EBD_7237

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 INDEX
Quick History GK 1-65

INDIAN HISTORY
• Ancient History : Stone Age, Indus Valley Civiliza on, Vedic Age, Jainism,
Buddhism, Magadh Empire, Mauryan/ Post Mauryan (Na ve & Foreign),
Guptas, Harsha, Sangam Period.

• Medieval History : The Rajputs, Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagar, Sufi

Movement, Mughal Period, Sher Shah, Marathas, Foreign Travelers.

• Modern History : Portuguese, Dutch, English, Danes, French/ English

Governors/ Governor Generals/ Viceroys, Bri sh Wars before 1857 &
with Indian States, Social & Cultural Reforms, Movements, Caste, Tribal
& Freedom (Timeline), Indian Na onal Congress & its Sessions, Books/
Newspapers/ Journals, Plans & Acts (1773 to 1947).

WORLD HISTORY
• Ancient History : Mesopotamia, Egypt, Israel, Greek, Rome, Chris anity, Parsi.

• Medieval History : Europe, Africa, Mongol, Arab, China.

• Modern History : Renaissance, Reforms, Revolu ons, World Wars - I & II,
Major wars of World.
 EBD_7237
HISTORY u  India  u  World

TOP HISTORICAL TRENDS/ EVENTS/ DEVELOPMENTS

THAT CHANGED THE WORLD

INDIAN HISTORY MIND MAP

ANCIENT
 Indus Valley Civilization  Vedic Period/Aryan  Jainism & Buddhism
 Magadh Empire  Maurya Dynasty  Kushan Dynasty
 Gupta Empire  Harshvardhana  Southern Kingdom

MEDIEVAL
 Vijayanagar  Bhakti & Sufi Movement  Mughal Dynasty
 Advent of Europeans  Kingdom of Great Marathas

MODERN
 Trade Initiation of British  East India Company  British Rule before 1857
 Sepoy Mutiny 1857
 Freedom Struggle :
 Rowlatt Act (1919)  Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (1919)
 Chauri Chaura (1922)  Non Cooperation Movement (1920-22)
 Civil Disobedience Movement (1930)  Quit-India Movement (1942)
 Partition of India (1947), etc.
 GK-2 HISTORY

ANCIENT INDIA
Pre Historic Ages •• They discovered the art of producing
fire by the friction of stones and the
Pre - historic period is divided into three
sections- Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron wheel was also an important discovery
Age. of this age.
•• Mehagarh in Baluchistan is the oldest
Stone Age Neolithic site in India.
•• Stone age is divided into three periods
i.e. Palaeolithic Age, Mesolithic Age and Chalcolithic Age (1800-1000 BC)
Neolithic Age. •• Chalcolithic Age is marked by the use of
copper as copper age.
Paleolithic Age (500,000-10,000 BC)
•• The economy was based on subsistence
This age is devided into 3 phases agriculture, stock-raising, hunting and
Age Tools Sites fishing.
Early Hand Soan Valley •• The people of this age were the first to
(lower) axes, (Punjab) use painted poetry. The Malwa ware
Palaeolithic Chopper is considered the richest among the
Age & Cleavers Chalcolithic ceramics.
•• Neither people of this age milked
Middle Borers Valleys of Soan, animals for dairy products.
Palaeolithic and Narmada and •• It was a transitional stage when bronze,
Age scrapers, Tungabhadra copper and stone tools were used and
Points Rivers. humans started living settled life.
Flakes,
blades Bronze Age (3000-1300 BC)
Upper Burin and Caves and •• It began with the development of Indus
Palaeolithic Scrapers rock shelters Valley Civilization around 3000 BC and
Age have been continued up to 1300 BC.
discovered at •• People started using weapons and
Bhimbetka agricultural tools made of bronze, an
near Bhopal. alloy of copper and tin.
•• Trade networks of Mesopotamia
Mesolithic Age (10,000-4,000 BC) civilization were opened to reach out in
•• This age was a transitional phase various directions.
between the Palaeolithic Age and •• Long distance trade was limited to
Neolithic Age. luxury goods like spices, textiles and
•• The characteristic tool of this age was precious metals.
microliths, pointed cresconic blades, •• The age came to an end because the
scrapers etc. made of stone. metals used as alloy in manufacturing
•• The people of this age lived on hunting, bronze were not very common and
fishing and food gathering. widely found. The expenses of making
bronze were high at that time.
Neolithic Age (4000-1800 BC)
Iron Age (12th Century BC)
•• Neolithic age was an age of polished
tool culture. •• The Iron Age is an archaeological era,
•• Tool making became an important referring to a period in the prehistory and
profession and a variety of polished protohistory of the ancient world when the
tools were manufactured. dominent tool making material was iron.
•• People of this age learnt the art of •• Other changes in the society such as
pottery and their pots were well made agricultural practices, religious belief and
and decorated with paintings. inclination towards art were started.
There is an evidence of livestock breeding at the end of middle stone age.
 EBD_7237
HISTORY GK-3

•• The age began in the 6th century BC in used by John Marshall.

northern Europe and 8th century BC •• It was spread over Baluchistan, Sindh,
in central Europe and by 12th century Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat,
BC in the East, i.e. ancient Iran, ancient Western UP., Northern Maharashtra.
India, and ancient Greece. •• Capital cities were Harappa,
•• In India the late Harappan Culture was Mohenjodaro.
•• Port cities were Lothal, Allahdino,
marked with the Iron Age archaeological
Balakot, Kuntasi, Sutkagendor.
cultures of India with emphasis on
•• Contemporary civilizations–
the Painted Grey Ware culture (1200 Mesopotamia, Egypt & China.
to 600 BC) and the Northern Black •• Iron was not known to people.
Polished Ware (700 to 200 BC). •• No evidence of coins, barter system
was used for exchange.
Indus Valley Civilization (2500- •• Indus civilization was Urban.
1700 BC) •• People didn’t worship Gods in temple as
temple is not traced.
•• Indus Valley Civilization was the most •• Grains were stored in granaries.
ancient urban civilization in the world •• Pictographic script was found on seals.
which flourished on the bank of Indus •• Majority scholars believe that this
River during Bronze Age. civilization makers were Dravidians.
•• The term “Indus civilization” was first
IMPORTANT SITES OF INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION
Name of Sites Year of Excavators Features
Excavation
Harappa–Punjab 1921 Daya Ram •• City followed grid planning
(Pakistan) @ Sahni, •• Row of six granaries
River Ravi Madho Sarup •• Only place having evidences of coffin
Vats, Mortimer burial
Wheeler •• Evidence of fractional burial and
coffin burial
•• Cemetery-H of alien people.
•• Virgin-Goddess (Seal)
•• Stone symbol of Lingam and Yoni
•• Painted Pottery
Mohenjodaro 1922 R.D. Banerjee, •• G reat Granary, Great Bath assembly
Sindh (Pakistan) Mackay, hall
@River Indus Wheeler •• Pashupati Mahadeva Seal
•• Bronze image of nude woman dancer
•• Human Skeleton huddled together
•• Clay figures of Mother Goddess
•• A fragment of woven cotton
•• Brick Kilns and Dice
Chanhu-daro 1931 N. Gopal •• A city without citadel
Sindh (Pakistan) Majumdar, •• Inkpot, Lipstick
@ River Indus Mackay •• Shell ornament makers’ shop and
bead makers’ shop
•• Footprint of dog on a brick
•• Terracotta model of a bullock cart,
Bronze toy cart
•• Town was flooded more than seven
times.
 GK-4 HISTORY
Kalibangan– 1953 A. Ghosh, •• Shows both Pre Harappan and
Rajasthan B.V. Lal, Harappan phase
(India) @ River B.K. Thapar •• Evidence of furrowed land
Ghaggar •• Evidence of seven fire altars and
camel bones
•• Many houses had their own well
•• Kalibangan stand for black bangles
•• Evidence of wooden furrow
Lothal–Gujarat 1953 S.R. Rao •• A titled floor which bears intersecting
(India) @River design of circles
Bhogava •• Remains of rice husk
•• Evidence of horse from a terracotta
figurine
•• A ship designed on a seal
•• Beads & trade ports
•• An instrument for measuring angles,
pointing to modern day compass
•• Dockyard

Banwali – Hisar 1974 R.S. Bisht •• S hows both Pre-Harappan and

(Haryana) Harppan phase
•• Good quantity of barley found here
Amri-Sindh 1935 N.G. Majumdar •• Evidence of antelope
Dholavira- 1985-90 R.S. Bisht •• S even cultural stages
Gujarat •• Largest site
•• Three part of city
•• Unique water management
Rangpur–Gujarat 1953 M.S. Vats, B.B. •• Rice was cultivated
@River Mahar Lal & S.R. Rao
Ropar-Punjab 1953 Y.D. •• E vidence of burying a dog below the
@River Sutlej Sharma human burial
•• One example of rectangular mudbrick
chamber was noticed
•• Five fold cultures - Harappan, PGW,
NBP, Kushana - Gupta and Medieval
Alamgirpur– 1958 Y.D. Sharma •• T he impression of cloth on a trough is
Ghaziabad (UP.) discovered
•• Usually considered to be the eastern
boundary of the Indus culture

