[NOTES] Economy of Medieval India
Medieval Indian History can be divided into two parts
a) Early Medieval Indian History
b) Later Medieval Indian History
Economy of Medieval India can be studied under following divisions for easy of understanding:
1. Agricultural
Agricultural Aspects of Early Medieval Indian Economy:
The early medieval period in Indian history marks the growth of cultivation and organisation of land relations through land grants. These grants began around the beginning of Christian era and covered practically the entire subcontinent by the end of the twelfth century.
In the early medieval period agricultural expansion meant a greater and more regular use of advanced agricultural techniques, plough cultivation and irrigation technology. Institutional management of agricultural processes, control of means of production and new relations of production also played an important role in this expansion. With this expansion, new type of rural tensions also emerged. Commercial activities in agricultural and non-agricultural commodities increased.
AGRARIAN EXPANSION :
The agrarian expansion, which began with the establishment of brahmadeya and agarhara settlements through land grants to Brahmanas from the fourth century onwards acquired a uniform and universal form in subsequent centuries. The centuries between the eighth and twelfth witnessed the processes of this expansion and the culmination of an agrarian organisation based on land grants to religious and secular beneficiaries, i.e. Brahmanas, temples and officers of the King's government. However, there are important regional variations in this development, both due to geographical as well as ecological factors.
Now let us learn, What this Brahmadeya and Agarhara mean?
Brahmadeya and Agarhara were tax free land gift either in form of single plot or whole villages donated to Brahmans and Priests respectively in the early medieval India. It was initially practiced by the ruling dynasties and was soon followed up by the chiefs, merchants, feudatories, etc.
Brahmadeya and Agarhara were tax free land gift either in form of single plot or whole villages donated to Brahmans and Priests respectively in the early medieval India. It was initially practiced by the ruling dynasties and was soon followed up by the chiefs, merchants, feudatories, etc.
