This document provides an overview of the expansion of civilizations in South and Southeast Asia from 500-1500 CE. It discusses the Kushan Kingdom and their role in regional trade via the Silk Road. It then covers the rise and decline of the Gupta Empire in India and the subsequent transformation and decline of Buddhism. The arrival and spread of Islam through invaders like Mahmud of Ghazni and the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate are described. The document examines society, culture, economics and daily life under the Sultanate. It concludes with a section on early states in Southeast Asia and the role of India.

1. The Expansion ofThe Expansion of
Civilization in South andCivilization in South and
Southeast AsiaSoutheast Asia
Chapter 9

2. I. The Silk Road

3. Figure 9-1 p241
The Kushan Kingdom
and the Silk Road. A6er
the collapse of the
Mauryan Empire, a new
state formed by recent
migrants from the
north arose north of
the Indus River valley.
For the next four
centuries, the Kushan
kingdom played a
major role in regional
trade via the Silk Road
unFl it declined in the
third century C.E.

4. Figure 9-2 p243
The Gupta Empire. This
map shows the extent of
the Gupta Empire, the only
major state to arise in the
Indian subconFnent during
the first millennium C.E.
The arrow indicates the
military campaign into
southern India led by King
Samudragupta.

5. p243

6. Figure 9-3 p244

7. II. India After the Mauryas
 A. The Gupta Dynasty: A New Golden
Age?
 B. The Transformation of Buddhism
 1. Theravada
 2. Mahayana
 C. The Decline of Buddhism in India
 D. When Did the Indians Become
Hindus?

8.  When we last looked at India, the Gupta’s
controlled a vast Indian empire. By the 6th
century, this empire collapsed and left India
vulnerable to internal fighting and civil war.
 The internal fighting among the Indian states
lasted for several centuries, with no state
gaining dominant power
 During this time, Buddhism declined and Islam
grew throughout India
End of Gupta Empire

9. “e Glue”
*Despite fragmentation, caste system & Hindu
religion held Indian society together
*But 600-1450 Islam arrives in India to shake
things up

10. Decline of Buddhism
The followers of Buddhism in India
eventually split into two different religious
schools: the Theravada and the Mahayana
Theravada believed they were following
the original teachings of Buddha; they
believed Buddhism was a way of life, not a
religion.
Mahayana thought the Theravada
teachings were too strict for ordinary
people. They viewed Buddhism as more of
a religion, not a way of life. They saw
Buddha as a divine figure; through
devotion to Buddha they could achieve
salvation.

11.  Neither school remained popular
 By 7th century, Buddhism was declining
rapidly; Theravada nearly disappeared,
while Mahayana was absorbed into
Hinduism and Islam
 Buddhism became more popular in
China, Korea, Japan, and Southeast
Asia, where it is still practiced today
Decline of Buddhism

14. p246

15. p246

16. III. The Arrival of Islam
 A. The Empire of Mahmud of Ghazni
 B. The Delhi Sultanate
 C. Tamerlane

17.  By 8th century, Islam had spread into India and
was very popular in NW corner of India
 Had major impact on Indian civilization &
eventually led to a division in the subcontinent
into Hindu India and two Islamic states,
Bangladesh and Pakistan
 Islam arrived in India when India had political
disorder; the region was divided into about 70
states that fought each other constantly
Islam in Early India

18. Expansion
of Islam
10th century, rebellious Turkish slaves founded a
new Islamic state known as Ghazni, located in
present-day Afghanistan.
In 997, Mahmud of Ghazni, the son of the
founder of Ghazni, began attacking neighboring
Hindu kingdoms. Looted Hindu & Buddhist
temples & established Islamic mosques or
shrines on the sites of temples they destroyed.
By his death in 1030, he extended his rule
throughout the upper Indus Valley as far as the
Indian Ocean.
Mahmud’s successors fought the Hindu
warriors, called Rajputs, who could not compete
with Ghazni’s cavalry and army.
By 1200, Muslim power reached across the entire
plain of northern India. This Muslim state was
known as the Sultanate of Delhi. By 1400, this
state extended into the Deccan Plateau and ruled
nearly all of the Indian subcontinent.

