Comprehensive Medieval History Glossary (UPSC)
This glossary provides a detailed, chapter-wise compilation of administrative, social, and economic **Medieval History terms**. These terminologies are frequently tested in the UPSC Civil Services Prelims, drawn from both NCERT and supplementary sources.
1. India and the World
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Manor | Castle of the feudal lord in European context. |
| Samantas | Feudal lords (Indian context). |
| Surya Siddhanta | Work on astronomy revised and reformed by Aryabhatta. |
2. Northern Age – Age of the 3 Empires (Administration)
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| aprabhamsha | Corrupt languages considered forerunners of the modern Indian languages. |
| antahpur | Officials of the royal household. |
| bhukti | Provinces. |
| mandala/visaya | Districts. |
| uparika | Governor of province/bhukti. |
| visayapati | Head of a district. |
| samantas/bhogapati | Chieftains/village headmen. |
| pattala | Administrative unit below visaya. |
| grama mahajana/mahattara | Village elders. |
| nad-gavundas/desa-gramakutas | Hereditary revenue officers in the Deccan. |
3. The Chola Empire (Administration and Culture)
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| mandalams | Provinces. |
| valanadu/nadu | Further division of provinces. |
| agraharas | Brahman villages. |
| Ur, sabha/mahasabha | Assemblies in rural areas, meant for local self-government. |
| mandap | Pillared hall (in a temple). |
| Garbhagriha | Chief deity room (sanctum sanctorum). |
| devadasis | Women dedicated to the service of Gods. |
| Gopurams | Lofty gates of temples. |
| Tirumaris | Writings of Nyanars and Alvars in Tamil, collected under 11 volumes in the 12th century, often called the 5th Veda. |
| Nyanars | Saint devotees of Shiva. |
| Alvars | Saint devotees of Vishnu. |
4. Economic and Social Life, Educational and Religious Beliefs
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| shrenis/sanghas | Trade guilds; emerged as sub-castes with time. |
| dvadasa shreni | Guild which became a sub-caste of the Vaishyas. |
| munja | A kind of grass. |
| samanta/ranak/rautta | Feudal class, Rajputs. |
| bhoga | Revenue. |
| Mahasamantadhipati | High titles assumed by ministers, officials, and feudal chiefs. |
| kotisvara | Millionaire. |
| utpala saka | A wild vegetable of bitter taste. |
| Basadis | Jain temples. |
| Mahastambhas | Pillars. |
| Advaitvada | Doctrine of non-dualism (Shankara’s philosophy). |
5. The Age of Conflict (Early Sultanate Terms)
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| amir-ul-umra | Meaning Commander of commanders; title granted by Caliph to generals who carved out separate spheres of authority. |
| Shikan | Destroyer of images. |
| Deul/Garbhagriha | Chief deity room (sanctum sanctorum). |
| jahan soz | Meaning world burner; title of Sultan Alauddin (of Ghur) because he ravaged Ghazni. |
6. The Delhi Sultanate-I (Balban’s Era)
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| chahalgani | Meaning ‘the forty’; Turkish chiefs. |
| chhatr | Royal insignia/umbrella. |
| diwani arz | Military department. |
| sijada and paibos | Prostration (sijada) and kissing the monarch’s feet (paibos) – court rituals under Balban. |
7. The Delhi Sultanate- II (Administration and Economy)
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| malik naib | Vice regent of the empire. |
| shahna | High officer who controlled the market, merchants, and prices (under Alauddin Khilji). |
| banjaras | Nomadic traders who specialised in carrying bulk goods. |
| dam | Paisa (unit of currency). |
| jitals | Unit of currency, smaller than tanka. |
| tankas | Unit of currency (silver). |
| sawar | Cavalryman. |
| khuts and muqaddams | Landlords/village headmen. |
| amils | Local officials. |
| diwani-amir-i-kohi | Department created by Muhammad Tughlaq to improve cultivation in the Doab. |
| jizyah | Tax on non-Muslims. |
| karkhanas | Royal workshops. |
| Iqta | Assignment of land revenue/tax farming; land divided into tracts called Iqtas and assigned to nobles/soldiers. |
| Kharaj | Land Revenue (tax). |
8. Government, Economic and Social Life (Delhi Sultanate)
