3 - The Palace

Summary

Chapter 3 shifts the focus from the merchants to the states in which they operated. The first part examines the rise of Calicut to become the region’s pre-eminent port. The second part looks at the status of Islam within a medieval Hindu kingdom through a focus on conversion, tracing the different paths by which South Indians became Muslims. The third part asks what roles Muslims played within the state, which serves to challenge long-held beliefs about the dominance Muslims exercised over local politics. The final part examines instances in which Muslims acted against the state. The establishment of Portuguese power in the region caused a profound shift in the political profile of Muslims, as they began to translate their capabilities in maritime violence into a drive for political autonomy. Together, these four sets of issues highlight that the processes of accommodation and negotiation that are at the heart of Monsoon Islam required space, in both a practical and ideological sense. It was only where rulers saw it in their own interest to provide and safeguard these spaces that Monsoon Islam could take hold.