Richard M. Eaton Books
Richard M. Eaton is an American historian specializing in the social and cultural history of premodern India.
Known for: The Rise of Islam and the Bengal Frontier, 1204–1760
Books by Richard M. Eaton
The Rise of Islam and the Bengal Frontier, 1204–1760
This scholarly work explores the historical process through which Islam spread across Bengal between 1204 and 1760. Eaton examines the social, economic, and ecological transformations that accompanied the region’s conversion, arguing that the expansion of Islam was closely linked to frontier settlement and agrarian growth rather than political coercion. The book provides a nuanced understanding of cultural change and religious adaptation in South Asia.
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The Political Context of Bengal’s Incorporation
When Bengal first entered the orbit of Islamicate civilization under the Delhi Sultanate’s rule in 1204, the process was neither uniform nor complete. The conquest initiated by Bakhtiyar Khalji established a fragile political presence in western Bengal, particularly around Gauda and Nadia. Yet polit...
From The Rise of Islam and the Bengal Frontier, 1204–1760
The Ecological and Agrarian Frontier
Bengal’s geography is foundational to its history. The Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers constantly reshaped the land, creating shifting deltas and rich alluvial soils. When Muslim rule began, vast swathes of eastern Bengal were densely forested, sparsely inhabited, and ecologically untamed. Ov...
From The Rise of Islam and the Bengal Frontier, 1204–1760
About Richard M. Eaton
Richard M. Eaton is an American historian specializing in the social and cultural history of premodern India. He is a professor at the University of Arizona and has written extensively on Islam in South Asia, Indo-Islamic interactions, and the history of Bengal.
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Richard M. Eaton is an American historian specializing in the social and cultural history of premodern India.
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