India in the era of the Middle Ages. Castes and communities in medieval India Features of the development of Indian society in the Middle Ages

General history. History of the Middle Ages. 6 class Abramov Andrey Vyacheslavovich

§ 34. Medieval India

India is located on the Industan Peninsula. In the north of the country, high mountains of Himalayas are towering, from which two great rivers - Ind and Gang originate. From the West and East, Industan is washed by the sea. The only opportunity for foreign troops to get to India is to go from the north-west by the unwarked passage between the mountains and the desert. Therefore, all numerous invasions in this country began from here. India can be divided into two parts - the North and South. Since antiquity, Northern India has been settled by the descendants of Arii. People who spoke in Dravidian languages \u200b\u200blived in the south. Significant differences between these parts of India are still preserved to this day.

Rice cultivation. Indian Figure

The climate of India favored agricultural classes. It is always warm here, and fertile lands. Indian farmers grown wheat, rice, barley, bean, cotton, sugar cane, spices. Very appreciated in coastal areas coconut palm trees. Indians were good cattle. In their farms, they bred cows, buffaloes, camels, goats, horses. They managed to tame even the largest animal sushi - an elephant.

Elephant. Indian sculpture

In India, a large number of cities existed with deep antiquity. Sacred artisans who lived in them owned many professions. Far outside the country was famous for blacksmiths, loafers, jewelers, golden affairs masters, gunsmiths. Indians learned to make beautiful cotton fabrics, which were so thin that a female wedding dress could be easily retained through a wedding ring.

The peculiarity of Indian society was its division into four groups (class) - Varna: Brahmanov (Priests), Kshatriev (Warriors), Vaisheyev (farmers and merchants) and Sudr (dependent people). They originated in antiquity after the conquest of India by Aria. In the Middle Ages, the company of society has become more difficult, the development of the economy led to the emergence of new people's activities. Varna gradually began to fall into smaller castes. Among Brahmins there were castes of officials, doctors, teachers. Not all of the kshatriya were now engaged in military affairs - among them the landowners appeared. In total, there were several thousand castes in India. Between them persisted inequality. The castes of priests, rulers, warriors, representatives of the top of the peasant community were considered the highest. The middle position was occupied by community farmers, merchants, artisans. Slaves and slaves belonged to the lower casts.

The caste appeared below the shudr. They were called "untouchables." They included slaves, as well as people from the tribes who lived in the conditions of primitive building. "Non-accomplished" performed the most dirty work - there were cleaners, butchers, horsemen. They were forbidden to touch people from other castes, enter the temples, to have land. The villages of "untouchable" were located away from the villages of representatives of the "clean" caste. To leave the house they could only with the onset of darkness so that their look did not defile the neighbors from the higher caste.

The transition from one caste to another was impossible, it was impossible to conclude marriages if the bride and the bride were from different castes. The castes were isolated from each other, their members had, as a rule, one occupation, transmitting his secrets by inheritance. Relations between the Castle were identified by ancient customs and religion. Rules' violators waited for punishment. Custom system prevented the economic development of India, since he led to the disunity of the people and prevented his talents to people from the lower castes.

Remember how the ancient Indians explained the appearance of Varna.

In the Middle Ages in India there were several dozen small and large states who were hostile to each other. Their rules wore Raji titles (princes) and Maharaj (kings). The power of Raja relied on the army, which consisted of representatives of the caste of warriors. In addition to infantry and cavalry during the war, Indian rulers used combat elephants. A huge fat animal was not terrible arrows and spears. On his back, soldiers were located, who from the height of the enemies. The feet of the elephant who broke the chariots and the enemy's hiking feet of the enemy were also a formidative weapon.

Scene battle. Medieval miniature

As in other countries of the East, the entire land in India belonged to the state, but he ordered Raja. At the time of service, he complained of his officials the right to collect petas with certain villages. The same land itself did not become the property of the official. He could not pass on her position nor the rights complained to him. However, over time, officials and warriors began to capture the property of the earth with peasants.

What is the position of Indian nobility differed from the position of Western European feudal plates?

