Towns, Traders, and Craftspersons (Medieval)

Administrative Centres (Medieval Towns)

Medieval towns in India served various functions, and one of the most important was that of an administrative centre. Towns that were capitals of kingdoms or important provincial headquarters played a crucial role in the governance of the state.

Characteristics of Administrative Towns:

• These towns were the seat of the ruler (king or provincial governor) and his court.
• They housed administrative offices, palaces, and official residences.
• They had fortifications (forts) for defence.
• They were centres for maintaining the army.
• Officials, administrators, and their staff lived in these towns.
• These towns attracted craftspersons, merchants, and service providers to cater to the needs of the administration and the court.

Examples of Administrative Towns in Medieval India:

• Delhi: Served as the capital for several dynasties (Delhi Sultanate, Mughals). It was a major administrative, political, and military centre.
• Thanjavur: The capital of the Chola Empire, a major administrative and religious centre.
• Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Lahore, Shahjahanabad (Delhi): Mughal capitals and major administrative centres.
• Provincial capitals: Cities like Lahore, Multan, Ajmer, Allahabad, Daulatabad, and various provincial capitals under the Delhi Sultanate and Mughals served as important administrative centres for the provinces.

*(Image shows a photograph of a prominent historical fort or administrative building from a medieval Indian city, like the Red Fort in Delhi)*

Administrative towns were hubs of power and governance, influencing the surrounding regions and attracting people and resources, thus contributing to the urban landscape of medieval India.

Temple Towns And Pilgrimage Centres

Many medieval towns in India grew around important temples or pilgrimage centres. These towns were not primarily administrative or commercial but served as hubs for religious activities, attracting devotees and pilgrims.

Characteristics of Temple Towns:

• The central feature was a large and prominent temple dedicated to a deity.
• Temples received vast land grants and donations from rulers, wealthy merchants, and devotees, making them wealthy institutions.
• Temples often employed a large number of people, including priests, temple functionaries, dancers, musicians, craftspersons, and service providers.
• Pilgrims visited these towns throughout the year, supporting local markets and businesses.
• Towns provided facilities for pilgrims, such as accommodation, food, and shops selling religious items.

Examples of Temple Towns and Pilgrimage Centres in Medieval India:

• Somnath (Gujarat): Famous for the Somnath Temple, a major Shaivite pilgrimage centre.
• Madurai (Tamil Nadu): An ancient city, capital of the Pandyas, home to the Meenakshi Temple, a major pilgrimage centre.
• Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu): Known for its numerous temples, both Shiva and Vishnu. Capital of the Pallavas.
• Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh): Famous for the Venkateswara Temple, a major Vaishnavite pilgrimage centre.
• Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh): An ancient and continuous religious centre on the banks of the Ganga.
• Ajmer (Rajasthan): A Sufi pilgrimage centre (Dargah of Moinuddin Chishti).

*(Image shows a photograph of a prominent temple or dargah in India known as a pilgrimage centre)*

Temple towns were vibrant centres shaped by religious devotion, attracting people and resources and fostering economic and cultural activities linked to pilgrimage and temple patronage.

A Network Of Small Towns

Besides the large administrative capitals and prominent temple towns, medieval India also saw the growth of a vast network of smaller towns throughout the subcontinent. These towns played crucial roles in local trade, administration, and providing services to the surrounding rural areas.

Characteristics of Small Towns:

• These towns were typically smaller than the major cities.
• They often emerged around important villages, markets (mandapika), or administrative centres.
• They served as local market hubs where villagers from surrounding areas could sell their agricultural produce and buy goods like salt, spices, oil, and manufactured items.
• They often had local administrative offices, small forts, or residences of local chiefs or samantas.
• They were centres for local crafts.

Mandi (Market):

• Many small towns had a 'mandapika' or later 'mandi' (market) where villagers brought their produce to sell.
• Traders from these towns bought the produce and either sold it locally or transported it to larger towns and cities for further trade.

Other Features:

• Smaller towns also had marketplaces, shops, houses of merchants and artisans, and sometimes small temples or mosques.
• They were often fortified to provide security.
• Taxes were collected on goods traded in these markets by local administrators.