Common Features of Cities Animals

•• Town-planning based on grid system •• Sheep, Goat, Bull, Buffalo, Boar, Dog,
•• Burnt-bricks used in construction Cat, Pig, Fowl, Deer, Elephant, Camel,
•• Underground drainage system Rhinoceros, Tiger, Lion etc.
•• Fortified citadel (except Chanhudaro)
Trade
Main Crops
•• Foreign trade with Mesopotamia or
•• Wheat, Barley, rice (Lothal), dates, Sumeria (Iraq), Bahrain, etc.
mustard, sesamum, cotton (first in the •• Export: Cotton goods, agricultural
world) products, pottery, terracotta figurines,
beads, Conch-shell, ivory, copper, etc.
Pallavas were instrumental in spreading Indian culture in South-East Asia. The Pallava types of Shikhara can be found
in temples of Java, Cambodia and Annam.
 EBD_7237
HISTORY GK-5

Imports From Vitasta Jhelum Punjab

Copper Khetri (Rajasthan), Asikani Chenab Punjab
Baluchistan
Vipas Beas Punjab
Gold Kolar (Karnataka),
Parushi Ravi Punjab
Afghanistan, Persia (Iran)
Sutudri Sutlej Punjab
Silver Afghanistan, South India,
Persia Drishdavati Ghaggar Rajasthan

Tin Afghanistan, Bihar Kubha Kabul Afghanistan

Jade Central Asia Krumu Kurram Afghanistan

Amethyst Maharashtra Gomati Gomal Afghanistan

Steatite Shaher-i-Sokhta (Iran), •• According to the oldest Vedic literature

Kirthar (Pakistan) (Rig Veda) the Aryan king came into
conflict with Dasa (early Aryans) and
Decline of Indus Civilization Dasyus (original inhabitants of the
Historians Views country). They were soft to Dasas but
1. M.R. Sahani Inundation strongly hostile to Dasyus.
•• Gradually the region came to be known
2. K.V.R. Kennedy Epidemic
as Bharatavarsha named after the tribe
3. Wheeler Sudden decline Bharata. This clan consists of 5 Aryan
4. R.L Stein and AN Climate Change chiefs and 5 non-Aryan chiefs. Dasrajna
Ghosh Yudha or Battle of Ten Kings has been
5. Marshall, SR Rao Flood mentioned in hymns of Rig Veda.
•• The battle was fought on the bank of
6. Fairservis Deforestation,
river Parusni, identical to river Ravi
Ecological
Imbalances and was won by Bharatas.
•• Samgrama meant that gram clashed
Vedic Period/ Aryan (1500–500 BC) with one another and caused war.
•• The earliest specimen of Indo-European Polity of Vedic Age
language is Rig Veda. Aryans were •• The Kula (the family) was the basis of
the people who spoke Indo-European both social and political organisations.
languages basically belonging to Above the Kula were the Grama, the
Central Asia, migrated to India. Vis, the Jana and the Rashtra. A group
•• They settled themselves in Sapta of Kula (families) formed a Grama (the
Sindhu, the land of seven rivers in village) and so on.
north-western region of India which
•• Regarding the form of government it
included Kabul River of Afghanistan
was of patriarchal nature. Monarchy
along with Indus and its five tributaries.
was normal, but non-monarchical
Early Vedic Period polities were also there.
•• The Rashtra was ruled by a King or Rajan
RIVERS MENTIONED IN RIGVEDA and the royal descent was by hereditary
Rigvedic Modern Region based on the law of primogeniture.
Name Name Probably elective monarchy was also
Sindhu Indus Punjab known.

Lahuradeva in Uttar Pradesh are the site for oldest agricultural region in the Indian sub-continent.
 GK-6
•• Very little is known about ministers of
the king. The Purohita or domestic
priest was the first ranking official.
He was the king’s preceptor, friend,
philosopher and guide. Other important
royal officials were Senani (army
chief) and Gramani (head of village).
Unit Head
Kula (the family) Kulapa
Grama (the village) Gramani
Vis (the clan) Vispati
Jana (the people) Gopa/Gopati
Rashtra (the country) Rajan
•• The army consisted of foot-soldiers
and charioteers. Wood, stone, bone and
metals were used in weapons. Arrows
were tipped with points of metal or
poisoned horn. References are made to
the moving fort (Purcharishnu) and a
machine for assaulting strongholds.
•• The king had religious duties also. He
was the upholder of the established
order and moral rules.
•• Rig Veda speaks of assemblies such
as the Sabha, Samiti, Vidath, Gana.
Sabha was committee of few privileged
and important individuals. Two popular
assemblies, Sabha and Samiti, acted as
checks on the arbitrary rule of kings.
Later Vedas record that the Sabha
functioned as a court of justice.
•• Theft, burglary, stealing of cattle and
cheating were some of the then prevent
crimes.
Vedic Society
•• The Rigvedic society consists of
four varnas: Brahmana, Kshatriya,
Vaisya and Shudra. It was based on
the professions or occupations of the
individuals.
•• Teachers and priests were called
Brahamanas.
•• Rulers and administrators were called
Kshatriyas.
•• Farmers, merchants and bankers were
called Vaishyas;
•• Artisans and labourers were reckoned
as Shudras.
Fahien, the Chinese pilgrim visited India during Chandragupta II and Hiuen-Tsang during Harshavardhana.
HISTORY
•• The occupations had not become
hereditary as they became later on.
•• Members of the same family took
to different professions like singing,
medicine etc.
•• The unit of society was family, primarily
monogamous and patriarchal.
•• Child marriage was not in trend.
•• A window could marry the younger
brother of her deceased husband
(Niyoga).
•• The father’s property was inherited by
son.
•• Right to property existed in respect of
moveable things like cattle, horse, gold
and ornaments and also in respect
of immovable property like land and
house.
•• The home of the teacher was the school
to teach the particular sacred texts.
•• Milk and its products-curd, butter
and ghee-formed an important
part of the diet. These is also the
mention of grain cooked with milk
(Kshirapakamodanam).
•• The meat of fish, birds and animals was
eaten.
•• The cow was already deemed Aghanya
i.e. not to be killed.
•• Rig Veda prescribes a penalty of death
or expulsion from the kingdom to those
who kill or injure cows.
•• Alcoholic drinks, Sura and Soma were
also consumed.
•• Aryans were primarily agricultural and
pastoral people.
•• Amusements included music, dancing,
chariot-racing and dicing.
•• The Aryans were pastoral people and
fought most of the war for it. Rig Veda
is “gavisihthi” or search for cows as
they were the most important form of
wealth.
Vedic Religion
•• The concept of women slave was most
common. Women and cows were gifted
to the priests in those days.
•• Voluntary offering to the chief was
known as bali.
 EBD_7237
HISTORY GK-7

•• Two priests who played important role controle over the area, in which the royal
during this time were Vasishtha and horse ran uninterrupted.
Vishvamitra. •• Vajapeya:- The King performed the
•• The people of Vedic period were theists. Vajapeya or the chariot race.
Vedic literature shows the existence Vedic Economy
of god. The religion of the Vedic Aryan
•• The Aryans followed a mixed economy,
worshipped nature with one in many
i.e. agriculture and pastoralism. Yet,
concepts.
great importance was attached to
•• Indra (rain god) was important as he
herds of cattle. Various animals were
played role of a warlord. 250 hymns
domesticated.
were devoted to him.
•• The Vedic people were probably not
•• Agni (fire god) was devoted 200 hymns.
familiar with cat and camel, but the wild
Varuna, Soma (plant god), female
animals like lion, elephant and boar were
divinities like Aditi and Usha were
known to them.
also worshipped but were not given
•• In all probability, very little of trade was
importance as the male gods.
there.
God Associated Field •• Money and markets were known but they
Indra/Purandar Breaker of forts were not extensively used. Cows and gold
ornaments of fixed value were the media
Agni Fire God of exchange.
Varuna Water God •• Coins were not known.
•• Men of various professions like
Surya God with horse driven carpenters, smiths, tanners, weavers,
chariot
potters and grinders of corn were there.
Mitra Solar God •• The art of healing wounds and curing
Pushan God of Marriage diseases were in existence. There were
experts in surgery.
Vishnu One who covered Earth •• OCP (Ochre Coloured Pottery) Culture :
in 3 steps 1500 BC. to 500 BC.
Rudra God of Animals Later Vedic Period
Sindhu River Goddess •• The later texts refers to river Narmada,
Yama God of death Sadanira and Chambal.
•• The expansion towards East is indicated
Marut Personified Storm in legend of Satapatha Brahmana.
•• Gotra (clan) institution appeared in Later
•• The administrative machinery worked Vedic Period.
under tribal chief called as Rajans. Clan
based assemblies were found such as Later Vedic Polity
sabha, samiti, vidatha, gana. Women •• Kingship became hereditary. Assembly
attended sabha and vidatha. lost its importance and royal power
•• Social structure of the society was based increased at their cost.
on the kinship. Common term for nephew, •• Vidhata totally disappeared.
grandson and cousin was naptri. •• Women were no longer permitted to
attend assemblies.
There were 3 Important Rituals in •• The term Rashtra indicating territory,
Early Vedic Age- first appeared in this period.
•• Rajasuya:- The king performed this •• Taittiriya Brahmana refers to the
sacrifice, which was supposed to confer theory of divine origin of kingship.
supreme power. •• Satapatha Brahmana refers to Twelfth
•• Asvamedha:- The king performed the Ratninas or civil functionaries of the
Asvamedha, which meant unquestioned time.
Yapniya was the sect of Jainism which originated from Digambar sect but followed certain Svetambar beliefs too.
 GK-8 HISTORY
•• There was growth of judiciary. Kings Ashramas (Stages of Life)
administered the criminal court. •• It is found in the Jabala Upanishad.
Serious crimes were the killing of an •• These Ashramas are: Brahmacharya,
embryo, homicide, the murder of a Grihastha, Vanprastha & Sanyasa.
Brahmin, stealing of gold and drinking •• Ashrama system was formed to attain 4
sura. Treason was a capital offence. Purushastha, i.e. Dharma, Artha, Kama
12 Ratninas or civil functionaries of the & Moksha.
time.
HINDU MARRIAGE (VIVAHA) TYPES
12 Ratninas
Types Feature
1. Purohita → The Priest
Arsha Vivaha Giving the girl to a man
2. Mahishi → Chief Queen with a bride price
3. Yuvaraja → Crown Prince Brahma Giving the girl to a man
4. Suta/Sarathi → The Royal herald Vivaha with a dowry