The power of Raji was not unlimited. Ancient times, rural communities used great rights. They consisted of one or more villages whose residents were often relatives. The exercise of agriculture was the case with whom only a big family could cope - several generations of relatives. The land was the hereditary possession of communities, and the community, forests and rivers, the community disposed together. Communities together cleared the jungle, fought wild beasts. However, there were no equality in the Indian community. The position of a person depended on his belonging to the highest or lower caste. The peasants chose the community and elders advice. They distributed the land between families, collected taxes and paid the government to the government on behalf of the entire village, tried fellow villagers. Craftsmen and merchants who lived in the cities also had their own associations at the head of the elders.

Scene of the court. Medieval relief

In antiquity and in the Middle Ages, India often became a sacrifice of foreign conquerors, which attacked the Mille on the fabulous wealth and fertility of this country. In the V century, the nomads-Gunnov tribes were invaded. In the North and Central India, Hunnam managed to create their own states. Over time, former conquerors merged with the local population, adopting his tongue and religion.

Mahmud's troops storm the city. Medieval drawing

Indian relations with Muslims, invaded the country in the XI century, were quite different. Taking advantage of the discordments between the Indian states, they devastated Northern India. He headed these raids state ruler Gazni Mahmoud. He justified his robbing hiking in India the case of the sacred struggle for Islam, as the majority of Indians adhered to pagan beliefs. In the XIII century, all Northern India was under the rule of Muslim rulers-Sultanov. The capital of the state became the capital of Delhi, and it was the name of Delic Sultanat itself. His rulers had unlimited power, could at their own discretion to dispose of life and property of subjects.

The Muslim nobility, who passed them inherited by Raji the land was given. Sultans Delhi tried to ensure the loyalty of their approximate. However, they failed to strengthen the state. Numerous meters for nobility and conspiracies weakened the Sultanate. He was shaken by the rebellion of Indians who did not want to obey ingenians and take Islam.

Muslim rulers ordered to destroy thousands of Indian temples and build a mosque in their place. One day, Sultan brought the image of the Indian gods and the statues of Raji from the destroyed temple and buried them at the gate of the mosque in Delhi, so that Muslims on the way to prayer were trampled by their legs. Some Indian rulers, wanting to preserve their power and wealth, took Islam, but most of their subjects are faithful to the former gods.

India in the XII-XV centuries

Where were the conquering campaigns of Muslims? How has the territory of the Delia Sultanate changed in the XIV-XV centuries compared to the XIII century?

Buddhism, who had once a lot of followers, lost its influence in India in the Middle Ages. His place occupied hinduism. Hindus (so called the followers of Hinduism) worshiped the many gods, the main of which were Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The Indians believed that after the death of the soul, a person moves to another living being. If a person led a righteous life - his soul must come to a representative of a higher caste, if sinned - lower, and even in some animal. Therefore, Hinduism taught that it is impossible to harm any living being on Earth - after all, in him, perhaps the soul of the deceased person was embodied.

God Shiva. Indian bronze sculpture. XI-XII century

India was famous not only for treasures, but also developed culture. Indians have created excellent painting works. They portrayed their gods, rulers, heroes legends. The walls cut down in the rocks of the temples are filled with paintings depicting a solemn leaving Raja with a retinue, battle with many combat elephants, riders on raised horses, running warriors with huge shields. Indians built their temples from a stone or cut out from the whole cliff, giving them intricate forms. Each sacred building was decorated with sculptures.

Mural Adjant

Let's summarize

In medieval India, there was no single state and the power of the ruler. She often underwent ingenic invasions, and in the XI century, the north of India was conquered by Muslims. India experienced the influence of different peoples and cultures, but retained its originality.

Caste - closed groups of people united by a certain occupation, customs; occupying a certain position in society.

Hinduism - Ancient pagan religion of India.

"One of the most distinctive civilizations of the East was Indian. Her contribution to the total culture of humanity is truly huge. "

(Russian historian G. M. Bongard-Levin)

1. Name the classes of residents of India.

2. What is Varna and Caste? What is the impact on the life of Indians provided a custom system?

3. What role did the community played in the life of Indians?

4. With what conquerors had to face India? How did they affect the life of the Indians?

5. Why did the power of Sultanov Delhi turned out to be weak?

6. What religions existed in India? How did they affect Indian culture?

Clause items and make a detailed paragraph plan (reference rules See: Task 1 to § 5).

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The medieval political structure of India is characterized by constant instability of power, both in the north and in the south of the country. The emerging dynasties and states were short-term and frankly weak. Having existed a certain period of time, they disintegrated into individual areas and principalities that continued the fierce struggle for the spheres of influence. Political changes did not affect the internal structure of society: the state was still dominated here, having the right to dispose of all resources of the country and carrying out centralized tax collection.

