History minor wbsu semester 3

 Q :-Discuss the economic policy of Feroz Shah Tughlaq.

Ans:- Ferozshah tuglaq 's economic policies were characterized by a focus on Islamic legal principles ,public welfare and agriculture development specially through irrigations ,representing a shift away from the ambitious and often volatile experiment of his predecessor ,Mohammed bin Tughlaq.

Major economic and revenue reforms 

Tuglak sought to stabilize the state's finance and win over the religious class by adhering strictly to the Sariya regarding taxation.

* Abolition of unlawful taxes :- he abolished over 21 burdensome and unauthorised taxes that were not sanctioned by Islamic law significantly reducing the tax warden on the populace.

* The four principle taxes he limited the tax to only four prescribed by the Sharia.:-

Kharaj:- the land tax ( typically one - tenth of the produce).

Khamas:-one fifth of war booty.(The traditional Islamic share for the state reversing Alauddin Khilji policy).

Jaziya :-the poll  taxes on non Muslim subject .he made it a separate tax and for the first time imposed it on brahmins who had previously been exempted.

* Zakat :- A 2.5% tax on the property of Muslims intended for religious and charitable purposes.

Revenue survey :he ordered a comprehensive revenue survey of the entire Kingdom to fix the states total revenue income (khwaja Hisamuddin conducted this 6 year survey) this brought a degree of stability and predictability to the states finance. 

Waiver of loans :-he waived the outstanding agriculture loans that his predecessors Mohammad bin Tughlaq had granted to the peasants providing immediate relief. 

Agriculture and public works :- he most celebrated economic contributions were in the field of agriculture and infrastructure which significantly improve the productivity of the land.

Extensive irrigation system :-firoj Shah is renowded for constructing an impressive network of canals, earning him the title of father of the irrigation department in the sultanate.key  canals include one from the Yamuna river to Hisar and another from the Sutlej  river to ghagar.

Irrigation tax:-   to fund and maintain these extensive irrigation work ,he introduced a new taxs for the first time ;the irrigation tax levid at 1/10th of the produce on lands  that utilised the state provided canal water.

Public utility works:-  he undertook vast public works,including the construction of numerous town( e.g.Firozabad ,Jaunpur ,Hisar ), hospitals(dar -ul-shafa), rest houses,houses and over 1200 fruits garden which also generated significant revenue for the state. 

Administrative and economic drawbacks 

While many policies were benovalent  some had negative long term consequences for the states stability 

Hereditary assignments  :-  he made the iqta system hereditary,meaning nobles could pass their land grants and offices to their sons or even sons in law. crucially ,this practices was also extended to the army ,where soldiers could pass their positions and the associated revenue assignments in lieu of cash salaries.

Impact :-  this led to the dilution of merits in the administration and military as well as an increase in corruption significantly weakening the military 's  effectiveness.

Karakhanas and slavery:-  he established a large department or slave s and maintained an enormous number of slaves who were employee in royal karkhanas.while these workshops produced goods, the cost of maintaining such a large, unproductive labour force was a significant financial burden on the state.

Welfare Measures :-to ensure public welfare ,he established the Diwan-i- khairat(department of charity) to provide financial aid for the poor and arrange marriages for the poor Muslim girls and an employment Bureau to provide job for the unemployed .

2)  what do you mean by Khilji revolution?

Ans:- the Khilji regulation was a  political and social transformation in Delhi sultanate that occurred in 1290  marking the end of the Mamluk (slave) dynasty and the beginning of the khalji Dynasty.

It was a significant event because it was not merely a dynastic change but represented a  fundamental shift in the nature of the state and ruling Elite.

1)A Military coup :- the khalji seized power primarily through military strength rather than the traditional support of the old nobility that clergy or the common people.

*The coup involved  :-The murder of the last Mamluk successor ,the young Sultan  Kaiqubad and the deposition of successor Kayumars.

* Jalaluddin Khilji  then seized the throne, establishing a new dynasty based on sheer  military might.

2) shift in the nature of Kingship :- the Khilji Era particularly under Jalaluddin successor Alauddin Khilji a shared in a era of centralised and absolute monarchy.

* It paved the way ay for the more secular concept of the state where the sultan's political and administrative decision were less influenced by the religious class or the traditional novelty.

Alauddin Khilji famously declared that" kinship knows no kinship", emphasizing his absolute authority and willingness to implement revolutionary administrative and economic measure ,such as famous market regulations (Khilji regulations).

3) End of Turkish Hegemony :- Historically the high government offices and nobility of Delhi sultanate where monopolized by the Turkic aristocracy .The Khilji though of Turko- Afghan origin ,were regarded as non - Turks by the traditional Turkish nobles.

* The revolution, led by Jalaluddin firoj Khilji, successfully dismantle the Turkish Monopoly over the administration and royal authority. 

* This change effectively broaden the ruling class to include non-Turks and even Indian Muslims, intended leading to a more diverse political base for the sultanate.

Q) How did the foreign traveller view the vijaynagar kingdom?

Q) Evaluate in brief the Deccan policies of Aurangzeb?

Q) What were the impact of bhakti movement in India?