Feudalism in ancient India

The genesis of feudalism in the Indian society was marked from 300 AD. Feudalism refers to a special type of land tenure by which a system of private government based on land. Feudalism became prosperous with the initiation of agricultural economy. Although feudalism was in vogue in the post Mauryan and in the Sattavahana period, yet it was strengthened in the Pala-Pratihara period. After the decline of Harshavardhana, the trade in northern India was completely shattered. The decline of the trade resulted in the growth of landed economy. The economy in the Pala Pratihara period was an agricultural economy, when the feudalism was initiated in northern India. The trend of feudalism set in the Pala-Pratihara period was deteriorated in the Rajput period. Hence in the Rajput feudalism the condition of the common people was miserable.

Pala-Pratihara-Rashtrakuta Feudalism - The Pala Pratihara-Rashtrakuta feudalism was marked by the growth of landed intermediaries. These intermediaries were called feudal lords. They extended their landed area by resumption of the ownerless properties and by taking away the agrarian rights of the farmers. Serfdom was one of the significant features of the Pala-Pratihara-Rashtrakuta feudalism and the freedom of the farmers was curbed.

Rajput Feudalism- Post Pratihara feudalism- The feudalism initiated in the Pala Pratihara domain was strengthened in the Post Pratihara or the Rajput period. The laws became strict and the tenant farmers even lost the security of their tenure in the land. The economic condition deteriorated considerably.