Description
Manohar Publishers & Distributors Army Organization Military Technology and Warfare During the Delhi Sultanate by Ali Athar
The monograph entitled, Army Organization, Military Technology and Warfare during the Delhi Sultanate, examines the traditional Indian conduct of war prevalent among the rulers prior to the Ghorid conquest of India. Their defects and imperfection in the art of war, in comparison to the Turkish rulers, have been thoroughly investigated. This work has studied the development of military technology and its employment in battle tactics, siege operations and defensive strategies concerning the forts during the Delhi Sultanate. The work has incorporated all spheres of military history, administration, strategies, technology and logistic nature of forts during the Sultanate of Delhi. The desire to have a qualitative army at the Centre, provinces and the frontiers, led to the demand of efficient soldiers who were well trained in the art of war. Preference were given to Turks, Tajiks and Afghan soldiers initially, but later during the Khaljis, Indians and Mongols too were recruited in the army. Also, the demand for foreign breed horses and Indian elephants also increased due to the new military system which evolved after imbibing the Central Asian and Indian traditions of warfare. These military engagements with the Indian rulers and the Mongols led to assimilation, incorporation and modifications in the equipments of war as per the exigencies of the time. The utilization of these weapons of war and armours in the conquest of north India, followed by consolidation and imperialism in the Deccan, has been minutely discussed in this book. About the Author Ali Athar is the former chairman and coordinator of the Centre of Advanced Study, Department of History, Aligarh Muslim University. He is also the founder coordinator of the Musa Dakri Museum of Aligarh Muslim University. His contribution to the field of military history has been acknowledged in works such as, Cambridge Studies in Islamic Civilization, Themes on Indian History, Warfare and History, and has been extensively cited by scholars specializing on the history of warfare. Some of his other works are, Military Technology and Warfare in the Sultanate of Delhi; Reinterpreting History of the Delhi Sultanate; Medieval India: Ideas, Tradition and Cultural Values; Exploring Medieval India through Persian Sources; History on Stones: Inscriptions of Aligarh Muslim University and Socio-Cultural and Technological Development in Medieval India.