The New Cambridge History of India, Volume 1, Part 8: A Social History of the Deccan, 1300-1761: Eight Indian Lives

In this fascinating account of one of the least known parts of South Asia, Richard Eaton recounts the history of the Deccan plateau in southern India from the fourteenth century to the rise of European colonialism. He does so, vividly, through the lives of eight Indians who lived at different times during this period, and who each represented something particular about the Deccan. Their stories are woven together into a rich narrative tapestry, which illuminates the most important social processes of the Deccan across four centuries and provides a much-needed book by the most highly regarded scholar in the field. In This Study, Richard Eaton Recounts The History Of Southern India's Deccan Plateau From The Early Fourteenth Century To The Rise Of European Colonialism In The Eighteenth. He Does So, Vividly, By Narrating The Lives Of Eight Indians Who Lived At Different Times During This Period, And Whose Careers Illustrate Particular Social Processes Of The Region's History.--jacket. Pratapa Rudra (r. 1289-1323): The Demise Of The Regional Kingdoms -- Muhammad Gisu Daraz (1321-1422); Muslim Piety And State Authority -- Mahmud Gawan (1411-1481): Decannis And Westerners -- Rama Raya (1484-1565): élite Mobility In A Persianized World -- Malik Ambar (1548-1626): The Rise And Fall Of Military Slavery -- Tukaram (1608-1649): Non-brahmin Religious Movements -- Papadu (fl. 1695-1710): Social Banditry In Mughal Telangana -- Tarabai (1675-1761): The Rise Of Brahmins In Politics. Richard M. Eaton. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 203-209) And Index. In this fascinating account of one of the least known parts of South Asia, Eaton recounts the history of the Deccan plateau in southern India from the fourteenth century to the rise of European colonialism. He does so, vividly, through the lives of eight Indians who lived at different times during this period, and who each represented something particular about the Deccan. In the first chapter, for example, the author describes the demise of the regional kingdom through the life of a maharaja. In the second, a Sufi sheikh illustrates Muslim piety and state authority. Other characters include a merchant, a general, a slave, a poet, a bandit and a female pawnbroker. Their stories are woven together into a rich narrative tapestry, which illumines the most important social processes of the Deccan across four centuries. This is a much-needed book by the most highly regarded scholar in the field