The eighteenth century in India was a landmark period as it witnessed a number of cross-currents of change including transformations of states, social groups, and economic contexts and heralded the beginning of the colonial period in India. Grasping the regional dynamics of this century is crucial not only to an understanding of the history of India but also the dynamics of colonialism. Kings, Company and Communities: Andhra-Telangana in Eighteenth-Century India is the first book of its kind as it analyses the social, economic, and political formations of the Andhra-Telangana region at a crucial juncture where they were put to the test by the manifestations of colonial rule. Capturing the vibrancy of the regional economy and the process of ‘rurbanization’, Sridhar investigates the manner in which local potentates negotiated with captains of colonialism and their native agents. As the region also witnessed the reassertion of caste identities during this period, this book maps the changes in varna perceptions with the aid of previously unexplored sources.

Bringing together unique aspects alongside overarching trends, micro-studies across regions of India are imperative to arrive at broader generalizations in Indian history. Based on empirical research, this book connects the history of the Andhra-Telangana region with the broader debates on the nature of the long eighteenth century in India.