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Anushilan Academy

Chronological List of Medieval Indian Books and Authors

·1005 words·5 mins

For competitive exam aspirants, the literary sources of Medieval India provide crucial insights into administration, society, economy, religion, culture, and court life. This list is organized chronologically to help you track the evolution of historical writing from the early medieval period to the later Mughals.

I. Early Medieval & Sultanate Period (c. 800-1526)
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Approx. Period Book / Work Author Significance / Subject
1030s Kitab-ul-Hind / Tahqiq-i-Hind Al-Biruni Detailed account of Indian philosophy, religion, science, geography, and society.
1070s Vikramanka-devacharita Bilhana Biography of Vikramaditya VI, the Western Chalukya king.
1120s Mitakshara Vijnanesvara Commentary on the Yajnavalkya Smriti; a major text of Hindu law.
1150s Lilavati / Siddhanta Shiromani Bhaskara II Major work on mathematics and astronomy.
12th Century Rajatarangini Kalhana Chronological history of the kings of Kashmir.
1170s Gita Govinda Jayadeva Sanskrit poem on Krishna and Radha; important for devotional literature.
c. 12th-16th Century Prithviraj Raso Traditionally Chand Bardai Epic poem on Prithviraj Chauhan; its present form and dating are debated.
1210s Taj-ul-Ma’asir Hasan Nizami One of the earliest Persian histories of the Delhi Sultanate.
1220s Chachnama Ali Kufi Persian account of the Arab conquest of Sindh.
1260s Tabaqat-i-Nasiri Minhaj-us-Siraj History of the Islamic world and the early Delhi Sultanate.
1289 Qiran-us-Sa’dain Amir Khusrau Describes the meeting of Bughra Khan and Kaiqubad.
1290s Miftah-ul-Futuh Amir Khusrau Records the victories of Jalaluddin Khalji.
1311 Khazain-ul-Futuh / Tarikh-i-Alai Amir Khusrau Records the victories and campaigns of Alauddin Khalji.
1310s Ashiqa Amir Khusrau Romance of Khizr Khan and Deval Rani; useful for Khalji-period culture.
1310s Nuh Sipihr Amir Khusrau Poetic description of India’s culture, flora, fauna, and people.
1320s Tughlaq Nama Amir Khusrau Describes the rise of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq.
1350s Kitab-ul-Rehla Ibn Battuta Travelogue detailing the reign of Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
1350s Futuh-us-Salatin Isami History of India from the Ghaznavids to the Bahmani kingdom.
1357 Tarikh-i-Firoz Shahi Ziauddin Barani Critical history of the Sultanate from Balban to Firoz Shah Tughlaq.
1357 Fatwa-i-Jahandari Ziauddin Barani Political theory and advice on kingship and statecraft.
1380s Futuhat-i-Firoz Shahi Firoz Shah Tughlaq Autobiographical account of his administrative works and reforms.
1434 Tarikh-i-Mubarak Shahi Yahya Sirhindi Primary source for the Sayyid dynasty.

II. Bhakti, Sufi, and Regional Literature
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Approx. Period Book / Work Author Significance / Subject
15th Century Bijak Kabir tradition Collection associated with Kabir’s teachings; important for Nirguna Bhakti.
15th-16th Century Sursagar Surdas Major Krishna-bhakti text in Braj literature.
1540s Padmavat Malik Muhammad Jayasi Allegorical Sufi poem in Awadhi; connected with the Padmini tradition.
1570s Ramcharitmanas Tulsidas Epic poem in Awadhi; central to the Bhakti movement.
1604 Adi Granth / Guru Granth Sahib Compiled by Guru Arjan Central Sikh scripture; includes compositions of Sikh Gurus and Bhakti saints.
17th Century Chaitanya Charitamrita Krishnadas Kaviraj Biography and teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu; important for Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

III. Vijayanagara Literary Works
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Vijayanagara rulers patronised Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, and Tamil literature. Krishnadevaraya’s court is especially remembered for the Ashtadiggajas, the eight eminent Telugu poets associated with the golden age of Telugu prabandha literature.

