Part 1 — Ancient India to the Mughal Empire
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Introduction
Chronology is the backbone of History as tested in SSC and RRB exams — questions frequently ask "which came first," "arrange in order," or "match the year with the event." This note consolidates key timelines across ancient, medieval, and modern Indian history into a single reference, cross-linked with the other topic notes (Revolutionary Movements, Battles, Architecture) for integrated revision.
Ancient India Timeline
| Period/Event | Approximate Date |
|---|---|
| Indus Valley Civilisation (mature phase) | c. 3300–1300 BCE (mature phase c. 2600–1900 BCE) |
| Vedic Period (Early/Rigvedic) | c. 1500–1000 BCE |
| Later Vedic Period | c. 1000–600 BCE |
| Mahajanapadas era | c. 600 BCE |
| Birth of Gautama Buddha | c. 563 BCE (traditional dating; scholarly range varies) |
| Birth of Mahavira (Jainism) | c. 599 BCE (traditional dating) |
| Alexander's invasion of India (Battle of Hydaspes) | 326 BCE |
| Chandragupta Maurya founds Mauryan Empire | c. 322 BCE |
| Ashoka's reign | c. 268–232 BCE |
| Kalinga War | 261 BCE |
| Fall of Mauryan Empire (Pushyamitra Shunga) | c. 185 BCE |
| Kushan Empire (Kanishka's reign, height) | c. 78–101 CE (Kanishka; Saka era begins 78 CE) |
| Gupta Empire founded (Chandragupta I) | c. 320 CE |
| Reign of Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya), Golden Age peak | c. 380–415 CE |
| Fa-Hien's visit to India | c. 399–414 CE |
| Hun invasions weaken Gupta Empire | c. 5th–6th century CE |
| Harshavardhana's reign | 606–647 CE |
| Hiuen Tsang's (Xuanzang) visit to India | c. 630–643 CE |
Early Medieval and Regional Kingdoms Timeline
| Period/Event | Approximate Date |
|---|---|
| Chalukyas of Badami | c. 543–753 CE |
| Pallava dynasty (peak, Mahabalipuram monuments) | c. 6th–9th century CE |
| Rashtrakuta dynasty (Kailasa Temple, Ellora) | c. 753–982 CE |
| Chola dynasty (peak under Rajaraja I, Rajendra I) | c. 985–1014 CE (Rajaraja I); Chola dynasty overall c. 850–1279 CE |
| Construction of Brihadeeswarar Temple, Thanjavur | c. 1010 CE |
| Mahmud of Ghazni's raids into India | 1000–1027 CE (approx. 17 raids) |
| Chandela dynasty (Khajuraho temples) | c. 950–1050 CE (main temple construction) |
Delhi Sultanate Timeline (1206–1526)
| Dynasty | Period | Key Rulers |
|---|---|---|
| Slave/Mamluk (Ilbari) dynasty | 1206–1290 | Qutb-ud-din Aibak, Iltutmish, Razia Sultana, Balban |
| Khalji dynasty | 1290–1320 | Jalaluddin Khalji, Alauddin Khalji |
| Tughlaq dynasty | 1320–1414 | Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq, Muhammad bin Tughlaq, Firoz Shah Tughlaq |
| Sayyid dynasty | 1414–1451 | Khizr Khan |
| Lodi dynasty | 1451–1526 | Bahlul Lodi, Sikandar Lodi, Ibrahim Lodi |
Key events: First Battle of Tarain (1191) — Prithviraj Chauhan defeats Muhammad Ghori; Second Battle of Tarain (1192) — Ghori defeats Prithviraj Chauhan; Delhi Sultanate founded (1206) by Qutb-ud-din Aibak; Razia Sultana (r. 1236–1240) becomes the only woman ruler of the Delhi Sultanate; Alauddin Khalji's market reforms and Mongol resistance (early 1300s); Muhammad bin Tughlaq's controversial capital shift to Daulatabad and token currency experiment (1327 onward); Timur's invasion and sack of Delhi (1398); First Battle of Panipat (1526) ends the Lodi dynasty and the Delhi Sultanate.
Vijayanagara and Bahmani Kingdoms
| Kingdom | Period |
|---|---|
| Vijayanagara Empire | 1336–1646 (effective power ends after Battle of Talikota, 1565) |
| Bahmani Sultanate | 1347–1527/1538 (fragmenting into five Deccan Sultanates) |
Mughal Empire Timeline (1526–1857)
| Ruler | Reign |
|---|---|
| Babur | 1526–1530 |
| Humayun | 1530–1540, 1555–1556 (interrupted by Sur dynasty) |
| Sher Shah Suri (Sur dynasty interregnum) | 1540–1545 |
| Akbar | 1556–1605 |
| Jahangir | 1605–1627 |
| Shah Jahan | 1628–1658 |
| Aurangzeb | 1658–1707 |
| Decline (later Mughals) | 1707–1857 (nominal rule; effective decline after Aurangzeb) |
| Bahadur Shah Zafar (last Mughal emperor) | 1837–1857; exiled to Rangoon after 1857 revolt |
Key dates: First Battle of Panipat (1526) — Mughal Empire founded; Battle of Khanwa (1527); Sher Shah's interregnum (1540–1555); Second Battle of Panipat (1556); Din-i-Ilahi founded by Akbar (1582); Taj Mahal construction (c. 1632–1653); Aurangzeta's reign marks greatest territorial extent but also religious policy shifts and the beginning of decline; Battle of Samugarh (1658) — Aurangzeb defeats Dara Shikoh.