The socio-economic development of India in the Epoch of the Middle Ages was characterized by the growth of feudal possessions. The richest among the feudalists, along with the rulers, were the Hindu temples and monasteries. If they initially complained only to the unrelated lands and with the indispensable consent of the communities by the community, then from the VIII century. Not only the land, but also the village, the inhabitants of whom were obliged to carry a natural service in favor of the recipient. However, at this time, the Indian community was still relatively independent, large in size and having autonomous self-government. A full-fledged community heardly owned its field.

Near the Palaces of Feudalov, where artisans settled, serving the needs of the courtyard and the troops of the landowner, there are new cities. The development of urban life contributed to strengthening the exchange between cities and the emergence of craftsman groups by caustam. As in Western Europe, in the Indian city, the development of crafts and trade was accompanied by the struggle of citizens against the feudalists who had artisans and merchants with new taxes. Moreover, the value of the tax was the higher, the lower the current position of the caste, to which artisans and merchants belonged.

At the beginning of the XIII century. In the north of India, a major Muslim state is approved - Delic Sultanat (1206-1526), \u200b\u200bthe domination of Muslim military leaders from Central Asian Turks is finally issued. The political and administrative organization of the state is typically Islamic. The state religion becomes Islam of the Sunni destination, the official language - Persian. The Sultanov's troops make conquering trips to the central and southern India, and the conquered rulers are forced to recognize themselves by Vassal Delhi and pay Sultan Dan.

The turning point in the history of the Delia Sultanate was the invasion of Northern India in 1398. The troops of the Central Asian ruler Timura (Tamerlan). Here was a new Sayyidov dynasty. Representatives of this dynasty ruled already as governors from the face of Timurides. During the existence of the Delia Sultanate, the penetration of Europeans to India began. In 1498, under the start of Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese first reached the coast of Western India. Portuguese monopoly on maritime trade undermined India's trade relations with the countries of the East, isolated the depths of the country and detained their development.

The system of economic relations undergoes a change in the Muslim era. State land fund increases through possessions of conquered Indian feudal clans. Its main part of it was heard in the conditional service award - "ICTA" (small sites) and "Mukta" (large "feedings"). Their holders - ICTADARS AND MUCTADARS - collected taxes in favor of the treasury, part of which went to the content of the Holder's family, who supplied the warrior to the state army. Particular land owners managed by the estate without state intervention were mosques, property owners for charitable goals, custodians of Sheikhn tomb, poets, officials and merchants.

In 1526, the warlord Timurid Babur marked the beginning Mogol-Skoy Empirethat existed almost two hundred years. Islam was declared a state religion. In the Mogolskaya Epoch, India enters the stage of developed feudal relations, the flourishing of which was parallel to strengthening the central government of the state. The importance of the main financial department of the Empire (sofa), obliged to follow the use of all suitable land. The share of the state was announced a third crop. All conquered territories came to the State Land Fund. From him, "Jagira" were distributed - conditional military awards that continued to be considered state ownership.

The collapse of the Empire of the Great Mogolov coincided in time with the beginning of active colonization by Europeans of India and the areas of Asia adjacent to it. The colonial expansion, which had a consequence of the breakdown of the traditional structure of Indian society, completed the Middle Ages in the history of India.

Thus, medieval India personifies the synthesis of various socio-political obscures, religious traditions, ethnic crops. Withdrawing within himself, all this began, it appeared to the end of the epoch before the Europeans of the fabulous magnificence, who manifested with riches, exotic, secrets. Inside it, however, the processes similar to European, inherent in the new time began. The domestic market was formed, international relations were developed, public contradictions were deepened. But for India, a typical Asian power, the strong restraining start of capitalization was a despotic state. With his weakening, the country has become a light prey of European colonialists, whose activities interrupted the natural course of historical development.

In the history of India, as already mentioned, it is very difficult to hold a line between the ancient history and the medieval. When there were serious changes in Europe related to the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the formation of feudalism, India continued to develop in its own scenario. Many small states fought among themselves, while the basics of life of the majority of the population remained unshakable.