5. Bhagadugha → Tax collector Daiva Vivaha Giving the girl to a priest for
his fees
6. Akshapava → Accountant
Gandharva Love marriage
7. Palagala → Friend of King Vivaha
8. Govikarta → Head of forest deptt. Asura Vivaha Marriage with a purchased girl
9. Senani → The General Prajapatya Giving the girl to a man
Vivaha without a bride-price
10. Gramani → Head of village
Paishacha Marriage to a girl after
11. Kshatri → Gateman
Vivaha seducing (raping) her.
12. Sangrahitri → Treasurer
Rakshasa Marriage with the daughter
Later Vedic Society Vivaha of defeated king or with
kidnapped girl.
•• Initially society was based on occupation,
it later became hereditary. Later Vedic Religion
•• Brahmin: The growing cult of sacrifice
•• Rituals were in the cult of sacrifice.
enormously added to the power of
Brahmins. •• Prajapati became the supreme God.
•• Kshatriyas: The warrior class. •• Vishnu was conceived as the preserver
•• Vaisyas: The agriculturalists, cattle and protector of people.
rearers, traders, artisans and metal •• Pushan, responsible for well being of
workers. cattle, became the God of Shudras.
•• Shudras: Lowest in the social hierarchy •• In the end of the Vedic age, a section
and born to serve the upper three varna. of society began to resent the priestly
•• Position of women declined. Aitareya domination.
Brahmana states that daughter is the
16 Sanskars
source of misery while a son is the
protector of family. (1) Garbhadhana (2) Pumsavana
•• Maitrayani Samhita mentions three (3) Simantonnyan (4) Jatakarma
evils—liquor, woman and dice. (5) Namakaran (6) Nishkramana
•• Polygamy was in practice.
(7) Annaprashana (8) Chuda Karma
•• However, some of the women had
got higher education as indicated by (9) Karan Chhedana (10) Vidyarambha
the Yajnavalkya-Gargi dialogue in (11) Upanayana (12) Vedarambha
Vrihadarnyaka Upanishada. (13) Samavaratana (14) Vivaha
•• In this period, pratiloma vivah was not (15) Vanaprastha (16) Ant yesti.
permitted.

Jai Chand was the last Rajput king who was killed by Mohammad Ghori in the Battle of Chandawar.

HISTORY GK-9
Later Vedic Economy
•• Agriculture started to replace rearing of
cattle. The plough was at times drawn
by 24 oxen.
•• Manure was known.
•• Rice, barley, beans, sesame and wheat
were sown.
•• New occupational groups like
fisherman, washerman, dyers, door-
keepers and footmen emerged.
•• Indicating specialisation distinction
was drawn between the chariot-maker
and the carpenter and the tanner and
the hide-dresser.
•• Mention of tin, silver and iron was made
apart from gold and ayas (either copper
or iron) in the Rig Veda.
•• Merchants were organised into guilds
because of reference to corporations
(Ganas) and aldermen (Sreshtins).
•• PGW (Painted Grey Ware) Culture :
1100 BC – 600 BC.
Vedic Literature (1500 BC - 500 BC)
•• It is believed that the Rig Veda was
composed while the Aryans were still
in Punjab.
•• Shruti: Vedic literature was carried on
from generation to generation with the
help of mouth-words, i.e. hearing.
•• Vedic Literature is comprises of:
1. The Samhitas or Vedas
2. The Brahamana
3. The Aranyakas
4. The Upanishads
Vedas
•• There are four vedas- Rig Veda, Sama
Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda.
The first three vedas are jointly called
Vedatrayi (trio of vedas).
Rig Veda (collection of lyrics)
It is the oldest text in the world. It contains
10,500 verses and 1028 hymns, divided into
10 mandalas. The hymns of Rig Veda were
recited by Hotri. It is the tenth mandalas
which explains the four varnas.
Sama Veda (Book of chants)
It is important for Indian music. The hymns
of Sama Veda were recited by Udgatri.
Kanbana, Kuttana and Pugalendi are considered as ‘three gems of Tamil poetry’.
EBD_7237
Yajur Veda (book of sacrificial prayers)
It is a ritual veda. It has both verses and
prose in contrast with the fist two vedas.
Its hymns were recited by Adhvaryus. It is
divided into two parts- Krishna Yajur and
Shukla Yajur.
Atharva Veda (book of magical formulae)
It contains charms and spells to word of
evils and diseases.
Brahmanas
Every veda has several Brahmanas attached
to it:
Rig Veda: Aitareya and Kaushitiki
Sama Veda: Panchvisha, Shadvinsh,
Chhandogya and Jaiminaya
Yajur Veda: Shatapatha (The oldest and the
largest Brahmana) and Taittiriya.
Atharva Veda: Gopatha
Towards the end of the vedic period there
was an emergence of a strong reaction
against rituals & priestly domination.
Upanishads
•• The most important is the “Shatapatha
Brahmana attached to Yajurveda.
•• The sages dwelling in the forests
explained the vedic scriputures to their
pupils in the form of Aranyakas.
•• The term ‘Upanishadas’ is the
knowledge acquired by sitting close to
the teacher.
•• There are 108 Upanishada of which 11
are predominant and they are called
Mokhya Upanishadas.
Vedic Literature (600BC - 600AD)
•• Literature of Vedic Tradition (Smriti i.e.
remembrance literature) comprises of
6 literary works:
1. Vedangas/Sutras
2. Smrities Dharmashastras
3. Mahakavyas (Epics)
4. Puranas
5. Upvedas
6. Shad-Dharshanas.
1. Vedangas
i. Shiksha (Phonetics): Pratishakhya’ - the
oldest text on phonetics.
ii. Kalpa Sutras (Rituals): a). Shrauta
Sutras/ Shulva Sutras- deal with the
sacrifices, b). Grihya Sutras - deal with
family ceremonies, C). Dharma Sutras -
deal with Varnas, Ashramas etc.
 GK-10
iii. Vyakarana (Grammar):’ ‘Ashtadyayi’
(Panini) - the oldest grammar of the
word.
iv. Nirukta (Etymology) : ‘Nirukta’ (Yask) based
on ‘Nighantu’ (Kashyap)- a collection of
difficult vedic words- ‘Nighantu’- the oldest
word-collection of the world; ‘Nirukta’ - the
oldest dictionary of the world).
v. Chhanda (Metrics) : ‘Chhandasutras’
(Pingal)- famous text.
vi. Jyotisha (Astronomy) : ‘Vedanga
Jyotisha‘ (Lagadh Muni) - the oldest
Jyotisha text.
2. Smritis
(i) Manu Smriti (Pre-Gupta Period) - the
oldest Smriti text; Commentators:
Vishwarupa, Meghatithi, Gobindraj,
Kulluk Bhatt.
(ii) Yajnvalkya Smriti (Pre-Gupta Period) -
Commentators : Vishwarupa, Jimutvahan
(‘Daybhag’), Vijnyaneshwar, (‘Mitakshara’)
Apararka (a king of Shilahar Dynasty).
(iii) Narad Smriti (Gupta period).
(iv) Parashara Smriti (Gupta period).
(v) Brihaspati Smriti (Gupta period).
(vi) Katyayana Smriti (Gupta period).
HISTORY
3. Mahakavyas (Epics):
(i) The Ramayana (Valmiki) : It is
known as ‘Adi Kavya’ (the oldest epic
of the world). At present, it consists of
24,000 Shlokas i.e. verses (Originally
6,000, later - 12,000, Finally - 24,000)
in 7 Kandas i.e. sections. 1st and 7th
Kandas were the latest additions to the
Ramayana.
(ii) The Mahabharata (Ved Vyasa): The
longest epic of the world. At present,
it consists of 1,00,000 shlokas i.e.
verses (Originally- 8,800 - Jay Samhita,
Later-24,000-Chaturvinshati Sahastri
Samhita/Bharata, Finally – 1,00,000-
Shatasahastri Samhita/Maha Bharata)
in 18 Parvans i.e. chapters, plus the
Harivamsa supplement.
Bhagavad Gita is extracted from
Bhishma Parvan of Mahabharata.
Shanti Parvan is the largest parvan
(chapter) of the Mahabarata.
Purans
(i) The Purana means ‘the old’. There
are 18 famous ‘Puranas’. The Matsya
Purana is the oldest Puranic text.
The other important Puranas are
the Bhagavata, The Vishnu, The Vayu
and The Brahmanda. They describe
genealogies of various royal dynasties.

