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

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.