Processes of state formation in medieval Rajasthan kinship warfare and patronage in the Rajput kingdoms

Abstract

The study of the political structure of Rajput states in medieval Rajasthan shows that it evolved over the medieval centuries, rather than assuming, a sudden appearance for them on political front. The present study is an attempt to trace the three aspects which is directly related to the state formation in medieval Rajsthan. These were the kinship ties, warfare and religious patronage. The time frames for this work will be an open ended but roughly centered on the c. 1200 A. D. to 1700 A.D. the area which is focused upon is Marwar (later Jodhpur) and Bikaner while discussing the similar processes in the other political entities of that time. The focus was on the pattern of kinship relation of the clan members, succession issue, the necessity of war in order to expand the territories, issues of perpetual feud and the concept of honour. All these aspects were are incomplete without the study of the phenomenon of royal patronage, which was given by the ruling chiefs in order to establish themselves as great rulers. This will provides us with an opportunity to reconstruct the complex relationship between such aspects of state formation as kinship, warfare and patronages. newline