alternatehistory.com

Greetings all, it has been quite a while since I have posted last time. So well this is my attempt to fix it all, now I am going to take a look again at the Indian Subcontinent in the 14th century.

Ceylon and Maldives
The island of Ceylon has for centuries been a bastion of Buddhism in the south of the Subcontinent. Established trade networks have brought communities of Christians and Manicheans onto the island, who have settled in distinct neighbourhoods in the major coastal ports.

The chain of coral atolls known as the Maldives and the Laccadives is now fully in the hands of Msadeqi merchants, who are careful enough to fight with pirates having established a base or two on some smaller atoll.

Deccan
The tip of the Subcontinent consists of two major regions. The Malabar Coast, looking westwards, is known for its close ties to the Middle East and multicultural environment. This area was divided into numerous principalities: the largest being Cochin, Calicut, Venad and Quilon, although the former two remain most prominent.

The Malabar Coast is also known for being one of the regions where Hinduism failed to become a majority religion. In the 14th century, the Nestorians were a plurality in this area, though other faiths were common as well. One of the fast growing communities are the Msadeqi Manicheans, who have managed to convert the local ruler , styled Zamoorin of Calicut, known also by the local name of Kozhikode. Apart from Chistians and Msadeqis, a considerable number of both Hindus could be found in Kerala, who could be found in the deep hinterlands of Kerala as well as many being employed as servants in the city, as well as Jain, Jewish and Zoroastrian communities. The demands for labour were met by not only servants employed from the hinterland, but also slave labour, brought by ships following the monsoon from the Kinari Coast.

The Malabar Coast in the 14th century is thus a cosmopolitan region, being at the heart of the global trade network, rich in spices and seaward looking.

The kingdom of Mysore, continues to occupy the Kannada speaking region. Unlike the Malabar coast, Mysore is a predominantly agrarian region. Unlike in the Malabar Coast, in Mysore we can witness a well-established caste system. Apart from Hinduism which is the prevailing religion of the kings and most of the populace, Jainism continues to be patronized by the state, while a few Msadeqi places of worship exist as well.

To its southeast lay the Tamil-speaking region, which is presided over by the Pandya dynasty. The Pandya dynasty are a local Tamil dynasty which has succeeded the previously ruling Cholas, one of the longest-reigning dynasties in India. The Pandyan dynasty continues to sponsor Tamil literature, and though the prestige of the Tamil language is gradually fading, it still continues being the most prestigious of the Dravidian tongues. Unlike the Malabar coast, the Tamil country is nowhere near as cosmopolitan, and is better known for it being a beacon of Shaivite Hinduism. Pandyan architecture is also known for their impressive rock-carved structures.

The Tamil country is also known for its capable military, composed of infantry, cavalry and elephantry. Bows and arrows, swords and lances were common weapons. Most of the troops were lightly armed – after all considering the climate, they could sweat to death were they to wear a heavy armour. For protection, animal skins and oil was preferred, as well as shields.

Further to the northeast is the Kakatiya kingdom ruling over the Telugu lands. The Kakatiya realm stands out largely for its general absence of the caste system. While the notion of a caste was known, it had little if no importance to the general life of the Telugu kingdom. The Kakatiya kings have sponsored many marvellous works of architecture and Telugu culture.


The coastal regions of the Telugu country were becoming much more prosperous than the inland heart of the kingdom. What we can witness is the growth of the cities like Madurai and actively taking part in the trade network. The shift of population to the coast is likely to be followed by a shift of power as well.

Ultimately even further to the northeast was the realm of Haihaivansi. Occupying an ethnically diverse region of Orissa and Chattisgarh, and nothing much else is outstanding about it.
Eastern India
Continuing to eastern India, we arrive to the low-lying combined delta of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers. This densely populated region is now home to the Kingdom of Vanga , with its capital at Gauda. Vanga (1) has slightly taken advantage of the weakening of the Shahdom of Hind, which has been the hegemonic power of the Gangetic plains. Vanga, while not being a primarily land power, nevertheless has built a solid army, allowing to defend itself chiefly from the northwest, the direction from where empires localted on the middle and upper Gangetic plain could invade. Other directions featured less organized foes; chiefly being hill-clans interested in raiding, rather than possible full-scale invasion.

Vanga focuses its attention to the sea, being a major exporter of cotton, silk and having a large commercial fleet. Having underwent an agrarian reform and improvement in administration, Vanga has become one of the major powers in the Subcontinent, and continues to make further advances in mathematics, astronomy and commerce.

