Early Medieval Indian Society Rs Sharma Pdf Download - [work] Jun 2026

Sharma argues that the Samanta (feudal chieftain) became the central figure of the polity. Kings were no longer absolute rulers commanding vast standing armies; they were reduced to "first among equals," surrounded by powerful Samantas who could challenge them at will.

Sharma rejects the old colonial notion of a "dark age" and instead proposes a structured socio-economic transformation. He argues that early medieval India (c. 750–1200 CE) witnessed a process of —a term borrowed from European history but adapted to Indian contexts. Early Medieval Indian Society Rs Sharma Pdf Download -