Daud Ali

Rural Violence and Warfare in Medieval South India

Introduction

Rural violence and warfare in medieval south india. Explores rural violence in medieval South India (9th-13th centuries) via hero-stones. Reveals armed peasants, everyday belligerence, and links between local and state conflict.

Abstract

This paper explores the problem of rural violence in medieval South India through a study of hero-stones collected from the districts of lower Karnataka between the 9th and 13th centuries. These documents reveal a world of everyday violence in which the countryside emerges as a space of potentially open-ended belligerence, and the peasant an armed agent. Furthermore, hero-stone inscriptions suggest that localized rural violence was continuous with, and only partly distinct from, what historians often characterized separately as ‘state violence,’ and in fact existed in a heuristically ‘intermediate realm,’ a point that has serious implications for understanding the nature of state, society and conflict in medieval South India more generally.

Review

This paper offers a compelling and much-needed exploration into the often-overlooked dimension of rural violence in medieval South India. By meticulously analyzing hero-stones collected from lower Karnataka between the 9th and 13th centuries, the author successfully brings to light a countryside characterized by persistent, everyday belligerence. The innovative use of these localized, tangible primary sources is particularly commendable, effectively reconstructing a world where the peasant was not merely a passive victim but an active, armed agent in a perpetually volatile landscape. This initial premise effectively challenges romanticized notions of rural tranquility, setting the stage for deeper insights into societal dynamics. The core contribution of this study lies in its sophisticated conceptualization of an 'intermediate realm' of violence. The paper persuasively argues that localized rural conflicts were not isolated events, but rather existed in a continuous, albeit partly distinct, relationship with what is typically categorized as 'state violence.' This crucial insight dismantles traditional historiographical separations, offering a more nuanced understanding of power structures in medieval South India. The implications of this 'intermediate realm' are profound, compelling scholars to reconsider the very nature of state formation, social cohesion, and the pervasive character of conflict within this period and region. It suggests a more fluid and integrated spectrum of violence than previously acknowledged. While the paper's methodology and central arguments are exceptionally strong, further discussion could perhaps enrich the analysis by exploring the specific socio-economic or political factors that contributed to this 'open-ended belligerence,' beyond its mere existence. A deeper dive into how state authority might have tacitly sanctioned, or even leveraged, elements of this localized violence could further solidify the 'intermediate realm' concept. Additionally, while the paper makes a strong regional case, a brief comparative glance at other medieval Indian regions or even broader theories of violence could situate its findings in an even wider intellectual context. Nevertheless, this is an outstanding piece of scholarship that significantly advances our understanding of medieval South India, and it is highly recommended for publication.

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