History of India

The History of India for times preceding 1947 is inseparable from that of the history of the Indian subcontinent as a whole. The neolithic Indus Valley civilization in the 3rd millennium BCE extended over much of what is now Pakistan and the western Republic of India. The Vedic civilization until the 1st millennium BCE spread over all of northern India, from the Punjab and the Gangetic plain to Bangladesh, so that with the beginning historical period of the Middle kingdoms, northern India was dominated by the Arya, while in the south Dravidian culture was prominent. From the 10th century, Islamic empires were established in northwestern India, culminating with the Mughal era. The history of Colonial India begins in the 17th century, leading up to British control after the revolt of 1857. The independence movement resulted in a split of the British Raj into the contemporary states of the Republic of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The Islamic Sultanates

After the Arab-Turkic invasion of India's ancient northern neighbour Persia, various short lived Islamic empires invaded and spread across the subcontinent over a period of 1000 years. Prior to Turkish invasions, Muslim trading communities flourished throughout coastal South India, particularly in Kerala. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Turks and Afghans invaded India and established the Sultanate of Delhi at the beginning of the 13th century. The Slave dynasty and Khiji empire managed to conquer large areas of northern India approximate to the ancient extent of the Guptas, but were ultimately unsuccessful in conquering the subcontinent, until the onset of the Mughals.

Related Topics:
Islamic - South India - Kerala - Turks - Afghans - Sultanate of Delhi - Slave dynasty - Khiji - Guptas - Mughals

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Vijayanagar empire

The brothers Harihara and Bukka founded the Karnataka Empire, also known as the Vijayanagara Empire, in 1336. The Vijayanagara empire prospered during the reign of Krishnadevaraya. It suffered a major defeat in 1565 but continued for another century or so in an attenuated form. Southern Indian kingdoms of the time expanded their influence as far as Indonesia, controlling vast overseas empires in south east Asia. The Hindu dynasty came into conflict with Islamic rule and the clashing of the two systems, the prevailing indigenous Hindu beliefs and the Muslim religion, which caused a mingling of the indigenous and foreign culture that left lasting cultural influences on each other. The later Mughal rule also saw such influences of Gujarati and Rajasthani culture contributing towards this.

Related Topics:
Vijayanagara - Krishnadevaraya - Indonesia - Muslim

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See also: Islamic invasion of India, Decline of Buddhism in India

Related Topics:
Islamic invasion of India - Decline of Buddhism in India

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