Literature in the Vangi language, be it in the forms of poetry, epic romance but also philosophical and scientific essays has developed significantly, and Vanga can be considered as one of the major “soft powers” in the Subcontinent.

Vanga remains a firmly Buddhist nation, and has put the Kingdom of Ahom, located to the south of the eastern Himalayas in the valley of the Brahamaputra river, to Buddhist faith as well.

The Kingdom of Ahom, only recently converted to Buddhism is practically a buffer of Vanga, known particularly for its major tea exports.

In the hilly jungle at the eastern border of the Subcontinent is located Manipur, an enigmatic kingdom still clinging to its own Sanamahist faith. In many medieval maps, Manipur was represented by a bunch of hills forming the border between Vanga and Burma. Manipuri royalty was married in into the royal houses of Ahom and Burma; culturally after all, these folks spoke a language related to the Burmese. Manipur was known in Vanga for selling teak and other wood, essential for Vangi shipwrights, but also selling cardammon, oranges and tea, while also being a frequent source of mercenaries into the Vangi army.

Gangetic Plains
Domineering the Gangetic Plains has been the Shahdom of Hindh, or as sometimes known Shahdom of Hindustan. However, the previously dominant realm was facing hardship as the 14th century progressed. While one of Hindustanis successful campaign has managed to conquer the bigger part of Kathiawar, the continuity of the entire realm was challenged by Abaqid army attacking across the Khyber Pass

The Abaqid dynasty has been ruling over Sogdia and Central Asia, and has been actively preparing for the invasion of India, lured by the tales of the wonders and riches of the Subcontinent. Having superior military organization, experience and skill, the invading army was nevertheless unfamiliar with the tropical climate of the Subcontinent as well as Hindustani deployment of elephants to battle.

The two forces met between the towns of Attock and Rawalpindi in the northwestern part of Punjab. Despite the Shahdom of Hindustan fielding a large number of war elephants and a large number of men altogether, the more mobile and organized Abaqid forces were able celebrate a decisive victory.

The Abaqid army had to face the Hindustanis again near Gujranwala between the Chenab and Ravi rivers. This second Hindustani force was rallied hastily, and a large proportion of it consisted of new recruits with little to no experience, while the veterans were pulled southwards to defend the capital region. Unsurprisingly, the Abaqids scored another major victory at Gujranwala, before establishing a border at the Sutlej River, marking the eastern borderlands of Punjab itself. Abaqid raids continued even further eastwards and southwards, plundering and looting magnificent cities in Rajasthan and the alluvial plains of the Doab.

This major defeat of Hindustan in the 1320s resulted in an internal earthquake as well. Its adversaries saw the moment of weakness as an opportunity to strike against their feared nemesis, resulting in even further weakening of Hindustan. The ruling shahs appear unable to hold the realm together and being incompetent. In 1341 the wuzurg framadar, effectively the prime minister, a man named Piroz of Hardwar, born to a Persianate father and a Hindu mother. Piroz has proven to be a competent commander, defeating numerous Abaqid raiding parties, while being also a competent statesman, securing alliance with the spurious Rajput clans. Piroz of Hardwar ultimately deposed the last Shah, cutting his hair and away his right hand.

The Hardwari Dynasty ruling over a plundered Hindustan has made many accommodations to the prevailing Hindu religion. Many new Hindu temple were erected, and the caste system being recognized as part of the social fabric.

One of the realms established on the ruins of Hindustan was Avadh (2). This region, bound between Vanga, Himalayas and the Hindustani heartland. Avadh is a highly urbanized region, and one where the urban Buddhist culture of India incorporates Persianate influences passed down from the period of Hindustani rule.

The middle and upper Gangetic plains remain under Hindustani rule, though turmoil and civil war are common phenomena during this era, as well as various rebellions, often led by princes or satraps – the independence of Avadh being an example of a clean and successful one; others were bloodier and were suppressed in the end. The resulting depopulation was solved by some migration of peasants from the south, who were largely Hindu, thus by large weakening the Buddhist element in the Gangetic plain.

The Buddhists were the politically and intellectually and militarily dominant elite, yet the vast majority of their subjects were Hindus. This is likely to have further consequences on the stability and continued existence of the Shahdom of Hindustan.