19. *refers to 5 short
lived dynasties
*1206-1526
*capital at Delhi
*sultanate
*period of Indian
cultural renaissance
*"Indo-Muslim"
fusion of cultures
left lasting syncretic
monuments in
architecture, music,
literature, religion
and clothing

20. Figure 9-4 p248

21. p249
Kutub Minar. To commemorate
their victory in 1192, the Muslim
conquerors of northern India
constructed a magnificent mosque
on the site of Delhi’s largest Hindu
temple. Much of the material for
the mosque came from twenty‐
seven local Hindu and Jain shrines
(right). Adjacent to the mosque
soars the Kutub Minar (KUH‐tub
mee‐ NAHR), symbol of the new
conquering faith. Originally 238
feet high, the tower’s inscripFon
proclaimed its mission to cast the
long shadow of Allah over the
realm of the Hindus.

22. Delhi Sultanate
1st independent Muslim Empire on Indian
subcontinent
Sultans - Persian, Afghan, Turkic or mixed descent
Fought Hindu princes for control of Indus & Ganges
river valleys
Depended on large armies to expand rule
Maintained extravagant courts & large bureaucracies

23. p249
Kutub Minar. To commemorate their victory in 1192, the Muslim conquerors of northern
India constructed a magnificent mosque on the site of Delhi’s largest Hindu temple. Much
of the material for the mosque came from twenty‐seven local Hindu and Jain shrines
(right). Adjacent to the mosque soars the Kutub Minar (KUH‐tub mee‐ NAHR), symbol of
the new conquering faith. Originally 238 feet high, the tower’s inscripFon proclaimed its
mission to cast the long shadow of Allah over the realm of the Hindus.

24. Kingdom of Vijayanagar
Located in northern Deccan Plateau
Established by 2 Muslim converts who renounced
Islam & returned to native Hinduism
Established an independent empire

25. Life Under Delhi Sultanate
*Indians generally allowed to keep religions
*number of Buddhists dwindled
*Merchants were main carriers of Muslim faith
*Sufi mystics actively recruited converts - established
schools, mosques, welcomed lower castes, formed
militias against bandits
*High caste Hindus served as administrators for Muslim
overlords, served in sultan’s army, traded with Muslim
merchants BUT lived socially separate lives in separate
parts of cities

26. Some Muslim princes….
 Adopted Hindu practices in their courts
 Decorated palaces & coins with
likenesses of Hindu gods like Vishnu and
Shiva
 Adopted Indian foods & styles of dress
 Organized states along caste lines with
recently arrived Muslim leaders on top
but high-caste Hindu converts next

27. Differences
 HINDUS
 Hierarchical caste
system
 Many gods
 MUSLIMS
 Emphasized equality
 One God
Nearly impossible to reconcile
differences between the two
Islam in India met stiff resistance from Hindu elites.
Tensions between the two - unlike Africa where religions
coexisted

28.  By the 14th century, the Sultanate of Delhi was in decline.
 A new military force crossed the Indus River from the northwest, raided
Delhi, and then withdrew
 Over 100,000 Hindu prisoners were massacred before the gates of the
city.
 Timur (Tamarlane) lead this army; he was the ruler of a Mongol state
based in Samarkand to the north in the Pamir Mountains
 Timur seized power in 1369 and immediately began conquering other
regions and expanding his empire
 By the 1380s, he controlled the entire region from the Caspian Sea to
Mesopotamia, and large sections of India.
 After his death, the Moguls invaded from the north and threatened India
 Portuguese spice traders also arrived in search of trade goods, gold,
and spices.
Timur the Lame/Tamerlane

30. p250
Samarkand, Gem of the Empire. The city of Samarkand has a long history.
OriginaFng during the first millennium B.C.E. as a caravan stop on the Silk
Road, it was later occupied by Alexander the Great, the Abbasids, and the
Mongols before becoming the capital of Tamerlane’s expanding empire.
Tamerlane expended great sums in creaFng a city worthy of his imperial
ambiFons. Shown here is the great square, known as the Registan. Site of a
mosque, a library, and a Muslim university, all built in the exuberant Persian
style, Samarkand was the jumping‐off point for trade with China far to the
east. The inset highlights the fanciful Fle mosaics, showing lions chasing deer
while a rising sun smiles on the scene.