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Khutba | Islamic rulers accepting moral leadership of the Caliph (read in Friday prayers). |
| ulama | Religious class. |
| wazir | Key administrative figure; expert on revenue matters. |
| diwan-i-arz | Military department. |
| ariz-i-mamalik | Head of military department. |
| dagh | Branding system of horses. |
| diwan-i-risalat | Department of religious matters, headed by ‘sadr’. |
| diwan-i-insha | Department of state correspondence. |
| barids | Intelligence agents. |
| wakil-i-dar | Officer in charge of the department of slaves under Firuz Tughlaq. |
| muqtis/walis | Holders of iqtas. |
| Shiqs | Divisions within provinces. |
| parganas | Divisions within Shiqs (group of villages). |
| amil | Head of pargana. |
| patwari | Village accountant. |
| Rais | Autonomous Hindu landlords. |
| tanka/dirham | Units of currency. |
| muslin | Fine cotton cloth from Bengal. |
| dhunia | Cotton handler’s bow. |
| rahat | Miscalled the Persian wheel; used for lifting water for irrigation. |
| zawabit | Regulations framed by Sultans to supplement the Muslim law. |
| jahandari | State based on worldly or secular considerations. |
| zimmis | Status given to Hindu subjects as protected people who accepted Muslim rule and agreed to pay jizyah. |
9. Vijayanagara, Bahmanids, and Portuguese
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| huns/perdaos | Currency (Vijayanagara). |
| Malik-ul-tujjar | Chief of the merchants. |
| tarafs | Provinces (Bahmani). |
| tarafdar | Governor of a Taraf (Bahmani). |
| khalisa | Tract of land (crown land, central territory). |
| rajyas/mandalams | Provinces (Vijayanagara). |
| nadu | District (Vijayanagara). |
| sthala | Subdistrict (Vijayanagara). |
| grama | Village (Vijayanagara). |
| amaram | Territory given to military chiefs. |
| palaiyagar/palegar/nayaks | Military chiefs (holders of Amaram). |
| janissaris | Land soldiers (Turkish troops). |
10. Struggle for Empire in North India – I (Pre-Mughal)
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Kirti sthambha | Victory tower (Chittor fort). |
| Maliq-us-sharq | Lord of the east – title given to Malik Sarwar (Jaunpur Sultanate founder). |
| gazz-i-sikandari | New measurement of a yard (introduced by Sikandar Lodi). |
11. Cultural Developments (13th-15th Century)
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| arabesque | Arabic script design combining geometrical and floral patterns with verses from the Quran. |
| Kitab-ul-Hind | Albiruni’s book (a comprehensive work on India). |
| rahab | A stringed musical instrument played by Guru Nanak’s attendant Mardana. |
| tauhid-i-wajudi | Arab doctrine of Unity of Being (Sufi concept). |
| Tauhid | Unity of all religions/God. |
| fatawa-i-alamgiri | Digest of laws proposed by a group of jurists under Aurangzeb. |
| sabaq-i-hindi | ‘Style of India’ – new style of Persian poetry. |
| sama | Religious musical gatherings (Sufism). |
| masnavi | Persian form of Bhakti poems. |
| Nayak | Title of Amir Khusrau – master of both theory and practice of music. |
12. Sher Shah Administration
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| shahna | Custodian of a sarai. |
| qasbas | Market towns. |
| dak-chowki | Sarais used as stages for news service. |
| pargana | Group of villages (administrative unit). |
| shiqdar | Incharge of pargana – looked after law and order and general administration. |
| munsif/amil | Officer for collection of land revenues. |
| patta | Paper containing details of crop, area and taxes on peasants etc. |
| chehra | Descriptive roll of a soldier. |
| dagh | Branding system of horses. |
13. Age of Akbar (Mughal Administration and Revenue)
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| khan-i-khanam | Wakil of the kingdom (e.g., Bairam Khan). |
| ray | Crop rate (used for determining revenue). |
| qanungos | Hereditary holders of land, local officials conversant with local conditions. |
| karoris | Officials responsible for collection of a crore of dams (Rs $250,000$). |
| Dahsala | Akbar’s system where the average produce/prices over the last 10 years determined the state share (one-third of produce). |
