India and Southeast Asia Lesson 4 Students will know that India and the states of Southeast Asia were made up of diverse cultures marked by such differences as religion, sources of wealth, and the relationship between conqueror and the conquered

India after the Guptas Differing interpretations of Buddhism led to two schools of thought: Theravada and Mahayana Therevada “The teachings of the elders,” its followers view Buddhism as a way of life Mahayana Developed in northwest India, stressing the view that nirvana can be achieved through devotion to the Buddha Its followers consider the Buddha a divine figure Eventually both interpretations of Buddhism would lose it appeal and rise to Islam

Islamic Expansion Political disunity in India contributed to the success of Islamic expansion in South Asia India divided into about 70 warring states Arab armies moved into the frontier regions of India in the early eighth century At the end of the tenth century, Islamic expansion led to a new Islamic state known as Ghazna Mahmud of Ghazna extended Muslim rule throughout the upper Indus Valley and south to the Indian Ocean Hindu warriors called Rajputs led the resistance but were defeated By 1200, a new Muslim state, known as the sultanate of Delhi, controlled the entire plain of northern India. In the fourteenth century, it extended its powers into the Deccan Plateau

The Turkish and Mongolian Invasion of India The sultanate of Delhi began to decline in the latter half of the fourteenth century Soon, invaders of mixed Mongol and Turkish heritage began to raid the capital of Delhi As many as 100,000 Hindu prisoners were massacred before the gates of the city. It was India’s first meeting with Timur Lenk

Timur Lenk Timur Lenk was the ruler of a state based in Samarqand. Born sometime during the 1330s, Timur Lenk seized power in 1369 and launched a program of conquest bringing much of Central Asia under his control He also invaded parts of India but died in 1405 in the midst of a military campaign. His death removed a major threat from India, but the members of his dynasty (Timurids) continued to rule parts of India Babur, a descendant of Timur Lenk on his father’s side and Genghis Khan on his mother’s side, conquered northern India and established the Mogul Empire, an Islamic state. These Islamic rulers, descendants of nomadic Turks and Mongols, would shape life in India for hundreds of years.

Indian Society and Culture When Islam expanded into India, what religion did the majority of Indians follow? The majority of Indians were Hindu Did the Muslims try to convert the Hindus? Yes, but they eventually realized that there simply too many Hindus to convert them all. What other changes did the Muslim rulers make? They tried to maintain a strict separation between the Muslim ruling class and the Hindu population. They imposed many Islamic customs. How would you describe the relationship between the Muslims and Hindus in India? It was a tense relationship of conquer and conquered and was marked by dislike and strife.

Indian society and Culture Between 500 and 1500, most Indians lived on the land and farmed their own tiny plots. They would pay a share of their harvest to landlord, who in turn sent part of the payment to the local ruler. The landlord was basically a tax collector A vast majority of Indians were peasants Rulers naturally had the most wealth. One maharaja (great king) of a small state in southern India had more than 100,00 soldiers in his pay, along with 900 elephants and 20,000 horses

Societies in Southeast Asia Pagan Angkor Srivijaya Origins The people of Pagan conquered the Mon region and adopted the Mon culture Khmer kings moved here at the end of the ninth century The kingdom began on the island of Sumatra in the seventh century. Religious Influences Mon monks and scholars taught the people of Pagan the sacred Pali language and Buddhist scriptures. Pagan used Mon craftsmen, woodcarvers, and architects captured in war to construct many Buddhist temples. The people of Angkor were strongly influenced by Hinduism. They constructed many temples, including the enormous Angkor wat Srivijaya became a stopping point for Buddhist pilgrims. Many people of the Srivijaya converted to Buddhism. Economic Concerns Pagan had many ports, including Thaton, which received merchants from India and other areas. The economy depended on the production of rice. A large systems of canals and lakes irrigated huge rice paddies. Srivijaya’s economy was based on international sea trade. It traded with China, India, and states in the archipelago