Objective of the History I Course:

The Objective of the Course is to acquaint the Law initiates into the need of the
study of the discipline of History for a more profound and nuanced appreciation of
Law not just as a embodiment of ancestral injunctions compelling obedience by
disapprobation or even as a body of principles applied by the courts in exercise of
their jurisdiction with the end of maintenance of order and regard for justice and
fairplay, but nurturing the ability of understanding and internalizing Law and
Legal Institutions as by-products of the social milieu they emanate from and thrive
in, as well as exhibiting the organic linkages that they mandatorily possess with
the society they evolve and find their sustainability and vitality in. The tenor of the
course thus is to study History and Law as in a logical conjunction and consort,
with the end of exposing the impact of societal changes acting as indispensable
inputs on the sinuous trajectory of law as it pans out as a living and thriving
instrument of change of the society which in turn it is a reflection of, with an
attempt to consciously refraining from diluting the spontaneity of the discipline of
History per se.

With the so stated objective in the foreground, the Curriculum proposes to dilate
on the discipline of History under two broad heads in the ensuing Semester,
enumerated at length.
 HISTORY-I

Unit – I: State Formation and Material Milieu of Ancient India

 The Utilitarian relationship between Law and History.

 State Formation in Ancient India: Vedic Period-Tribal Polity and Public
assemblies, Social organization, Economic structure and Religious beliefs.
Later Vedic period Developments.
 Rise of heterodox sects: Jainism and Buddhism.-Material and Social milieu,
tenets and points of similarity.

Unit – II: Administration and Governments of Early Territorial States

 State and Government under the Mauryas with special emphasis on
administration of Justice; Asoka’s Dandaniti.
 Guptas: Administrative setup and nature of polity; judicial organization and
the administration of Justice.
 Position of Women in Ancient India and their rights to inheritance as per the
various schools of Hindu Law.

Unit – III: The Turko-Afghans-Political Ideas and Institutions

 Administration under the Turko-Afghan Delhi Sultanate: The Slaves-
Balban’s Political Ideas and Theory of Kingship.
 The Khaljis-The Market Regulations
 The Tuglaqs-New orientation of State Policy.
 Law, Legal institutions and Judicial Organization under the Turko-Afghans.

Unit – IV:The Mughal Polity, Theory of State and Institutions

 The Mughals: Nature of Polity, Political Ideas and Institutions; Central
Administrative Apparatus & Departmental Administration.
 Judicial Administration: Changes introduced under Akbar; Criminal Law &
Punishment and salient features of Islamic Criminal Law.
 The Decline of the Mughal Empire

Unit –Society in Early Medieval and Medieval India

 Mutual Impact of Hinduism and Islam: Movements of Reform
 The Bhakti Movement-Genesis, the cult as a reformative movement
 The Sufi Movement-Birth & Development; Impact on the Medieval Indian
Society.
TEXT BOOKS:
D.N. Jha -Ancient India –An Introductory Outline
R.S.Sharma-India’s Ancient Past.H.V. Sreenivasmurthy –History of India Vols.-I &
II
J.L. Mehta -Advanced Study in the History of Medieval India Vols.–I, II & III
T. Rama Jois -Ancient Legal Thought
S.A.A. Rizvi -Wonder that was India. Part - II