An Introduction to Indian Feudalism
Similar to Europe, Indian feudalism was a system where the nobility owned lands in the name of the monarch and were responsible for raising an army during times of war. The lands owned by the nobility were managed and worked upon by tenants, who shared their produce with the nobles in return for military protection.
The inception of feudalism in India is believed to have been during the post-Mauryan period, specifically under the reign of the Gupta’s and the
Kushanas
.
The feudalism in India is often synonymous with the following terms:
-
Taluqdar
-
Zamindar
-
Jagirdar
-
Sardar
-
Deshmukh
-
Chaudary
-
Ghatwals
These titles were the major source of revenue for the ruling dynasties in the Indian subcontinent and continued to function even during the British rule, only being abolished following India's independence.
The Structure of Indian Feudalism
The term ‘Samantha’ (neighbour) originated during the Gupta era and was used to refer to the feudatory rulers of the time. Due to weak enforcement of power over conquered regions, independence was resumed and certain high administrative positions became hereditary.
Historians debate the extent to which the feudatory system in India can be classified as feudalism due to the lack of an economic relationship between the king, vassal, and serf. However, the decentralization of power, a key element of feudalism, was quite evident in both the Indian subcontinent and Europe.
Feudal lords in India were obligated to pay a small portion of revenue and provide troops for the overlord.
Over time, feudal lords began to misuse their authority, leading to fragmentation in local authority and a general breakup of unity among the populace. These conditions paved the way for future invasions like the
Arab and Turkish Invasions of India
.
Characteristics of Indian Feudalism
Vassalage:
Vassalage represented the relationship of personal dependence and loyalty between the lord and his vassals.
Hierarchy of feudal lords:
Different titles indicated the position and powers within the rank of feudal lords.
Hereditary administrative positions:
Weak enforcement of power led to the resumption of independence and some high administrative positions became hereditary.
Decentralisation of Power:
Samantas were granted lands instead of salary and proceeded to assert ownership of the area while still claiming to be vassals of their rulers.
Oppressive tax system:
The imposition of various types of taxes, along with rent, exploited the labour class.
Prosperity was not shared equally:
The belief was that some people were meant for cultivation of land and some for enjoying the fruits of production, leading to unequal distribution of prosperity.
Fragmentation of social formation:
Castes were subdivided into thousands of other castes and subcastes.
Manorial system:
Under the manorial system, landlords granted lands to individuals who would provide various services, including labour on the lands of the lords, in exchange for land.
Despite these similarities, there are a few key differences between Feudalism in India and Europe:
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Indian feudalism was divided on a caste basis such as Brahmanas, Kshatriya, Vaishaya and Shudras, while European feudalism was divided based on class as in nobility, clergy and commoners.
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Unlike in European feudalism, many of the power structures in Indian feudalism were not required to pay taxes.
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While Western European Feudal lords granted lands to their serfs to get their own land cultivated, Indian Kings made grants to collect taxes and surplus.
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Different ecological factors contributed to the nature of social structure and dynamics, hence the difference in European and Indian feudalism.
Aspirants can find complete information about upcoming
Government Exams
through the linked article. More exam-related preparation materials will be found through the links given below.
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