The Upavedas (The Auxiliary Vedas)

Upavedas Associated with
1. Ayurveda i.e. Medicine Rig Veda
2. Gandharvaveda i.e. Music Sama Veda
3. Dhanurveda i.e. Archery Yajur Veda
4. Shilpveda/Arthaveda i.e. the science of craft / Atharva Veda
wealth (Vishwakarma)
Schools of Indian Philosophy (Shad-Darshanas)
Darshana Founder Basic Text
1. Sankhya Darshana Kapila Sankhya Sutra
2. Yoga Darshana Patanjali Yoga Sutra
3. Nyaya Darshana Akshapada Gautama Nayaya Sutra
4. Vaishesika Darshana Uluka Kanada Vaishesika Sutra
5. Mimansa/Purva-Mimansa Jaimini Purva Mimansa Sutra
6. Vedant/Uttara-Mimansa Badarayana Brahma Sutra/Vedant Sutra
 EBD_7237
HISTORY GK-11

Jainism Parshvanatha (23rd)

•• There were 24 Tirthankaras according He was a prince of Benaras who led the life
of a hermit and died at Shikharji, Giridih,
to Jain tradition.
Jharkhand. His four main teachings were
•• Rishabha Adinath (symbol-Bull) was the
called chaturthi. These are:
first and Mahavira (symbol-Lion) was the 1. Ahimsa (Non-injury)
last Tirthankara. 2. Satya (Non-lying)
24 TIRTHANKARAS 3. Asteya (Non-stealing)
S. N. Name Symbol 4. Aparigraha (Non-possession)
1 Rishabha Bull Mahavira
2 Ajitnath Elephant He adopted all these four teachings and
added Brahmacharya (Chastity) to it.
3 Sambharnath Horse
Mahavira was born in 540 BC in a village
4 Abhinandan Monkey called Kundagram near Vaishali in Bihar.
•• He renounced his family at the age of 30
5 Sumatinath Curlew
and became an ascetic.
6 Padmaprabha Red Louts •• He attained kaivalya (perfect knowledge)
at the age of 42 under a sal tree at
7 Suparshvanath Swastik
Jambhika grama on the bank of river
8 Chandraji Prabhu Moon Rijupalika.
9 Suvidhinath Crocodile •• He came to be known as Kevalin (perfect
learned), Jina (one who conquered his
10 Shitalnath Srivatsa senses), Nirgrontha (free from all bonds),
11 Shreganath Rhinoceros Arhant (blessed one) and Mahavira (the
brave).
12 Vasupujya Buffalo •• He delivered his first sermon at Pava to his
13 Vimalnath Boar 11 disciples who were called Gandharas.
•• He passed away at Pavapuri near Bihar
14 Anantnath Falcon
Sharif, Bihar at the age of 72 in 468 BC.
15 Dharamanath Vajra •• Sudharma was the only Gandhara who
survived after his death.
16 Shantinath Deer
Doctrine of Jainism
17 Kuntunath He-Goat
Three Ratnas (Way to Nirvana)
18 Arnath Fish
1. Samyak Vishwas (Right faith)
19 Mallinath Waterpot 2. Samyak Gyana (Right Knowledge)
3. Samyak Karma (Right conduct)
20 Muniswasth Tortoise
Pancha Mahavaratas Principles
21 Neminath Blue Lotus
1. Ahimsa — non injury
22 Arishtanemi Conch Shell 2. Satya — non lying
23 Parshwanath Serpent 3. Asatya — non Stealing
4. Aparigraha — non-possessions
24 Mahavira Lion 5. Brahmacharya — Chastity
•• There is historical proof of only the last Two Sects arose
two Tirthankaras, Parshvanatha (23rd) and 1. Shevetambaras (White garments)
Mahavira (24th) while rest are obscure. 2. Digambaras (Sky garments)
Birth, Karma and Bhakti hold the same significance to achieve Moksha according to Bhagvad Gita.
 GK-12 HISTORY
Jain Architecture 3. Statue of Gometeshwar/Bahubali,
1. Dilwara Temple (Rajasthan) Karnataka
2. Girnar Temple (Gujarat) 4. Pavapuri Temple, Bihar
Jain Council Year Venue Chairman Result

1st 300 BC Patliputra Sthulabhadra Compilation of 12 Angas

2nd 512 AD Vallabhi Devardhi Final compilation of 12 Angas
Kshmasramana and 12 Upangas

Jain Literature •• At the age of 29, he renounced home,

• The literature of the Svetambaras is this was his Mahabhinish Kramana
Ardhamagadhi Prakrit, and may be (great going forth) and became a
classified as follows: wandering ascetic.
1. 12 Angas •• After 49 days of continuous meditation
2. 12 Upangas under a pipal tree at Uruvella (Bodh
3. 10 Parikarnas Gaya) on the bank of river Naranjana
4. 6 Chhedasutras (modern name Falgu) he attained
5. 4 Mulasutras Nirvana (enlightment).
6. Sutra-Granthas •• Buddha delivered his first sermon at
Note : 14 Purvas/Parvas- It is the part of Sarnath (Deer Park) to his five disciples,
12 Angas and the oldest text of Mahavira’s this is known as Dharamachakro
preachings. Pravartana.
• Other important jain texts are: •• He died at the age of 80 in 483 BC
1. Kalpasutra (in Sanskrit)-Bhadrababu. at Kushinagar. This is known as
2. Bhadrabahu Charita. Mahaparinirvana.
3. Parishishta Parvan (an appendix of Important event of Symbols
Trishashthishalaka Purush)-Hemchandra. Buddha’s life
Royal Patrons Janma (Birth) Lotus and Bull
I. North India: Mahabhinish Kraman Horse
1. Nandas; Bimbisar, Ajatshatru and (Renunciation)
Udayin (Haryank); Chandragupta Nirvana/Sambodhi Bodhi tree
Maurya, Bindusara and Samprati (Enlightenment)
(Mauryan) – Magadha.
Dharamachakra Pravartana Wheel
2. Pradyota (Avanti) (First Sermon)
3. Udayin (Sidhu-Sauvira)
4. Kharavela (Kalinga) Mahaparinirvana (Death) Stupa
II. South India:
1. Ganga Dynasty Doctrine of Buddhism
2. Kadamb Dynasty
3. Amoghavarsha (Rashtrakuta Dynasty)
(His teachings)
4. Siddharaj sai singh and kumarpala Four Noble Truths (Satyas)
(Chaulukya/solanki) the last great
patrons of jainism. •• Life/world is full of sorrows (Sabbam
Dakkam)
Buddhism •• Desire is the cause of sorrows (Dwadash
Nidan)
Gautama Buddha
•• Sorrows can be removed by conquering
He was the founder of Buddhism. He was desire (Nirvana)
born in 563 BC on the vaisakha purnima at •• Eight Fold Path-(Ashtangika Merga) can
Lumbinivana, Nepal in the Sakya Kshatriya lead to Nirvana (Moksha or Salvation).
clan.
S.A. Dange started the publication of an English Weekly Socialist in 1923.
 EBD_7237
HISTORY GK-13

Eight fold Path (Ashtangika Marg) 3. Sangha (order)

1. Right Understanding Tripetaka
2. Right thought 1. Sutta Pitaka → Buddha’s saying
3. Right Speech 2. Vinya Pitaka → Monastic code
4. Right Action 3. Abhidhamma Pitaka → Religious
5. Right Means of livelihood discourses of Buddha.
6. Right Effort Code of Conduct
7. Right mindfulness, awareness
•• Do not speak a lie
8. Right concentration, meditation
•• Do not covet others property
Tri Ratna (Three Jewels) •• Do not commit violence
1. Buddha (Enlightened) •• Do not use intoxicants
2. Dharma (Doctrine) •• Do not indulge in corrupt practices