31. p250
Samarkand, Gem of the Empire. The city of Samarkand has a long history. OriginaFng during the first millennium B.C.E. as a caravan stop on
the Silk Road, it was later occupied by Alexander the Great, the Abbasids, and the Mongols before becoming the capital of Tamerlane’s
expanding empire. Tamerlane expended great sums in creaFng a city worthy of his imperial ambiFons. Shown here is the great square,
known as the Registan. Site of a mosque, a library, and a Muslim university, all built in the exuberant Persian style, Samarkand was the
jumping‐off point for trade with China far to the east. The inset highlights the fanciful Fle mosaics, showing lions chasing deer while a rising
sun smiles on the scene.

32. IV. Society and Culture
 A. Religion
 1. Class and Caste
 B. Economy and Daily Life
 1. Agriculture
 2. Foreign Trade
 3. Science and Technology

33.  Muslim rulers in India saw themselves as foreign
conquerors and maintained a strict separation
between themselves and the Hindu population
 Muslim rulers tried to convert the population to Islam,
but realized there were too many Hindus to convert
them all
 Muslim rulers reluctantly tolerated religious
differences, but still had great impact on Hindu society
 Hindus behaved like conquered peoples, treating
Muslims with suspicion and dislike
Islam & Indian Society

34.  From 500 – 1500, most Indians lived on the
land and farmed; paid a share of their crops to
landlords who sent payments to the local ruler
 Several large cities in India during this time
period, where many of the landed elites, rich
merchants, and other wealthy Indians lived
 Rulers had the most wealth; some kings were
called maharaja (great king), and collected
wealth from throughout their states
 One major source of wealth was trade; it was
the cross point for the Silk Road, and center of
trade for goods between Southeast Asia and
East Asia
 Foreign trade remained high throughout this
period, in spite of internal strife
Economy

35. Indian Culture:
Architecture
From 500 to 1500 religious
architecture in India developed
from caves to new, magnificent
structures. From the 8th century
on, Indian architects built
monumental Hindu temples.
Each temple consisted of a
central shrine surrounded by a
tower, a hall for worshippers, an
entryway, and a porch, all set in
a rectangular courtyard.
The Khajuraho temple is one of
the greatest examples of this type
of architecture. Of 80 temples
built there in the 10th century, 20
still remain.

36. Famous Hindu Akshardham temple in South Delhi

37. Southeast Asia

38. V. The Golden Region: Early
Southeast Asia
 A. Paddy Fields and Spices: The States
of Southeast Asia
 1. The Mainland States
 2. The Malay World
 3. The Role of India

39. p260
Rice Culture in Southeast Asia. Rice was first cultivated in southern Asia seven or eight thousand years ago. It is a labor-
intensive crop that requires many workers to plant the seedlings and organize the distribution of water. Initially, the fields are
flooded to facilitate the rooting of the rice seedlings and add nutrients to the soil. The upper photo shows terracing on a
hillside in Bali, and in the lower photo workers are performing the backbreaking task of transplanting rice seedlings in a
flooded field in modern Vietnam. The significance of rice in Southeast Asia is reflected in the fact that all cultures in the region
have traditionally venerated its sacred nature by creating elaborate rituals to the rice goddess. In Indonesia, the worship of
Dewi Sri has long been essential to assure a good harvest

40. p260
Rice Culture in Southeast Asia. Rice was first culFvated in southern Asia seven or eight thousand years ago. It is a labor‐intensive crop that
requires many workers to plant the seedlings and organize the distribuFon of water. IniFally, the fields are flooded to facilitate the rooFng of
the rice seedlings and add nutrients to the soil. The upper photo shows terracing on a hillside in Bali, and in the lower photo workers are
performing the backbreaking task of transplanFng rice seedlings in a flooded field in modern Vietnam. The significance of rice in Southeast
Asia is reflected in the fact that all cultures in the region have tradiFonally venerated its sacred nature by creaFng elaborate rituals to the
rice goddess. In Indonesia, the worship of Dewi Sri has long been essenFal to assure a good harvest

41. p262

42.  Between China &
India lies the region
that today is called
Southeast Asia. It
has two major parts:
the mainland,
extending south from
the Chinese border
to the tip of the Malay
Peninsula. The
second part is the
archipelago, or
chain of islands,
most of which is part
of present-day
Indonesia and the
Philippines.
Southeast Asia

