Indian History: Timeline
Ancient India
B.C. 2300 - 1750 - The Harappa Culture, also known as the Indus Valley Civilization.
2000 - 1500 - Advent of the Aryans in India
1500 - 900 - The Vedic Age – composition of the Hymns of the Rigveda
900 - 500 - Later Vedic period
Buddhist Period
c. 563-483 - Gautama Buddha.
c. 546-494 - Bimbisara, king of the Hryanka dynasty of Magadha.
540-468 - Mahavira Jain
519 - Cyrus conquers parts of North-western India
c. 494-462 - Reign of Ajatasatru, son of Bimbisara, king of Magadha
413-362 - Sisunaga dynasty of Magadha.
c. 362-334 - Mahapadma Nanda, king of Magadha
327-325 - Invasion of Alexander of Macedon
MAURYAN PERIOD
c. 322-298 - Reign of Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of the Mauryan dynasty.
315 - Megasthenes, the ambassador of Seleucus, visited India
c. 298-273 - Bindusara, son of Chadragupta Maurya
c. 269-232 - Reign of Asoka
262 - Conquest of Kalinga by Asoka
232-185 - Successors of Asoka
THE AGE OF FOREIGN INVASIONS
c. 190 - Greeks invade India and found Greek kingdoms in N. W. India
c. 185-147 - Pushyamitra Sunga, the founder of Sunga Dynasty
c. 180-165 - Demetrius-Indo-Greek King
155-130 - Menander, also known as Milinda
147-75 - Later Sungas and end of the Sunga Dynasty (75 B.C.)
75-30 - Kanva Dynasty
90 - Sakas invade India
58-57 - The Vikrama Samvat (era) introduced by Vikramaditya of Ujjain
50 B.C.- A.D. 250 - Satavahana dynasty in the Deccan
CHRISTIAN ERA
A.D. 19-45 - Gondophernes, the greatest Indo-Parthian king
45 - The Yueh-chis (Kushanas) invade India
78-101 - Kanishka, the Greatest Kushana king of India
78 - Beginning of the Saka Era
GUPTA DYNASTY (A.D. 320-540)
320 -335 - Reign of Chandragupta I, the founder of the Gupta Dynasty
335 -376 - Reign of Samudragupta
376 -415 - Reign of Chandragupta II Vikramaditya
415 -454 - Reign of Kumaragupta I
454 - First Huna Invasion
455-467 - Skandagupta
495 - Second Huna Invasion
550 - End of the Gupta Dynasty
606-647 - Reign of Harsha of Kannauj. Huen-t-sang visited India (630-644)
c.625-885 - Karkota dynasty of Kashmir
c.724-60 - Reign of Lalitaditya Muktapida of the Karkota dynasty
c.730 - Yashovarman of Kannauj
c.730 - Nagabhata I, King of Gurjar Pratiharas of Kannauj
c.750-1141- Palas of Bengal and Bihar
c.815-855 - Reign of Devapala, the greatest Pala king
855-939 - Utpala dynasty of Kashmir
c.916-1203- The Chandellas of Bundelkhand
939-1339 - The Loharas of Kashmir
c.950-1195- Kalchuris of Tripuri (Madhya Pradesh)
c.973-1192- Chahmans of Sakambhari (Ajmer – Rajasthan)
c.974-1238- Chalukyas of Anhilwad (Gujarat)
974-1233 - Parmars of Dhar (Malwa, Madhya Pradesh)
1000-55 - Reign of Bhoja, the most striking and versatile Paramara ruler.
1080-1194 - Gahadvalas of Kannauj
c.1097-1225 - Sena Dynasty of Bengal
1192 - Second Battle of Tarain
SOUTH INDIA
1st-3rd century- The Sangam Age
86-114 - Gautmiputra Satkarni, the greatest Satavahana king
c.300-888 - Pallavas of Kanchi (Kanjeevaram)
c.500-757 - First Chalukya dynasty of Vatapi (W. and Central Deccan)
c.630-970 - Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi (Eastern Deccan)
757-973 - Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta
c.850-1267 - Cholas of Tanjore (Thanjavur)
973-1189 - Chalukya dynasty of Kalyani
985-1014 - Reign of Rajaraja the Great
1014-44 - Reign of Rajendra Chola
1070-1120 - Reign of Kulottunga I Chola
1120-1267 - Later Cholas
Medieval India
DELHI SULTANATE
(1206-1526)
Slave Dynasty (1206-1290)
1206 - Foundation of Slave Dynasty, the first ruling dynasty of Delhi Sultanate
1210 - Death of Qutb-ud-din Aibak
1211-36 - Reign of Iltutmish
1236-40 - Reign of Razia, only female Muslim ruler of Delhi
1246-66 - Reign of Nasiruddin Mahmud
1253 - Birth of poet and musician Amir Khusrau
1266-87 - Reign of Sultan Balban
1288-93 - Italian Traveller Marco Polo visits India
Khilji Dynasty (1290-1320)
1290-96 - Reign of Jalaluddin Khilji, the founder of the Khilji dynasty.
1294 - Alauddin Khilji, nephew of Jalaluddin Khilji, invades Devagiri.
