The History of India: At Told By Its Own Historians The Muhammadan Period (Set of 8 Volumes)

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The History of India (In 8 volumes) is based on the earliest Information which Europe derived from the writings of the Arab geographers on India and the lands adjacent.

Sir H M Elliot Introduced a long note: "India as known to Arabs during the First Four Centuries of the Hijri Era", and under this heading he collected nearly all the material then within the reach of the Europeans.

The great objects of these volumes are those which most nearly touch the Inner life of civilized men, namely the vicissitudes of Institutions, social life, politics and religion.

In that sense, these eight volumes represent the genuine and authentic historical enquiry into the Muhammadan rule in India.

In Indian histories, there is little which enables us to penetrate below the glittering surface, and obscure the practical operation of a despotic government and rigorous and sanguinary laws, and the effect upon the great body of the nation of these injurious influences and agencies.

The intrinsic value of these works still yields much that is worth observation to anyone who will attentively examine them. These volumes will serve to dispel the mists of ignorance by which the knowledge of India is too much obscured, and show that the history of the Muhammadan period remains yet to be written.

It may be that valuable writings still remain undiscovered, but until they are brought to light, these volumes will serve not simply as a store of original information but as an indispensable guide to the source from which critical and diligent Investigation may seek for help and enlightenment upon obscure and doubtful matter. These eight volumes bring down the complete history of the Muhammadan empire in India to the close.

The foregoing note has described how, sixteen years after Sir Henry Elliot's first volume was given to the world, his papers were placed in my charge for revision and publication.

My first intention was to carry out the work on the original plan, but as progress was made in the examina- tion of the voluminous materials, the necessity of some modification became more and more apparent. The work had long been advertised under the revised title which it now bears, as contemplated by the author himself; its bibliographical character having been made subordinate to the historical. It also seemed desirable, after the lapse of so many years, to begin with new matter rather than with a reprint of the old volume. Mature consideration ended with the convic- tion that the book might open with fresh matter. and that it might at the same time be rendered more available as an historical record.

In the old volume, Sir II. Elliot introduced a long note upon "India as known to the Arabs during the first four centuries of the Hijri Era," and under this heading he collected nearly all the materials then within the reach of Europeans. Since that compilation was made, it has been to a great degree superseded by new and more satisfactory translations, and the work of Al Istakhri has also become available. The trans- lation of Al Idrisi by Jaubert was not quoted by Sir H. Elliot, but an English version of the part relating to India seemed desirable. The subject had thus outgrown the limits of an already lengthy note, and a remodelling of this portion of the book became necessary. The notices of India by the early Arab geographers form a suitable introduction to the History of the Muhammadan Empire in that country. They have accordingly been placed in chronological order at the opening of the work.

**Contents and Sample Pages**