Sultanate Period Research Articles

State Failure and Successful Leadership in Medieval India

State failure has been an enduring topic in the history of political thought. This article will revisit modern debates on the characteristics of state failure and the factors conducive to successful leadership by focusing on political ideas that evolved in fourteenth-century India. I will discuss two works with the same title, i.e., Tārīkh-i Fīrūz Shāhī ( The History of Fīrūz Shāh) of the distinguished historians of the Delhi Sultanate period Żiyā’ al-Dīn Baranī (ca. 1285–1357) and Shams Sirāj ‘Afīf (d. 1399) about Sultans Muḥammad b. Tughluq and (his successor) Fīrūz Shāh as instantiations of state failure and good governance, respectively. The deployment of the concept of state failure has often been construed as an effort to impose a political straitjacket; the examination of authors like Baranī and ‘Afīf demonstrates the value of reflecting on lessons from history and exploring how societies in the past evolved their own patterns of thinking about effective or failed leadership.

Uddhara's World: Geographies of Piety and Trade in Sultanate South Asia

AbstractThe stabilisation of Delhi as the centre of power in the subcontinent reorganised not only political and military structures in north India but also opened up new connections for trade and traders. This article traces the journey of one Hindu merchant family from their ancestral home in the Indus Valley to new prominence in the Sultanate capital. A close reading of a Sanskrit donative inscription written in ornate poetry from the Delhi hinterland shows the changing imagination of politics, religion and space among elite merchants. Uḍḍhara Ṭhakkura adapts the linguistic heritage of Sanskrit public presentation and creates a new and self-aware ideational language to express geography, politics and piety. Uḍḍhara's model was powerful; over the next century, other merchant families adapt it to present their own donative largess. While F. Flood has highlighted the role of Hindu traders through material culture in his magisterial work Objects of Translation (2005), the Sanskrit literary production patronised by mobile mercantile groups can advance and nuance the picture, showing the complex negotiations in creating and presenting a public identity for Hindu groups in the Sultanate period.

The Architecture plan of Qutb Complex (Delhi) and its Decoration Analysis

The Qutb complex in Delhi contains the array of early Sultanate Period Muslim monuments that demonstrate the earliest artwork development stage of Muslim monuments from 12 to 13th century especially the architecture style and the stone carving patterns that exists in the monuments of this complex like in masjid Quwat-ul Islam (1191 A.D), Qutab Minar (1202 A.D), Illttutmish Tomb (1235 A.D), Alai Darwaza (1311 A.D). These splendid monuments have a new architectural style in India. Their beautiful carvings in red sandstone and marble that includes the patterns of arabesque style along with Kufic and Naskh calligraphy, the delicate floral and geometric patterns along with some Hindu motifs that depicts the earliest amalgamation of Hindu and Islamic architecture within the subcontinent. This paper not only aim to explore the architectural plan of this Qutb complex under different monarchs but also the decoration of this Qutb complex, its analysis and the aesthetic changes of design after the amalgamation of two different cultures. This complex is famous not only for its architecture but also for varieties of decorative arts. This paper also attempts to discover not only aesthetics but also the traditional and regional logic for using these motifs. This explorative study is from available historical data and literature. In the end concludes that the amalgamated motifs of decoration was excellent experiment and first addition in the design vocabulary of Indo-Muslim art and architecture. These designs provide serenity and majestic feelings to these monuments and in whole to Qutb complex.

Application of magnetic method for mapping buried structures around archaeological site of Masjid Tuha Indrapuri

Magnetic gradiometer survey has been conducted on the yard of the archaeological site of Masjid Tuha Indrapuri, Aceh Besar Regency, Aceh Province. The site is one of the oldest mosques erected during the Aceh Sultanate period. Magnetic method was applied for mapping archaeological structures buried beneath the surface. Total magnetic field data were measured using Proton Precession Magnetometer with grid spacing of 2 meters between stations covering the entire area of the site. Diurnal and international geomagnetic reference field data were corrected to the measured data in order to calculate total magnetic field anomalies that were influenced by the buried magnetic objects. The total magnetic field anomalies distribution shows two elongated structures with U-shaped patterns surrounding the mosque. The patterns are also revealed in reduction to the pole and derivative vertical filters of the total field anomaly data. The anomaly patterns are considered a response from the rest of the buried fences that were built around the mosque in the past.