Since ancient times, Indian society has been divided into four large groups - Varna. Higher Varna (Brahmans and Kshatriya) continued to manage and fight, and below (Vaichi and drowned on the fields and in workshops. In the Middle Ages, there were changes in this old division. Varna began to crush into smaller groups of people who united by profession or native Classes. So, for example, among the brahmins, pharmacists, doctors, teachers, etc. were distinguished among the Kshatriys - warriors, officials, etc. The Europeans called these groups by the Castes. By the X century. The number of castes increased to several thousand. Each Caste There have had its own special signs, rituals, decorations, rules of behavior. The bride or groom could only be seen in his caste, but to raise children only according to the traditions and customs of the caste. Like Varna, the caste was divided into the lower and higher. There was also a special caste "untouchables ".

Representatives of the highest caster could not even be near the lower, the more erased food or water from their hands. It was considered the highest can "desecrate" even the shadow of "untouchables". Only representatives of the highest can read and listen to the sacred texts. Those who violated these customs and traditions were subjected to cruel sentences.

From the notes of the Chinese traveler Xuan Tszan (VII century)

Butcher, fishermen, garbage cleaners, characteristics, bastards, stray artists, gravers, executioners and those like them live outside the city. On the streets, these people do not appear at all, or hold the left side until they reach the right place. Their dwellings are surrounded by walls and are located outside the city.

Despite the existence of a caste separation, representatives of various castes united into communities were arranged as small self-sufficient states that performed as a whole in state power. The communities were the basis of Indian society. They provided him internal stability. While the state power was weak and limited to collecting taxes from communities.

There was a system of mutual service in the community between various caustes - the exchange of products and services. Almost all issues, the community decided herself: he chose the Council, judges, paying taxes, allocated people for public works. Those who violated the rules of life in the community could be punished. Worse punishment - exile from the community.

In medieval India there were several religions. Based on an ancient religion in I thousand AD. Hinduism has been formed. The first place came to worship three gods: Cherry, Shiva and Brahmi. In their honor, the temples were built and brought rich sacrifices.

Hindus believed in the resettlement of souls after death. If a person did not do anything during his lifetime. What violated caste traditions, then in the next life could be revived in the highest caste. If you retreat, it was rejected in a lower or animal, plants, stones.

Hindus deified animals. Especially cows. They were forbidden to kill. Hindus also worshiped the Holy Gang River.

The second religion of India was Buddhism, which arose here in the VI century. BC. Buddha taught that the whole life of a person is to heal and suffering, and therefore his soul should be freed from all the earth and strive for the Higher Peace. He encouraged to forget about wealth. Pleasure, speak only the truth and not kill living beings.

With V c. Buddhism in India in decline, but quickly distributed in China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, countries of Southeast Asia. Buddhism has become another world religion along with Christianity and Islam.

With the arrival of conquerors-Muslims in India penetrated Islam. He acquired the greatest distribution in the north of the peninsula.

In addition to the religions mentioned in India, another hundreds of local cults were distributed.

In antiquity in India, a society was divided into four Varna (estates). it brahmans(priests), kshatriya (warriors, rulers), vaishi. (Earth-Deltsy, cattle breeders, merchants) and shudry. (Craftsmen, servants, slaves).

At the beginning of our era, significant changes are observed in the organization of Varn. Each Varna has become divided into higher and lower castes (in ancient Indian "Jati" - Birth, origin). The most powerless lower caste was the so-called "untouchable", which despised. They performed the greatest and dirty work: were servants, cleaned the garbage, scored cattle and others. To this caste belonged to some backward tribes. During the Gupta period there were already dozens of castes.

Belonging to a certain caste was determined by the origin of the man-century, the ability to hold on, as well as clothes, a harsh, symbolic mark on the forehead, a culture of nutrition. Representatives of a specific caste had a characteristic dwelling type. No one had the right to speak from one caste to another. Marriages between representatives of different castes are usually prohibited. However, in society did not cause condemnation when a man from the highest caste took his wife from the lower.

The specifics of Indian society with antiquity was the presence of a rural community in it. It was the basis of several dozen or hundreds of families of community farmers who owned nodes and had hereditary right on them. The community led irrigation work, organized the necessary mutual assistance and defense. Community rulings were often carved on stone slabs, laid in the walls of the temples. Gradually, artisans began to stand out among its members: blacksmiths, carpenters, potters, bricklayers, weales, medical and others. They served the community and received everything necessary for life from her.