BUDDHIST COUNCIL
Buddhist Year Venue Chairman Royal Parton
Council
1st 483 BC Rajgriha Mahakassapa Ajatshatru (Haryanaka
Dynasty)
2nd 383 BC Vaishali Sabakami Kalasoka (Shishunaga Dynasty)
3rd 250 BC Patliputra Mogliputta Tissa Ashoka (Maurya Dynasty)
4th 72 AD Kashmir Vashumitra Kanishka (Kushan Dynasty)

Buddhist Literature •• Atthakathayen and Sumangalvasini by

Buddhagosha
Pali Texts •• Madhyamika Karika and Prajnaparimita
(i) Tripitaka : Pitaka means ‘basket’ as Karika by Nagarjuna etc.
original texts were written on palm-
leaves and kept in baskets. Sects of Buddhism
(ii) Sutta Pitaka : Buddha’s sayings, Hinayana (i.e. the Lesser Vehicle)
(iii) Vinay Pitaka : Monastic code,
1. Its followers believed in the origianl
(iv) Abhidhamma pitaka : religious
teaching of Buddha.
discourses of Buddha
2. They sought individual salvation
(v) Milindapanho (i.e. Questions of
through self-discipline and meditation.
Milinda)—a dialogue between
3. They did not believe in idol-worship.
Milinda (identical with Indo-Greek
4. They favoured Pali language.
ruler Menander) and Buddhist saint
5. It is known as ‘Southern Buddhist
Nagasena.
Religion’, e.g. Sri Lanka, Burma
(vi) Dipavamsha and Mahavamsha—The
(Myanmar), Syam (Thailand), Java etc.
great chronicles of Sri Lanka.
6. It has two subsects Vaibhasika &
Sanskrit Texts Soutantrika.
Buddha Charita, Saundarananda, Mahayana (i.e. the Greater Vehicle)
Sutralankar, Sariputra Prakaran and Vajra
1. Its followers believed in the
Suchi.
heavenliness of Buddha.
•• Ashwagosha,
2. They sought the salvation of all through
•• Mahavibhasha Shastra
the grace of Buddha and Bodhisatva.
•• Vasumitra,
3. They believed in idol-worship.
•• Visudhimagga,
4. They favoured Sanskrit language.

Qutubuddin Aibak patronised Hasan-un-Nizami, author of ‘Taj-ul-Massir’ and Fakhruddin, author of ‘Tarikh-i-Mubarak Shahi’.
 GK-14 HISTORY
5. It is known as ‘Northern Buddhist Sacred Shrines
Religion, e.g. China, Korea, Japan etc.
•• Lumbini life, Bodh Gaya
6. There were two subsects of Mahayana—
(Enlightenment) Sarnath (First-
Madhyamika / Shunyavada
(founder–Nagarjuna) and Yogachari / Sermon) and Kusinagar (death). To
Vijnanavada (founder-Maitreyanath these are added four places Sravasti,
and his disciple Asanga). Rajgriha, Vaishali and Sankasya.
•• These eight places have all along been
Vajrayana
considered as the eight holy places
1. Its followers believed that salvation (Ashtasthanas).
could be best attained by acquiring the •• Other centres of Buddhism are
magical power, which they called Vajra. •• Amaravati and Nagarjunikonda in
2. The chief divinities of this new sect Andhra Pradesh
were the Taras. •• Nalanda in Bihar;
3. It became popular in Eastern India eg.
•• Junagadh and Vallabhi in Gujarat;
Bengal and Bihar.
Sanchi and Bharhut in M.P.;
Bodhisattvas •• Ajanta-Ellora in Maharashtra;
i. Vajrapani : Holds a thunderbolt, foe of •• Dhaulagiri in Orissa;
sin and evil. •• Kannauj, Kaushambi and Mathura in
ii. Avlokitesvara also called Padmapani U.P.; and
(the lotus bearer)/ kind-hearted. •• Jagadalla and Somapuri in West
iii. Manjushri (Stimulator of under- Bengal.
standing) with a book describing 10
paramitas (spiritual perfections). Buddhist Architecture
iv. Maitreya : The future Buddha. 1. Stupa—relics of the Buddha or some
v. Kshitigriha : guardian of purgatories. prominent Buddhist monks.
vi. Amitabha/Amitayusha: Buddha of 2. Chaitya—Prayer hall
heaven. 3. Vihara—residence

Buddhist Universities
Universities Location Founder
Nalanda Badagaon, Bihar Kumargupta-I
Vikramshila Bhagalpur, Bihar Dharmpala
Jagadal Bengal Ramapala
Vallabhi Gujarat Bhattaraka

Royal Patrons of Buddhism Extension

• Bimbisara and Ajatashatru (Magadhan 1. Ashoka called 3rd Buddhist council
ruler) and sent mission, comprising of his
son Mahendra and his daughter
• Prasenjit (Kosala ruler)
Sanghamitra to Sri Lanka.
• Udayan (Vatsa ruler) 2. Kanishka called 4th Buddhist council
• Pradyota (Avanti ruler) and sent mission to China, Korea and
• Ashoka and Dasharatha (Mauryan Japan.
ruler) 3. Palas of Bengal and Bihar were last
• Milinda/Menander (Indo-Greek ruler) great patrons of Buddhism.
• Kanishka (Kushana ruler)
• Harshavardhana (Vardhana ruler) Mahajanapadas (600–325 BC)
• Gopala, Dharmapala and Rampala (Pala During the age of Buddha whole of northern
rulers) territory especially north of Vindyan was
Vinay Pitaka literature contains the rules and regulations of the Sangha in Buddhism.
 EBD_7237
HISTORY GK-15

divided into sixteen states called Sodasha Mahajanapadas either monarchical or republican
in form. The kingdoms of Magadh, Koshala, Vatsa and Avanti were considered powerful.
Buddhist literature “Anguttara Nikaya” listed them as:
S. N. Mahajanapadas Capital Present place
1 Gandhara Taxila A part of Afghanistan
2 Kamboja Rajauri Part of Kashmir and Afghanistan
3 Asmaka Potana Godavari Valley
4 Vatsa Kaushambi Allahabad
5 Avanti Ujjain Malwa and a part of M.P
6 Surasena Mathura Mathura in U.P
7 Chedi Shuktimati Bundelkhand in M.P
8 Malla Kushinara, Pawa Eastern U.P
9 Kurus Hastinapur/Indraprashta Delhi and Meerut
10 Matasya Virat Nagari Jaipur and Alwar
11 Vajjis Vaishali North Bihar
12 Anga Champa Bhagalpur and Munger in Bihar
13 Kashi Banaras Banaras
14 Kosala Shravasti Oudh in U.P
15 Magadha Girivraja/Rajgriha Patna and Gaya in Bihar
16 Panchala Ahichhatra/Kampilya Rohilkhand in U.P