Six-Pointed Star Motif in Muslim Architecture of Bangladesh (Past Bengal) and Turkish Influence: An Historical Study

With the rise of Islamic states as the dominant powers of India and Indian Sub- Continent (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) and South Asia Sultanate and Mughal period (1200-1800 A.D.), by Turkish heroic figure (horsemen), Indian art was subjected to Islamic influence, resulting in a hybrid aesthetics as well as Indo- Islamic art which flourished to varying extends across south and southeast Asia. Bangladesh is world third largest Muslim majority country and situated in South Asia. So the main and primary identity of the notion is mosque architecture and then languages via culture in Bangladesh (past Bengal). Moreover, Traditional history called Mughal and ottoman was the center of all traders and referred as the “Middle Man” due to access to water routes between Asia and Europe. The Ottoman and Mughal Empires were all founded with art and architecture by members of the same ethnically Turkic tribe and originated from Oghuz tribe. Firstly, in the early 14th century, Osman Bey established a small principality in the northeast corner of Anatolia. Despite these many similarities, there are some key difference within the approach to Islamic Art and Architecture from Miniatures Illustrations in Indian Sub-Continent to Mosque architecture in Turkey and the Levant the Mughal and Ottoman empires left their indications.Turkish Military Ikhtiyar Uddin bin Muhammad Bhaktiyer Khilji and his Turkish followers captured Bengal in 1204 A.D. and after then ruled by Turkic. Besides these many Sufis saint-like Khan Jahan Ulugh Khan, Burhan Khan, Gharib Shah, came here and spread Islam and Turkish culture with languages too. The Ilyas Shahi dynasty was the first independent Turkic Muslim ruling dynasty in late medieval Bengal, which ruled from the 14th century to the 15th century. It was founded in 1342 by Shamsuddin Iliyas Shah. As follows still presence many Turkish words which used in the Bengali language as Barood, Nishan, Chaku, Bahadur, Begum, Chadar, Surma, bavarchi, kiyma, Korma, and so on. And then showed their power through art and architecture as Mosques and Tombs follows Adina Masjid at Pandua in 1368 A.D.; Eklakhi mausoleum, Pandua; Tomb of Shah Rukn-e Alam in Multan, Sixty Domed Mosque at Bagherhat of Bangladesh, etc. Based on all evidence present, it can be found that the Turks contributed significantly to Bengali languages and culture as well as art and architecture (Mosques and Tombs). Besides many Jewish people came in here through missionary and business purposes. And also we see that there have been found many designs in mosque architecture especially six-point stars which is mentioned as a David symbol. So my focus is the Connectivity between Turkish and Bangladesh through Islamic architecture and Jewish with six point star/hexagon/seal of Solomon. It is a historical study with a journalistic approach.

Çankırı’da Günümüze Ulaşamayan Bir Eğitim Yapısı: Ertuğrul Mektebi

One of the areas in which Ottoman reform movements were intensively seen in the 19th century was the educational system. With the establishment of the Ministry of Education (Maarif-i Umumiye Nezareti) and the organization of education in the provinces, it was aimed to spread the education to grassroots. Particularly, in the period of Sultan Abdülhamid II, many educational structures were built with state-citizen cooperation. One of these structures was the Ertuğrul Mektebi, built in the Çankırı Sanjak of Kastamonu Province. In this study, the construction process and architectural features of Ertuğrul Mektebi, which has not been the subject of any study before, have been discussed and the place and importance of the structure among the late Ottoman architectural works have been revealed. In this study, based on literature research and field work, the building process, plan and space design, façade features and materials were determined by means of old photographs and Ottoman archive documents such as correspondence, maps, and floor and façade drawings. Furthermore, two inscriptions registered in the inventory of Çankırı Museum are proven to have belonged to Ertuğrul Mektebi and contrary to some sources, it was confirmed that the school was built by Hasan Feham Pasha in 1892 (1309 H.), not by Abdulvahab Pasha.

Sultan I. Abdülhamid’in Adamı Karavezir Seyyid Mehmed Paşa’nın Hayatı Ve Muhallefâtı

This article focuses on the life of the Pasha who gained trust of Abdulhamid the 1th and had on active role on the administration and administrators at the backstage, the place of him in the presence of the Sultan and his heritage. During the period of Sultan’s armorer, he gave a reference about some grand viziers such as Izzet Mehmed Pasa from Safranbolu, Izzet Mehmed Pasa from Darende,Halil Hamid Pasa, as a person at a backstage in political environments, he got a good place in the eye of the Sultan. Through his foundation, he change the village of Arapsun where he was born into the subprovince of Gulsehir taking an example by Damat Ibrahim Pasha’s changing Muskara into Nevsehir. Apart from the danations he made to the foundation that he founded whit his own possesions, he had fur, gun, horse and jewellery collection. Besides his intelligence to gain bureaucratic positions, he is thought to be an enjoyable and a pleasant person, his nargile and stick collection reveal the tabacco passsion which was the trend of that era. Although most of his possessions have domestic and eastern origins, he had about one hundred kitchen utensils from Saxonia and Vienna, which shows that he wasn’t a stranger to European culture and taste. Within this scope, a lot of information was revealed for he first time with this study.Keywords: Grand Vizier, Karavezir, Seyyid Mehmed Pasha, Heritage, Material Culture.