1296-1316 - Reign of Sultan Alauddin Khilji
1299 - Alauddin Khilji's invasion of Gujarat
1301 - Alauddin Khilji's invasion of Ranthambhore
1302 - Alauddin Khilji founded a new capital at Siri (Delhi)
1303 - Alauddin Khilji's invasion of Chittor
1305 - Alauddin Khilji's invasion of Malwa
1309-13 - Alauddin Khilji's invasion of Deccan under Malik Kafur
1316-20 - Reign of Khilji Sultan Qutbuddin Mubarak Shah Khilji
Tughlaq Dynasty (1320-1414)
1320-25 - Reign of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq
1321-23 - Annexation of Deccan kingdoms of Kakatiya and Pandya to Delhi Sultanate
1325-51 - Reign of Muhammad bin Tughluq
1327 - Transfer of capital from Delhi to Daultabad by Muhammad bin Tughluq
1329 - Issuance of token currency by Muhammad bin Tughluq
1351-88 - Reign of Firuz Shah Tughlaq
1388-1414 - Later Tughlaq
1394-1413 - Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah Tughluq
1398 - Invasion of Timur
Sayyid Dynasty (1414-1451)
1414-21 - Reign of Khizr Khan, Founder of Sayyid Dynasty
1421-34 - Reign of Mubarak Shah, 2nd ruler of Sayyid Dynasty
1434-45 - Reign of Muhammad Shah, 3rd ruler of Sayyid Dynasty
1445-51 - Reign of Alauddin Alam Shah, last ruler of Sayyid Dynasty
Lodi Dynasty (1451-1526)
1451-89 - Reign of Bahlul Khan Lodi, founder of Lodi Dynasty
1489-1517 - Reign of Sikandar Lodi, 2nd ruler of Lodi Dynasty
1517-26 - Reign of Ibrahim Lodi, 3rd ruler of Lodi Dynasty
PROVINCIAL DYNASTIES
(1) Gujarat (1392-1526)
1392-1410 - Reign of Zafar Khan, founder of Muzaffarid dynasty of Gujarat
1411-42 - Reign of Ahmad Shah, founder of Ahmadabad.
1459-1511 - Reign of Mahmud Shah (Begada), greatest Muzaffarid ruler
1573 - Annexation of Muzaffarid kingdom to Mughal Empire in 1573
(2) Farooqi dynasty of Khandesh (1390-1526)
1390-1417 - Reign of Rajab Khan, founder of Farooqi dynasty
(3) Sharqi dynasty of Jaunpur (1394-1479)
1394-99 - Reign of Malik Sarvar, founder of Sharqi dynasty
1401-40 - Reign of Ibrahim Shah Sharqi, greatest Sharqi ruler
(4) Malwa Sultanate (1401-1531)
1401-35 - Ghurid dynasty, founded by Dilawar Khan Ghuri
1435-1531 - Khalji dynasty of Malwa at Mandu
(5) Ilyas Shahi Dynasty of Bengal (1399-1519)
1499-1519 - Reign of Alauddin Hussain Shah
(6) Shah Mir dynasty of Kashmir (1339-1529)
1499-1519 - Reign of Ghiyas-ud-Din Zain-ul-Abidin
(7) Rajputana
1509-28 - Rana Sanga, the greatest ruler of Mewar
(8) Gajapati Kingdom of Orissa (1434-1519)
1434-70 - Reign of Kapilendra Gajapati
Dynasties of Mediaval South India
1166-1322 - Kakatiya dynasty of Warangal
1189 - Western Chalukya dynasty come to end.
1189-1311 - Yadava dynasty of Devagiri
1216-1323 - Pandya Kingdom of Madurai
1279 - Chola power come to an end
1311 - Annexation of Yadava kingdom into Delhi Sultanate
1322 - Annexation of Kaktiya kingdom into Delhi Sultanate
1323 - Annexation of Pandyan kingdom into Delhi Sultanate
1336 - Foundation of Vijayanagar Empire
1343 - Hoysala dynasty annexed into Vijayanagar Empire
Vijayanagar Empire (1336-1646)
Sangama Dynasty (1336-1485)
1377-1404 - Reign of Harihara II
1380 - Annexation of Goa and Konkan to Vijayanagar Empire
1426-46 - Reign of Devaraya II, greatest of Sangama rulers
Saluva Dynasty (1485-1505)
1485 - Foundation of Saluva Dynasty, the second dynasty of Vijayanagar
1485-90 - Reign of Saluva Narasimha, founder of Saluva Dynasty
Tuluva Dynasty (1503-1570)
1503 - Foundation of Tuluva Dynasty, the third dynasty of Vijayanagar
1509-29 - Reign of Krishnadeva Raya, greatest Vijayanagar ruler.
1530-42 - Reign of Achyuta Deva Raya, Vijayanagar ruler.
