PREFACE
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- He benefited a great deal from discussions with Martin Brandtner, Kiel,
while revising the first chapter. Dietmar Rothermund has written the
introduction, chapters 5 to 8, and has also prepared the entire English
version of the text. The present paperback edition has been thoroughly
revised as far as the account of recent events, the bibliography and the
chronology are concerned.
The book does not have footnotes but the authors have provided a
bibliography in which the works on which the text is based are listed.
Notes referring to specific quotations included in the text are appended to
the bibliography of the respective part of the book. For the transcription of
Indian names and terms the authors have adopted the standard English
style and have omitted diacritical marks.
The general emphasis in this book is on the structural pattern of Indian
history rather than on the chronology of events. Therefore, a chronological
table, a detailed index and several maps have been appended to the text so
that the reader can easily find references to names and events. (Maps 1 and
12–14: D.Rothermund. Maps 2–11: H.Kulke.) The ancient and medieval
periods of Indian history which are relatively neglected in historical atlases
are highlighted in these maps whereas the latter periods are not covered in
detail because the reader will find enough maps for these periods in the
historical atlases which are readily available.
Kiel and Heidelberg, July 1997
Hermann Kulke
Dietmar Rothermund
