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 - 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 - 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 - 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’s 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
