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Introduction by the Editor

The rise of Mohammed and the spread of Islam were events fraught with momentous consequences for the East and for the history of the world. India came in for her share in the changes thus brought about and was subjected to the religious and political sway of this great movement whose impulse she first felt in the eighth century of the Christian era. So important in general and so far-reaching were the influences exerted that few readers will object to the fact that three volumes of the present series are devoted to this period of Indian history which is commonly designated as the Medieval Period.

The first of the three forms part of the work of Professor Stanley Lane-Poole, and deals with the successive invasions that began when the Arabs landed in Sind and were later followed by the Moslem Afghans, who made inroad after inroad into Hindustan and gave place in turn to the raiding Turks, and they again to the Mongols. The history of these events, which led up to the founding of the great Moghul Empire in the

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sixteenth century of our era, is vividly portrayed by Dr. Lane-Poole, whose work is to be commended to the reader as giving a most graphic picture of the rise and establishment of a mighty force in India’s life and development.

As editor I have followed the same general plan that was adopted in the previous volumes to make the text conform with the needs of the series. Special care has been taken as before to illustrate the period appropriately, and for aid in this matter – Outside of my own collection of photographs – I desire to express acknowledgments again to others who have made several sources available for use.

A. V. Williams Jackson.

This collection transcribed by Chris Gage
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