A History of India: Volume 2 (From the 16th Century to the 20th Century)

This text moves away from fragmented timelines to chart a cohesive line of national development. It explores how the foundational systems built during the Mughal era directly set up the economic and administrative landscape used by the British Raj

Thomas George Percival Spear (1901–1982) was a prominent British historian, academic, and writer. He lived in India for many years, teaching history at St. Stephen's College, Delhi, and later served as a Deputy Secretary to the Government of India during World War II.

The book provides a detailed look at subcontinental history, starting with the establishment of the Mughal Empire and its administrative systems. It seamlessly shifts into the rise of the British East India Company, the formal consolidation of the British Raj, and the complex mechanics of Western colonial rule. The text concludes with the dramatic rise of the Indian national freedom movement and the early post-independence government under Jawaharlal Nehru, serving as an enduring reference textbook for students and history buffs alike