Outline of South Asian history

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the history of South Asia:

History of South Asia – South Asia includes the contemporary political entities of the Indian subcontinent and associated islands, therefore, its history includes the histories of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Afghanistan, Bhutan, and the island nations of Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Chronology

Chronology of India

James Mill (1774–1836), in his The History of British India (1817),^[a] distinguished three phases in the history of India, namely Hindu, Muslim, and British civilisations.^[b]^[c] This periodisation has been influential, but has also been criticised for the misconceptions it gave rise to.^[d] Another influential periodisation is the division into "ancient, classical, medieval and modern periods".^[e]

World History^[f]

James Mill's Periodisation^[g]

ACMM^[h]^[i]

Chronology of Indian History^[j]^[k]^[l]^[m]

Early Complex Societes
(3500–2000 BCE)

?

Ancient India

Prehistoric Era
Indus Valley Civilisation

Ancient Civilisations
(2000–500 BCE)

Hindu civilisations

Early Vedic Period
(c. 1750 – 1200 BCE)

Middle Vedic Period
(from 1200 BCE)

Late Vedic period
(from 850 BCE)

Classical Civilisations
(500 BCE-500 CE)

Second urbanisation
Early empires^[n]
(c. 600–200 BCE)^[o]

Disintegration^[p] and regional states
(c. 200 BCE–300 CE)^[q]

Classical India

"Golden Age" (Gupta Empire)
(c. 320–650 CE)^[r]

Post-classical age
(500–1000 CE)

Medieval India

Regional Indian kingdoms and Beginning of Islamic raids
(c. 650–1100 CE)^[s]

Transregional nomadic empires
(1000–1500 CE)

Muslim civilisations

Delhi Sultanate (north India)
(1206–1526 CE)
Vijayanagara Empire (south India)
(1336–1646 CE)

Modern age
(1500–present)

Modern India

Mughal Empire
(1526–1707)

British civilisations

Maratha Empire
British rule
(c. 1750 CE–1947)

–

Independent India

Notes and references for table

Notes Different periods are designated as "classical Hinduism":

Smart calls the period between 1000 BCE and 100 CE "pre-classical". It's the formative period for the Upanishads and Brahmanism (Smart distinguishes "Brahmanism" from the Vedic religion, connecting "Brahmanism" with the Upanishads.^[t]), Jainism and Buddhism. For Smart, the "classical period" lasts from 100 to 1000 CE, and coincides with the flowering of "classical Hinduism" and the flowering and deterioration of Mahayana-buddhism in India.^[u]
For Michaels, the period between 500 BCE and 200 BCE is a time of "Ascetic reformism",^[v] whereas the period between 200 BCE and 1100 CE is the time of "classical Hinduism", since there is "a turning point between the Vedic religion and Hindu religions".^[w]
Muesse discerns a longer period of change, namely between 800 BCE and 200 BCE, which he calls the "Classical Period". According to Muesse, some of the fundamental concepts of Hinduism, namely karma, reincarnation and "personal enlightenment and transformation", which did not exist in the Vedic religion, developed in this time.^[x]

References

^ Khanna 2007, p.xvii
^ Khanna 2007, p.xvii
^ Misra 2004, p.194
^ Kulke 2004, p.7
^ Flood 1996, p.21
^ Bentley
^ Khanna 2007, p.xvii
^ Flood 1996, p.21
^ Stein
^ Smart 2003, p. 52–53
^ Michaels 2004
^ Muesse 2011
^ Flood 1996, p. 21–22
^ Thapar
^ Thapar
^ Thapar
^ Michaels 2004, p.39
^ Michaels 2004, p.40
^ Michaels 2004, p.41
^ Smart 2003, p. 52, 83–86
^ Smart 2003, p.52
^ Michaels 2004, p.36
^ Michaels 2004, p.38
^ Muesse 2003, p.14

Sources

Bentley, Jerry H. (June 1996), "Cross-Cultural Interaction and Periodization in World History", The American Historical Review, 101 (3): 749–770, doi:10.2307/2169422, JSTOR 2169422
Flood, Gavin D. (1996), An Introduction to Hinduism, Cambridge University Press
Khanna, Meenakshi (2007), Cultural History Of Medieval India, Berghahn Books
Kulke, Hermann; Rothermund, Dietmar (2004), A History of India, Routledge
Michaels, Axel (2004), Hinduism. Past and present, Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press
Misra, Amalendu (2004), Identity and Religion: Foundations of Anti-Islamism in India, SAGE
Muesse, Mark William (2003), Great World Religions: Hinduism
Muesse, Mark W. (2011), The Hindu Traditions: A Concise Introduction, Fortress Press
Smart, Ninian (2003), Godsdiensten van de wereld (The World's religions), Kampen: Uitgeverij Kok
Thapar, Romila (1977), A History of India. Volume One, Penguin Books