| Zabti system | System of measurement and assessment of land revenue, associated with Raja Todar Mal (‘bandobast’). |
| Batai/ghalla bakshi | System of assessment where produce was divided between peasants and the state in fixed proportion. |
| nasaq/kankut | Rough assessment of dues based on inspection of crops and past experiences. |
| polaj | Land which was cultivated every year. |
| parati | Fallow uncultivated land. |
| chachar | Land which was fallow for 2-3 years. |
| banzar | Land which was fallow for more than 2-3 years. |
| taccavi | Loan given to farmers for cultivation. |
| Mansabdari system | System where every officer was assigned a rank (mansab), divided into Zat and Sawar. |
| zat | Personal status (Mansabdari rank). |
| sawar | Cavalryman/horse count (Mansabdari rank). |
| bandukchi | Musketeer. |
| Mansabdars | Persons holding rank below 500 zat. |
| Amirs | Persons with rank from 500-2500 zat. |
| Amir-i-umda/umda-i-azam | Persons with rank above 2500 zats. |
| Fauzdar | Officer in charge of law and order (military control of a Sarkar). |
| Amalguzar | Officer in charge of land revenue. |
| Jagirs | Territories allotted to nobles and royal family (revenue assignment). |
| Khalisa | Territory where income went directly to the royal exchequer (crown lands). |
| Inam | Land allotted to religious scholars (revenue free grant). |
| wazir | All powerful official under whom all heads of departments functioned (Timurid tradition). |
| diwan/diwani-ala | Responsible for all income and expenditure, controlled Khalisa, Jagir, and Inam lands. |
| Mir bakshi | Head of the military dept, nobility, intelligence, and information agencies. |
| Barids | Intelligence officers. |
| Waqia-navis | News reporters. |
| Mir saman | In charge of the imperial household and provisions for the harem. |
| qazi | Head of judicial department. |
| sadr | Responsible for all charitable and religious endowments. |
| sanads | Records of grants of lands. |
| ghusal khana | Bathing apartment, later termed for the private consultation chamber. |
| farr-i-izadi | ‘Divine illumination’ – Abu Fazl’s concept that the ruler’s office depended on this. |
| sulh-kul | Policy of ‘peace to all’, equal toleration and respect to all sections. |
| ibadat khana | Hall of Prayer – built by Akbar in Fatehpur Sikri. |
| mahzar | Declaration (Akbar’s decree on religious matters). |
| mujtahids | Those considered fit to interpret the Quran. |
| tauhid-i-ilahi | ‘Divine Monotheism’ – term for the new path/faith floated by Akbar (incorrectly called Din-i-Ilahi). |
| murids | Disciples of emperor, pirs, etc. |
| insan-i-kamil | Perfect Man of that age (Sufi concept applied to the emperor). |
| Pabos | Kissing the floor before the emperor (similar to paibos). |
| Shast | Formula given to murids of the emperor’s new faith, in Sufi language. |
14. Deccan and South India (up to 1656)
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| bargirs | Loose auxiliaries; Maratha troops employed as such in Bahmani Kingdom. |
| afaqis/gharibs | ‘Newcomers’ in the political map of Deccan (foreign nobles). |
| ijara system | System of giving land on contract to peasants (revenue farming). |
| ahdnama | Treaty. |
| huns | Currency. |
| abla baba | ‘Friend of the poor’ – title of Ibrahim Adil Shah II. |
| Kitab-i-nauras | Book on music written by Ibrahim Adil Shah II. |
15. India in the First Half of the 17th Century (Later Mughals)
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| khan-i-saman | Post reserved for nobles in whom the emperor had full confidence (during Shah Jahan). |
| padshah-i-islam | Title assumed by Ottoman and Usmanli Turks after conquering parts of Asia and Africa. |
| du-aspah-sih-aspah system | System by Jahangir allowing nobles to maintain a large quota of troopers without raising their zat rank. |
| jama dami | Register indicating assessed income (jama) of various areas in dams (unit of currency). |
| ahadis | Gentlemen troopers with high salaries. |
| baraq andaz | Skilled musketeers. |
| tir andaz | Bowmen. |
| walashahis | Royal bodyguards. |
| piyadgan | Footmen. |
| banduqchi | Matchlock bearers. |
16. Economic and Social Life Under the Mughals
