RBSE Class 7 Social Science Notes History Chapter 2 New Kings and Kingdoms

These comprehensive RBSE Class 7 Social Science Notes History Chapter 2 New Kings and Kingdoms will give a brief overview of all the concepts.

RBSE Class 7 Social Science Notes History Chapter 2 New Kings and Kingdoms

→ Period roughly begins from 700 to 1200 AD, several major ruling dynasties emerged in different parts of the subcontinent.

→ The Emergence of New Dynasties:

• During this period, India is marked by rise of small states both in North and South. Pratiharas, Rajputs, Chauhans, Palas, etc, in North India and Pallavas, Cholas, Rashtrakutas, etc. in South India.
• By the 7th century, there were big landlords or warrior chiefs called samantas. They were subordinates to kings.
• Sometimes samantas overthrew their kings and took over their kingdoms. For example : Rashtrakuta of South.
• Men from some enterprising families used their military skills to carve out kingdoms. For instance, the Kadamba Mayurasharman and the Guijara-Pratihara Harichandra successfully established kingdoms in Karnataka and Rajasthan respectively.

→ Administration in the Kingdoms

• The kings shared power with samantas, associations of peasants, traders and brahmanas.
• In these states, revenue or tax was collected from peasants, cattle-keepers, artisans.
• The functionaries for collecting revenue were generally recruited from influential families.
• Even in the army, close relatives of the king held these positions.

→ Prashastis and Land Grants:

• Prashastis were composed by learned Brahmanas in praise of their king. In return, they were rewarded by grants of land by kings.
• Kings often rewarded Brahmanas by grants of land. These were recorded on copper plates, which were given to those who received the land.
• Kalhana has mentioned inscriptions, documents and other sources of the rulers of Kashmir in his book Rajatarangini.

→ Warfare for Wealth :

• The rulers tried to control other’s territories.
• When kings attacked one another’s kingdoms, they often chose to target temples because they were extremely rich.

→ From Uraiyur to Thanjavur
(a) The rise and expansion of Chola Empire

• A minor chiefly family known as the Muttaraiyar held power in the Kaiveri delta. They were subordinate to the Pallava kings of Kanchipuram.
• Vijayalaya, who belonged to the ancient chiefly family of the Cholas from Uraiyur, captured the delta from the Muttaraiyar in the middle of the ninth century. The successors of Vijayalaya conquered neighbouring regions and the kingdom grew in size and power.
• The Pandyan and the Pallava territories to the south and north were made part of this kingdom.
• Rajaraja I, considered the most powerful Chola ruler, became king in 985 and expanded control over most of these areas.

(b) Splendid Temples and Bronze Sculpture: The big temples of Thanjavur and Gangaikonda—Cholapuram, built by Rajaraja and Rajendra, are architectural and sculptural marvels.

(c) Argiculture and Irrigation of Chola Empire: Many of the achievements of the Cholas were made possible through new developments in agriculture as :

• Forests had to be cleared, land had to be levelled in other areas, embankments had to be built to prevent flooding and canals had to be constructed.
• Irrigation schemes were made.

(d) The Administration of the Chola Empire:

• In Chola Empire, settlements of peasants, known as ‘ur’ and groups of villages formed larger units called lnadu\
• The village council and the nadu performed several administrative functions including dispensing justice and collecting taxes.
• Rich peasants of the Vellala caste exercised considerable control over the affairs of the nadu.
• Brahmanas received land grants and a large number of Brahmana settlements emerged in other parts of South India.
• Association of traders known as ‘nagarams’ also occasionally performed administrative functions in towns.