SEJARAH PEMBANGUNAN BENTENG LIWU BURANGASI KECAMATAN LAPANDEWA KABUPATEN BUTON SELATAN PADA ABAD XVII

The location of Buton at strategic cruise made its position vulnerable to external threats in the sultanate period. As the protective measure, the sultanate built the Liwu Burangasi Fortress in the XVII century. Therefore, this study focused to describe the history of the Liwu Burangasi Fortress. The problems in this study were: (1) how was the constraction background of the Liwu Burangasi Fortress, (2) how was the position of Liwu Burangasi Fortress in the defense structure of the Buton Sultanate, (3) What was the function of the Liwu Burangasi Fortress in the Buton Sultanate period. This study used historical method developed by Kuntowijiyo, namely (a) Topic Selection, which was done through emotional closeness and intellectual closeness, (b) Collection of sources, which was done through document studies, library research, interviews and observations, (c) Source verification, which was carried out through external criticism and internal criticism, (d) Source interpretation, which was carried out through analysis and synthesis, (e) historiography. The results of this study showed that (1) the history of the development of the Liwu Bungungasi Fortress was closely related to defense and security strategies. (2) The position of Liwu Burangasi Fortress in the structure of the Buton Sultanate wa as part of the community defense system that existed at the time of the Buton Sultanate. The Liwu Burangasi Fort with the Keraton Fortress could be seen in the structure of government, the political field, the economic field, the socio-cultural field, the field of defense and security, and the legal field. (3) The function of Liwu Burangasi Fortress during the Buton Sultanate had a dual function and role, namely as a defense and protection for native people and as a place of community settlement.
 Keyword: Development, Sultanate, Fortress, Defense, Protection

INVESTIGATING THE ARCHITECTURAL ORIGIN OF THE GAYEBI MOSQUE IN OSMANPUR, SYLHET, BANGLADESH

This study aimed to investigate the architectural origin, style, and legacy of the Gayebi Masjid (Divine Mosque), which is located as a witness of time in Osmanpur, Balaganj, Sylhet, Bangladesh. The origin of the mosque is shrouded in mystery, as the actual construction period and the patronizing builder is unknown to the people. On the other hand, based on the characteristics and features, it can be generally assumed that the mosque was constructed either in the Sultanate or the Mughal period of Muslim rule in Bengal. The mosque has prominent architectural features that can also be found in other Sultanate and Mughal mosques in the surrounding region. However, the real-time period of construction of the mosque remains uncertain, as no other evidence, document, or argumentation can be found except the existing mosque’s architectural features. For this study, the attributions and characteristics will be critically examined to form a comparative analysis to determine the mosque’s origin and architectural style. The method of this research was a critical review and descriptive analysis of all the collected information, and the interpretation of some physical evidence from the field survey, as well as comparative analysis of the data with some other case studies. However, through this research and careful investigation, we conclude that the most convincing assumption is the original structure of the mosque resembles the architecture of the Sultanate period. On the contrast, more than a few additional architectural features were added during the later Mughal period.

Identifikasi struktur dan perubahan lanskap Kota Banjarmasin di masa kesultanan (1526-1860)

Identifying the structure and transformation of Banjarmasin townscape during the Sultanate period(1526-1860): Banjarmasin city in the past was widely known as one of the main pepper producers in theArchipelago that turned the town to becoming one of the port cities in the Southeast Asia maritime tradenetwork. As a port city, Banjarmasin showed a typical landscape character similar to other port cities inSoutheast Asia. The physical landscape feature of this city inevitably was influenced by the economic factoron which trade was the primary income of the sultanate and its people. During the Sultanate period (15261860),the landscape of Banjarmasin was transformed as an impact of the political influence that related to the pepper trade, which involved foreign traders. The main objective of this study is to analyse the landscape changing of Banjarmasin during the Sultanate period by applying the historical method and spatial approach.
 In the spatial analysis, the landscape component of processes, space, material, and form was used to identifythe landscape structure and its transformation. The result of the study shows that the landscape of Banjarmasinevolved in the following stages: (1) port-polity of Banjar sultanate (1526-1612); (2) secondary port-city of thesultanate (1612-1663); (3) primary port of the sultanate (1663-1787); (4) primary port of the Dutch in SoutheastKalimantan (1787-1860). With regard to the research process, the spatial dimension was not only obtainedfrom the historical maps but also from written sources that indicated the location of activities or events.

