09-13-2006, 09:45 PM
I have tried to show that your civilisation too aided in the global development of siege technology in order to present as balanced a picture as possible.
In my book I've shown that catapult technology did not come to the Indian subcontinent via the Islamic invasions, but that indigenious designs were already flourishing and were in fact already in existence for at least a millenia prior to it. I've also shown how independant Indian armies were already using rockets and gunpowder weapons in their wars against the British expansions. All this was done to try and present a picture not limited to civilisational boundaries.
However, if nationalists persist in defining this along narrow nationalist lines, then I'd rather avoid all such references altogether and remove them from further editions of my book and leave you to your own interpretations.
I leave you with a quote talking about the 7-8th century "Islamic Invasions", from a website on "The History of Pakistan".
"Islam was first brought in by Arabs in early eighth century. At that time, the religion itself was only about a century old. In 711 AD Mohammad Bin Qasam, a brilliant 19 year-old Arab general from Basra (Iraq) marched into Pakistan by way of Persia and Balochistan with the army of 60,000 men. He employed a method of warfare never before seen in the subcontinent - large carriage-drawn catapults capable of hurling heavy stones and missiles across the distances of about 200 yards. He marched all the way to Nerun (Hyderabad) where he engaged Raja Dahir, the local Hindu ruler and his massive army of 20,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry. Mohammad Bin Qasim defeated Raja Dahir with contemptuous ease."
In my book I've shown that catapult technology did not come to the Indian subcontinent via the Islamic invasions, but that indigenious designs were already flourishing and were in fact already in existence for at least a millenia prior to it. I've also shown how independant Indian armies were already using rockets and gunpowder weapons in their wars against the British expansions. All this was done to try and present a picture not limited to civilisational boundaries.
However, if nationalists persist in defining this along narrow nationalist lines, then I'd rather avoid all such references altogether and remove them from further editions of my book and leave you to your own interpretations.
I leave you with a quote talking about the 7-8th century "Islamic Invasions", from a website on "The History of Pakistan".
"Islam was first brought in by Arabs in early eighth century. At that time, the religion itself was only about a century old. In 711 AD Mohammad Bin Qasam, a brilliant 19 year-old Arab general from Basra (Iraq) marched into Pakistan by way of Persia and Balochistan with the army of 60,000 men. He employed a method of warfare never before seen in the subcontinent - large carriage-drawn catapults capable of hurling heavy stones and missiles across the distances of about 200 yards. He marched all the way to Nerun (Hyderabad) where he engaged Raja Dahir, the local Hindu ruler and his massive army of 20,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry. Mohammad Bin Qasim defeated Raja Dahir with contemptuous ease."