TOPIC INFO (UGC NET)
TOPIC INFO – UGC NET (History)
SUB-TOPIC INFO – History (UNIT 5)
CONTENT TYPE – Short Notes
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1. Agriculture During Sultanate Period
1.1. Land
1.2. Peasant and Village
1.3. Irrigation
1.4. Crops
1.5. Wasteland and Cattle
1.6. Sericulture
1.7. Fruit Production
1.8. Rural Class
2. Agriculture and Irrigation in Vijayanagar Kingdom
3. Agricultural Production During Mughal Period
3.1. Extent of Cultivation
3.2. Means of Cultivation and Irrigation
3.3. Agriculture Produce
3.4. Cattle and Livestock
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Agrarian and Economic Systems
UGC NET HISTORY (UNIT 5)
Agriculture During Sultanate Period
Agriculture flourished during the time of the Delhi Sultanate for several reasons.
Technological advancement, such as improvements in tools with increased use of iron, played a significant role.
The clearing of forests and exposure of fertile land contributed to enhanced agricultural productivity.
Improvement in irrigation systems boosted crop production.
Extensive use of fertilizers also aided in increasing agricultural output.
The introduction of new crops further contributed to the flourishing of agriculture.
The agricultural produce could easily reach the market, creating market viability for crops.
Surplus production led to the growth of non-agricultural production over time, improving the overall economy.
This economic prosperity supported the development of two successive empires: the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire.
Land
Land was abundant during the 12th-13th century, particularly in the Ganga Jamuna Doab, which was largely covered by forests and was still being cleared.
Fawad al Fuad mentions that between Badaun and Delhi, tigers harassed common people in the 12th century.
Ziauddin Barani writes that in the 14th century, peasants sought refuge in the Id Doab to escape the atrocities of the state.
By the 16th century, the land in the Ganga Jamuna Doab was fully cultivated, according to Moreland.
Peasant and Village
Nizami in 1354 mentions that a peasant needed to start their profession after possessing seeds, a pair of oxen, and tools and implements.
Villages were fairly self-sufficient, typically consisting of two hundred to three hundred villages.
According to Barani, land holdings varied significantly between Khots (headmen) and Balahars (common people).
There was a significant landless population, though sources don’t explicitly mention them. In the prevalent caste system, they performed menial work for the higher castes and were considered part of the rural population.
The tools used by peasants were likely the same as those used in the 19th century, with the primary difference being the amount of iron in them.