Expansion of British East India Company control in India in the first half of the century leads many Indians to fear subjugation of social and religious customs, causing growing resentment to the British presence. In the Bengal Army, with more competent officers taking administrative positions, morale declines.

In 1857 the British introduce the new Enfield Rifle, and its cartridge, greased with beef or pig fat (or both), must be bitten open before loading — a requirement seen by the Hindu and Muslim troops as a religious defilement. Some troops refuse its use and at their punishment the garrison revolts, killing all Britons.

The mutiny spreads to Delhi with Europeans soon being killed mercilessly throughout Bengal. All British troops are hastily assembled assisted by still loyal Punjab and Bombay troops. Delhi is recaptured, a mutineer siege of the British residents of Lucknow is lifted and finally the Rani of Jhansi, the most capable leader in the mutiny, is defeated in Central India.

The mutiny over, avenged with as much ruthlessness as it began, the British government seizes administration of India from the East India Company and reorganizes the Army to increase the ratio of British to Indian troops.

Year Events
10 Establishment of the Indo-Parthian kingdom.
35 Western Satraps formed.
50 Establishment of the Kushan empire by Kujula Kadphises, first Buddhist stupa is constructed at Sanchi
68 Establishment of the Kushan empire by Kujula Kadphises.
78 Beginning of Saka era
78 Gautamiputra Satkarni becomes Satavahana emperor and starts Shalivahana era calendar after defeating Scythian king Maues.
90 Sung jae has established kingdom.
120 Accession of Kanishka
240 Sri-Gupta starts the Gupta Empire in Magadha, with its capital in Patliputra
300 The Pallava dynasty is established in Kanchi
320 Commencement of Gupta era. the golden age of Hindu India
320 The Gupta dynasty founded by Maharaja Sri Gupta, reunited northern India initiating the “golden Age” of India
320 Chandragupta I ascends to the Gupta throne.
335 King Samudragupta ascends the Gupta throne and expands the empire.
335 Samudragupta ascends the Gupta throne and expands the empire.
380 Accession of Vikramaditya
380 Chandragupta II, Samudragupta’s son becomes the Gupta Emperor.
405 Visit of Chinese traveller Fa-hien
415 Accession of Kumara Gupta I
450 Invasions by the Huna
455 Accession of Skando Gupta
554 Collapse of Gupta Empire after the death of Shashankgupta.
606 Harshavardhan’s reign starts
606 Harshavardhana crowned Monarch.
606 Harshavardhana crowned Monarch.
637 Badami Chalukya power at its peak. Pulakeshin II pushes north up to the Narmada and defeats the invading Harshavardhana of Kanauj
700 According to the Qissa-i Sanjan, the immigrants Parsi were granted permission to stay by the local ruler Jadi Rana
712 First invasion in Sind by Arabs
712 First Muslim, Md. Bin Qasim defeats Raja Dahir
712 First Muslim, Muhammad Bin Qasim defeats Raja Dahir
753 Establishment of Rashtrakuta Kingdom of Manyakhet by Danti Durga by defeating Chalukyas of Badami
788 Birth of Adi Shankaracharya
814 Nripatunga Amoghavarsha I becomes Rashtrakuta emperor. Kannada literature flourishes.
836 Accession of King Bhoja of Kannauj
836 Gurjara-Pratihara (to 910)
985 Accession of Rajaraja,the Chola ruler
998 Accession of Sultan Mahmud
1000 Invasion of Mahmud of Ghazni
1001 First invasion of India by Mahmud Chazni who defeated jaipal, ruler of Punjab
1021 Mahmud Ghazni defeats Tarnochalpal and annexes Punjab
1025 Last invasion of Mahmud Ghazni, sacked and destroyed temple of Somnath
1030 Alberuni arrivies in India; death of Mahmud of Ghazni
1058 Sumra Dynasty ends the Arab domination and establishes its own rule over Sindh.
1120 Kalyani Chalukyas power at its peak. Vikramaditya VI ushers in Vikrama Chalukya era.
1134 Life of Basaveshwara, philosopher and social reformer. (to 1196)
1157 The Kalachuris under Bijjala II capture Kalyani
1190 Mohammed Ghauri invades India.
1191 “Victory of Prithviraj Chauhan”. First battle of Tarain between Mohammed Ghori and Prithviraj III. Ghauri is defeated by Prithivi Raj Chauhan III.
