A Historical Analysis of Africans, Their Presence, and Assimilation in Awadh

Abstract

The phenomenon of Africans migrating from Africa to South Asia and other regions is well-known and extensively studied throughout history. People of African descent have voluntarily and forcefully migrated to India and occupied significant and influential positions within many empires and societies. The historical phenomenon of the African presence in the Awadh region was also significant. The Awadh has played a vital role in shaping the historical narrative of modern India. After the decline of the Mughal Empire, the emergence of the autonomous empire in Awadh corresponded with a substantial migration of Africans into this region. This paper concentrates on the historical relevance of the Africans in the context of Awadh, which includes their assimilation, their contribution to the rise of Awadh as a cosmopolitan empire in India, and their military participation in the events of 1857. During the city’s siege and subsequent recapture in March 1858, people of African descent played crucial roles in the street-level conflict. This article seeks to do an academic exploration and revisit the historiography of Awadh while examining the complexities between social and cultural assimilation challenges and adaptations, as well as the transformational shifts that have altered the lives of the Africans in Awadh. Scholarly research has concentrated chiefly on aristocratic Africans, not everyday enslaved people and migrants. Their incorporation into Indian culture, primarily through marrying and cultural mixing, is little understood. The case of the African presence in Awadh challenges racial and authority myths, showing a flexible and cosmopolitan social framework. This historiography emphasizes cross-cultural interchange and illuminates a neglected African diaspora narrative in South Asia.