The Indus Valley
Mountainous Kashmir, nicknamed “Garden of India” has been mentioned in a lot of Indian poetry as an idyllic mountain environment. While Ladakh and Baltistan in the high altitudes are a continuation of the greater Tibetan cultural regions, with inaccessible monasteries in the mountain vales, with fabulous warrior monks. Kashmir and Jammu themselves have been conquered by the Abaqids as northern extension of Punjab of some sort. Kashmir is known for its fine cashmere wool, made from the Cashmere goat, the common herd animal bred on the mountain slopes. Unlike elsewhere in India, meat-eating is a common thing, even for Buddhists and Roshblani converts. Kashmir is also known for its tradition of martial arts and is also a place where some of the first warrior monks of the Roshblani – “The Champions of the Light”, also known for their martial arts, taking inspiration from the Tibetan warrior monks.

The Abaqid conquest of Punjab was marked of course by a big degree of brutality, with a lot of plunder and devastation taking place. The continued history of Punjab betting invaded has had profound influences on local culture – with a stark martial culture became ingrained into the Punjabi customs, as those who were unable to defend themselves would have failed to pass their genes further down. Carrying a dagger has indeed become an essential part of the traditional costume in Punjab. The “Champions of the Light” are establishing outposts in Punjab.

The Abaqid conquest also resulted in a significant number of Central Asian nobility and warriors settling in the area. Quite a lot of the conquerors were of Manichean background – and adopted the local Roshblani denomination.

The region of Sindh, close to the delta of the Indus River has emerged as an independent realm during the havoc and turmoil connected with the weakening of the Shahdom of Hind. The Sodha dynasty (3) have become the new rulers of region. Sindh was distinguished by its largely Christian population, although the new rulers were zealous Buddhists.

The Sodha dynasty were a Rajput clan – the Rajputs being descended from the bloodlines of various assimilated ethnic groups, who were considered inferior to the Kshatriya caste – some may have been descendants from the Indo-Greeks, others from Kushans and others of Hunas.

Their clan-based social structure may be traced back to their origins in the Central Asian steppe. The Rajputs were seen by their Hindu countrymen as champions in the struggle against various conqueror dynasties; and as a matter of fact, political unity among the Rajputs was essentially non-existent.

The Sodha dynasty were staunch proponents of Hinduism, and during their reign they sponsored construction of new temples, even in largely Christian areas.

Western India
While the Kathiawar Peninsula has been conquered by the Shahdom of Hindustan, there remain two largely independent realms bordering it. Kathiawar and the region east of the Thar Desert are ruled by various squabbling Rajput clans, previously revolting against the Shahdom of Hindustan, now having reached an agreement with the Hardwari dynasty, which accepted their internal autonomy.

In the west, there is Kutch, holding onto its independence also due to favourable terrain (which is however not favourable for most of any other economic activities), as there are large wetlands in the rainy seasons, which turn into saltpans during the dry season.

To the east of the Kathiawar Peninsula, we find the Baroda Kingdom, which is focused mostly on trade. The ruling monarch has converted from Jainism to Msadeqi Manicheism, and many townspeople living in the coastal regions are Msadeqiyyan Manicheans as well; in the hinterlands most are Jainists of the Svetambara sect. Baroda, as well as Hindustani Kathiawar, has benefitted from the trade with the Kinari Coast, and many slaves, sometimes called servants, are found in the households of wealthy Barodian merchants or toiling the fields for the land owners.

Among the states rebelling from the Hindustani Shahdom were also Gwalior, which became a small Hindu principality ruled by a clan of the warrior caste, and Malwa, which becomes known as the centre of Jain culture of the Digambara sect, enabling, together with Baroda, a period of renaissance of Jainism across western India.

The Yadava dynasty, ruling much Maharashtra remains the dominant force in much of the western India, yet having lost the Konkanic Coast, where an independent plutocratic realm dependent on maritime trade establishes itself.

The Konkani Coast shares many characteristics of the Malabar Coast, although it is slightly less cosmopolitan, and Christians dominate the towns, while Jains can be found largely in the hinterlands, with emergent Msadeqi communities in the coastal towns as well.

1. Originally, Bengal was named Banga or Vanga, and the suffix –al came later. I decided to spell it Vanga.
2. Paralleling the Sultanate of Jaunpur, a Muslim realm, whose rulers styled themselves as Sultans of Sharqiya (Sultans of the East). Now Avadh is a predominantly Buddhist and partially Hindu realm
3. Named after one of the Rajput clans of Sindh; analogues to the Samma dynasty