The Last Hindu Emperor : Prithviraj Chauhan and the Indian Past, 1200-2000 / Cynthia Talbot, University of Texas at Austin

Object Details

author

Talbot, Cynthia

Subject

Pr̥thvīrāja King of Ajmer and Delhi 1159-1192 Influence

Pr̥thvīrāja King of Ajmer and Delhi 1159-1192 Public opinion

Contents

Introduction: Layers of memory -- 2. Literary trajectories of the historic king -- 3. Delhi in the making of the last Hindu emperor -- 4. The heroic vision of a regional elite -- 5. Imagining the Rajput past in Mughal-era Mewar -- 6. Validating Prithvīrāj Rāso in colonial India, 1820s-70s -- 7. Contested meanings in a nationalist age, 1880s-1940s -- 8. Epilogue: The postcolonial Prithviraj -- Appendix: Prithvīrāj Rāso's textual history

Summary

"This fascinating new study traces traditions and memories relating to the twelfth-century Indian ruler Prithviraj Chauhan, a Hindu king who was defeated and overthrown during the conquest of Northern India by Muslim armies from Afghanistan. Surveying a wealth of narratives that span more than 800 years, Cynthia Talbot explores the reasons why he is remembered, and by whom. In modern times, the Chauhan king has been referred to as 'the last Hindu emperor', because Muslim rule prevailed for centuries following his defeat. Despite being overthrown, however, his name and story have evolved over time into a historical symbol of India's martial valor. The Last Hindu Emperor sheds new light on the enduring importance of heroic histories in Indian culture and the extraordinary ability of historical memory to transform the hero of a clan into the hero of a community, and finally a nation"-- Provided by publisher.

2016

Type

Biography

Physical description

x, 316 pages : illustrations, map ; 24 cm

Place

India

Memory

Smithsonian Libraries

Topic

Emperors

Hindus

Heroes

Historiography--Political aspects

Public opinion

Kings and rulers

Historiography

Political aspects

Record ID

siris_sil_1069597

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0