Osprey Fortress 51 : Indian Castles 1206-1526 : The Rise and Fall of the Delhi Sultanate

From the beginning of the 2nd millennium AD northern India began to fall under the sway of a number of Muslim-Turkic rulers who, at the start of the 13th century, founded the series of dynasties known to history as the Delhi Sultanate. For three centuries these sultans expanded their territory, which led to a dramatic rise in the number of fortifications throughout the subcontinent. This period is the defining age of the Indian castle and the combined influence of the Islamic and Hindu architectural tradition lends these fortifications a unique style. This book covers all the major sites of the period, including the fabled seven medieval cities on the site of the present-day city of Delhi. Text by Konstantin S Nossov with illustrations by Brian Delf.

Contents

• Introduction
• Chronology
• The Principles of Defence
• Castle Design and Development
• A Tour of Three Castles
• Interiors and Living Quarters
• The Castles in War
• The Fate of the Castles
• The Castles Today
• Bibliography and Further Reading
• Glossary
• Index