1565 - Battle of Talikota (Rakkasa Tangadi)
Aravidu Dynasty (1570-1646)
1570 - Foundation by Tirumala of Aravidu Dynasty, the fourth Vijayanagar dynasty
BAHMANI SULTANATE (1346-1518)
1346 - Foundation of Bahmani kingdom by Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah
1397-1422 - Reign of Firuz Shah Bahmani
1422 - 36 - Reign of Ahmad Shah I Wali
1432 - Transfer of capital from Gulbarga to Bidar by Ahmad Shah
1481 - Execution of Mahmud Gawan, the Bahmani wazir
Bahamani Successor States
Nizam Shahis of Ahmednagar (1490-1633)
1490 - Foundation of the Ahmednagar Sultanate by Malik Ahmad Bahri
1600-27 - Period of Ahmandnagar’s Abyssinian minster Malik Ambar
1633 - Annexation of the Ahmadnagar kingdom to the Mughal empire.
Imad Shahis of Berar (1490-1574)
1490 - Foundation of the Berar Sultanate by Fathullah Imad-ul-Mulk
1490 - 1504 - Reign of Fathullah Imad-ul-Mulk
1574 - Annexation of Berar Kingdom to Ahmadnagar Sultanate
Adil Shahi Dynasty of Bijapur (1490-1686)
1490-1510 - Reign of Yusuf Adil Khan, founder of the kingdom
1686 - Annexation of Adil Shahi Dynasty to Mughal Empire
Qutab Shahis of Golconda (1518-1687)
1512-1543 - Reign of Sultan Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk, founder of the Golconda kingdom
1687 - Annexation of Golconda to Mughal empire
Barid Shahis of Bidar (1528-1619)
1619 - Annexation of Barid Shahi dynasty to Bijapur.
Portuguese India (1457-1529)
1498 - Vasco da Gama arrives at Calicut.
1502 - Vasco da Gama's second voyage to India
1505-09 - Francisco de Almeida appointed first Portuguese Viceroy in India
1509 - Afonso de Albuquerque succeeds Almeida
1510 - Portuguese conquest of Adil Shahi port of Goa
1511 - Conquest of City of Malacca Island by Portuguese.
MUGHAL Period (1526-1857)
1526 - First battle of Panipat fought between Babur and Ibrahim Lodi, the last ruler of Lodi dynasty. Ibrahim Lodi is killed. Foundation of the
Mughal empire in India.
1527 - Battle of Khanwa, fought between Babur and Rana Sanga of Mewar
1530 - Death of Babur, Humayun succeeds to the Mughal throne.
1533 - Humayun founds a new city in Delhi, Din Panah (World refuge), Vaishnava saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu passes away
1534-35 - Humayun invades Malwa and Gujarat
1538 - Humayun conquers Bengal
1539 - Humayun defeated by Sher Shah Suri in the battle of Chausa
1540 - Sher Shah Suri defeats Humayun in the battle of Bilgram
1545 - Death of Sher Shah Suri at Kalinjar
1556-1605 - Akbar's reign
1556 - Akbar defeats Hemu in the Second Battle of Panipat
1556-60 - Regency of Akbar's preceptor Bairam Khan
1562 - Akbar marries daughter of Amber's Raja Bharmal
1564 - Abolition of Jizya tax by Akbar
1571 - Fatehpur Sikri made capital of Mughal empire
1575 - Ibadat Khana built by Akbar
1576 - Battle of Haldighati, Defeat of Maharana Pratap.
1579 - Akbar issues famous Mahzar-nama known as "Infallibility Decree''.
1580 - First Jesuit Mission from Goa arrives at Akbar's court.
1582 - Akbar promulgates a new faith known as 'Din-i-Ilahi'.
1601-02 - Rebellion of Salim (later Jahangir)
1602 - The Mughal historian Abul Fazl killed by Vir Singh Bundela on Jahangir's
1605 - Akbar's death, Prince Salim succeeds to the Mughal throne as Jahangir.
1611 - Jahangir marries Nur Jahan
1623 - Rebellion of (Khurram) Shah Jahan
1627 - Death of Jahangir
1627-58 - Reign of Shah Jahan
1658 - War of Succession. Defeat of Dara Sikoh in the battles of Dharmat and Samugarh, Shah Jahan imprisoned by Aurangzeb at Agra
1658-1707 - Reign of Aurangzeb, 6th Mughal emperor.
1659 - Execution of Dara Sikoh, Mir Jumla appointed Mughal Viceroy of
Bengal
1662 - Mir Jumla invades Assam
1672 - Treaty of Purandhar between Shivaji and the Mughals
1686- Annexation of Bijapur to the Mughal empire
1687- Golcunda annexed to the Mughal empire
1689- Shambhaji , son and successor of Shivaji captured and executed. Shambhaji's son Sahu taken prisoner.
Later Mughals (1707-1857)
1707-12 - Eighth Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah I's reign
1707 - Battle of Jajau (near Agra) between Bahadur Shah I and his brother Muhammad Azam Shah in the War For Succession for the Mughal throne following the death of Aurangzeb.
1708- Kingdom of Amber annexed to the Mughal empire
Timeline: Modern India 1707-1947
1707 Death of 6th Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
Birth of Jat ruler Suraj Mal.
Sambhaji's son, Shahu Bhosale, was freed on May 8, 1707 from the Mughal captivity where he had been languishing since November 3, 1689.