Socio-economic History of Medieval India (Paperback - 2017)

This book ably meets the recent demand for a critical and comprehensive study of social, economic and cultural history of medieval India. The latest trend in Indian historiography is to de-emphasize political history and to bring into relief, the life of the common man in its social and economic milieu. South Indian history has got an equal treatment with North Indian history in this treatise. Various aspects of history such as social structure, agrarian system, trade and commerce, currency system, religious movements and the like find a place in this book.

The book presents a definite standpoint since throughout the work runs a central theme—the Hindu-Muslim co-existence in medieval India and the mingling of their cultures—which has been brought into focus in the last and crowning chapter of the study. The book holds before us a comprehensive picture of the multi-dimensional life of man in medieval India. Briefly, it tells us how the common man in medieval India lived, thought and worked in social, economic and religious spheres.

The book will be highly useful to the students, teachers and researchers of Indian History. The common readers interested in knowing the history of India will find it equally interesting and informative.

K.N. Chitnis, formerly Professor and Head of the Department of History in the University of Poona, has been engaged in historical research during his long career. He is a well-known scholar and has produced a number of research books on history, including Glimpses of Maratha Socio-Economic History, published by M/s Atlantic Publishers and Distributors (P) Ltd., New Delhi. The book earned the remark of the reviewer in The Indian Historical Review that the work presents “a new conceptual framework and analytical thrust” to the subject matter. His writings have also attracted appreciative comments from foreign scholars. Dr. Chitnis has attended a number of national and international seminars and conferences. He has specialised in the medieval history of India, particularly of South India. His main interest is in the socio-economic field.

Among his other books, mention may be made of Keladi Polity, Medieval Indian History and Research Methodology in History. He has also edited some books such as Savanur Nawabs: Historical Documents and Shivaji-Mallammaji Samarotsava.