Page 4 - Notes

 Indian manufacturing flourished due to inter-Asian network of trade and
commerce. These were in great demand in both West Asia and South-East Asia
where artisans and merchants were fetching huge profits.
 Indian textiles, specially cotton cloth, fine muslins, silks, brocade and satin were
also in great demand.
 Ibn Battuta was amazed by the efficiency of the postal system which was of two
kinds, the horse-post called „uluq‟ and the foot-post called „dawa‟.

Francois Bernier: A French Traveller

 A number of Portuguese, Dutch, English and French travellers came to India in
the 16th and 17th century. Of them, Jesuit Roberto Nobili, Duarte Barbosa, Jean-
Baptiste Tavernier and Manucci wrote different aspects of Indian society.
 French doctor, political philosopher and historian Francois Bernier spent twelve
years (1656 to 1668) in India and was closely associated with the Mughal court.
 Bernier travelled to several parts of India and wrote detailed accounts by
comparing the situation in India with Europe.
 His works were published in France in 1670-71, and translated into English,
Dutch, German and Italian. His writings became extremely popular.

Bernier and His View About Contemporary Society:

 As compared to Ibn Battuta, Bernier believed in a different intellectual tradition
where he was more critical. He compared and contrasted what he saw in India
with the situation in Europe in general and France in particular.
 Bernier‟s book „Travels in the Mughal Empire‟ is marked by detailed observations,
critical insights and reflection. He constantly compared Mughal India with
contemporary Europe, generally emphasising the superiority of the latter.
 According to him, the Mughal emperor owned all the lands and distributed it
among his nobles and it led to disastrous consequences for economy and society.
This perception was supported by most of the travellers of that period.
 As having no legal right over land, landholders could not pass on their land to their
childern. Thus, they avoid any kind of long-term investment in the sustenance and
expansion of production.
 This crown ownership system of land ruined the agriculture as well as the living
standard of all sections of society, except the ruling aristocracy w‟hich oppressed
the peasant class.
 He explained that because of crown ownership of land, Indian society has no
social group or class between the poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich.
He further said, “There is no middle state in India”.
 Bernier described Mughal king as the king of “beggars and barbarians”. But Abul
Fazl gave a different account by describing revenue as a claim made by the ruler
on his subjects for the protection he provides, rather than as rent on land that he
owned.
 Bernier‟s descriptions influenced Western theorists from the 18th century
onwards. For instance, French philosopher Montesquieu used this account to