1192 “Victory of Mohammed Ghauri”. Second battle of Tarain fought between Ghauri and Prithivi Raj Chauhan III. Prithvi Raj Chauhan III is defeated by Mhammed Ghori.
1194 Battle of Chandawar fought between Ghauri and Jaichand of Kannauj. Ghauri defeated Jayachandra and killed him.
1206 Accession of Qutab-ud-din Aibak to the throne of Delhi
1206 Gakhars kills Muhammad Ghori during a raid on his camp on the Jhelum River
1206 Qutb-ud-din Aibak establishes Slave Dynasty later to be known as Delhi Sultanate
1210 Death of Qutub-ud-din Aibak
1210 Qutb-ud-din Aibak died while playing polo.
1221 Changes Khan invaded India (Mongol invasion)
1236 Accession of Razia Sultan to the throne of Delhi
1236 Razia Sultana, only lady ruler of Delhi
1240 Murder of Razia Sultan by Turkish nobles.
1267 The Mahanubhava philosophy established by Chakradhar Swami.
1290 Jalal ud-Din Firuz establishes the Khilji sultanate at Delhi
1290 Murder of Muiz ud din Qaiqabad.
1296 Accession of Ala“ud-din Khilji
1298 Marco Polo visits India
1310 Ala-ud-din Khalji’s army under Malik Kafur occupies Devagiri ending the Seuna Yadava Kingdom
1316 Ala-ud-din Khilji dies
1323 Ulugh Khan defeats Prataparudra ending the Kakatiya dynasty
1325 Accession of Muhammad-bin Tughlaq
1327 Shifting of Capital from Delhi to Daulatabad to Deccan by the Tughlaqs
1336 Vijayanagara Empire established by Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I
1343 Veera Ballala III was killed at the Battle of Madurai.
1347 Governor Hasan Gangu revolts against Muhammad bin Tughluq founding the Bahmani Sultanate
1351 Accession of Feroze Shah
1351 Samma Dynasty assumes rule over Sindh
1370 Bukka, the Vijayanagara ruler and his son Kumara Kamapna capture the entire Tamil speaking parts.
1398 Invasion of India by Timur Lang
1398 Timur conquered India resulting in the decline of the Delhi Sultanate
1401 Dilawar Khan establishes the Malwa Sultanate in present-day northern India
1407 Zafar Khan: governor of Gujarat, declares himself as Sultan Muzaffar Shah founding the Gujarat Sultanate/Muzaffarid dynasty
1414 Khizr Khan, deputized by Timur to be the governor of Multan takes over Delhi founding the Sayyid dynasty
1424 Deva Raya II succeeded his father Veera Vijaya Bukka Raya as monarch of the Vijayanagara Empire
1443 Abdur Razzaq visits India
1446 Mallikarjuna Raya succeeds his father Deva Raya II
1451 Bahlul Khan Lodhi ascends the throne of the Delhi sultanate starting the Lodhi dynasty
1469 Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism is born
1483 Birth of Babur in Andijan, Fergana Valley in Central Asia
1485 Saluva Narasimha Deva Raya drives out Praudha Raya ending the Sangama Dynasty
1486 Advent of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism and leader of the world’s first civil disobedience movement, in Navadwip, West Bengal
1490 Ahmadnagar declares independence, followed by Bijapur and Berar in the same year thus breaking up the Bahmani Sultanate.
