SOURCES OF MEDIEVAL

HISTORY
BY : SWAROOPA KHANGAROT
 Historical sources are the original sources which contain any kind of historical
information. They are the ways through which we can understand about past events.

 Historical testimonials, inscriptions, coins and other archaeological and literary sources
cite the immediate political, social and economic information about the lineages of various
dynasties, historical events, art and architecture, life of locals and their culture etc.

 Compared with Ancient India, a large number of literary sources are available for the
Medieval India .
 These sources provide a more reliable information and insight about the life of the people
of the period.
 Sources inform us of the administrative setup of the rulers, their theory of kinship ,
military achievements etc.
 They reflect the state of cultural , economic, political and religious institutions.
 MEDIEVAL INDIA

SULTANATE PERIOD MUGHAL PERIOD

(1206 - 1526) (STARTS FROM 1526)

Pre-Medieval Period MEDIEVAL PERIOD

The ruler was called “Sultan” The ruler is called

“Badshah”
SOURCES OF THE SULTANATE PERIOD
1. AL UTBI : TARIKH-I-YAMINI
Tarikh-i-Yamini was written by Al Utbi.
It was written in Arabic language.
It deals with the history of Subuktgin and Mahmud of Ghazni up to 1020A.D.
No details are found in this account and dates are missing.
It is considered a great work on Mahmud of Ghazni.
2. MINHAJ-US-SIRAJ : TABQUAT-I-NASIRI
 The Tabquat-I-Nasiri was written by Minhaj-us-Siraj.
 It was written in Farsi language.
 It gives us a first hand account of the conquest of India by Muhammad Ghori and has
also written about Iltutmish, Balban , Raziya Sultan etc.
 Minhaj wrote that the reason for the downfall of Raziya Sultan was ‘ her being a woman’
 It gives information about the history of Delhi Sultanate till 1260.
 The author gives different dates for the same event.
3. ZIA-UD-DIN BARANI : TARIKH-I-FIROZSHAHI
 The Tarikh-I-Firoz Shahi was written by Zia-Ud-Din barani.
 The was a contemporary and gives information about Ghiyas-Ud-Din Tughluq ,
Muhammad-bin-Tughluq and Firoz Tughluq.
 He gives a useful account of the history of the slave dynasty , Khalji dynasty and Tughluq
dynasty.
 Barani held a high position in the administration in the sultanate period.
 He described the system of revenue administration in great detail.
 In the writings of Barani, a biased approach is seen. At some places , religious extremism
was sensed.
 He did not paid much attention to the chronological order of the events.
4. SHAMS-I-SIRAJ AFIF : TARIKH-I-FIROZSHAHI
 The Tarikh-I-Firoz Shahi of shams-i-Siraj Afif deals with the history of the reign of Firoz
shah Tughluq and praised him.
 Shams-i-Siraj was himself a member of the court of Firoz Tughluq.
 It was written in Farsi language.
 Afif’s work is the only survival of a number of other works praising Alauddin Khalji,
Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq , Muhammad Tughluq and Firoz Tughluq.
 Afif has praised Firoz Tughluq for his generosity towards his servants , his care for the
people , his respect for the Sufis and his activities as a builder.
 He describes Firoz as an ideal man .
5. HASAN NIZAMI : TAJ-UL-MASSIR
 The Taj-Ul-Massir was written by Hasan Nizami.
 It was written in Farsi language.
 it deals with the events from about 1192 A.D. to 1228 A.D.
 It deals with the career and reign of QUTUB-UD-DIN AIBAK and the early reign of
ILTUTMISH.
 Hasan Nizami was a migrant from his native Nishapur.
 He wrote Taj-Ul-Massir after encouragement from the Sadr at Delhi. .
6. AL BERUNI : KITAB-UL-HIND
 The Kitab-Ul-Hind , also called Tahqiq-hind , was written by Al- Beruni.
 Al Beruni was a great Arabic and Persian scholar.
 The book gives an account of the literature , religion and sciences of the Hindus at the time
of his visit to India.
 Al Beruni was a contemporary of Mahmud of Ghazni and he gives a lot of useful
information about the condition of India at the time of invasion by Mahmud.
7.AMIR KHUSRAO
 Amir Khusrao was born in “Itta” district of Uttar Pradesh.
 He started composing poems since he was 8 years old.
 He studied Farsi, Arabic and Hindi.
 He was a music composer as well.
 He was the disciple of saint Nizamuddin Auliya.
 He wrote many books. Some of them are:

a) KIRAN-US-SADAIN
In this book, amir Amir writes about or describes about the social, economic and cultural
situation during Sultan Kaikubad, Bughra Khan etc.
In this book, the geographic condition of Delhi is also described very thoroughly.
b) MIFTA-UL-FUTUH
Amir Khusrao wrote this book during the reign of Jalal-Ud-Din Khilji.
Amir Khusrao has described in this book about Jalal-Ud-Din’s victory and Malik Chajju’s
Revolt.

c)TARIKH-I-ALAI
Amir Khusrao wrote this book during the reign of Ala-Ud-Din Khilji.
He wrote about the victories of Ala-Ud-Din Khilji.
This book is called Khaza’in-Ul-Futuh.

d) AASHIKA / DEVALRANI KHIJRAKHA

In Amir Khusrao’s book Aashika, the love story of Ala-Ud-Din’s eldest son Khijrakhan and
Gujarat’s king KARN BHAGHEL’S daughter princess DEVAL is mentioned.
Initially the book was completed after the couple’s marriage but again in Tughluq era, some
new chapters were added in this book.
In these new chapters, the murder of Khijrakhan, the tortures of Malik Khafur etc. are
mentioned and described.
e) NUHE-SIPEHAR
 Amir Khusrao, during the reign of Qutubuddin Mubarak Khilji wrote NUHE-SIPEHAR.
 This book has 9 parts.
 He has described about Qutubuddin Mubarak Khilji.
 In the 3rd part of this book, he praised the climatic condition , vegetation, fruits, flowers,
customs traditions and spiritual knowledge of the people INDIA.
8. MALIK ISAMI : FUTUH-AL-SALATIN
 The Futuh-Al-Salatin was written by Malik Isami.
 Isami wrote this book in 1350 A.D.
 Isami has dedicated the book to Sultan Ala-Ud-Din Bahman Shah of the Bahmani
Kingdom.
 Futuh-Al-Salatin also gives information about Balban, Khilji and Tughluq Dynasty.
 Malik Isami criticised the ‘capital-change’ by Muhammad-Bin- Tughluq from Delhi to
Daulatabad.
9.IBN-BATUTA: RAHLAH
 The Kitab-ur-Rahlah was written by Ibn Battuta.
 Ibn Battuta was a native of Tangier , Morocco.
 He came to India in the reign of Muhammad-Bin-Tughluq .
 In this book, Ibn Battuta described the geographic and cultural situation of India very well.
 He also described about the ports, trade , commerce, postal system etc. of India.
 He also described about the personal life, court and strategies of Muhammad-Bin-Tughluq.
 10. YAHIYA BIN AHMED SARHINDI: TARIKH-I-MUBARAK
SHAHI
The Tarikh-I-Mubarak shahi was written by Yahiya bin Ahmed Sarhindi.
 This book gives information about Mubarak shah of the Sayyed dynasty.

11. ABDULLA: TARIKH-I-DAUDI

 The Tarikh-I-Daudi was written by Abdulla.
 It gives information about the Lodi Sultans.