43.  Ancient mariners called the area the “golden region”
or “golden islands.”
 Located between India and China, Southeast Asia is a
melting pot of peoples. It contains a vast mixture of
races, cultures, and religions.
 Several mountain ranges in the mainland, along with
several fertile river valleys.
 Mountains are densely forested and full of malaria-
bearing mosquitoes, which caused isolation among
the river valleys, as it was difficult to traverse the
mountains
 Prevented Southeast Asia from being unified under
one government; instead separate, distinct cultures
grew throughout Southeast Asia
Mainland Southeast Asia

44. “Diasporic Communities”
 People from all over the Indian Ocean
Basin came to settle in Southeast Asia
 Blend of religions and customs
 By 13th century, Islam was widespread in
Southeast Asia due to trade and active
missionaries (most done peacefully)

45.  Between 500 and 1500 a number of
organized states developed throughout
Southeast Asia
 Each state was influenced by China
and India, but they adapted the models
to their own needs and created several
unique states:
 Vietnam
 Angkor
 Thailand
 Burma
Formation of States

46.  The Vietnamese were conquered
by China in 111 BCE; however, the
Chinese struggled to control the
Vietnamese who clung fiercely to
their own identity
 When the Vietnamese threw out the
Chinese, they created a new
Vietnamese state called Dai Viet.
 They followed the Chinese
model of government
 They followed Confucianist
ideals
 The Vietnamese conquered the
coastal region of Southeast Asia
and extended from China to the
Gulf of Thailand by 1600
Vietnam

47.  In the 9th century, the kingdom of Angkor arose in the
region that is present-day Cambodia
 Jayavarman united the Khmer people and established
a capital at Angkor Thom. In 802, Jayavarman was
crowned god-king of the people
 The Khmer Empire was the most powerful state in
mainland Southeast Asia for several hundred years
 When the Thai people arrived from the north in the 14th
century, Angkor began to decline
 In 1432, the Thai destroyed the Angkor capital and set
up a new capital near Phnom Penh, the capital of
present-day Cambodia
Angkor

49. Angkor Wat -

50.  The Thai people first appeared in the 6th
century as frontier people in China
 They began moving southward in the 11th or
12th century, as a result of the Mongol invasion
of China
 The Thai eventually destroyed Angkor and took
over the region
 The Thai converted to Buddhism, but also
incorporated some Indian political practices,
melding into a modern-day culture of Thailand
Thailand

51.  The Burman people were established in the Salween
and Irrawaddy River valleys, where they had migrated
from Tibet in the 7th century
 Burmans were pastoral people, but adopted farming
soon after arriving in Southeast Asia
 They converted to Buddhism and adopted political
institutions and culture
 In the 11th century, they founded the first Burmese
state, the kingdom of Pagan, which was powerful for
200 years
 Attacks from the Mongols in the late 13th century
weakened Pagan, causing it to decline
Burma

52. Kingdom of Pagan

53. Malay Peninsula

54.  Two organized states eventually
emerged in the peninsula: the state of
Srivijaya and the kingdom of Sailendra
 Srivijaya dominated the trade route
passing through the Strait of Malacca
and depended on trade for their wealth
 Sailendra was based on farming, but
heavily influenced by Indian culture
Malay Peninsula

56.  In the 13th century, the kingdom of Majapahit was
founded
 Majapahit incorporated most of the archipelago and
parts of the mainland under single rule
 Majapahit only lasted 200 years, until the Muslim
conquest of India caused Muslim merchants to settle in
port cities and convert the local population
 Around 1400, an Islamic state began to form in Melaka
(Malacca), which became a major trading point in the
region
 Almost the entire population of the region was
converted to Islam and became part of the Sultanate
of Melaka
Malay Peninsula

58.  Two groups lived in Southeast Asia:
agricultural societies and trading societies
 Trade in Southeast Asia expanded after the
emergence of states in the area reached
their greatest heights under Muslim control
 Demand for products from East Asia grew in
Europe, increasing trade opportunities
throughout Southeast Asia
 Southeast Asia exported: cloves, pepper,
nutmeg, cinnamon, teak, sandalwood and rice
Economics

59.  Aristocrats were the top of the social ladder in
most Southeast Asian societies
 Held political power
 Held economic wealth
 Most of the population were farmers, fishers,
artisans, and merchants
 Rice farmers tended to live at lowest level, paying
heavy rent or taxes to lords or local rulers
 Women enjoyed greater rights in Southeast
Asian than in other parts of Asia, often finding
equality with men
Social Structures

