General Knowledge for IAS Exams (Indian History – Important Dates)
General Knowledge for IAS Exams (History of India and World)
INDIAN HISTORY – IMPORTANT DATES
I. ANCIENT
BC
- 2300–1750: Indus Valley Civilization.
- From 1500: Coming of the Aryans.
- 1200–800: Expansion of the Aryans in the Ganga Valley.
- 600: Age of the 16 Mahajanapadas of northern India.
- 563–483: Buddha’s Life-span.
- 540–468: Mahavir’s Life-span.
- 362–321: Nanda dynasty.
- 327–326: Alexander’s invasion of India. It opened a land route between India and Europe.
- 322: Accession of Chandragupta Maurya.
- 305: Defeat of Seleucus at the hands of Chandragupta Maurya.
- 273–232: Ashoka’s reign.
- 261: Conquest of Kalinga.
- 145–101: Regin of Elara, the Chola king of Sri Lanka.
- 58: Beginning of Vikram era. AD
- 78: Beginning of Saka era.
- 78-101: Kanishka’s reign.
- 319–320: Commencement of Gupta era.
- 380: Accession of Chandragupta II ‘Vikramaditya’
- 405–411: Visit of Chinese traveller Fahien.
- 415: Accession of Kumargupta I.
- 455: Accession of Skandagupta.
- 606–647: Harshavardhan’s reign.
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II. MEDIEVAL
- 712: First invasion in Sindh by Arabs (Mohd. Bin Qasim).
- 836: Accession of King Bhoja of Kannauj.
- 985: Accession of Rajaraja, the Chola ruler.
- 998: Accession of Sultan Mahmud Ghazni.
- 1001: First invasion of India by Mahmud Ghazni who defeated Jaipal, ruler of Punjab.
- 1025: Destruction of Somnath Temple by Mahmud Ghazni.
- 1191: First battle of Tarain.
- 1192: Second battle of Tarain.
- 1206: Accession of Qutubuddin Aibak to the throne of Delhi.
- 1210: Death of Qutubuddin Aibak.
- 1221: Chengiz Khan invaded India (Mongol invasion).
- 1236: Accession of Razia Sultana to the throne of Delhi.
- 1240: Death of Razia Sultana.
- 1296: Accession of Alauddin Khilji.
- 1316: Death of Alauddin Khilji.
- 1325: Accession of Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq.
- 1327: Transfer of capital from Delhi to Devagiri (Daulatabad) in Deccan by the Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq.
- 1336: Foundation of Vijaynagar empire in the South.
- 1351: Accession of Firoz Shah Tughlaq.
- 1398: Timur’s invasion of India.
- 1469: Birth of Guru Nanak.
- 1494: Accession of Babur in Farghana.
- 1497–98: First voyage of Vasco da Gama to India (discovery of sea route to India via the Cape of Good Hope)
- 1526: First Battle of Panipat; Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodhi; foundation of Mughal dynasty by Babur.
- 1527: Battle of Khanwa-Babur defeated Rana Sanga.
- 1530: Death of Babur and accession of Humayun.
- 1539: Sher Shah Suri defeated Humayun in the battle of Chausa and became India’s emperor.
- 1555: Humayun recaptured the throne of Delhi.
- 1556: Second Battle of Panipat (Bairam Khan defeated Hemu).
- 1556: Battle of Talikota (Rakshasa- Tangadi).
- 1576: Battle of Haldighati-Rana Pratap was defeated by Akbar.
- 1582: Din-i-Ilahi founded by Akbar.
- 1600: English East India Company established.
- 1605: Death of Akbar and accession of Jahangir.
- 1606: Execution of Guru Arjun Dev, the 5th Guru of Sikhs.
- 1611: Jahangir marries Nurjahan.
- 1615: Sir Thomas Roe visits Jahangir.
- 1627: Birth of Shivaji and death of Jahangir.
- 1628: Shahjahan becomes emperor of India.
- 1631: Death of Mumtazmahal.
- 1634: The English permitted to trade in India (in Bengal).
- 1659: Accession of Aurangzeb, Shahjahan imprisoned.