1494 Accession of Babar in Farghana
1497 Vasco de Gama’s first voyage from Europe to India and back (to 1499)
1498 First voyage of Vasco da Gama to India( discovery of sea route to India via the Cape of Good Hope
1498 Vasco de Gama’s first voyage from Europe to India and back (to 1499)
1503 Kingdom of Kochi is taken over by the Portuguese creating the first European settlement in India.
1508 The Christian-Islamic power struggle in Europe and the Middle East. Spills over into the Indian Ocean as Battle of Chaul during the Portuguese-Mamluk War
1509 Battle of Diu marks the beginning of the dominance of the Europeans in the Asian naval theater.
1510 Portuguese India (to 1961)
1522 Portuguese land on the Coromandel Coast
1526 First Battle of Panipat, Babar defeated Ibrahim Lodhi; Foundation of Mughal rule by Babar
1526 Sultan Ibrahim Lodi, of the Delhi Sultanate, angers local nobles, who respond by inviting Babur, the Mughal ruler of Kabul, to invade Delhi andAgra. The local population, plus the possession of artillery, assists Babur in killing the Sultan (whose soldiers desert him) at the Battle of Panipat.
1527 Battle of Khanya’Babar defeated Rana Sanga
1527 Babur bribes Mewar general Silhadi promising Silhadi a kingdom, if Silhadi betrays Mewar King Rana Sanga in Battle of Khanwa, thus leading to the annexation of Mewar.
1530 Death of Babar and accession of Humayun
1530 Babur completes his Baburnama, reflecting on society, politics, economics, history, geography, nature, flora and fauna, which to this day is a standard textbook in 25 countries. Babur dies, and is succeeded by his son Humayun.
1539 Sher Shah Suri defeated Humayan and became India’s emperor
1539 Battle of Chausa fought between Humayun and Sher Shah Suri in which Humayun defeated.
1539 Guru Angad Dev becomes second guru of Sikhs.
1540 Battle of Kannauj
1540 Battle of Kannauj fought between Humayun and Sher Shah Suri and Humayun was completely defeated. Humayun lost the Mughal empire to Afghans (Suri Dynasty), and passed 12 years in exile.
1545 Death of Sher Shah Suri and succeeded by Islam Shah Suri.
1552 Guru Amar Das becomes third Guru of Sikhs.
1554 Death of Islam Shah Suri.
1555 Humayan recaptured the throne of Delhi
1555 Mughal king Humayun comes to fight Sher Shah and regains India
1555 Humayun regained the throne of Delhi from the hands of weak successors of Sher Shah.
1556 Second Battle of Panipat
1556 Humayun converts from Sunni Islam to Shia Islam, to gain the alliance of the Shah of Persia. Humayun dies, and is succeeded by his son Akbar.
1556 Hindu king Hemu establishes ‘Hindu Raj’ in North India and bestowed with title of “Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya”; Second Battle of Panipatfought between Hemu and Akbar’s forces in which Hemu is killed.
1565 Battle of Talikota
1565 Battle of Talikota results in the rout of Vijayanagara empire.
1572 Akbar the Great annexes Gujarat, also shifts the Mughal capital to Fatehpur Sikri where a new township and citadel containing buildings of a unique all-India character”inspired by the architecture of Bengal, Gujarat, Malwa, Kashmir as well as the Timurid world”is born.
1574 Guru Ram Das becomes fourth Guru of Sikhs.
1574 Akbar annexes Bengal.
1576 Battle of Haldighati; Rana Pratap defeated by Akbar
1581 Guru Arjan Dev becomes fifth Guru of Sikhs.
1582 Din-e-Illahi founded by Akbar
1586 Akbar annexes Kashmir.
1597 Death of Rana Pratap
1600 East India Company established
1600 Queen Elizabeth I granted a charter to the East India Company established trading posts in Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras
1600 East India company is formed in England. Gets exclusive trading rights with India.
1605 Death of Akbar and accession of Jehangir
1605 Akbar dies, and is succeeded by his son Jehangir.
1606 Execution of Guru Arjun Dev
1606 Guru Hargobind becomes sixth guru of Sikhs.
1611 Jehangir marries Nur jahan.
1612 British arrives India
1612 British India (to 1947)
1612 East India Company (to 1757)
1616 Sir Thomas Roe visits Jehangir
1627 Birth of Shivaji and death of Jehangir
1628 Shahjahan becomes emperor of India
1628 Jehangir announces “Chain of Justice” outside his palace that anyone can ring the bell and get a personal hearing with the emperor. Jehangir dies, and is succeeded by his son Shah Jahan.
