Unit 1: Topic 3 - Developments in South and Southeast Asia from c. 1200 to c. 1450 Flashcards
Political Structures in South Asia
After the collapse of the Gupta Dynasty, states were very divided and only functioned as a single state for a short period of time. Any period of unification was built around Hinduism, which served as a form of political and religious unification.
Hinduism
A unifying force in India, Hinduism, like many other belief systems, was core to many people. The origins of Hinduism go back at least 3,500 years when a group of people from north of the Himalayas migrated south to present-day Pakistan and India with scriptures called the Vedas. The Vedas taught that the soul would spiritually advance enough to become liberated from this cycle of death and rebirth. The Vedas taught that people should organize society into sharply defined classes, called castes, which prohibited social mobility. Hinduism was originally considered polytheistic. However, over time, people came to regard all deities as the expression of one supreme deity
Caste System
The caste system was an extension of Hinduism and the general belief that everyone was born into a certain social hierarchy and was forever subjected to stay in that caste. It labeled them as successful or even people on the very bottom as untouchable and irredeemable
Bhakti Movement
A significant religious movement in medieval Hinduism that sought to bring religious reforms to all strata of society by adopting the method of devotion to achieve salvation. The movement gained prominence through the poems and teachings of the Vaishnava Alvars and Shaiva Nayanars before spreading northwards. It regionally developed around different gods and goddesses, and some sub-sects were Vaishnavism (Vishnu), Shaivism (Shiva), Shaktism (Shakti goddesses), and Smartism. The Bhakti movement preached using the local languages so that the message reached the masses. The movement was inspired by many poet-saints who championed a wide range of philosophical positions ranging from the theistic dualism of Dvaita to the absolute monism of Advaita Vedanta. The movement has traditionally been considered an influential social reformation in Hinduism in that it provided an individual-focused alternative path to spirituality regardless of one’s birth or gender. Contemporary scholars question whether the Bhakti movement was ever a reform or rebellion of any kind. They suggest the Bhakti movement was a revival, reworking, and recontextualization of ancient Vedic traditions. Bhakti refers to deep devotion (to a deity).
Srivijaya Empire - Sea Based
A Buddhist empire based in modern-day Indonesia which was an important center for Buddhist expansion from the 7th to 12th century C.E. Due to its location, the Srivijaya developed complex technology utilizing maritime resources. In addition, its economy became progressively reliant on the booming trade in the region, thus transforming it into a prestige goods-based economy.
Majapahit Kingdom - Sea Based
A Hindu-Buddhist empire in Southeast Asia that existed from 1293 to 1527 was one of the last major Hindu-Buddhist empires of the region and is considered to be one of the greatest and most powerful empires in the history of Southeast Asia.
Vijayanagara Empire
The Vijayanagara Empire (1336 C.E. - 1646), also called the Karnata Kingdom, was a Hindu empire based in the region of South India.
Sinhala Dynasties - Land Based
Land dynasty based in present-day Sri Lanka that had its roots in the arrival of merchants from north India. Became a center for Buddhist study.
Khmer Empire - Land Based
The Khmer empire valued religion and art. In contrast to the violence and discord of this time, Khmer rulers valued Hinduism and built heaven on earth with a temple bigger than most European cathedrals. The empire invested heavily in the people creating many revered works of art, literature, and architecture.
Sukhothai Kingdom - Land Based
A post-classical Thai kingdom (mandala) in Mainland Southeast Asia surrounding the ancient capital city of Sukhothai in present-day north-central Thailand. The kingdom was founded by Si Inthrathit in 1238 and existed as an independent polity until 1438 when it fell under the influence of the neighboring Ayutthaya after the death of Borommapan (Maha Thammaracha IV). Sukhothai was originally a trade center in Lavo—itself under the suzerainty of the Khmer Empire—when Central Thai people led by Pho Khun Bang Klang Hao, a local leader, revolted and gained their independence. Sukhothai is traditionally known as “the first Thai kingdom” in Thai historiography, but the current historical consensus agrees that the history of the Thai people began much earlier.
Rajput Kingdoms
Hindu kingdoms led by leaders of numerous clans who were often at war with one another. Forming in Northern India after the fall of the Gupta Empire, these kingdoms had no centralized government or centralized authority, which made them vulnerable to Muslim attacks.
Sufism
Sufism is an Islamic religious group that stresses Islam’s mystical traditions and places emphasis on meditation, fasting, and devout prayer.
What caliphate followed the Umayyad Caliphate?
Following the Umayyad Caliphate, the Abbasid Caliphate was established in Baghdad under Abu Abas, a descendant of one of Muhammad’s uncles.
Which Caliphate did Sufism originate from?
Sufism arose during the Umayyad Caliphate out of a reaction to the increased worldliness of the Caliphs.
Proselytize
Religion that actively seeks converts, such as Islam.