Magadha Empire immense fertile and food surplus was

The political history of India from 6th
century BC onwards reflects struggle for
Supremacy among the 4 Mahajanapadas:—
(1) Magadha
(2) Kosla horses and chariots, it was Magadha
(3) Vasta
(4) Avanti
Founder of Magadha was Jarasandha and
Brihadratha
Causes of Magadha’s Success
•• Magadha had an advantageous
geographical location in the abundance
of iron, not far away from Rajgir, the
earliest capital of Magadha and could
be used for making weapons and
implements.
•• Iron axes were perhaps useful in
clearing the thick forest, and iron-
tipped plough-shares ploughed the
land better and helped to increase grain
production.
•• Magadha was situated at the centre of
the middle Gangetic plain. The alluvium,
once cleared of the jungles, proved
Borobudur in Central Java, Indonesia is the world’s largest Buddhist temple.
thus available.
•• Magadha had a special military
organisation. Although the Indian states
were well acquainted with the use of
which first used elephants on a large
scale in its war against its neighbours.
Haryanaka Dynasty (544 BC-412 BC)
Bimbisara (Shronika)
•• He was founder of Haryanaka dynasty.
•• He was contemporary of Gautama
Buddha.
•• He married the princess of Kosala,
Chellana and Madra which helped him
in his expansion.
•• He gained a part of Kashi as the dowry
in his marriage.
•• He conquered Anga and built the city of
New Rajagriha.
Ajatshatru 492-460 BC
•• He was the son of Bimbisara.
•• Ajatshatru killed his father and seized
the throne.
 GK-16
•• Ajatshatru followed a more aggresive
policy and gained complete control
over Kashi.
•• The Vajji was Ajatashatru’s next target
of attack. This war was a lengthy one
and after a long period of 16 years, he
defeated the Vajji only through deceit,
by sowing the seeds of discord amongst
the people of Vajji.
•• The three important reasons to defeat
the Vajji.
1. Sunidha and Vatsakar—Ajatashatru’s
diplomatic ministers, who sowed the
seeds of discord amongest Vajjis,
2. Rathamusala —a kind of chariot to
which a mace was attached.
3. Mahashilakantaka—a war engine
which catapulted big stones.
4. Thus Kashi and Vaishali (the
capital of Vajji) were added to
Magadha, making it the most
powerful territorial power in the
Ganges Valley. on the North-West frontier of India.
•• He built the fort of Rajgriha.
Udayin (460-444 BC)
•• Ajatshatru was succeeded by Udayin.
•• He built the fort on the confluence
of the Ganga and the Son rivers at
Pataliputra (Patna), thus, transferred
the capital from Rajgriha to the new city
Pataliputra.
•• Udayin was succeeded by weak rulers
Anuruddha, Munda and Naga Dasak.
Shishunaga Dynasty (412-344 BC)
•• Shishunaga was the minister of Nag-
Dasak & was elected by the people.
•• Shishunaga destroyed the Pradyota
dynasty of Avanti
•• Shishunaga was succeeded by
Kalashoka.
•• Kalashoka transferred the capital from
Vaishali to Pataliputra and convened
the 2nd Buddhist Council.
Nanda Dynasty (344-321 BC)
•• The Shishunaga dynasty was
overthrown by Mahapadma, who
established a new line of kings known
as Nanda.
•• Mahapadma is known as
Sarvakshatrantak and Ugrasena.
•• He was the founder of Nanda Dynasty
and he is also described as “The first
Buddhist Empire of Indian History’”
•• He was succeeded by his eight sons last
one being Dhanananda.
Sher Shah Suri was known as Hazarat-i-Ala and he defeated Humayun in the battle of Chausa in 1539.
HISTORY
•• It was during the rule of Dhanananda
that the invasion of Alexander took
place in north-west India in 326 BC.
•• According to Greek writer Curtius,
Dhanananda commanded a huge army
including 20,000 cavalry, 200,000
infantry, 2,000 chariots and 3,000
elephants. It was the might of Dhanananda
that terrorised Alexander and stopped his
march to the Gangetic Valley.
•• He conquered Koshla & Kalinga.
•• Chandragupta Maurya, assisted by
Kautilya overthrew Dhananda to
establish Mauryan Dynasty in 321 BC.
Foreign Invasions
Iranian (Persian) Invasion
•• The Achaemenian ruler of Iran (Persia),
took advantages of the political disunity
•• Cyrus of Persia (588 BC-530 BC) was
the first foreign conqueror, who entered
well into India. He destroyed the city of
Capisa (North of Kabul). He took Indian
soldiers in the Persian Army.
•• Darius I (Darayabahu), grandson of
Cyrus invaded North-West India in 516
BC and annexed Punjab, West of Indus
and Sind.
•• Xerxes, the successor of Darius,
employed Indians in the long war
against the Greeks.
Effects of Iranian Invasion
•• It gave an impetus to Indo-Iranian trade.
•• There was cultural exchange in the form
of Kharoshthi script from Iran to India.
Some of Ashoka’s inscriptions in North-
West India were written in this script.
•• It was written from right to left as in
Arabic.
•• Iranian influence is perceptible in
sculpture, e.g. the bell-shaped capitals.
Macedonian Alexander’s Invasion
(326 BC)
•• Alexander, the king of Macedonia
(Greek) destroyed the Iranian empire.
•• From Iran, he marched towards India,
attracted by its great wealth and
divided polity.
•• Alexander conquered Kabul in 328 BC.

HISTORY GK-17
•• He moved to India through the
unguarded Khyber Pass and reached
Orhind near Attock in 326 BC.
•• Ambhi, the ruler of Taxila, readily
submitted to Alexander.
•• He got the first and strongest resistance
from Porus.
•• Alexander defeated Porus in the Battle of
Hydaspes on the banks of the river Vitasta
(Jhelum), however, he was impressed by
his bravery, so he restored to Porus, his
kingdom and made him his ally.
•• After the Battle of Sakala, Alexander
reached to Beas with a view to conquer
the East, but his fatigued army refused
to cross the river.
•• It forced him to retreat. He placed the
North-Western India under the Greek
Governor Selecus Nicator.
•• He remained in India for 19 months
(326-325 BC) and died in Babylon (323
BC) at the age of 33 years.
Effects of Alexander’s Invasion
•• It opened new trade routes between
North-West India and Western Asia.
•• Indians learnt from the Greeks in
the fields of coinage, astronomy,
architecture and sculpture (Gandhara
school).
•• Greek settlements were established,
like Alexandria in Kabul and Sind,
Boukephala in Jhelum.
•• It paved the way for the expansion of
the Mauryan empire in that area.
•• His historians have left valuable
accounts related to Indian geography,
social and economic conditions, which
helped to build the Indian chronology
of the times.
Mauryan Empire (322-185 BC)
Origin
•• Mudrarakshasa: Mauryas were connected
with the Nandas and were called Vrishal/
Kulhina (of low clan).
•• Buddhist Tradition: Chandragupta
was a Kshatriya (Sakya clan).
•• Puranas: Mauryas belonged to the
Moriya clan (low caste)
•• Junagarh rock inscription of
Rudradaman (AD 150): Mauryans
might have been of Vaishya origin.
The Bhumisparsha mudra statue of Buddha of Sarnath is dated to Gupta period.
EBD_7237
Sources of Mauryan History
A. Literary Sources
Kautilya’s Arthasastra
•• It is a treatise on government and polity.
•• It gives a clear and methodological
analysis of political and economic
conditions of the Mauryan period.
Megasthenese’s India
•• Megasthenese was the ambassador
of Seleucus Nicator in the court of
Chandragupta Maurya.
•• His ‘Indica’ is foremost among all the
foreigners’ accounts for Maurya.
•• But its original copy is lost, and it has
survived only as quotations in the text
of classical Greek writers like: Strabo,
Diodorous, Arrian, Plutarch and Latin
writers such as Pliny and Justin.
•• It refers to Mauryan administration,
7-caste system, absence of slavery in
India etc.
Visakha Dattas ‘Mudra Rakshasa’
•• It was written during Gupta Period, how
Chandragupta Maurya get Chanakya’s
assistance to overthrow the Nandas.
•• It gives an excellent account of the
prevailing socio-economic conditions.
Puranas
•• These are a collection of legends
interspread with religious teachings, also
give the chronology and lists of Mauryan
kings.
Buddhist Literature
1. Indian Buddhist text Jatakas reveals
a general picture of socio-economic
conditions of Mauryan period.
2. Ceylonese Buddhist chronicles
Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa describe
the part played by Ashoka in spreading
Buddhism to Sri Lanka.
3. Tibetan Buddhist text Divyavadana
gives information about Ashoka and his
efforts to spread Buddhism.
B. Archaeological Sources
Chandra Gupta Maurya (322-298 BC)
•• The Maurya Empire was founded by
Chandra Gupta Maurya with the help of
Chanakya (Kautilya).
•• Chandra Gupta Maurya defeated
Seleucus Nicator in 305 BC.
 GK-18
•• A Greek ambassador Megasthenes was
sent to the court of Chandra Gupta by
Seleucus Nicator.
•• Chandra Gupta became Jain in the last
stage of life.
•• The whole of Northern India was united
for the first time.
Bindusara (298-273 BC)
•• He succeeded Chandragupta Maurya.
•• Bindusara was known as Amitrochates
to the Greeks, probably derived from
the Sanskrit word Amitraghata.
•• He is believed to have reigned the
Deccan (upto Mysore).
•• He patronised Ajivikas.
Ashoka (273 BC- 232 BC)
•• Ashoka was the son of Bindusara who
successed him, by usurping the throne
after killing his 99 brothers and spared
Tissa, the youngest one.
•• Ashoka fought the Kalinga war in 261
BC. He abandoned the policy of physical
occupation after he was moved by the
massacre in this war.
HISTORY
Ashoka’s Dhamma
•• Ashoka’s Dhamma was not a sectarian
faith.
•• Its objective was to build an attitude of
preserving social order as:
– to obey parents elders
– to show mercy to slaves and
servants
– to emphasise on truth, non-violence
& tolerance.
•• He never said that they would attain
Nirvana (Moksha), the goal of Buddhist
teaching.
Ashoka’s Missionaries
•• Ashoka sent missionaries to Chola’s and
Pandya’s Kingdoms.
•• He sent missionaries to Greek ruled
states–Syria, Egypt, Mecedonia, Epirus, etc.
•• He sent his son–Mahendra and daughter
Sanghamitra to Ceylon with a sapling of
pipal tree.
•• He inaugurated Dhammayatras after
visiting Bodh Gaya.
•• The last Mauryan ruler Brihadratha
was assasinated in 185 BC by his
Commander-in-chief, Pushyamitra
Sunga who established his own Shunga
dynasty.