1630 Birth of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
1631 Death of Mumtaj Mahal
1632 Taj Mahal construction initiated by Mughal ruler Shah Jahan
1634 The British permitted to trade in india in Bengal
1644 Guru Har Rai becomes seventh guru of Sikhs
1644 Shivaji takes oath of Independence at Raireshwar.
1653 Shah Jahan completes Taj Mahal. Shah Jahan dies, and is succeeded by his son Aurangzeb.
1658 Shah Jahan completes Taj Mahal, Jama Masjid, and Red Fort. Imperial treasuries drained by architectural and military overexpenditures. Shah Jahan dies, and is succeeded by his son Aurangzeb.
1659 Accession of Aurangzeb, Shahjahan imprisoned
1659 Shivaji’s ill-equipped and small Maratha army defeat mighty Adilshahi troops at the Battle of Pratapgarh in a major upset in Indian history. Shivaji personally kills Adilshahi commander Afzal Khan (general).
1661 Guru Har Krishan becomes eight guru of Sikhs.
1665 Shivaji imprisoned by Aurangzeb
1665 Guru Tegh Bahadur becomes ninth Guru of Sikhs.
1666 Death of Shahjahan
1674 Forces led by Shivaji defeat Aurangzeb’s troops, and establishes Maratha Empire.
1675 Execution of Teg Bahadur,the ninth Guru of Sikhs
1675 Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of Sikhs is executed in Delhi. Guru Gobind Singh becomes tenth Guru of Sikhs.
1675 Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of Sikhs is executed in Delhi by the order of Aurangzeb for his support for the Kashmiri Hindus to practice their religion.Guru Gobind Singh becomes tenth Guru of Sikhs.
1680 Death of Shivaji
1680 Shivaji dies at Raigad, Sambhaji became 2nd Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire
1680 Shivaji dies of fever at Raigad.
1680 Sambhaji became 2nd Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire
1681 Aurangzeb invades the Deccan
1689 1689,Chatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj dies.
1696 Danish India (to 1869)
1699 Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Guru of Sikhs creates Khalsa, the saint-soldier at Anandpur Sahib, Punjab.
1700 Rajaram Chhatrapati died
1705 Mughal army arrested for the act.
1707 Death of Aurangzeb the Mughal emperor.
1708 Death of Guru Gobind Singh
1708 Guru Granth Sahib becomes Guru of Sikhs.
1721 Attingal Outbreak takes place
1721 Madras cyclone occurs
1739 Nadir Shah invades India
1749 The Maratha Peshwa (prime minister) usurps the Maratha kingdom, starting a new dynastic rule based in Pune.
1757 Battle of Plassey, establishment of Britishn political rule in India at the hands of Lord Clive.
1757 Company rule in India (to 1857)
1759 French India (to 1954)
1760 Marathas comprehensively defeat the Nizam, Maratha Empire reaches its zenith.
1761 Third Battle of Panipat;Shah Alam II becomes India’s emperor
1761 The Marathas are routed in the Third Battle of Panipat on 14 January 1761, by the Afghans led by Ahmad Shah Durrani, an ethnic Pashtun, also known as Ahmad Shah Abdali. The battle is considered one of the largest battles fought in the 18th century.
1764 Battle of Buxar
1764 Battle of Buxar 1
1765 Clive appointed Company’s Governor in India
1765 Princely states (to 1947)
1770 The great Bangal Famine
1771 Marathas re-captures Delhi and parts of North India.
1772 Ram Mohan Roy Born (to 1833)
1773 Narayanrao Peshwa is murdered by his uncle Raghunathrao’s wife in front of Raghunathrao.
1773 Regulating Act of 1773
1773 Warren Hastings appointed as first Governor-General of India
1774 Warren Hastings appointed the first governor general of India by the East India Company
1774 Chief Justice of the Maratha Empire, Ram Shastri passes death sentence against the ruling Peshwa Raghunathrao for murdering his nephew.
