(i) The early mediaeval period was marked by many social and economic changes. Socially, an important phenomenon of this period was the proliferation in the number of castes.

(ii) One of the reasons for it was the inclusion of newer groups into brahmanical society.

(iii) As the number of land grants increased, new areas were brought under cultivation. It made local tribal people leave hunting as their main profession and take up agriculture. They were then transformed into peasants and assimilated into society as shudras.

(iv) The land grants in fact resulted in movement and migration of Brahmanas to different internal areas where they were able to introduce and enforce their brahmanical social values.

(v) The land grants also led to the increase in the number of Kayastha class.The Kayasthas were basically scribes and they specialised in drafting and writing land grant documents. Naturally, with increase in the number of land grants their importance was also increased.

(vi) During this period a new class of people called the Rajputs rose in prominence. The Rajputs included Chahmanas, Paramaras, Pratiharas, Chandellas etc.

Economic Changes: (i) Economically, the first phase, i.e., AD 750–AD 1000, is believed to be one of decline. It is evident from the absence of coins for exchange and the decayed condition of towns in northern India.

(ii) But in the second phase after AD 1000, trade activities revived. New gold coins were issued. There are also numerous references to trade goods and towns.

(iii) There seem to be two main reasons for it. One, there was an increase in agricultural activities on account of land grants in fresh areas. It led to surplus production of goods for exchange. And second, the Arab traders had emerged on the coastal areas of India as important players in international sea trade.

(iv) The Arabs had acquired a foothold in Sind in AD 712 and later, gradually, they set-up their settlements all along the sea from Arabia to China. These settlements served as important channels for the sale and purchase of Indian goods, and thus helped in the growth of Indian external trade.

(v) In south India, the Chola kings maintained close commercial contact with southeast Asia (Malaya, Indonesia etc.) and China.