• ISBN13: 9788126937332
• Binding: Hardcover
• Subject: History
• Publisher: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors (P) Ltd
• Publisher Imprint: Atlantic
• Publication Date: November 29, 2025
• Pages: 822
• Original Price: INR 1495.0
• Language: English
• Edition: N/A
• Item Weight: 1090 grams
• BISAC Subject(s): Ancient / General, Modern / General, and Asia / South / India

A History of India: Muntakhabu-t-Tawarikh (Volume I), translated by George S. A. Ranking, traces the rise and fall of dynasties preceding the consolidated Mughal Empire. Beginning with Sabuktigin (AD 977) and the establishment of Ghaznavid power, it moves through the Ghurid and Delhi Sultanate periods, follows Babur's conquest and Humayun's reign, ending with Humayun's death in 1556. Rich in political narrative and courtly intrigue, Badaoni offers both chronicle and commentary, laying out not just events but the shifting patterns of power, loyalty and empire. The volume stands out for its lucid narrative drawn from Persian sources, and for bringing to life rulers and societies that formed the backdrop against which Akbar's reign would later unfold.

Abdul-Qadir Ibn-i-Muluk Shah, also known as Al-Badaoni (1540–1615), son of Shaikh Muluk Shah, was born at Toda on August 21, 1540. He moved to Agra in 1558–59, where he studied under the renowned Shaikh Mubarak Nagori, alongside fellow pupils Faizi and Abu'l Fazl. Over the years, he acquired wide-ranging scholarship under some of the most respected intellectuals of the age, excelling in disciplines as varied as history, astronomy, music and theology. From an early age, he nurtured a deep fascination for history, devoting himself to reading and writing. In 1574, he entered Akbar's court with the support of Jamal Khan Qurci and Hakim Ain-ul-Mulk, and was soon appointed as an imam by the emperor. Badaoni's position at court, combined with his critical independence of mind, enabled him to produce his influential chronicle, the Muntakhabu-t-Tawarikh.