South and Southeast Asia

Classical Civilizations of South Asia:

Mauryan Empire (321 B.C.E.-185 B.C.E.)

After Alexander conquered India.  Empire started in Ganges Valley Region and Magadha in the east, then spread throughout all of current day India and Pakistan.  Key Leaders: Chandragupta, Kuatalya, Ashoka.  Chandragupta-the creator of the empire, Kuatalya-the enforcer of the law book called Arthasahastra, and Ashoka who conquered southern Kalinga and then felt guilty and became a Buddhist.  Ashoka was Chandragupta’s grandson.  Ashoka built great capital, trade (agriculture), and a central treasury (taxes).

Gupta Empire (1 C.E.-300 C.E.)

Revival of Mauryan Empire but was much smaller. Started again in Ganges Valley and Magadha in the east and spread under three key leaders: Chandra Gupta, Sumadra Gupta, Chandra Gupta II.  They were not related to the Chadragupta of the Mauryan Empire.  The built elaborate roads connecting to the Silk Road, developed excellent military tactics, created trade.  Fell to white Huns.

Harsha’s Kingdom (606-648 C.E.)

Tried to bring back centralized imperial rule.  Had a military that included 20,000 cavalry, 50,000 infantry, and 5,000 war elephants.  He was a scholar and Buddhist, very generous to his subjects.  Kingdoms after Gupta Empire were to secure and powerful.  Was assassinated and his small empire disintegrated.

Indian Disunity Before 1000 C.E.

India was disunified. In 550 the Gupta Empire collapsed (last nation). 700s C.E.- Muslims started to reach India and in 1000 C.E. were ready to take it over.

Muslim Invasions and Delhi Sultanate

1022- Muslim warlords seized India’s Punjab province. 1206- Muslims captured Delhi. 1206-1520s- Muslims established Delhi Sultanate, ruled by Muhammad Ghuri. Then Il Tutmish. Muslims spread Islam but didn’t replace Hinduism and Buddhism. Delhi Sultanate reached its peak under Muhammed Ibn Tughluq (1325-1351). Then south broke up, Timur invaded.  Muslim Abbasid Dynasty collapsed in 1258 which led to the independent southern states of India.

Independent Southern States

100 BCE-1900 CE Tamil Kingdoms- Chola, Pandya, and Chera. 1300s breakup of Delhi Sultanate led to more southern states. 1338- Bengal, 1347- Bahmani Kingdom, 1390- Gujarat city 1336- Vijayanagara empire, Malibar city states formed on Indian Coast.

Collapse of Delhi Sultanate

Began to lose territory in 1300s. Ransacked by Timur (Mongol leader) in 1398. Delhi Sultanate steadily weakened during 1400s.

Babur the Tiger

Mongol warlord- launched full scale invasion of India from the North in 1498. With army of only 12,000 troops, he defeated a force 10 times the size of his own. In 1526 (after the battle of Panipat) He founded his own gov’t. Died in 1530.

The Mughal Empire  (They were Turkish)

Babur’s gov’t called Mughal Empire. Empire continued 200 yrs. after Babur’s death. All the Mughal rulers were Muslim. Mughal Empire was one of three great Muslim empires: Mughal, Ottoman, and Safavid. All 3 were ‘gunpowder’ empires. In 1600s lost ground to Europe. (Unlike Ottoman and Safavid). 1^st capital- Agra (Taj Mahal), 2^nd capital- Delhi. Peacock thrown. Traded cotton, Hinduism, Buddhism, women aristocrats awarded titles, architecture, painting, poetry, Hindu gods. Aurangzeb (Akbar’s great grandson) was a militant Muslim, forced people to Islam, which weakened economy and led to empire’s decline (1700s).

Akbar the Great

(1556-1605) Grandson of Babur, completed conquest of India. Great commander. Heavy artillery. Gov’t with tax code, legal system, religious tolerance.

Arrival of Europeans

1498- Portuguese trader Vasco de Gama arrived. Then Spanish came, Dutch, French, and English (1600s). Bombay ceded to English in 1661. Dutch established Colombo, Portuguese established Calcutta. 1740s- British and French fought to control India, English expelled French by 1750s.  Ghandi became political activist and father of India in early 1900s to fight off British Imperialism.  Was Hindu, lived meagerly, protested and fasted- Great Salt March, Muslim/Hindu Riots, etc.

Indian Ocean Trade

Trading network tied together East Africa, Arabian peninsula, Persian Gulf, India, The Malay Peninsula, Indonesia, China and Japan. West was controlled by Arab Traders (Ivory, animal hides, timber, gold, slaves). Middle East- textiles, carpets, glass, and horses. India- gems, elephants, salt, cotton. Sri Lanka- cinnamon. China- silk, porcelain, paper. Japan- silver. Major ports- Indian Ocean- Sofala, Mombasa, Mogadishu. East Africa ports- Jidda, Mecca, Ormuz. West India- Cambay, Calicut. China- Hangzhou. This trade network connected the Red Sea, Suez Isthmus, Indian Ocean, and Mediterranean Sea.

Geography of Southeast Asia

3 zones: the mainland- through which flows the Mekong River. The Malay Peninsula. And the Archipelagoes of the Indian Ocean and South China Sea (volcanic islands).  The climate is tropical, terrain is mountainous, and rainforests. Between 3000 and 2000 BCE, Malays and others arrived from China and India. Agriculture was practiced by 2000 BCE. Early people were also bronze workers and navigators.

Southeast Asian States

Funan (200-500 Malay), Chenla (500 Cambodia), Burma (500), Thai (500), Vietnamese states of Champa and Annam. All early states were influenced by China and India. SE Asian states were key players in Indian Ocean trade.

Cambodia

Cambodia- Khmer empire (500s-1454 CE) Reached its peak during Angkor period (889-1454). Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom were capitals built during 1100s. Rulers were aggressive expanding to Burma and Malay. Influenced by India- Hinduism, Buddhism. 21,000 temples.

Sumatra

Sumatra- Srivijayan empire (500s-1100s). Capital was on Indonesian Island of Sumatra. 600s- gained control of Indonesia and Malay trade routes. Influenced by India- Hinduism, Buddhism, Borobudor temple. Tamil Kingdoms attacked in 1000s led to decline. Kertanagara empire took over during 1200s.

Polynesia

2500 BCE- 900 CE left Philippines and Indonesia and settled throughout thousands of Pacific Islands. Oceania. Root farmers, taro, sweet potatoes. Raised pigs, chickens. Fishers, tribes with chiefs, taboo sailors. Waves of migration- Micronesia- Melanesia- New Guinea- Australia- Fiji- Polynesia- Hawaii- easter island society.