Peter Hardy

Peter Hardy (1922–2013) was a Lecturer, and later Reader, at the School of Oriental and African Studies from 1947 to 1983. A specialist in the history of Islam, the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal India, he had particular expertise in Indo-Persian historiography. Among his many publications, Historians of Medieval India is highly regarded. His book Muslims of British India is a key work on the colonial period, often re-printed. Hardy's essay "Abul Fazl's Portrait of the Perfect Padshah" was the first attempt to critically reappraise Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak and his political philosophy. His career has drawn the attention of Ian Brown in his history of SOAS. Key works Historians of medieval India; studies in Indo-Muslim historical writing (London: Luzac, 1960) Partners in freedom and true Muslims. The political thought of some Muslim scholars in British India 1912-1947 (Lund: Studentlitteratur, 1971) Scandinavian Institute of Asian Studies monograph series, no. 5 [Reprinted Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1980] The Muslims of British India (London: Cambridge University Press, 1972) Cambridge South Asian studies, 13