The Mughal Empire (The New Cambridge History of India) [Paperback]

John F. Richards (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 26, 1996 | ISBN-10: 0521566037 | ISBN-13: 978-0521566032

The Mughal empire was one of the largest centralized states in the premodern world and this volume traces the history of this magnificent empire from its creation in 1526 to its breakup in 1720. Richards stresses the dynamic quality of Mughal territorial expansion, their institutional innovations in land revenue, coinage and military organization, ideological change and the relationship between the emperors and Islam. He also analyzes institutions particular to the Mughal empire, such as the jagir system, and explores Mughal India's links with the early modern world.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is a succinct, readable, and comprehensible summary of one of the most important eras in India's history....It should become the major text on Mughal history." Choice

"Richards's volume fills an important gap. Until now there has been no basic narrative, political history of the Mughal empire....Richards's approach has the virtue of integrating a great deal of the newest research into a familiar framework....His clear and concise synthesis of the new scholarship on the Mughal empire in India provides a context for the student and a point of departure for all subsequent scholarly work in the field." American Historical Review

"...a clearly written, intelligent synthesis of scholarship on a major topic of the history of the Indian subcontinent. The volume will, without doubt, become the textbook of choice for this subject." Barbara D. Metcalf, Asian Thought and Society

"...a readable, expanded narrative history of the Mughal Empire from its foundation in 1526 to the onset of its decline in the early eighteenth century. It is written and organized in the familiar Cambridge History style, and will serve as a suitable standard reference for general Mughal political history." Richard Foltz, Harvard Middle East and Islamic Review

Book Description

The Mughal empire was one of the largest centralized states in the premodern world. This volume stresses the dynamic quality of Mughal territorial expansion, their institutional innovations in land revenue, coinage and military organization, ideological change and the relationship between the emperors and Islam.

Product Details

• Paperback: 340 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (January 26, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521566037
• ISBN-13: 978-0521566032
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #663,953 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars concise information about the mughal empire, April 5, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Mughal Empire (The New Cambridge History of India) (Paperback)

This book is an excellent source of information about the mughal dynasty. It is written in a chronological manner and hence, easy to read and follow even for the novice user to this subject. The author has stuck to the main theme of the lives of the emperors themselves, their artistic contribution to India and the people that influenced them. The facts about the emperors especially Jahangir, Shahjahan , the Rajput kings, Shivaji's greatness and Shambhaji's misadventures makes it an interesting read. I feel that this book brings forth the facts that are not widely known or mentioned in school history books that brings forth some suprises and hence makes it an interesting read.

17 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent survey marred by too little attention to women, August 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Mughal Empire (The New Cambridge History of India) (Paperback)

Dr. Richards' otherwise excellent book about the Mughal Empire is marred by his failure to pay very much attention to its women. Gulbadan is mentioned but once, Jodh Bai, Shah Jahan's mother, not at all, Nur Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal only peripherally. Are the Mughal chronicles themselves similarly silent about these women? Since Gulbadan wrote her own, one must say no.