History of South Asia

By pleaseentertext
  • Period: 2300 BCE to 1750 BCE

    Indus River Civilization

    Development of urban grain-growing civilization on the Indus River;
    Two main cities: Harappa and Mohenjo-daro;
    Undeciphered proto-Dravidian script;
    Destroyed by climate, invasion of non-Indus peoples
  • Period: 1750 BCE to 1000 BCE

    Aryan Migration

    Migration into northwest India of nomadic herding tribes from Iranian plateau;
    Indo-European language;
    Oral religious traditions preserved in Vedas, oldest of which, the Rig Veda, predates migration
  • 900 BCE

    Brahmanism

    Early Hinduism characterized by rituals belief in reincarnation, dharma, karma and division of society into four classes (varnas)
  • 500 BCE

    Buddhism; Jainism

  • 326 BCE

    Invasion of Alexander the Great

  • Period: 324 BCE to 200 BCE

    Mauryan Empire

    Domination of North India by Chandragupta, extended to south by grandson, Ashoka.
  • 250 BCE

    Development/Diffusion of Sanskritic culture

    Major texts of Hindu tradition take shape: Mahabharata, Ramayana, codification of laws, grammar, science, arts;
    Gods Shiva, Vishnu major figures;
    Spread of Sanskritic culture to South India
  • 200 BCE

    Invasions of North India

    Invasions by Central Asian tribes: Bactrian Greeks; Sakas; Kushans, who establish a dynasty, ca.78 BCE-200 CE
  • Period: 320 to 500

    Gupta Empire

    Guptas dominate North India at beginning of 'classical' period. Matured Hindu tradition expressed in poetry, drama [Kalidasa]; art, temple architecture; philosophy [Vedanta]; new fonts of devotional [bhakti] worship.
  • Period: 455 to 528

    Invasion of the Huns

    Successive invasions of Huns and other Central Asian tribes destroy Gupta empire.
  • Period: Apr 11, 650 to Apr 12, 1335

    Rajput Dynasties (North India); Regional Dynasties (South India)

    Warlike clans appear in Rajasthan
  • Apr 11, 711

    Arabs Take Sind

    Pallava dynasty dominates south; continuing conflict with Cholas, with Cheras, Pandyas
  • Period: Apr 11, 997 to Apr 12, 1027

    Raids of Mahmud of Ghazni

  • Period: Apr 11, 1192 to Apr 12, 1526

    Delhi Sultanate

    Turko-Afghan chieftains establish sultanate at Delhi; dominate North India Invasions of Muslims from Central Asia lead to political dominance of Muslims in North India and introduction of Persian culture, Islamic religion into South Asia.
  • Period: Apr 11, 1336 to

    Vijayanagar Empire

    Rise of Hindu kingdom in South India;
    Independent of Muslim rulers until destruction of capital city in 1565.
  • Apr 11, 1498

    Portugese Traders in India

  • Period: Apr 11, 1526 to

    Mughal Empire

    Mughal empire unifies North and parts of South India under its rule;
    Amalgam of Persian and Indian culture created in its courts and territories.

  • European Traders in India

    Establishment of trading outposts in India:
    Dutch (1609); English (1612); French (1674)

  • Battle of Plassey

    Victory over Nawab of Bengal gives East India company control of Bengal and begins expansion of British power in India.

  • British India

    Political dominance of British introduces Western culture, language, methods of government, technology into urban administrative centers.

  • Partition: India and Pakistan

    Independence from British rule and Partition of British India into modern countries of India and Pakistan (East and West)

  • Bangladesh

    War between East and West Pakistan results in separation of Pakistan into two states: Pakistan and Bangladesh