This network of small towns facilitated local trade, connected rural areas to larger urban centres, and formed an important layer in the economic and administrative structure of medieval India.

Traders Big And Small (Medieval)

Trade was a vital component of the medieval Indian economy, connecting different regions within the subcontinent and linking India to the outside world. The trading community was diverse, ranging from wealthy long-distance merchants to small local traders.

Types of Traders:

• Long-distance Traders: Merchants who travelled over long distances, often using overland routes (caravans) or sea routes.
  • Example: Banjaras (nomadic traders who transported goods in large caravans), Multani merchants, Gujarati and Marwari merchants (involved in trade with West Asia), Chettis and Arab merchants (involved in trade with Southeast Asia and the Middle East).
• Local Traders: Merchants who operated within towns or between towns and villages. They bought produce from villages and sold goods in towns or transported goods between nearby towns.
• Retailers: Shopkeepers in markets who sold goods directly to consumers.

Organisation of Traders:

• Traders often organised themselves into guilds (shrenis) or associations to protect their interests, regulate trade practices, and provide security during travel.
• These associations were powerful and could influence trade policies.

Trade Goods:

• Various goods were traded, including spices (pepper, cardamom, cinnamon), textiles (cotton, silk), indigo, opium, salt, grains, precious stones, metals, horses (imported from Arabia, Persia, Central Asia), elephants, and manufactured goods.

Trade Routes:

• Important overland trade routes connected different parts of the subcontinent (e.g., routes connecting North India to the Deccan, to the northwest, to Bengal).
• Maritime trade routes connected Indian ports to the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, East Africa, Southeast Asia, and China.

*(Image shows a map of India illustrating major overland trade routes and maritime trade routes connecting to regions in West Asia and Southeast Asia)*

Trade contributed significantly to the wealth of merchants, the growth of towns, and the revenue of the state, connecting different regions and cultures across medieval India and beyond.

Crafts In Towns (Medieval)

Crafts were essential to the urban economies of medieval India. Towns were centres of specialised craft production, catering to the needs of the urban population, the ruling elite, and also producing goods for trade.

Variety of Crafts:

• Medieval towns were known for a wide range of crafts, often building upon ancient traditions and sometimes incorporating new techniques.
• Important crafts included:
  • Textile production: Weaving, dyeing, printing of cotton, silk, and wool textiles. Indian textiles were highly valued and major export items. Different regions were known for specific types of textiles (e.g., fine cottons from Bengal, silk from Gujarat, cashmere wool).
  • Metal working: Production of tools, weapons, vessels, ornaments, and coins from iron, copper, bronze, silver, and gold.
  • Jewellery making: Creating ornaments from precious metals and gems.
  • Stone carving and sculpture: Associated with temple building and monumental architecture.
  • Wood working: For buildings, furniture, carts, ships.
  • Pottery and ceramics.
  • Leather working.
  • Paper making.
  • Carpet weaving.

Organisation of Craftspersons:

• Craftspersons in towns were often organised into guilds (shrenis) or associations based on their craft.
• Guilds played roles in training apprentices, regulating quality, controlling prices, and sometimes acting as banks.
• They could also hold social and political influence in urban areas.

Royal and Temple Patronage:

• Rulers and wealthy temples often patronised craftspersons, commissioning works for palaces, forts, temples, and courtly use.
• This patronage supported high-quality craftsmanship and artistic development.

*(Image shows an illustration or painting depicting craftspersons engaged in activities like weaving, dyeing, metalworking, or jewellery making in a medieval town setting)*

Craft production was a vital part of the medieval urban economy, supporting trade, providing goods for the urban population and elite, and contributing to the material culture and artistic achievements of the era.

A Closer Look: Hampi, Masulipatnam And Surat (Medieval Towns/Trade)

Examining specific medieval towns provides concrete examples of their varied functions and importance in trade and urban life. Hampi, Surat, and Masulipatnam represent different types of significant urban centres in medieval India.

Hampi

• Location: Capital of the Vijayanagara Empire (Karnataka).
• Type: Primarily an Imperial Capital and a major Religious Centre.
• Importance: Known for its magnificent royal and religious architecture, extensive water systems, and fortifications. It was a large and prosperous city described by foreign travellers as having bustling markets. While its primary role was administrative and religious, its large population and status as capital made it a major consumption and trading centre.