Approx. Period Book / Work Author Significance / Subject
c. 1370s Madura Vijayam Ganga Devi Sanskrit epic describing Kumara Kampana’s conquest of the Madurai Sultanate.
16th Century Amuktamalyada Krishnadevaraya Telugu epic on Andal; reflects Vijayanagara political ideas and kingship.
16th Century Jambavati Kalyanam Krishnadevaraya Sanskrit drama attributed to Krishnadevaraya.
16th Century Manucharitramu / Svarochisha Manu Sambhavam Allasani Peddana Major Telugu prabandha; Allasani Peddana is called the “Andhra Kavita Pitamaha.”
16th Century Panduranga Mahatmyamu Tenali Ramakrishna Telugu devotional work; Tenali Ramakrishna was one of the Ashtadiggajas.
16th Century Varadambika Parinayam Tirumalamba Sanskrit campu work associated with Achyuta Deva Raya’s court.

IV. Mughal Empire and Later Mughal Period (1526-18th Century)
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Approx. Period Book / Work Author Significance / Subject
1530s Baburnama / Tuzuk-i-Baburi Babur Autobiography of Babur, written in Chaghatai Turkic.
1580s Tarikh-i-Sher Shahi Abbas Khan Sarwani History of Sher Shah Suri’s reign and administration.
1580s-1590s Humayun Nama Gulbadan Begum Biography of Humayun, written by his sister under Akbar’s patronage.
1590s Akbarnama Abul Fazl Official history of Akbar’s reign in three volumes.
1590s Ain-i-Akbari Abul Fazl Part of Akbarnama; details administration, revenue, society, and statistics.
1590s Tabaqat-i-Akbari Nizamuddin Ahmad Comprehensive history of India from early times to Akbar.
1595 Muntakhab-ut-Tawarikh Abdul Qadir Badauni Critical, non-official history of Akbar’s reign and religious policies.
1620s Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri Jahangir Autobiography of Jahangir, written in Persian.
1650s Padshahnama Abdul Hamid Lahori Official history of Shah Jahan’s reign.
1650s Shah Jahan Nama Inayat Khan Another important history of Shah Jahan’s reign.
1650s Amal-i-Salih Muhammad Salih Kamboh Source for Shah Jahan’s reign and Mughal court culture.
1650s Majma-ul-Bahrain Dara Shikoh Comparative study of Sufism and Vedanta.
1660s Alamgirnama Mirza Muhammad Kazim History of the first ten years of Aurangzeb’s reign.
1700s Muntakhab-ul-Lubab Khafi Khan Comprehensive history including Aurangzeb’s reign.
1700s Nuskha-i-Dilkusha Bhimsen Important source for Mughal-Maratha relations in the Deccan.
1710s Maasir-i-Alamgiri Saqi Mustaid Khan Official history of Aurangzeb’s reign, completed after his death.
18th Century Tarikh-i-Firishta / Gulshan-i-Ibrahimi Firishta Major Persian history of Muslim rule in India and the Deccan.
18th Century Maasir-ul-Umara Shah Nawaz Khan Biographical dictionary of Mughal nobles.

V. Important Foreign Travellers and Accounts
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Period Traveller / Work Region Significance
13th Century Marco Polo Italy / Venice Mentions South Indian trade, society, and ports.
15th Century Nicolo Conti Italy / Venice Account useful for Vijayanagara and South India.
15th Century Abdur Razzaq Persia Important description of Vijayanagara under Deva Raya II.
16th Century Domingo Paes Portugal Eyewitness account of Vijayanagara under Krishnadevaraya.
16th Century Fernao Nuniz Portugal Gives information on Vijayanagara history and administration.
17th Century Francois Bernier France Important source for Mughal economy, society, and land revenue under Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb.
17th Century Jean-Baptiste Tavernier France Account of trade, diamonds, Mughal court, and markets.
17th Century Niccolao Manucci Italy Storia do Mogor gives details of later Mughal politics and society.
Critical Distinction: Official histories such as Akbarnama and Padshahnama are often eulogistic, while independent or critical works such as Muntakhab-ut-Tawarikh and Muntakhab-ul-Lubab may offer less flattering perspectives.

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