Heritage Building Era Detection using CNN

The Indian subcontinent is a southern area of Asia continent which includes India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka. In the different periods, different rulers had ruled in these territories such as the Sultanate period (1206–1526) and Mughal period (1526–1540, 1555–1857). In addition, various ancient and heritage structure patterns show the different historical and religious characteristics of the old civilizations. This research presents a computational method for identifying the construction period or era of old heritage building by using feature detection. We have done this experiment for the application aspect, where the tour guide is not available this application will help the tourists for knowing the construction period or era by detecting the features of old spectacular architecture. In this study, we have focused on the constructional characteristics of old architectural sites by using Canny Edge Detector method. After using the Canny Edge Detector method, we have categorized different types of features among the buildings such as Dome, Minaret or Tower, Ratna, and Front. The different eras old structure contains different characteristics of the Dome, Minaret or Tower, Ratna, and Front. Finally, we have developed a neural network based model which can identify the building’s construction era of the Sultanate period and Mughal period.

The Wisdom to Wonder: ‘Aja’ib and the Pillars of Islamic India

This article proposes that Indian Islamic architectural practices of the Sultanate period (thirteenth to sixteenth century) were in keeping with centuries-old philosophical principles of reverence for ancient wonders. Guiding Indian Islamic rulers toward this disposition were Neoplatonic philosophies and texts organized around the structuring principle of wonders or ‘aja’ib. I argue that the discourses on the ‘aja’ib had a significant twofold impact on Islamic architectural practices in India. First, they influenced Islamic rulers of India to interpret and appreciate the non-Islamic ancient monuments not as traces of idolatrous worship that warranted destruction, but as wonders of God’s creation. Second, the preservation of such wonders or their partial incorporation into new buildings made their cosmological properties available to rulers desiring to project themselves as rational, divinely ordained sovereigns. This investigation will be focused on two ancient Indian pillars found in Delhi: the iron pillar in the Quwwat al-Islam Mosque and the Ashokan pillar found in Firuz Shah Kotla Fort. Through the lens of ‘aja’ib it may be proposed that early Muslim rulers were drawing on Hindu and Buddhist architecture to create mystical spaces with the aim of ordering new relationships between the conquering power and the new topography over which they ruled.

ETHNIC DIVERSITY OF BANTENESE SOCIETY

As an area that had ever been under the authority of Hindu Kingdom of Padjajaran in which the majority of its society professed Hindu and it had ever become one of the International trading centres and one of the central spots of Islamic studies in the archipelago during The Islamic Sultanate of Banten period in which many people of various ethnics came into Banten not only for conducting trading activities, but also for conducting religious proselytizing (dakwah) and studying Islam, Banten looked like becoming a magnet for people from many ethnics to earn a living, even to live permanently in Banten. Furthermore, they assimilated, integrated and conducted social interaction with local community of Banten. The majority of Bantenese society basically consisted of two dominant ethnics, "Jawa Banten people" and "Sunda Banten people". However, it is wrong to consider that Sundanese ethnic of Banten is the same as Sundanese people of Priangan, Jawa Barat and Javanese ethnic of Banten is similar to Javanese people in Central and East Java due to the difference of languages and cultures among them. As stated on the title, this article discusses the ethnic diversity of Banten. Furthermore, this article also tries to explain the social structure of Bantenese society in the sultanate period, the pre-colonial period, and post-colonial period.

Development of Art and Architecture in Sultanate Period with Special Reference to Slave and Khali Dynasty

According to the existing research and discourses, Art and Architecture have been considered two most crucial things that reflect upon a country and its people. In Indian context, understanding them holds special significance. The word “Indian” comes with a heavy baggage of traditions, culture and ethos, which is unique and adds divinity to almost every act of life. Both art and architecture are narratives of this unique Indian baggage. There are significant examples of art works in the history of architecture. India is the only country with the largest and most diverse mixture of tradition and culture. The fascinating nation is so enticing where the exotic monuments and enchanting destinations speak volumes about the tradition and culture of Indian people. India is home to many of the finest cultural symbols of the world which includes, mosques, mausoleum, forts, sculptures, architecture, etc.. In this regard some of the prestigious and spectacular World Heritage Sites in India during Sultanate period can be discussed. They are the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque, the Qutb Minar, Adhai-din-ka-Jhompra, Sultan Ghari mosque, Alai Darwaza, Jama ‘at Khana mosque, Ukha masjid at Bayana etc.