James Mill (1773–1836), in his The History of British India (1817), distinguished three phases in the history of India, namely Hindu, Muslim and British civilisations. This periodisation has been influential, but has also been criticised for the misconceptions it gave rise to. Another influential periodisation is the division into "ancient, classical, medieval and modern periods", although this periodisation has also been criticised.^[1]

Romila Thapar notes that the division into Hindu-Muslim-British periods of Indian history gives too much weight to "ruling dynasties and foreign invasions",^[2] neglecting the social-economic history which often showed a strong continuity.^[2] The division into Ancient-Medieval-Modern periods overlooks the fact that the Muslim conquests occurred gradually during which time many things came and went off, while the south was never completely conquered.^[2] According to Thapar, a periodisation could also be based on "significant social and economic changes", which are not strictly related to the change of ruling powers.^[3]^{[note 1]}

By period

Prehistory

Stone Age

South Asian Stone Age (50,000–3000 BC)

Bhirrana Culture (7570-6200 BC)
Mehrgarh Culture (7000–3300 BC)

Bronze Age

Bronze Age India (3000–1300 BC)

Indus Valley Civilization (3300–1700 BC)
- Early Harappan Culture (3300–2600 BC)
- Mature Harappan Culture (2600–1900 BC)
Ochre Coloured Pottery culture (from 2000 BC)
Vedic period (1750–1200 BC)
- Late Harappan Culture (1700–1300 BC)
Swat culture (1600–500 BC)
- Black and Red ware culture (1300–1200 BC)

Iron Age

Iron Age (1200–230 BC)

Vedic period (1200–500 BCE)
- Black and Red ware culture (1200–1000 BC)
- Painted Grey Ware culture (1200–600 BC)
- Janapadas (1200–600 BC)
- Northern Black Polished Ware (700–200 BC)
Haryanka Kingdom (684–424 BC)
Maha Janapadas (600–300 BC)
Pandyan Kingdom (600 BC– 1650 AD)
Achaemenid Empire (550–330 BC)
Magadha Kingdom (500–321 BC)
Ror Kingdom (450 BC–489 AD)
Nanda Empire (424–321 BC)
Shishunaga Kingdom (413–345 BC)
Macedonian Empire (330–323 BC)
Maurya Empire (321–184 BC)
Seleucid Empire (312–63 BC)
Chera Kingdom (300 BC–1102 AD)
Chola Empire (300 BC–1279 AD)
Pallava Empire (250 BC–800 AD)
Maha-Megha-Vahana Empire (250 BC–400 AD)
Parthian Empire (247 BC–224 AD)

Middle kingdoms

Middle kingdoms of India (230 BC–1279 AD)

Satavahana Empire (230 BC–220 AD)
Kuninda Kingdom (200 BC–300 AD)
Indo-Scythian Kingdom (200 BC–400 AD)
Shunga Empire (185–73 BC)
Indo-Greek Kingdom (180 BC–10 AD)
Kanva Empire (75–26 BC)
Indo-Parthian Kingdom (21–130s AD)
Western Satrap Empire (35–405 AD)
Kushan Empire (60–240 AD)
Bharshiva Dynasty (170–350 AD)
Nagas of Padmavati (210–340 AD)
Sasanian Empire (224–651 AD)
Indo-Sassanid Kingdom (230–360 AD)
Vakataka Empire (250s–6th century AD)
Kalabhra Empire (250–600 AD)
Gupta Empire (280–550 AD)
Kadamba Empire (345–525 AD)
Western Ganga Kingdom (350–1000 AD)
Kamarupa Kingdom (350–1100 AD)
Vishnukundina Empire (420–624 AD)
Maitraka Empire (475–767 AD)
Huna Kingdom (475–576 AD)
Rai Kingdom (489–632 AD)
Shahi Empire (6th century–1026 AD)
Chalukya Empire (543–753 AD)
Maukhari Empire (550s–8th century AD)
Kalachuris of Mahishmati (6th-7th century AD)
Harsha Empire (606–647 AD)
Tibetan Empire (618–841 AD)
Eastern Chalukya Kingdom (624–1075 AD)
Rashidun Caliphate (632–661 AD)
Gurjara-Pratihara Empire (650–1036 AD)
Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 AD)
Kalachuris of Tripuri (7th-12th century AD)
Pala Empire (750–1174 AD)
Rashtrakuta Empire (753–982 AD)
Paramara Kingdom (800–1327 AD)
Yadava Empire (850–1334 AD)
Chaulukya Kingdom (942–1244 AD)
Western Chalukya Empire (973–1189 CE)
Lohara Kingdom (1003–1320 AD)
Hoysala Empire (1040–1346 AD)
Sena Empire (1070–1230 AD)
Eastern Ganga Empire (1078–1434 AD)
Zamorin Kingdom (1102–1766 AD)
Kakatiya Kingdom (1083–1323 AD)
Chutiya Kingdom (1187-1673 AD)
Kalachuris of Kalyani (1156–1184 AD)