60.  Chinese culture was the region’s strongest
influence
 Architecture throughout Cambodia, Malay
Peninsula and Archipelago show Chinese-
style temples and buildings
 Hindu and Buddhist ideas had early
prominence, arriving in the first century CE
 Theravada Buddhism became the religion of
choice for most of Southeast Asia until the arrival
of Islam
Culture & Religion

61. p240

62. p252

63. p255

64. p256

65. p256

66. Figure 9-6 p259
Southeast Asia in the
Thirteenth Century. This
map shows the major
states that arose in
Southeast Asia a6er the
year 1000 C.E. Some,
such as Angkor and Dai
Viet, were
predominantly
agricultural. Others, such
as Srivijaya and Champa,
were commercial.

67. p264
Besakih, the Balinese ‘‘Mother Temple.’’ In Southeast Asia as in many other cultures, mountains have tradiFonally been considered to
be the abode of the gods. On the island of Bali, beauFful Mount Agung (AH‐goong) is sFll viewed by Hindus as Bali’s holiest site—the
local equivalent of Mount Meru (MAY‐roo), the tradiFonal home of the gods in India. In Balinese cosmology, the sea is the home of evil
spirits, while humans occupy the profane world in between.
Constructed long ago on Mount Agung, Besakih (bee‐SAHK‐ee) is considered the most sacred Balinese temple. Composed of many
buildings, the temple complex rises on seven terraces up the side of the volcanic mountain, as seen here. Although the volcano erupted
in 1963, killing thousands of islanders in a cloud of volcanic ash, the Besakih temple was relaFvely unscathed.

68. p265
The Temple of Borobudur. The colossal pyramid temple at Borobudur, on the island of Java, is one of the greatest Buddhist monuments.
Constructed in the eighth century C.E., it depicts the path to spiritual enlightenment in stone. Sculptures and relief portrayals of the life
of the Buddha at the lower level depict the world of desire. At higher elevaFons, they give way to empty bell towers (see inset) and
culminate at the summit with an empty and closed stupa, signifying the state of Nirvana. Shortly a6er it was built, Borobudur was
abandoned when a new ruler switched his allegiance to Hinduism and ordered the erecFon of the Hindu temple of Prambanan nearby.
Buried for a thousand years under volcanic ash and jungle, Borobudur was rediscovered in the nineteenth century and has recently been
restored to its former splendor.

69. p265
The Temple of Borobudur. The colossal pyramid temple at Borobudur, on the island of Java, is one of the greatest Buddhist monuments.
Constructed in the eighth century C.E., it depicts the path to spiritual enlightenment in stone. Sculptures and relief portrayals of the life
of the Buddha at the lower level depict the world of desire. At higher elevaFons, they give way to empty bell towers (see inset) and
culminate at the summit with an empty and closed stupa, signifying the state of Nirvana. Shortly a6er it was built, Borobudur was
abandoned when a new ruler switched his allegiance to Hinduism and ordered the erecFon of the Hindu temple of Prambanan nearby.
Buried for a thousand years under volcanic ash and jungle, Borobudur was rediscovered in the nineteenth century and has recently
been restored to its former splendor.

70. p266
Angkor Wat. The Khmer (kuh‐MEER) rulers of Angkor constructed a number of remarkable temples and palaces. Devised as either
Hindu or Buddhist shrines, the temples also reflected the power and sancFty of the king. This twel6h‐century temple known as Angkor
Wat is renowned both for its spectacular architecture and for the thousands of fine bas‐reliefs relaFng Hindu legends and Khmer
history. Most memorable are the heavenly dancing maidens and the royal processions with elephants and soldiers.

71. p266
Giant Heads of Easter Island. When the Malayo-Polynesian-speaking peoples spread out from their homeland into the islands
of the Pacific, they eventually settled in areas as distant as Hawaii and Easter Island. Some of these peoples first arrived on
Easter Island in the fifth century C.E. and soon began to erect giant stone statues. It is thought that they were erected by rival
chiefdoms for reasons of prestige. The process of moving the statues from the quarry (shown here) by rolling them on a bed
of rounded logs eventually devastated the forests and caused the total erosion of the landscape. As a result, almost the entire
population was wiped out.

72. p267