History I

Course Outline
Early Vedic Age •
1500 BC-1000 BC

Later Vedic Age

1000-500 BC • Dharma and Dharma sutras
Mauryan Age • Kautilya’s Arthasastra
322 BC -185 BC • Manu Dharma Sastra

Gupta Age • Yagnavalkya sastra

320 AD-550 AD
• Narada Sastra
• Commentaries and digests

Delhi Sultanate
• Islamic Law
Mughals
• Islamic Law 2
Module I
• Introduction- Sources of Indian History-
• Re-writing of history-difficulties
Module II
Vedic Age
Early Vedic Later Vedic
1500 BC -1000 BC- 600 BC
Mauryan Empire
322 BC -185 BC
Gupta Empire
320 AD-550AD 3
Module III Law in Ancient India
Dharma
Sources of Dharma
Dharma Sutras
Personal code of conduct
Dharma Sastras :
Manu Dharma Sastra,
Yajnavalkya Sastra
Naradiya
Kautilya’s Arthasastra
The Scope and method of interpretation of
Law in Ancient India.
Commentaries and digests
Judicial System - Types of courts and
procedures

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Module IV Medieval India

Delhi Sultanate
Judicial Organization: King, role of Ulemas,
Chief Qazi, Judicial officers and
Punishments.

Sources of Islamic law and Salient

Features of Islamic Criminal Law.
Law with regard to non-Muslims
Module V
Mughal Empire
• Theory of Kingship, nature of State and
Administration of Mughal Empire
• Judicial administration –
• Types of courts, King, Chief Qazi, Judicial
officers and Punishments- changes
introduced by Akbar

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Early Vedic Age •
1500 BC-1000 BC

Later Vedic Age

1000-500 BC • Dharma and Dharma sutras
Mauryan Age • Kautilya’s Arthasastra
322 BC -185 BC • Manu Dharma Sastra

Gupta Age • Yagnavalkya sastra

320 AD-550 AD
• Narada Sastra
• Commentaries and digests

Delhi Sultanate
• Islamic Law
Mughals
• Islamic Law 8
Suggested Readings

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E.H.Carr: What is History?
Romila Thapar: Past and Prejudice.
Romila Thapar: Early India.
R.S. Sharma: Aspects of Political ideas and
Institutions in Ancient India.
Justice M. Rama Jois: Ancient Legal, Judicial and
Constitutional System
Oliverlle: King, Governance , and Law in Ancient India
Robert Lingat: The Classical Law of India.
Muhammad Basheer Ahmad: The Administration of
Justice in Medieval India
Satish Chandra: Medieval India Vol. I & Vol. II.

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