1775 First Anglo-Maratha War
1777 First Anglo-Maratha War begins, in which Haidar Ali of Mysore defeats the combined armies of the East India Company, the Marathas and the Nizam of Hyderabad.
1779 Maratha sardar Mahadji Shinde routs the East India Company army at the Battle of Wadgaon War ends with the restoration of status quo as perTreaty of Salbai.
1780 Birth of Maharaja Ranjit Singh
1780 Second Anglo-Mysore War begins.
1784 Second Anglo-Mysore War ends with the Treaty of Mangalore.
1786 District collectors in Bengal were made responsible for settling the revenue and collecting it.
1789 Third Anglo-Mysore War begins.
1790 The Marathas under Holkar and General de Boigne defeat the Rajputs of Jaipur and Mughals at the Battle of Patan, where 3000+ Rajput cavalry is killed and the entire Mughal unit vanquished. The defeat crushes Rajput hope of independence from external influence
1792 Third Anglo-Mysore War ends.
1793 The Permanent Settlement of Bengal
1795 Death of Ahilyabai Holkar
1796 Ching-Thang Khomba moves Manipur’s capital to Kangla
1798 Fourth Anglo-Mysore War begins.
1799 Fourth Mysore War- Death of Tipu Sultan
1799 Death of Tipu Sultan
1799 Fourth Anglo-Mysore War ends with the death of Tipu Sultan, the victory of the East India Company, and the restoration of their ally, the Wodeyardynasty of Mysore.
1799 Polygar War
1800 Death of Nana Fadnavis
1801 Maharaja Ranjit Singh establishes Khalsa rule of Punjab from Lahore. Khalsa army liberates Kashmiri Pundits and invades Afghanistan through Khyber Pass.
1802 Treaty of Bassein
1803 Second Anglo-Maratha War begins
1805 Second Anglo-Maratha War ends
1806 Vellore Mutiny
1807 East India Company signs treaty of Amritsar with Maharaja Ranjit Singh
1809 Treaty of Amritsar
1811 Death of Yashwantrao Holkar
1814 “Atmiya Sabha” Established Later on known as “Prarthana Samaj” By Raja Ram Mohan Roy
1817 Third Anglo-Maratha War begins
1817 Establishment of Hindu College (Presidency College, now Presidency University, Kolkata)
1818 Third Anglo-Maratha War ends with the defeat of Bajirao II and the end of the Maratha Empire leaving the East India Company with control of almost the whole of India
1820 Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar is born (to 1891)
1823 Anglo“Burmese Wars (to 1826)
1824 Dayananda Saraswati is born (to 1883)
1826 British rule in Burma (to 1947)
1829 Practice of Sati Prohibited
1830 Raja-Ram Mohun Roy, founder of Brahmo Samaj,visits England.
1833 Death of Raja Ram Mohun Roy.
1836 Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa is born (to 1886)
1839 Death of Maharaj Ranjit Singh
1839 First Anglo-Afghan War
1845 First Anglo-Sikh Wars (to 1849)
1845 Vasudev Balwant Phadke is born (to 1883)
1852 Second Anglo-Burmese War
1853 First Railway line opened between Bombay and Thane and a Telegraph line in Calcutta
1853 Started Post Service
1853 First Railway established between Bombay and Thane
1853 Started Post Service
1853 First Railway estalblished between Bombay and Thane
1855 Santhal rebellion
1856 Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act, 1856
1856 Bal Gangadhar Tilak is born (to 1920)
1856 Narayana Guru is born (to 1928)
1857 The sepoy Mutiny or First War of Independence
1857 Indian Mutiny Rebellion of 1857(10th May)
1857 Establishment of University of Mumbai, University of Madras and University of Calcutta in India
1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857
1857 Established first three University of Mumbai, University of Madras and University of Calcutta in India