Turkish Literature of the Period of Sultan Süleyman The Magnificent I

Turkish Literature of the Period of Sultan Süleyman The Magnificent I

Turkish Literature of The Period of Sultan Süleyman The Magnificent II

Turkish Literature of The Period of Sultan Süleyman The Magnificent II

ETHNIC DIVERSITY OF BANTENESE SOCIETY

As an area that had ever been under the authority of Hindu Kingdom of Padjajaran in which the majority of its society professed Hindu and it had ever become one of the International trading centres and one of the central spots of Islamic studies in the archipelago during The Islamic Sultanate of Banten period in which many people of various ethnics came into Banten not only for conducting trading activities, but also for conducting religious proselytizing (dakwah) and studying Islam, Banten looked like becoming a magnet for people from many ethnics to earn a living, even to live permanently in Banten. Furthermore, they assimilated, integrated and conducted social interaction with local community of Banten. The majority of Bantenese society basically consisted of two dominant ethnics, "Jawa Banten people" and "Sunda Banten people". However, it is wrong to consider that Sundanese ethnic of Banten is the same as Sundanese people of Priangan, Jawa Barat and Javanese ethnic of Banten is similar to Javanese people in Central and East Java due to the difference of languages and cultures among them. As stated on the title, this article discusses the ethnic diversity of Banten. Furthermore, this article also tries to explain the social structure of Bantenese society in the sultanate period, the pre-colonial period, and post-colonial period.

Composite Culture under the Sultanate of Delhi By IQTIDAR HUSAIN SIDDIQUI

Writing a socio-cultural history of pre-Mughal era is fraught with certain problems, a major issue being inadequacy of information from contemporary chroniclers. One has to sift through an expansive corpus of source materials, of different forms and tenors, in order to gain insight into the social history of the period. Although scholarship on the Delhi Sultanate over the last few decades has introduced us to the significance of non-political sources in understanding the social moods of the times, areas requiring fresh enquiries still remain. A primary concern of Professor I. H. Siddiqui’s book is to highlight those aspects of life and culture of the Delhi Sultanate that require a renewed focus and in-depth study. At a time when scholarship on the Sultanate is unfortunately dwindling, this work will be seen as a welcome addition. The book is divided into three parts of unequal length. The first (six chapters) deals with different aspects of life and culture in the Delhi Sultanate. The second part (two chapters) is on the foreign relations of the Sultans mainly with the Mongols. The final part (also with two chapters) studies the representations of women in the Sultanate period. In his introduction to the book, the author refers to some conceptual issues that arise when we apply geographical terms such as ‘shatter zones’ and ‘core areas’ to understand the processes of acculturation in the Sultanate period. In the following chapters, the author tries to show how complex the process of acculturation was, but does not explain how his arguments support or refute the application of such geographical terms to the historical data. A main theme of the book is the emergence of ‘composite culture’ over the Sultanate period. He notices a percolation and continuity of traditions and elements of the ‘composite culture’ from the Arab and Ghaznavid times to that of the Delhi Sultans. He explains in the Introduction, that prior to the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate, the north-west region including Sind, Multan, Punjab and Roh became the nucleus of a ‘composite culture’ under Arab and Ghaznavid rule and that the traditions set over that period influenced the newly established Sultanate in the thirteenth century.

Musicians Educated at the Music School of Sultan III. Selim

Turkish music reached the highest success in the period of Sultan III. Selim of Ottoman Empire. Sultan III Selim was a composer, a Ney player, a Tanbur player as a musician. As a result of Turkish music education named “Meshk” given in Enderun, important composers were educated in this period and so, the music school of the Sultan III. Selim was appeared. In our research, III Selim's view on music, the specialities of the school of his music and participations of the musicians, educated at the music school on Turkish music education will be analysed.

Muslim Historiography: The Trends and Nature in Perspective of India (1206-1526 A.D)

History is considered as an account of the past and present of human race. That means authentic and scientific analysis of all activities of men included in History. Muslims have glorious contributions on the development of the science and knowledge under the Umayyad (662-750 A.D) and Abbasids (750-1258 A.D) especially on the development of Historiography. Muslims start their historiographical activities by writings on the life and activities of their last Prophet Muhammad (SAAS).Later, in the last decades of 8th century; Muslims develop these activities as a complete part of knowledge. In this way, the trends of the Muslim historiography are expanded to Persia and Indo-Pak sub- continent. In this paper, I am going to make an account on the trends and nature of the Muslim historiography of Sultanate period in India from 1206 to 1526 A.D. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2014.v3n1p451