Ancient Indian History

Period Timeframe Key Features Important Figures

Urban planning,
Indus Valley No known rulers, notable
3300 BCE – drainage system, no
Civilization sites: Harappa, Mohenjo-
1300 BCE iron, trade with
(IVC) Daro, Dholavira, Lothal
Mesopotamia
Early Vedic:
Pastoral life, Rig Rishi Vyas (Rig Veda
1500 BCE –
Vedic Age Veda. Later Vedic: compiler), King Janaka,
600 BCE
Agriculture, iron Bharata (Aila dynasty)
use, Mahajanapadas
Bimbisara (Haryanka
16 Mahajanapadas, dynasty), Ajatashatru
600 BCE –
Mahajanapadas rise of Magadha, (Magadha expansion),
322 BCE
urbanization Mahapadma Nanda
(Nanda dynasty)
Jainism (Mahavira, Mahavira (24th Jain
Jainism & 6th Century Five Vows), Tirthankara), Gautama
Buddhism BCE Buddhism (Buddha, Buddha, Ashoka (patron of
Four Noble Truths) Buddhism)
First pan-Indian
empire, Ashoka’s Chandragupta Maurya,
322 BCE –
Maurya Empire Dhamma, Chanakya (Kautilya),
185 BCE
centralized Bindusara, Ashoka
administration
Indo-Greeks, Kanishka (Kushan ruler),
Post-Mauryan 200 BCE – Kushanas, Gandhara Menander (Indo-Greek
Period 300 CE art, Silk Route ruler, converted to
trade Buddhism)
Karikala Chola (Chola
Tamil kingdoms
ruler), Ilango Adigal
Sangam Age 300 BCE – (Chola, Chera,
(Silappadikaram author),
(South India) 300 CE Pandya), Sangam
Sattanar (Manimekalai
literature
author)
Gupta Empire 319 CE – Golden Age, zero Chandragupta I (Founder),
550 CE concept, classical Samudragupta (Napoleon
Sanskrit literature of India), Chandragupta II
(Vikramaditya), Kalidasa
(Sanskrit poet), Aryabhatta
(Mathematician, inventor of
 Period Timeframe Key Features Important Figures
zero & decimal system)
Last great Hindu Harsha, Hiuen Tsang
Harsha 606 CE – ruler, Buddhism (Chinese traveler),
Vardhana 647 CE patron, Nalanda Banabhatta
University (Harshacharita author)

🔥 Quick Learning Points for Exams:

 Indus Valley: No iron, first urban civilization, undeciphered script.

 Vedic Age: Early Vedic (pastoral), Later Vedic (agriculture, iron).
 Buddhism & Jainism: Opposed rituals, non-violence.
 Maurya Empire: Ashoka’s Dhamma, Kalinga War.
 Gupta Empire: Golden Age of Science, Aryabhatta (Mathematics,
Astronomy, π value), Kalidasa.

Medieval Indian History

Period Timeframe Key Features Important Figures

Rajput kingdoms,
resistance against Prithviraj Chauhan,
750 CE –
Rajput Period Arabs & Turks, Raja Bhoja, Raja
1200 CE
Prithviraj Chauhan vs. Anangpal Tomar
Ghori (1191, 1192)
Slave Dynasty
First Muslim rule, Khilji Dynasty
Delhi Sultanate 1206 CE –
administrative setup, Tughlaq Dynasty
(5 Dynasties) 1526 CE
taxation (Iqta system) Sayyid Dynasty
Lodi Dynasty
Harihara & Bukka
Hampi, strong military,
Vijayanagara 1336 CE – (Founders),
Battle of Talikota
Empire 1646 CE Krishnadevaraya (Peak
(1565)
ruler)
Conflict with
Bahmani 1347 CE – Alauddin Hasan Bahman
Vijayanagara, division
Sultanate 1527 CE Shah (Founder)
into Deccan Sultanates
Strong administration, Babur (1st Battle of
Persian culture, Panipat), Akbar (Din-i-
Mughal 1526 CE –
Akbar’s religious Ilahi, Navratnas),
Empire 1857 CE
tolerance, Mansabdari Aurangzeb (Expansion,
system decline)
 Period Timeframe Key Features Important Figures
Guerrilla warfare, Shivaji Maharaj
Maratha 1674 CE –
resistance against (Founder), Baji Rao I
Empire 1818 CE
Mughals, Peshwa rule (Peak expansion)
1799 CE – Strong military, Anglo-
Sikh Empire Maharaja Ranjit Singh
1849 CE Sikh wars

Focus for Punjab History (from 14th Century onwards):

Impact of Khilji & Tughlaq expansion in Punjab.

Sufi saints like Baba Farid (12th–13th century, but influence continued).

Social and cultural life under Sultanate rule.

Bhakti movement’s influence on later Sikh teachings.