- 1665: Shivaji imprisoned by Aurangzeb.
- 1666: Death of Shahjahan.
- 1675: Execution of Guru Teg Bahadur, the 9th Guru of Sikhs.
- 1680: Death of Shivaji.
- 1707: Death of Aurangzeb.
- 1708: Death of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Guru of Sikhs.
- 1739: Nadir Shah invades India.
- 1757: Battle of Plassey, establishment of British political rule in India at the hands of Lord Clive.
- 1761: Third battle of Panipat.
III. Modern
- 1764: Battle of Buxar.
- 1765: Clive appointed Company’s Governor in India.
- 1767–69: First Angle-Mysore War.
- 1780: Birth of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
- 1780-84: Second Anglo-Mysore War.
- 1784: Pitt’s India Act.
- 1790-92: Third Anglo-Mysore War.
- 1793: The Permanent Settlement of Bengal.
- 1799: Fourth Anglo-Mysore War;Death of Tipu Sultan.
- 1802: Treaty of Bassein.
- 1809: Treaty of Amritsar.
- 1829: Practice of Sati prohibited.
- 1830: Raja Rammohan Roy visits England.
- 1833: Death of Raja Rammohan Roy at Bristol, England.
- 1839: Death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
- 1839–42: First Anglo-Afghan War.
- 1845–46: First Anglo-Sikh War.
- 1852: Second Anglo-Burmese War.
- 1853: First Railway line opened between Bombay and Thane and a Telegraph line in Calcutta.
- 1857: The Sepoy Mutiny or First War of Independence.
- 1861: Birth of Rabindranath Tagore.
- 1869: Birth of Mahatma Gandhi.
- 1885: Foundation of Indian National Congress.
- 1889: Birth of Jawaharlal Nehru.
- 1897: Birth of Subhash Chandra Bose.
- 1903: Tibet Expedition.
- 1905: Partition of Bengal by Lord Curzon.
- 1906: Foundation of Muslim League.
- 1911: Delhi Darbar, King George V and Queen visit India; Delhi becomes the capital of India.
- 1914: World War I begins.
- 1916: Lucknow Pact signed by Muslim League and Congress, Foundation of BHU, Home Rule League founded.
- 1918: World War I ends.
- 1919: Montague-Chelmsford Reforms introduced, Jallianwala Bagh massacre at Amritsar.
- 1920: Khilafat Movement launched, first meeting of All-India Trade Union Congress, Hunter Commission Report on Jallianwala Bagh Massacre Published First Noncooperation movement launched by Gandhi.
- 1922: Violent incidents at Chaura Chauri Gandhi calls of Non-cooperation movement.
- 1925: Communist Party of India organised at Kanpur.
- 1927: Boycott of Simon Commission, Broadcasting started in India.
- 1928: Death of Lala Lajpat Rai, Nehru Report.
- 1929: Resolution of ‘Poorna Swaraj’ (complete independence) passed at Lahore Session of INC.
- 1930: Civil disobedience movement launched, Dandhi March by Mahatma Gandhi (April 6, 1930) First round table conference held in London.
- 1931: Gandhi-Irwin Pact, Civil Disobedience movement suspended Second round table conference held.
- 1932: MacDonald announces communal award (modified by Poona Pact, September 24).
- 1935: Government of India Act.
- 1937: Provincial Autonomy, Congress forms ministries.
- 1938: All India Kishan Sabha formed.
- 1939: World War II begins (September 3), Resignation of Congress Ministries in Provinces.
- 1941: Escape of Subhash Chandra Bose from India and death of Rabindranath Tagore.
- 1942: Arrival of Cripps Mission in India, Quit India movement launched (August 8).
- 1943–44: SC Bose forms Provisional Government of Free India and Indian National Army in Singapore; Bengal famine.
- 1945: Trial of Indian National Army at Red Fort, Shimla Conference; World War II ends.
- 1946: British Cabinet Mission visits India; Interim government formed at the Centre. The Muslim league decides on “Direct Action” for winning Pakistan.
- 1947: Division of India; India and Pakistan form separate independent dominions.
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