Surat

• Location: On the west coast of Gujarat.
• Type: A major Port City and commercial centre.
• Importance: Surat was a prominent port for trade with West Asia and Europe, particularly during the Mughal period. It was a major hub for textile exports and gemstone trade. Foreign trading companies (like the English and Dutch) established their factories (trading posts) here. Surat was also a gateway for pilgrims travelling to Mecca. It was a cosmopolitan city with diverse populations of merchants from India and abroad.

Masulipatnam

• Location: On the southeast coast (Coromandel coast) in Andhra Pradesh.
• Type: A major Port City and commercial centre.
• Importance: Masulipatnam was a centre for the trade of cotton textiles, especially calicos. It was a hub for trade with Southeast Asia and later with European trading companies (English, Dutch, French). It faced competition from other ports and its fortunes fluctuated depending on political control (Mughals, regional rulers, European companies) and trade patterns. It was known for its textile industry.

*(Image shows photographs or illustrations representing the historical significance of these cities, such as Hampi ruins, a historical painting of Surat port/harbour, or remnants of colonial era structures/forts near Masulipatnam port)*

These case studies illustrate the diverse nature and functions of medieval Indian towns – from imperial capitals and religious centres to bustling port cities – all of which played crucial roles in the economy and urban life of the era.

New Towns And Traders (Medieval)

The medieval period was not just about the continuity of ancient cities; it also saw the emergence of new towns and the rise of new trading communities and networks, reflecting the changing political and economic landscape.

Emergence of New Towns:

• New towns often emerged as:
  • Administrative centres: Capitals of new kingdoms or provincial headquarters.
  • Military outposts/garrison towns: Strategic locations for maintaining armies and controlling territories (e.g., Delhi initially).
  • Centres of production: Specialising in certain crafts.
  • Trading posts: Developing at important junctions of trade routes or along rivers/coasts.
• Examples: Many towns that grew under the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire, such as new capital cities (Shahjahanabad) or towns that grew around forts or military bases.

Rise of New Traders:

• The medieval period saw the rise of new trading communities and networks.
• The establishment of Muslim rule in North India led to the participation of Muslim merchants in long-distance trade, supplementing existing trading communities like the Marwaris, Gujaratis, and Chettis.
• The arrival of European trading companies (Portuguese, Dutch, English, French) from the 16th century onwards introduced new players and led to the growth of coastal trading centres (ports).
• New routes were sometimes developed, and the volume of trade, particularly maritime trade, increased significantly during the Mughal period due to the demand for Indian goods.

These developments in urbanisation and trade were interconnected, driving economic growth, facilitating cultural exchange, and reshaping the economic map of medieval India.

Kings And Traders (Vijayanagara context)

In the context of the Vijayanagara Empire, the relationship between the rulers (Rayas) and the trading community was crucial. Kings actively patronised and benefited from trade, particularly the trade in horses, which was vital for their military strength.

Importance of Horse Trade:

• Horses were essential for cavalry, a key component of medieval armies.
• Good quality horses were not easily available within South India.
• Vijayanagara and the Deccan Sultanates needed to import horses, mainly from Arabia, Persia, and Central Asia, often through maritime trade via ports on the west coast.
• Control over this horse trade was strategically important and economically lucrative.

Rulers' Involvement in Trade:

• Vijayanagara rulers actively encouraged and controlled trade, particularly the import of horses.
• They often had monopolies over certain goods or trade routes.
• They collected substantial revenue through taxes on trade (customs duties at ports and on goods transported).
• The wealth generated from trade contributed to the empire's treasury, enabling rulers to maintain large armies and fund construction projects.
• Foreign travellers like Domingo Paes described the importance of horse markets in Vijayanagara.

The relationship was symbiotic: rulers provided security for trade routes and markets, while traders contributed significantly to the empire's wealth and military strength (by facilitating horse imports). This highlights how kings were not just rulers but also active participants in and beneficiaries of the vibrant trade economy of the medieval South Indian kingdoms like Vijayanagara.