Chronology of major ancient and medieval Indian dynasties with their founders, capitals and notable rulers, for CAPF Paper I revision
Cover the right column and recall founder, capital and signature achievement. Dates for the ancient period are approximate by convention; treat them as the standard textbook figures. For detail see mauryan empire, post mauryan and gupta age, delhi sultanate and mughal empire.
| Dynasty (period) | Founder / key ruler | Capital and note |
|---|---|---|
| Haryanka (c. 544 to 412 BCE) | Bimbisara, Ajatashatru | Magadha; Rajgir then Pataliputra |
| Nanda (c. 345 to 321 BCE) | Mahapadma Nanda | Pataliputra; powerful, displaced by the Mauryas |
| Maurya (c. 321 to 185 BCE) | Chandragupta Maurya | Pataliputra; Ashoka and the Kalinga War (c. 261 BCE); Arthashastra by Kautilya |
| Shunga (c. 185 to 73 BCE) | Pushyamitra Shunga | Succeeded the Mauryas; Bharhut stupa |
| Satavahana (c. 1st c. BCE to 2nd c. CE) | Simuka; Gautamiputra Satakarni | Deccan; Pratishthana (Paithan) |
| Kushana (c. 1st to 3rd c. CE) | Kanishka | Purushapura (Peshawar); Fourth Buddhist Council; Gandhara and Mathura art |
| Gupta (c. 320 to 550 CE) | Chandragupta I; Samudragupta; Chandragupta II | Pataliputra; "Golden Age"; Aryabhata, Kalidasa, Nalanda |
See mahajanapadas jainism and buddhism and post mauryan and gupta age.
| Dynasty (period) | Key ruler | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Vardhana (Pushyabhuti) (7th c.) | Harshavardhana | Kannauj; Xuanzang (Hiuen Tsang) visited; Banabhatta wrote Harshacharita |
| Pallava (c. 4th to 9th c.) | Mahendravarman; Narasimhavarman | Kanchipuram; Mahabalipuram rock-cut temples |
| Chalukya of Badami (6th to 8th c.) | Pulakeshin II | Defeated Harsha; Aihole and Pattadakal |
| Rashtrakuta (8th to 10th c.) | Dantidurga; Amoghavarsha; Krishna I | Manyakheta; Kailasa temple at Ellora |
| Chola (9th to 13th c.) | Rajaraja I; Rajendra I | Tanjore; Brihadeshwara temple; powerful navy; local self-government |
| Pala (8th to 12th c.) | Gopala; Dharmapala | Bengal; Buddhism; Vikramashila university |
See south india and sangam age and art and architecture of india.
| Dynasty (period) | Founder / key ruler | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Slave (Mamluk) (1206 to 1290) | Qutb-ud-din Aibak; Iltutmish; Razia Sultana; Balban | Qutub Minar begun by Aibak |
| Khalji (1290 to 1320) | Jalal-ud-din; Alauddin Khalji | Market reforms; repelled the Mongols; Malik Kafur's Deccan campaigns |
| Tughlaq (1320 to 1414) | Ghiyas-ud-din; Muhammad bin Tughlaq; Firoz Shah | Capital shift to Daulatabad; token currency; Firoz Shah's canals |
| Sayyid (1414 to 1451) | Khizr Khan | Weak successor regime |
| Lodi (1451 to 1526) | Bahlul Lodi; Sikandar Lodi; Ibrahim Lodi | Afghan dynasty; defeated at Panipat in 1526 |
See delhi sultanate.
| Dynasty / ruler (period) | Note |
|---|---|
| Babur (1526 to 1530) | Founded Mughal rule after First Battle of Panipat (1526) |
| Humayun (1530 to 1540, 1555 to 1556) | Lost to Sher Shah Suri, regained the throne |
| Sher Shah Suri (1540 to 1545) | Sur interregnum; Grand Trunk Road; rupee and revenue reform |
| Akbar (1556 to 1605) | Din-i-Ilahi; mansabdari; abolition of jizya; Fatehpur Sikri |
| Jahangir (1605 to 1627) | Patron of painting; Nur Jahan |
| Shah Jahan (1628 to 1658) | Taj Mahal; peak of Mughal architecture |
| Aurangzeb (1658 to 1707) | Greatest territorial extent; reimposed jizya; long Deccan wars |
| Marathas (from 1674) | Shivaji crowned at Raigad (1674); later the Peshwas; ascendant in the 18th century |