The community was headed by an older and several of his assistants. Great public has a board. That is, the Indian rural community existed as a self-governing unit, which ensured herself with everything necessary. This led to an almost complete absence of domestic trade in medieval India between the city and the village, which slowed down the development of society across the country.

Record 918 about the rural community

We, Members of the Assembly ... Sela ... have taken such a decision on the elections of the committees, starting from this year, annually, namely: "Annual Committee", "Committee of Gardens" and "Komi-Thata of Rims".

[In the village] There are 30 clans. Members of everyone should be gathering and write on special tickets for the drawing the names of those (residents), who have more than a quarter of the Earth's field, which is subject to taxes, live in houses built on their own sites; age from 30 to 60 years ... intelligent in affairs: bodily and spiritually clean; Did not perform community duties for three years and are not close relatives of the elders who performed community duties earlier. Material from site.

[Then these tickets] are going in every quarter, and the boy who still does not know how to distinguish between signs, takes them out after each other so that each quarter is elected one person from each quarter. Favorites Thus, 12 people make up the "Godo Committee". Before that, it is also necessary to pull out the tickets [with the names of the members] "Committee of the Gardens", and 12 people will be "Gardens Committee". [People recorded] on the remains of six tickets form a "community of water bodies".

Three Committees ... Let them fulfill their duties full of 360 days ...

Caste - A closed social group whose members are related to origin, occupation and public situation.

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On this page, material on the themes:

castes and communities of India
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varna and caste medieval India briefly

Expand the content of the characteristics of the economic and political systems, the spiritual life of Arab-Muslim civilization.

Islziv. originated on the Arabian Peninsula. In 630, Arab Khalifat arises at this place (up to 1258)

Islamic world of the Middle East and North Africa (Arabs), Iran (Persians), Central Asia (Turkic-speaking nations)

Economic signs:

Supreme Ruler Chief Owner of Earth and Property;

Increasing the values \u200b\u200bof cities;

Development of private trade and entrepreneurship, which are limited to the ban on usury;

Responsibility to pay tax and favor the poor.

Political signs:

Power focuses in one hands (caliph)

Politics and religion do not compete

Spiritual signs:

Arabic alphabet

Features of development:

1) Statehood appeared on the basis of the just originating religion (religion originated in 622). Everywhere religion was born after the emergence of the state. Religion in Arab-Muslim civilization was immediately adapted to the needs of the emerging state. This religion was very specific.

2) Islamization of peoples went fast. Most were solidar with Muslim Arabs and saw their liberators in them.

3) From the point of view of Islam, a reasonable economic policy (UCR, Haraj)

4) They were not persecuted Neither Jews, neither the Christian, they chased the pagans.

5) There was arabization. The Arabs settled on the captured lands and took the representatives of this population.

6) Religion and policies did not compete.

7) The owner of the land was state-in (formally, the land belonged to Allah, but from his behalf the land was ordered.

8) slaves were, but only prisoners.

Causes of decay:

1) A Cordin Califat was created on the Pyrenees Peninsula, which did not accept Abbasides.

2) a huge territory, different mentality and traditions.

3) 1055 was taken by Baghdad Turks. Caliph under the Turks is treasure secular power and remains with spiritual power.

4) In 1258, Mongol-Tatars capture Baghdad, the winner of the High Priest and the Arab Khalifat ceases to exist.

Califat as the institute of the spiritual leadership of Arabs existed until 1517.

Output: The draft law of historical development, in which statehood arose on the basis of just the originating religion.

Delivery to Varna in major classes and duties - priests (brahmans), warriors and rulers (ksatriya) and cattle products (Vaishi).

The duties of each Varna were recorded in the laws of Manu. This is a collection that has established the rules of conduct.

The basis of the Company was not a state, but a community caste system. Caste-association of people in the specialty.

The riches were rulers, Hindu temples, monasteries.

Buddhism in India did not particularly fit, the spiritual component of India is Hinduism

The land belongs to the state, the ruler gives the official, but the land is not included in his property. In a later period, the Middle Ages of the Earth managed the Keepers of Tomb (Sheikh), poets, officials and merchants.

On the territory of medieval India there were several dozen major and small states, which were bent among themselves

From 1206-1526 in India there were Deliy Sultanate

In 1526, the warlord Babur marked the beginning of the Mogoli Empire.

Output: In medieval India, there was no single state, but the identity was preserved.