Late medieval period

Late medieval period (1206–1596)

Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526 AD)
- Mamluk Sultanate (1206–1290 AD)
- Khalji Sultanate (1290–1320 AD)
- Tughlaq Sultanate (1320–1414 AD)
- Sayyid Sultanate (1414–1451 AD)
- Lodi Sultanate (1451–1526 AD)
Deva Kingdom (12th century–13th century AD)
Ahom Kingdom (1228–1826 AD)
Chitradurga Kingdom (1300–1779 AD)
Reddy Kingdom (1325–1448 AD)
Vijayanagara Empire (1336–1646 AD)
Garhwal Kingdom (1358–1803 AD)
Mysore Kingdom (1399–1947 AD)
Gajapati Kingdom (1434–1541 AD)
Keladi Kingdom (1499–1763 AD)
Deccan Sultanates (1490–1596 AD)
Koch Kingdom (1515–1947 AD)

Early modern period

Early modern period (1526–1858)

Mughal Empire (1526–1858 AD)
- Sur Empire (1540–1556 AD)
Madurai Kingdom (1559–1736 AD)
Thanjavur Kingdom (1572–1918 AD)
Marava Kingdom (1600–1750 AD)
Thondaiman Kingdom (1650–1948 AD)
Maratha Empire (1674–1818 AD)
Sikh Confederacy (1707–1799 AD)
Durrani Empire (1747–1823 AD)
Travancore Kingdom (1729–1947 AD)
Sikh Empire (1799–1849 AD)

European colonial period

Colonial period (1510–1961 AD)

Portuguese India (1510–1961 AD)
Dutch India (1605–1825 AD)
Danish India (1620–1869 AD)
French India (1759–1954 AD)
Company Raj (1757–1858 AD)
British Raj (1858–1947 AD)
Partition of British India (1947 AD)

Kingdoms of Sri Lanka

Kingdom of Tambapanni (543–505 BCE)
Kingdom of Upatissa Nuwara (505–377 BCE)
Anuradhapura Kingdom (377 BCE–1017 CE)
Kingdom of Ruhuna (200 CE)
Kingdom of Polonnaruwa (300–1310 CE)
Jaffna Kingdom (1215–1624 CE)
Kingdom of Dambadeniya (1220–1272 CE)
Kingdom of Yapahuwa (1272–1293 CE)
Kingdom of Kurunegala (1293–1341 CE)
Kingdom of Gampola (1341–1347 CE)
Kingdom of Raigama (1347–1415 CE)
Kingdom of Kotte (1412–1597 CE)
Kingdom of Sitawaka (1521–1594 CE)
Kingdom of Kandy (1469–1815 CE)
Portuguese Ceylon (1505–1658 CE)
Dutch Ceylon (1656–1796 CE)
British Ceylon (1815–1948 CE)

History of South Asia, by region

History of South Asia, by subject

References

Notes

^ See also Tanvir Anjum, Temporal Divides: A Critical Review of the Major Schemes of Periodization in Indian History.

Citations

^ Thapar 1978, p. 19–20.
^ ^a ^b ^c Thapar 1978, p. 19.
^ Thapar 1978, p. 20.

Sources

Flood, Gavin D. (1996), An Introduction to Hinduism, Cambridge University Press
Hiltebeitel, Alf (2002), Hinduism. In: Joseph Kitagawa, "The Religious Traditions of Asia: Religion, History, and Culture", Routledge, ISBN 9781136875977
Michaels, Axel (2004), Hinduism. Past and present, Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press
Samuel, Geoffrey (2010), The Origins of Yoga and Tantra. Indic Religions to the Thirteenth Century, Cambridge University Press

External links

[1] Khanna 2007, p.xvii

[2] Khanna 2007, p.xvii

[3] Misra 2004, p.194

[4] Kulke 2004, p.7

[5] Flood 1996, p.21

[6] Bentley

[7] Khanna 2007, p.xvii

[8] Flood 1996, p.21

[9] Stein

[10] Smart 2003, p. 52–53

[11] Michaels 2004

[12] Muesse 2011

[13] Flood 1996, p. 21–22

[14] Thapar

[15] Thapar

[16] Thapar

[17] Michaels 2004, p.39

[18] Michaels 2004, p.40

[19] Michaels 2004, p.41

[20] Smart 2003, p. 52, 83–86

[21] Smart 2003, p.52

[22] Michaels 2004, p.36

[23] Michaels 2004, p.38

[24] Muesse 2003, p.14

[28] See also Tanvir Anjum, Temporal Divides: A Critical Review of the Major Schemes of Periodization in Indian History.

[FOOTNOTEThapar197819–20-25] Thapar 1978, p. 19–20.

[FOOTNOTEThapar197819-26] Thapar 1978, p. 19.

[FOOTNOTEThapar197820-27] Thapar 1978, p. 20.

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