Ancient India
Magadha Empire
- Capital
- Rajagir
- Pataliputra
- Vaishali (temp.)
- Haryanka Dynasty
- Bimbisara
- Ajatshatru
- Udayin
- Shifted capital to pataliputra
- Shisu Nagas
- Shifted capital temporarily to vaishali
- Nanda Dynasty
- Dhanananda
- Alexander invaded india 326 BC
Maurya Dynasty
- Chandragupta Maurya
- Mudraraksha is written by Vishakadatta about chandragupta
- Megasthenese wrote Indica
- Kautilya wrote Arthashastra
- Bindusar
- Ashoka
- Kalinga War 261 BC
- Devnama Priya Darshi Raja
- Single lion capital
- Rampurva
- Lavriya
- Nandangarh
- Single bull capital
- Four lion capital
- Carved Elephant
- Engraved Elephant
- Decline
- Brahmanical reaction
- Financial crisis
- Oppressive rule
- New knowledge on outlyinh area
- Neglect of North-west frontier
- Destroyed by Pushyamitra Sunga
Central Asia
- Indo Greeks
- Ruled Bactria
- Menander
- Had his capital at sialkot
- First to issue coins which can be definitely attributed to kings
- Shakas
- Maves
- Rudra Daman
- most famous ruler
- Defeated Satavahana
- Defeated by Vikramaditya
- Parthians
- earlier lived in Iran
- Gondohernes
- Kushans
- branch of chinese tribe
- Empire extended from oxus river to ganga
- Capital
- Kanishka
- most famous ruler
- started Saka era AD 78
- Gandhara school of art with indian tradition and greek techniques received royal patronage
- Issued gold coins with higher degree of metallic purity than in Gupta gold coins
- Satavahana
- Succeeded Mauryas in central india
- Simuka
- Gautamiputra Satakarni
- Hala
- Wrote Gathasaptsati in Prakrit
- Buddhist temple
- Called Chaitya
- Most famous at Karle
Sangam Age
- existed roughly b/w 300BC and 300AD
- Pandyas
- Emblem - Fish
- Famous for pearls
- Capital
- Mudukudumi
- Nedunijhelian
- Cholas
- Emblem - Tiger
- modern Tanjore and Tiruchirapalli districts
- Capital
- Elara
- earliest known chola king
- ruled over lanka
- Karikala
- greatest king
- founded Puhar
- Maintained navy
- Wiped out by Pallavas
- Cheras
- Emblem - Bow
- Capital
- Temple of Augustus at Muzris
- Udaiyangeral
Gupta Empire
- Last rulers of Magadh
- Capital
- Srigupta
- Mahendragupta I
- first gupta ruler to assume the title of maharajadhiraj
- Samudragupta
- believed in policy of violence and conquest
- Harisena wrote allahabad inscription
- Adopted the title of kaviraj
- Chandragupta II
- first gupta ruler to issue silver coin
- extended limits of empire by marriage, alliances and conquest
- made Ujjain as capital
- Fa-hien visited India
- Adopted the title of vikramaditya
- Kumargupta I
- Adopted the title of mahendraditya
- worshipped god kartikeya
- Founded the monastry at Nalanda
- Skandagupta
- Hunas invaded India but were repelled by him
- Administration
- The most important officers were the kumaramatyas
- kingdom was divided into provinces(bhukti), managed by upaika
- bhuktis were divided into district(vishayas), managed by vishyaptai
- guilds were given considerable shares
- grant of fiscal and administrative concessions to priests and administrators
- Guptas issued largest number of gold coins which were called Dinars
- Society
- Brahamanas claimed many privileges
- position of Sudras improved
- women were also allowed to listen to puranas and epics
- polygamy was common
- idol worship
- Kalidasa wrote
- Lyrics - Ritusambara and Meghduta
- Dramas - Abhigyan Shakuntalam, Vikramovashi and Malvikagnimitra
- Epics - Kumasambhava and Raghuvamsha
- Aryabhatta wrote Aryabhattca
- School of art
- Gandhara
- Influenced by roman and greeks
- Patrons were sakas and kushanas
- Realistic representation of human figures
- distinguished muscles of body and transparent garments
- white stones used
- Mathura
- Standing female figure of Amohini relief
- Buddha and Mahavira belong to mathura school
- majority of creation consisted of nude, seminude figure of female Yakshinis and Apsaras
- red sand stones used
- Amravati
- depicted love, compassion, devotion and serenity
- white marbles used
Early Medieval India
- Pallavas
- Pallavas means creeper
- Capital
- Narsimhavaraman I
- one of the earliest ruler
- Huen Tsang visited India
- defeated Chalukya king Pulakesin II
- founded the seven rath temples and the port city of mahabalipuram
- Narsimhavaraman II
- constructed
- kailash natha temple at kanchi
- shore temple at mahabalipuram
- Chalukyas
- in northern maharashtra and berar
- Satavahanas -> Vakatakas -> Chalukyas -> Rashtrakutas
- Capital
- Pulakesin II
- defeated Harshavardhan at Narmada
- defeated Pallava King Mahendravarman I
- killed by Narsimhavarman I
- Palas
- Gopala
- Dharmapala
- Devapala
- defeated by Rashtrakuta ruler Dhruva
- defeated by Pratihara king Nagabhatta II
- Pratiharas
- also called Gujara-Pratiharas
- Mihir Bhoja
- founder
- greatest ruler
- devotee of Vishnu
- adopted the title Adivaraha
- Rashtrakutas
- Dantidurga
- Capital
- Manyakhet near modern Sholapur
- Govinda III
- Senas
- Samantha Sena
- greatest ruler
- introduced caste hierarchy in bengal
- Lakshmansena
- defeated Jayachandra of Gahadavala
- Muhammad Khilji invaded Bengal during his reign
- Gahadavalas
- Chandradeva
- first great ruler
- made Kannauj his capital
- Jayachandra
- defeated by Lakshmansena
- killed by Mohammad Ghori (Battle of Chandawar)
- Paramars
- Bhoja Paramar
- greatest king
- founded city of Bhopal
- Capital
- Chahamanas
- also called Chauhans
- Capital
- Ajayaraja
- earliest ruler
- founder Ajmer
- Prithviraj III
- great ruler
- Chanderbardai wrote Prithviraj Raso
- defeated Mohammad Ghori
- defeated by Ghori (Second battle of Tarain)
- Medieval Cholas
- Vijayalaya
- Raja Raja I
- built Siva temple of Rajarajeshwara at Tanjore
- Chola empire was divided into Mandlams(provinces)
- Mandlams were divided into Valanadu and Nadu
- Ur -> general assembly of village
- Sabha -> gathering of adult men
- Nagram -> gathering of trader and merchants
- nayanars and alvars existed