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Synopsis Historical Essays by Prof. K.S. Lal is a selection of some of the research articles written by this doyen of Indian history during the last fifty years, or so. The selection is being brought out in two volumes – (1) History and Historiography and (2) Politics and Society. The present volume titled History and Historiography comprises of five articles: (1) Meaning and Purpose of History, (2) Modern Indian Historians of Medieval India, (3) Historiography of Medieval India, (4) Future of Historical Research in India, and (5) Survey of Research work done on Administration under the Sultanate. The first and the largest article in the volume – “Meaning and Purpose of History” is in the nature of a comprehensive treatise on history – writing in general dealing with its various aspects of their global perspective with focus on India. The author has extensively quoted and analysed the views of savants like Lord Acton, E.H. Carr, Toynbee, Burchardt, Dromgool, Thucydides, Bernard Croce, Hart, Trevelyan, Alberuni and many others. Dr. Lal has discussed the relevant topics such as meaning of history; relation between past, present and future; comparative role of personalities, events and ideas in the unfolding of historical process; the historians’ task; the issue of bias in history; differences in interpretation; historical style, use and abuse of history; and finally purpose of history. The author concludes with the profound observation that while study of history has a value at all times, it is of utmost importance today when the world is shrinking and we are moving closer to one another. The remaining four articles included in the book contain what their titles convey. They deal primarily with modern Indian historiography on medieval India. Prof. Lal has analysed the basic writings of the period in a critical manner so that their perusal can provide “a sort of refresher course to scholars and researchers of history.”