Ashokan Edicts and Information Place

Inscriptions
I. Rock Edicts
14 Major Rock Edicts Various Principles of Manshera (Pakistan) Shahbajgarhi (Mardan,
Dhamma Pakistan), Kalsi (Dehradun, Uttarakhand), Junagadh
(Girnar, Gujarat), Sopara (Thane, Maharashtra),
Yerragudi (Kurnul, Andhra Pradesh), Dhauli (Khurda,
Odisha), Jaugada (Ganjam, Odisha)
2 Kalinga Rock New system of Dauli or Tosali (Khurda, Odisha), Jaugada (Ganjam,
Edicts administration after Odisha)
the Kalinga war
Minor Rock Edicts Personal history ofSasaram (Bihar), Maski (Andhra Pradesh), Bhabru-
Ashoka and summary Bairat (Rajasthan), Rupanath (MP), Gavimath,
of his dhamma Palkig-undu, Siddhpur, Jating Rameshwar,
Brahmagiri (Karnataka)
Bhabru-Bairat Rock Ashoka’ conversion to Bhabru-Bairat (Rajasthan)
Edicts Buddhism
II. Pillar Edicts
7 Pillar Edicts Appendix to rock Edicts Meerut-Delhi (Chhoti Lata), Topra-Delhi (Badi
Lata), Allahabad (UP); Lauriya Nandangadh,
Lauriya Areraj and Rampurva (Bihar)
 EBD_7237
HISTORY GK-19

4 Minor Pillar Edicts Signs of Ashoka’s Sanchi (MP), Sarnath and Allahabad (UP)
fanaticism to Dhamma
2 Tarai Pillar Edicts Ashoka’s respect for Rummandei/Lumbini and Nigaliva (Tarai of Nepal)
Buddhism
III. Cave Edicts
3 Barabar Cave Edicts Ashoka’s toleration Barabar Hills (Gaya, Bihar)

ASHOKAN 14 MAJOR ROCK EDICTS •• Mauryan introduced stone masonry on

large scale.
S. No. Informations
•• Pillars represents the masterpiece of
1. Prohibition of animal sacrifices and
Mauryan Sculpture.
festive gatherings.
•• Four lion capital at Sarnath and Sanchi.
2. Measures of social welfare.
Lion Capital of Sarnath was adopted as
3. Respect to Brahamanas. ‘National Emblem’ of India on 26 Jan.
4. Courtesy to relatives, elders, 1950.
consideration for animals. •• Single lion capital at Rampurva and
5. Appointment of Dhamma Lauriya Nandangarh.
Mahamatras and their duties. •• Single bull capital at Rampurva.
6. Need for efficient organisation of •• A carved elephant at Dhauli and
administration (orders to Dhamma engraved elephant at Kalsi.
Mahamatras).
•• The Mauryan artisans who started
7. Need for tolerance among all
the practice of hewing out caves from
religious sects.
rocks for monks to live in. The earliest
8. System of Dhamma-yatras.
example are Barabar caves (Sudama,
9. Attack on meaningless ceremonies World Hut, Chaupada of Karna, Rishi
and rituals.
Lomesh) in Gaya (Ashokan). The other
10. Conquest through Dhamma instead examples are Nagarjuni caves in Gaya
of war.
(Dasharath).
11. Explanation of Dhamma-policy.
•• Stupas were built throughout the
12. Appeal for tolerance among all empire to enshrine the relics of Buddha.
religious sects. The most famous are at Sanchi and
13. Kalinga war, mention 5 contemporary Bharhuta.
Hellenic (Greek) kings.
14. Inspiration to spend religious life.
Mauryan Administration
•• It was a welfare state with centralised
Mauryan Art government.
1. Popular/Folk Art:- Sculpture of Yaksha •• King was on the top assisted by Mantri
and Yakshini Parishad, i.e.
2. Royal/Court Art:-Royal Palace of – Yuvaraj (Crown Prince)
Chandra Gupta Maurya at Kumhrar, – Gopal Purohit (Chief Priest)
Patna – Senapati & other ministers.
Officials
Sannidhata Chief treasury officer
Samaharta The collector general of revenue
Vyavaharika (Dharmastha) Chief Justice of Dharmasthiya Nyayalaya (Civil Court)

Chamundarai, minister under Ganga ruler Rachmalla constructed Jain statue of Bahubali (Gomat) in 983 A.D.
 GK-20 HISTORY
Pradeshta Chief Justice of Kantakashodhan Nyayalaya (Criminal Court)
Dhamma Mahamatra A new post created by Ashoka, empowered with the dual
functions of propagating Dhamma and taking care of the
common folk for their material well-being.
Rashtrapala/Kumara The viceroys in charge of a province
Pradesika They were the modern district magistrate
Rajukas They were the Patwaris and responsible for surveying
and assessing the land
Yukta A subordinate revenue officer of the district level
Sthanika The collecting officer directly under the control of the
Pradeshika
Gopa Responsible for accounts
Nagaraka The officer in charge of the city administration
Akshapatala Accountant General
Sitaadhyaksha Supervised agriculture
Panyadhyaksha Superintendent of commerce
Samsthaadhyaksha Superintendent of Market
Pautavadhyaksha Superintendent of weights and measures
Navaadhyaksha Superintendent of ships
Sulkaadhyaksha Collector of tolls
Akaradhyaksha Superintendent of mines
Lohadhyaksha Superintendent of Iron

Provincial Administration Sangrahana (a group Gopa

Province Capital of 10 villages
Avantipatha (Western Ujjain
Province) Gram (i.e. village Gramika

Dakshinapatha (Southern Suvarnagri Mauryan Municipal Administration

Province)
Central Province
Kalinga (Eastern Province)
Uttarapatha (Northern
Province)
Administrative Unit
Chakra (i.e. province)
Ahar/Vishaya (i.e.
District)
• Kautilya writes full chapter to the rules
Patliputra
of the Nagarak i.e. city superintendent,
Toshali maintenance of law and order.
Taxila • Megasthenese account of the system:
6 committees of five members each, and
their functions.
Head • Industrial Arts.
Rashtrapala/ • Entertainment of Foreigners.
Kumara • Registration of Births and Deaths.
Pradeshika • Trade and Commerce.
(administrative)
• Public sale of manufactured goods.
• Collection of taxes on the articles
and Rajuka (land
(1/10th of purchase price).
revenue)

The Hathigumpha inscription tells us that Kharvela defeated three Southern Kingdom-Cholas, Cheras and Pandayas.