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| kamin | Landless untouchable peasants and labourer class. |
| khudkasht | Peasants who owned the land they tilled. |
| muzarian | Tenants who generally paid land revenue at higher rates. |
| chay | Red dye. |
| taccavi | Loans to peasants by Mughal state for cultivation. |
| mandis | Covered markets. |
| talluqa/zamindari | Villages from which zamindars had hereditary rights to collect land revenues. |
| garhis | Forts of zamindars. |
| Deshmukh/Patils/Nayaks | Regional names for the zamindar class. |
| madad-i-maash/Sasan in Rajasthan | Small tracts of land granted to scholars/religious divines for maintenance (revenue free). |
| seth, bihra, modi | Names for long-distance and inter-region traders. |
| beoparis/baniks | Local retail traders. |
| banjaras | Traders who specialised in carrying bulk goods over long distances. |
| patola | Silk (a type of cloth). |
| gumashtas | Trading agents. |
| dalals | Commission agents. |
| hundi | Letter of credit payable after a period of time on discount; often included insurance. |
| sarrafs/shroffs | Specialised in changing money; dealt with hundis. |
| rahdari | Road cess (toll tax). |
| Zabti system | Land revenue was assessed and paid in cash. |
| qasbas | Small townships (market towns). |
17. Religious Developments (Sufism and Sikhism)
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| baolis | Water tank or well. |
| pietra dura | Practice of decorating walls with floral designs made of semi-precious stones (popular under Shah Jahan, used in Taj Mahal). |
| kiosks | Chhatris (architectural features). |
| Hindavi | Local language (often used for Hindi/local dialects). |
| Sachcha padshah | ‘True sovereign’ – title given to Gurus by their followers. |
| nipakh | Non-sectarian path. |
| tauhid | Concept of pantheistic mysticism (unity of God and the universe). |
18. Climax and Disintegration of the Mughal Empire – I (Aurangzeb)
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| wali-ahd | Successor. |
| zawabit | Secular decrees by Mughal emperors (not based on Islamic law). |
| zawabit-i-alamgiri | Compendium of all the secular decrees of Aurangzeb. |
| muhtasibs | Officials appointed in all provinces to ensure people lived in accordance with the ‘shara’ (moral policing). |
| naubat | Royal musical band. |
| jharokha darshan | Emperor appearing for public view in the balcony. |
| peshkars/karoris | Petty revenue officials. |
| wajib | Meaning obligatory; referring to jizyah tax here. |
| abwabs | Cesses (miscellaneous taxes). |
| dar-ul-harb | Land of infidels (unprotected by Islamic law). |
| dar-ul-islam | Land inhabited by Muslims (or under Islamic rule). |
| khalisa | Mughal administration (as a territory division). |
| hukumat-ri-bahi | Contemporary Rajasthani work (historical record). |
19. Climax and Disintegration of the Mughal Empire – II (Shivaji’s Administration)
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| bhumia | Land holder. |
| Haindava-Dharmoddharak | Protector of the Hindu faith – title of Shivaji. |
| Ashtapradhan | 8 ministers in Shivaji’s system of administration. |
| sar-i-naubat | Senapati (Commander-in-Chief). |
| majumdar | Accountant. |
| wakenavis | Official for intelligence, posts, and household affairs. |
| surunavis/chitnis | Helped the king with his correspondence. |
| dabir | Master of ceremonies; also helped king in dealing with foreign powers. |
| nyayadhish | In-charge of justice. |
| panditrao | In-charge of charitable grants. |
| saran-jam | Revenue grants given to soldiers. |
| paga | Regular army (state-maintained cavalry). |
| silahdars | Loose auxiliaries in the army (cavalry who maintained their own horses). |
| havaldars | Supervisors in the army with fixed salaries. |
| deshmukhi | Zamindari system. |
| mokasa | Jagirs (territory or revenue assignment). |
| mirasdars | Those with hereditary rights in lands. |
| chauthai/chauth | One-fourth of total land revenue (extorted from neighbouring territories). |
| muqaddams | Local zamindars and village headmen. |
| pahis/uparis | Migrant peasants. |
| khanazads | Mughal nobles. |
| Swarajya | Term used by Maratha writers for the state carved out by Shivaji (home-rule). |
