversial Emperor

• Succeeded Shah Jahan after war with brothers (Dara Shikoh killed, Shuja fled); imprisoned father
• Policies: Expanded empire to Deccan (1687); destroyed temples (Kashi Vishwanath, Mathura); reimposed jizya (1679); censored music, dancing
• Impact: Rajput resentment; Maratha insurgency (Sambhaji, then later Peshwas); Sikh conflicts (execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur 1675); Persian/Afghan invasions (final campaign against Marathas weakened empire)
• Financial: Sold crown jewels to fund Deccan campaigns; mansabdars’ jagirs auctioned
• Paradox: Read Arabic translation of the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads; wrote religious commentary

Partition — Detailed Process

• 1946: Cabinet Mission Plan rejected by League; Direct Action Day (August 16, 1946) — Great Calcutta Killings
• 1947: Mountbatten Plan announced June 3; Indian Independence Act passed July 18; partition proclaimed August 14-15
• Radcliffe Line: Cyril Radcliffe drew boundary lines; two separate commissions — one for Bengal, one for Punjab; completed in 13 days; 14-20 million displaced; 200,000-2,000,000 killed
• Princely states: 562 states; access to India or Pakistan; Instruments of Accession; Goa annexed (1961); Hyderabad (Police Action 1948)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Misunderstanding Plassey as a great military victory — it was a political manipulation
2. Confusing Mughal periods — Akbar’s liberal policies vs. Aurangzeb’s orthodox ones
3. Thinking Gandhi alone won independence — mass movement, many leaders, sacrifices
4. Forgetting British economic policies’ impact — deindustrialization, drain of wealth
5. Mixing up Moderates and Extremists — their methods differed sharply
6. Underestimating 1857 — calling it mere “sepoy mutiny” misses its political character

Practice Tips

• Prepare a comparative chart of Mughal rulers: administration, religious policy, cultural patronage
• Create a timeline of Gandhi’s movements with dates and locations
• Solve AILET previous years on Medieval and Modern History
• Practice map-based questions — identify locations of battles, administrative centres
• Connect economic policies to social consequences