Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c3: Foreword
Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c3
- Language
- English
Foreword
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I ACCEDE with pleasure to the request of Dr. B. A. Saletore, M.A., PH.D., that I should write a foreword to his work, *Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire*. This was the thesis accepted by the University of London for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in 1931. It is published, as it is stated, with a grant from the University of London. Dr. Saletore steers clear of the political history of the Empire of Vijayanagara and addresses himself to writing an account, mainly from epigraphical sources, from the works of foreign travellers, and, to some extent, from contemporary literature, of the social and political life of the people living in the empire. It will be seen from the actual division of chapters of the work that the author attempts to give a full picture of the life that the people led under the protection of the empire.
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This would necessarily involve an account of the administration, in its various branches, and of the several administrative institutions established therefor. These administrative institutions are described in eight chapters, II to IX. The remaining nine chapters are devoted to a description of the divisions of the people, the social institutions under which they were living, the position of the Brahmans, the status of women in Vijayanagara society, and subjects of that kind. Dr. Saletore, it is clear from the book, has examined the sources exhaustively, and has made his selection judiciously. He collects his information from a large number of sources, sorts them and arranges them in a logical order and presents, on the whole, a readable account. The very extent of the subject and the vastness of detail would baffle any effort in this direction ordinarily, but Dr. Saletore has succeeded in producing a creditable work bearing on the vast subject. The general mass of detail that is brought together and the marshalling of these in successive sections would admit of easy criticism; but taken as a whole, the work gives a correct and complete view of the life of the people under the empire during the three centuries of its fight to preserve Hindu institutions and Hindu civilization. Voluminous as the work is at first sight, let me hope that Dr. Saletore's readers would be many and that they will find both pleasure and profit in the reading of the book.
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S. KRISHNASWAMI AIYANGAR, *Professor of Indian History and* *Archaeology, University of Madras* *(Retired)*.
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MYLAPORE, MADRAS, 6th December, 1933.
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This book is an attempt to fill a long-felt gap in the literature of the subject. It is based on a thesis approved for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the University of London in 1931. It is published as it was written in 1931, with only minor corrections. The thesis was written at the School of Economics, London, and I am deeply indebted to my teachers there, especially to Professor Eileen Power, for their valuable guidance and encouragement. I am also grateful to the authorities of the British Museum, the Public Record Office, and the Guildhall Library for the facilities they provided for my research.
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The work deals with the guilds as an institution in the medieval period, with special reference to the period from the 14th to the 16th century. It is not a history of any particular guild or of the guilds of any particular town, but a study of the guild system as a whole. The subject is vast, and I have had to limit the scope of my inquiry. I have confined myself to the study of the craft guilds, and have not dealt with the merchant guilds, which were a different type of organisation. I have also excluded the religious guilds, except in so far as they were connected with the craft guilds.
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The book is divided into three parts. The first part deals with the origin and development of the craft guilds. The second part deals with the organisation and government of the guilds. The third part deals with the economic and social activities of the guilds. I have tried to show that the guilds were not merely economic organisations, but also social and religious ones, and that they played a very important part in the life of the medieval town.
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I am conscious of the many shortcomings of this book. I have not been able to consult all the relevant sources, and I have no doubt that many of my conclusions will need to be revised in the light of further research. I hope, however, that this book will serve as a useful introduction to the study of the subject and will stimulate further research.
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I must express my gratitude to my friends and colleagues who have helped me in various ways. I am particularly grateful to Mr. A. V. Judges, who read the manuscript and made many valuable suggestions. I am also grateful to the publishers for their patience and co-operation.
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Finally, I must thank my wife, who has been a constant source of encouragement and help throughout the preparation of this book.