Gunpowder and Firearms Warfare in Medieval India

$42
Item Code: IDF253
Author: Iqtidar Alam Khan
Publisher: Oxford University Press, New Delhi
Edition: 2004
ISBN: 0195665260
Pages: 277 (B & W Illus: 28)
Cover: Hardcover
Other Details 8.8" X 5.5"
Fully insured
Fully insured
Shipped to 153 countries
Shipped to 153 countries
More than 1M+ customers worldwide
More than 1M+ customers worldwide
100% Made in India
100% Made in India
23 years in business
23 years in business
Book Description
About the Book:

The use of gunpowder and firearms has been a key concern for military history and for the history of warfare, science and technology. It has also been crucial to the debate on the expansion of empires across the world.

It has often been suggested that the exclusivity of the use of firearms in fact created 'gunpowder empires', a centralization of power in the hands of those who could afford this technology. Using material from a range of contemporary sources and supplemented with rare visuals, this book examines how the use of gunpowder technology showed different results in medieval India. These results are not at variance with the idea that firearms often contribute to concentration of power and the successful building of empires. The book closely examines the impact of their use on regional states in the fifteenth century and on the Mughal Empire in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In the case of the Mughal Empire, it suggests that the use of the musket had particular relevance tot he center's control of internal resources. Further, the book also describes the dissemination of muskets among peasant communities. The links between this development and the growing militancy among sections of the rural population are also explored.

This book is an important contribution to the history of war technology and changing perspectives on state formation in pre-modern India. It reaffirms the catalytic influences of military technology, while at the same time mapping the link between the diffusion of technology and evolving social formations during that period. It will interest the historian of medieval India and scholars and students interested in issues of state formation and military history.

About the Author:

Iqtidar Alam Khan retired as Professor of History. Aligarh Muslim University, India.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgementsvii
List of Illustrations

xi
Introduction1
1.Appearance of Gunpowder and Early Firearms in India during the Thirteenth Century17
2.Gunpowder Artillery in India during the Fifteenth Century41
3.Indian Response to European Gunnery: 1498-155659
4.Artillery in Mughal India: 1556-173991
5.The Nature of Handguns in Mughal India: Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries128
6.The Matchlock Musket as an Instrument of Centralization143
7.Muskets and Peasant Resistance164
Conclusion

191
Appendix A:Use of Firearms by the Mongols in the Islamic World during the Thirteenth Century200
Appendix B:Muhammad Qasim Firishta on the Introduction of Firearms in the Bahmani Kingdom205
Appendix C:The Alleged Presence of Cannon in the Delhi Sultanate during the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries: Akram Makhdoomee's and Abu Zafar Nadvi's Theses210
Appendix D:Re-examining the Origin and Group Identity of the So-called Purbias, 1500-1800

218
Bibliography227
Index247
Frequently Asked Questions
  • Q. What locations do you deliver to ?
    A. Exotic India delivers orders to all countries having diplomatic relations with India.
  • Q. Do you offer free shipping ?
    A. Exotic India offers free shipping on all orders of value of $30 USD or more.
  • Q. Can I return the book?
    A. All returns must be postmarked within seven (7) days of the delivery date. All returned items must be in new and unused condition, with all original tags and labels attached. To know more please view our return policy
  • Q. Do you offer express shipping ?
    A. Yes, we do have a chargeable express shipping facility available. You can select express shipping while checking out on the website.
  • Q. I accidentally entered wrong delivery address, can I change the address ?
    A. Delivery addresses can only be changed only incase the order has not been shipped yet. Incase of an address change, you can reach us at help@exoticindia.com
  • Q. How do I track my order ?
    A. You can track your orders simply entering your order number through here or through your past orders if you are signed in on the website.
  • Q. How can I cancel an order ?
    A. An order can only be cancelled if it has not been shipped. To cancel an order, kindly reach out to us through help@exoticindia.com.
Add a review
Have A Question

For privacy concerns, please view our Privacy Policy

Book Categories