Great Rulers Of India

"Over the centuries India has been ruled by men and women who as great conquerors and able administrators have shaped the history of this land. This Pancharatna features five such rulers. Chandragupta Maurya defeated his rivals to found the Mauryan dynasty which reached unprecedented power under his grandson, Ashoka, who later saw the futility of war and renounced violence. Samudragupta of the Gupta dynasty, was a military genius. Harsha ascended the throne at age 16. His story has been taken from the Harshacharita and from the accounts of the Chinese traveller, Hiuen Tsang. Krishnadeva Raya of the Vijayanagara dynasty was described by the Portuguese traveller, Domingo Paes, as the 'perfect king'"--Page 4 of cover

Fifty leaves that form the sumptuous Kevorkian Album, one of the world's greatest assemblages of Mughal art. -- Metropolitan Museum of Art website.

The kingdom of Vijayanagara (founded in 1336 A.D.) was a stronghold of Hinduism at a time when India was politically dominated by Muslim rulers. The glory of Vijayanagara reached its zenith during the reign of the great Krishnadeva Raya (A.D. 1509 - 1529)

The format of the book covers the vast gamut of Great Hindu Kings of the south after Harshvardhana and in the process outlines the political history of the concerned dynasties as well.

Ramachandra Guha’s India after Gandhi is a magisterial account of the pains, struggles, humiliations and glories of the world’s largest and least likely democracy. A riveting chronicle of the often brutal conflicts that have rocked a giant nation, and of the extraordinary individuals and institutions who held it together, it established itself as a classic when it was first published in 2007. In the last decade, India has witnessed, among other things, two general elections; the fall of the Congress and the rise of Narendra Modi; a major anti-corruption movement; more violence against women, Dalits, and religious minorities; a wave of prosperity for some but the persistence of poverty for others; comparative peace in Nagaland but greater discontent in Kashmir than ever before. This tenth anniversary edition, updated and expanded, brings the narrative up to the present. Published to coincide with seventy years of the country’s independence, this definitive history of modern India is the work of one of the world’s finest scholars at the height of his powers.

Affonso de Albuquerque was the first European since Alexander the Great who dreamed of establishing an empire in India, or rather in Asia, governed from Europe. The period in which he fought and ruled in the East is one of entrancing interest and great historical importance, and deserves more attention than it has received from the English people, as the present ruling race in India. Dr. A. C. Burnell, an authority second to none in Indian historical questions, says in his prefatory note to A Tentative List of Books and some MSS. relating to the History of the Portuguese in India Proper: 'In the course of twenty years' studies relating to India, I found that the history of the Portuguese had been shamefully neglected.... In attempting to get better information, I found that the true history of the Portuguese in India furnishes most important guidance for the present day, and the assertions commonly made about it are utterly false, especially in regard to the ecclesiastical history.' I purpose, therefore, to give a short list of the more important works on the history of the Portuguese in the East during the sixteenth century, while they were a conquering and a ruling power, in the hope that it may be useful to any one wishing to investigate the subject further than it has been possible for me to do in this volume. I confine myself to the sixteenth century and to books on political history, as I have not the knowledge to classify the numerous works on the history of the Roman Catholic Missions in India, which is closely bound up with the ecclesiastical history of the Portuguese in the East.

"An amazing exhibition catalogue showing the splendors of one of the greatest rulers of the world, India's Emperor Akbar (1542-1605). Akbar the Great is considered one of the most splendid sovereigns of humankind. Though he never learned to read or write, he was a great protector of poetry and literature, the builder of the grandiose capital Fathepur Sikri, the City of Victory, and the promoter of new movements in arts and crafts. The catalogue illustrates his deep art appreciation, detailing his court life with portraits and images of political activities, cultural events, and his military glory through arms and armor. Jewel boxes, turban ornaments, earrings, and necklaces are lavishly presented from the most important Indian, European, and American museums and collections. Although the author references the latest in art historical scholarship, this book is also aimed at readers with an affinity for Indian culture."--Publisher's website.