1.3 Developments in South and Southeast Asia

Empires of South Asia

The Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526) was a Turkic Muslim state ruling much of northern India, imposing the jizya tax on non-Muslims and blending Persian-Islamic and Hindu cultures. It fragmented due to regional resistance, Mongol invasions, and eventually fell to the Mughals under Babur in 1526, who built one of the era's great empires.

State-building in Southeast Asia

Majapahit (Java) was a powerful Hindu-Buddhist maritime empire controlling Indonesian archipelago trade routes. Srivijaya earlier dominated similar sea lanes. Mainland kingdoms like Angkor (Khmer) and Sukhothai (Thai) built elaborate temple complexes (e.g., Angkor Wat) reflecting a blend of Hindu, Buddhist, and local animist traditions supporting royal legitimacy.

Religion, trade, and legitimacy

South and Southeast Asian rulers used syncretic religious traditions to justify authority — Hindu god-kings, Buddhist patronage, and Islamic sultanates coexisted. Control of the Indian Ocean trade network (spices, textiles, connections to China and the Middle East) funded monumental architecture and diverse, cosmopolitan societies across the region.

Key terms

Delhi Sultanate

Turkic Muslim state ruling much of northern India (1206–1526); imposed jizya on non-Muslims; fell to the Mughals.

Jizya

A tax imposed on non-Muslim subjects living under Islamic rule, including the Delhi Sultanate.

Majapahit

Powerful Hindu-Buddhist maritime empire based in Java that controlled Indonesian archipelago trade routes.

Angkor (Khmer Empire)

Mainland Southeast Asian kingdom known for elaborate temple complexes like Angkor Wat, blending Hindu and Buddhist traditions.

Religious syncretism in South/Southeast Asia

The blending of Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, and animist traditions used by rulers to legitimize authority and unify diverse populations.

Try an AP-style question

The Delhi Sultanate was significant as…

1. a Mongol province in Persia
2. a Buddhist kingdom in Tibet
3. Muslim rule over much of northern India
4. a Hindu empire in southern India