Govt. Model Degree College, Dept. of History

                              Sources of Medieval Indian History.
INTRODUCTION:
The study of medieval history of India unfolds through its contemporary sources. As history progresses towards medieval era from the ancient past, the abundance of historical materials become evident. There are more in number and richer in content also. Their nature is varied. While many of the chronicles were written by authors who were patronized by the kings and Sultans, many authors and their texts did not have the biases of the court chronicler. Thus as a student of history, we are safely placed to construct a
rational history of our past heritage especially medieval India through the multiplicity of contemporary sources.

TYPES OF SOURCES:
The sources of medieval India has been divided into various categories. Apart from the text books and other scholarly treaties written by authorities in the present time, the main bulk of sources comprise of those literary texts and archaeological findings which have survived and have been reclaimed from various places like private colleges films, libraries and excavation sites.
LITERARY SOURCES:
The literary sources have been further divided into religious and non religious sources. Religious sources were written by various authors comprising the various existing religions of the contemporary times. The other variety of literary sources comprise of what is usually known as secular
sources. These consist of biographies, literary works, foreign travellers accounts, royal orders and letters.
RELIGIOUS SOURCES:
These consist of treaties written by religious scholars for the propagation and dissemination of the tenets of religion. In many instances the emperors who were devout Muslims devoted their time in calligraphic copying of the holy Quran . A number of such evidences has survived to the present. Another important variety of sources pertaining to religion consists of the writings of several Sufi and Bhakti saints of medieval India. Saints
such as Surdas, Tulsidas, Mirabai, Chaitanya, Vidyapati and Sufi texts like Zakhirat- ulmulk and preachings of Baba Farid enshrined in the Guru Granth Saheb was extremely popular amongst masses at large.

SELECTED WORKS ON THE LIVES AND TEACHINGS OF SUFI SAINTS:
The lives of the Sufi saints was much revered during this period. A number of authors have devoted much attention to the mystic practices and daily lives of these mystic saints.Fawadul Fawayad by Amir Hasan Siziji, Khair- ul - Mazlis Hamid Kalandar, Akhbar - ul - Akhiyar by Abdul Haq Dehalvi and Gulzaar -i - Awrar by Mohd Ghausi throws adequate light on the life and teachings of the many Sufi saints of the medieval period.
SELECTED SECULAR LITERARY SOURCES:
Another significant number of literary sources comprises of literary work,
biographical accounts, Foreign travellers accounts, royal orders and letters. Some of the
famous secular literary sources, their dates and authors are listed below.
➢ Chachnama or Fatehnama is an account which throws light to the Arab invasion of
Sindh.
➢ Rajtarangini was written by Kalhana. It is an an account of the history of Kashmir.
➢ Kitab- ul - Hind was authored by Alberuni.
➢ Tabkaat -I- Nasiri was penned by Minhaz - us - Shiraz throws light on the newly
built Turkish empire.
➢ Tarikh- i- Firozshahi ans other books written by Ziyauddin Barni deals with the
Khilji and Tughlaq dynasties.
➢ Padmavat by Malik Mohd Jayasi deals with the contacts of Aladdin Khilji and Rana
of Chittor, a powerful Rajput kingdom of Rajasthan.
➢ Tarikh- us- Sindh was the book of Mir Mohd Masoom.
➢ Kamilut- Tasarikh by Sheikh Abul Hasan deals with Mohd Ghori’s India conquests.
➢ Taz- ul- Masir of Hasan Nizami elaborates the life and times of Qutubuddin Aibak.
➢ Tuzuk - i- Babari is an autobiography written by Babur himself.
➢ Humayunama wasn’t written by Humanyun’s sister Gulbadan Begam. It tells us
about his problems and campaigns.
➢ Tarikh- I Rashidi also gives accounts of Humanyun reign.
➢ Akbarnama and Ain - i- Akbari are famous historical accounts of Emperor Akbar
and written by famous author Abul Fazal.
➢ Tabkat -i - Akbari by Khwaja Nizamuddin Ahmad deals with Akbar era.
➢ Muntakhab-ut- Tawarikh by Badayuni is a great text dealing with Akbar the great.
➢ Tuzuk -i - Jahangiri is an autobiographical account of Jahangir, the great Mughal
emperor.
➢ Tarikh - i - Shershahi by Abbas Khan Sherwani and other texts like Tarikh - i - Shahi
by Ahmad Yadgar, Tawarikh-i-Daulat- i - Shershahi by Hasan Ali and Tarikh - i -
Farishta written by Farishta throw excellently light on the reign of Sher Shah.
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➢ Padshahnama by Abdul Hamid Lahori and Badshahnama by Mirza Amin Kazwini,
Shahjahanama by Inayat Khan, Amal- i - Salih by Mohd Salih are all treaties of
the Shahjahan era.
➢ Muntakhab- ul - Bubav by Khafi Khan and Mirat - i - Alam by Bakhtaran Khan,
Tarikh - i Iradat Khan by Iradat Khan, Almgirnama by Mohd Kazim, Zeenat - ul -
Tawarikh by Azizullah are all books written by contemporary scholars during the
rule of Aurangzeb Alamgir, the last powerful monarch of the Mughal dynasty.
➢ Zainul Akhbar by Abu Sayeed, Taz - ul - Masir by Hasan Nizami, Tabkat - I - Nasiri
by Minhaz, Mulfuzat -i - Timuri, an autobiographical account by Amir Taimur and
many other such texts illuminate medieval Indian history. However, one author
deserves special attention amongst many for his literary contributions to the
traditions of historical writing.
AMIR KHUSRO WRITINGS:
Most of Khusro’s writings span the period between 1289C and 1325C. His
books Kiran - us - Saden (1289C) describes the meeting Bughra Khan, Mifata - ulFutuh (1291C) relates to the military campaigns of Jalaluddin Kilji, Malik Chajju
revolt and attack on Ranthambhore, Khazain - ul - Futuh is an account of the war
campaigns and other administrative accounts of Sultan Allauddin Khilji, and Nuh
Sipihar, Tughluqnama are some other important treaties written by Khusro.
Amir Khusro’s family was in good relationship with a number of kings such as
Kaikubad, Jaluddin Khilji, Alauddin Khilji, Mubarakshah, and Gayasuddin
Tughlaq.
REGIONAL ACCOUNTS:
It is also important to note the regional accounts of the medieval Period. A
number of such texts are available which throw adequate light on the regional
histories. Tarik - i - Bahadur Shahi and Tarikh -i - Tahiri shed light on Sindh, Riyaz
- us- Salatin on Bengal, Tarikh - i - Rashidi and Tarikh - i - Kashmir are historical
texts on the history of Kashmir. Many other texts are available which throw light
on the histories of Gujrat, Gulbarga, Bidar, Ahmadnagar and Bijapur.
NON MUSLIM LITERARY TEXTS:
Non Muslim literary texts are fewer in number but are equally important as
sources. Prithviraj Raso by Chandbardai was considered to be an authentic source
till recent times. But recent researchers have proved otherwise. Prithviraj - Vijay -
Kavya and Hammir Mahakavya nd the work of Bengali poet Chandrashekhar
namely Surjan - Charit - Kavya give a better and more reliable picture of the
Chauhan era. Jain texts such as Puratan Prabandh Sangrah and Kavya Sangrah are
other non Muslim texts, important for medieval history