HISTORY GK-21
Mauryan Army
• The important feature of Mauryan
administration was the maintenance of
a huge army.
• They also maintained a Navy.
• Megasthenese writes about administration
of Army that was carried by a board of 30
officers divided into 6 committee, each
committee consisting of 5 members.
committees were.
1. Infantry
2. Cavalry
3. Elephants
4. Chariots
5. Navy
6. Transport
Detectives :
• In the Mauryan period, these were two
types of Gudhapurushas (detectives)–
Sansthan (Stationary) and Sanchari
(Wandering).
Mauryan Economy
• The state controlled almost all economic
activities.
• Tax collected from peasants ranged
from 1/4 to 1/6 of the produce.
• The state also provided irrigation
facilities (Setubandha) and charged
water tax.
• Toll taxes were also charged on
commodities brought to town for sale.
• The sate controlled mining, forest, salt,
sale of liquor, manufacture of arms etc.
• Sohgaura (Gorakhpur district,
U.P.) copper plate inscription and
Mahasthana (Bogara district,
Bangladesh) inscription tells about the
relief measures to be adopted during a
famine.
• Ports: Bharukachch/Bharoch and
Supara (Western coast), Tamralipti in
Bengal (Eastern coast).
• The punch-marked coins (mostly
of silver) were the common units of
transactions.
Mauryan Society
• Kautilya/Chanakya/Vishnugupta is
not as rigid on the Varna system as the
earlier Smriti writers.
• Kautilya’s ‘Arthashastra’ looked upon
the Shudras as an Aryan community
which is distinguished from Malechha
or non-Aryan community.
Yuktisastika (Sixty stanzas on Reasoning) was written by Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna.
EBD_7237
• Reduction of gap between the Vaishyas
and the Shudras.
Magasthenese states that Indian society
was divided into 7 classes:
1. Philosophers
2. Farmers
3. Soldiers
4. Herdsmen
5. Artisans
6. Magistrates
7. Councillors
The ‘classes’ mentioned above appear to
have been economic than social.
Megasthenese stated that there were
no slavery in India; but according to
Indian sources, slavery was a recognised
institution during Mauryan reign.
It appears that Megasthenese was thinking
of slavery in full legal sense as it existed in
the West.
• Woman occupied a high position and
freedom in the Mauryan society.
• According to Kautilya, women were
permitted to have a divorce or remarry.
Women were employed as personal
body-guards of the king, spies and in
other diverse jobs.
POST MAURYAN PERIOD
A. Native successors
Shunga (Sunga) Dynasty
(185 BC –73 BC)
Four rulers of Shunga or Sunga Dynasty
were Pushyamitra Sunga (185 BC to 151 BC),
Agnimitra (149 BC-141 BC), Bhagabhadra
(114 BC-83 BC) and Devabhuti (87-73 BC).
Pushyamitra Sunga (185 BC to 151 BC)
•• Pushyamitra Shunga was the founder of
Shunga Dynasty.
•• Pushyamitra was succeeded by his
Agnimitra, the hero of Kali Das’s drama
“Malvikagnimitra”.
•• Bhagvata Religion became important.
•• The Bharat Stupa is the most famous
monument of the Sunga Period.
•• Example of Shunga Art:–Vihar, Chautya,
Stupa of Bhaja, Amaravati Stupa.
 GK-22
Bhagabhadra (114-83 BC)
We know about the king Bhagabhadra
by a Heliodorus pillar, which has been
found in Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh near
modern Besnagar. Heliodorus was a Greek
ambassador and he dedicated this pillar
to God Vasudeva (Vishnu). The Heliodorus
pillar has a surmounted figure of a Garuda.
Devabhuti (87-73 BC)
Devabhuti was the last Shunga ruler who
was killed by his own minister Vasudeva
Kanva in around 73 BC and founded the
Kanva Dynasty.
Kanva Dynasty (73 BC–28 BC)
•• Kanva was a minor dynasty founded by
Vasudeva, who killed the last Shunga
king Devabhuti. Its capital was at
Patliputra.
•• Bhumimitra and Narayana succeeded
Vasudeva. All the rulers were Brahmins.
•• The last ruler, Susarman, was killed by
Andhra king Simuka.
The Cheti (Chedi) Dynasty of Kalinga
•• The Hathigumpha inscription of
Kharavela—the third ruler of the
dynasty, gives information about
the Chetis. Kharavela pushed his
kingdom upto Godavari in the South,
and recovered the Jaina image from
Magadha.
•• He was a follower of Jainism. He
constructed residential caves for
Jain monks on the Udaygiri Hill near
Bhubaneshwar, Orissa.
Satavahana Dynasty (3rd Century
BC–2nd Century AD)
•• This dynasty rover over Andhras &
Deccan for 400 years.
•• They were also called Salivahanas &
Satakarnis.
•• Its founder, Simukha, ruled over it from
271 BC to 248 BC.
•• Gautamiputra (62–86 AD) was the most
powerful king of this dynasty.
•• Yojnasri Satakarni was the last who
ruled from 128-157 AD.
•• They issued mostly lead coins (apart
from copper and bronze). Satavahanas
were the first rulers to make land grants
to Brahmins. There is an instance of
grants being made to Buddhist monk,
which shows they also promoted
Buddhism.
Bali was a voluntary offering to the king but it became compulsory and oppressive tax during Gupta period.
HISTORY
•• Satavahana rulers called themselves
Brahmins. Gautamiputra Satkarni
claimed that he was a true Brahmin.
•• They performed Vedic rituals and
worshipped Gods like Krishna,
Vasudeva and others.
•• Stupas at Nagarjunakonda and
Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh became
important seats of Buddhist culture
under the Satavahanas.
•• In the Satavahana phase, many chaityas
e.g. Karla caves in Western Deccan,
Nashik and Kanheri and Viharas were
cut out of solid rocks in the North-
Western Deccan. The official languages
of Satavahanas was Prakrit and the
script was Brahmi.
•• Provinces were called Ahara, and the
officials were known as Amatyas and
Mahamatyas.
B. Foreign Successors
The Indo-Greeks: 2nd Centrury BC
•• Indo-Greeks (Bacterian Greeks) were
the first foreign rulers of North-Western
India in the Post-Maurya period.
•• Menander(165BC - 145 BC) the most
famous indo-Greek ruler also known
as Milinda. He was converted to
Buddhism by Nagasena or Nagarjuna.
•• They issued the large number of coins.
•• They were the first rulers in India to
issue coins which can definitely be
attributed to the kings.
•• They were the first to issue gold coins.
•• They introduced Hellenic. i.e., Greek
features in art giving rise to Gandhar
school in the North-Western India.
The Sakas: 1st Century BC-4th Century AD
•• The Sakas also known as Scythians
replaced the Indo-Greeks in India.
•• Among the five branches of Sakas
in different parts of India, the most
important was the one which ruled in
Western India till the 4th Century AD.
•• Rudradaman (130 AD-150 AD). He
was famous not only for his military
conquests but also for his public works
as he repaired the famous Sudarsan
Lake of the Mauryan period and for his
patronage of Sanskrit as he issued the
first ever long inscription in Sanskrit.

HISTORY GK-23
•• Other important Saka ruler in India
were
1. Nahapana 2. Ushavadeva
3. Ghamatika 4. Chashtana
Vikramaditya a king of Ujjain in about 58
BC fought effectively against the Sakas. An
era called Vikrama Samvat is recknoed
from 58 BC.
The Parthians : 1st Century BC-1st
Century AD
•• Originally the Parthians (Pahlavas)
lived in Iran, they replaced the Sakas in
North-Western India, but controlled an
area much smaller than the Sakas.
•• The most famous Parthian king
was Gondophernes in whose reign
St. Thomas is said to have come to India
for the propagation of Christianity.
Kushan Dynasty (30–375 AD)
•• Kanishka was the greatest ruler of the
dynasty and is known for his military
powers.
•• The Capital of Kushan were
Purushapura (Peshawar) and Mathura.
•• Kanishka was patron of Buddhism and
convened the 4th Buddhist Council in
Kundalvana of Kashmir in 78 AD.
•• The Kushans were the first rulers in
India to issue Gold coins on a wide scale.
•• The last great Kushan ruler was
Vasudeva I.
Post-Mauryas Important Facts
There were three school of Sculpture:
1. Amaravati School (150 BC - 400 AD) -
Satvahanas
2. Gandhar School (50 BC - 5th Century
AD) - Saka - Kushans
3. Mathura School (150 AD - 300 AD) -
Saka-Kushans.
Note: The influence of Greek sculpture is
very evident in the Gandhar school, while
Mathura school, evolved an indigenous
form.
•• In 46-47 AD, Hippalus, a greek sailor,
discovered the monsoon sea-route to
India from West Asia.
•• Important ports: Barygaza (Bharoch)
and Barbairicum (Western Coast);
Aricamedu (Podeku - according to
‘Periplus’)–near Pandicheri–Eastern
Coast.
•• ‘Bullion was flowing out of Rome to
India’ – Pliny.
Katyayana, a smriti writer of Gupta period, was the first to use the expression Asprashya to denote the untouchables.
EBD_7237
•• ‘Geographica’ – Strabo, ‘Geography’
– Ptolemy, ‘Natural History’ – Pliny,
‘Periplus of the Erithryan Sea’ –
Unknown.
•• India had contacts with Central Asia,
China Graceo-Roman World and South
East Asia.
The Gupta Empire (320-550 AD)
•• The fall of Kushan empire towords
the middle of 3 AD century led to the
establishment of the empire of Guptas.
•• This period is generally known as
“Golden Age.”
•• Sri Gupta was the founder of Gupta
Dynasty.
•• He was followed by his son
Ghatotkacha & was followed by his son
Chandragupta I.
Chandragupta I (319–355 AD)
•• Chandragupta was married to Kumara
Devi
•• He was the first gupta King to adopt the
title of Maharaja Dhiraja.
•• He issued Gold Coin.
•• Samudragupta (355-380 A.D.)- He was
son and successor of Chandragupta-I
•• Harisena, the poet of his court,
enumerated the long inscription in the
pillar of Allahabad.
•• Samudragupta was known as “Indian
Napoleon”.
Chandragupta II- He succeeded
Samundragupta. Extended his empire
by marriage alliances and conquers. He
married his daughter Prabhavati with
a Vakataka prince who belonged to the
Brahmana caste and ruled in central India.
He patronized the famous Navaratnas.
Kalidasa and Amarasimha were among
them. He conquered western Malwa and
Gujarat, ruled by the Saka Kshatrapas for
about past four centuries and adopted
the title of Vikramaditya after conquering
Ujjain. Chinese pilgrim Fa-hien came to
India during his reign.
•• His son Kumaragupta succeeded
him. Kumaragupta’s dominion
suffered severely from the invasion
of Huna Hordes, all over North India.
Skandagupta, son of Kumaragupta
defeated Pushyamitra who became
powerful during Kumaragupta time. He
also defeated the White Hunas.
•• Nalanda University was built by
Kumargupta.
 GK-24 HISTORY
GUPTA KINGS, THEIR TITLES AND COINS
Gupta Kings Titles Gold Coins (Dinaras)
Chandragupta I Maharajadhiraja of king of the Kumaradevi type
kings
Samudragupta Kaviraj (Prayag Prasati), Dhanurdhari-Archer, Garud, Axe,
Ashvamedha, Vikram, Param Ashvamedha, Vyagnra hanam
Bhagvat, Sarva-rajoch Chetta (Tiger killing), Veena Vadan,
(uprooter of all kings). Playing flute type.
Chandragupta II Vikramaditya, Sakari Devagupta/ Ashvarohi, Chhatradhari, Chakra-
Devashri/Devaraja, Narendra Vikram type etc.
Chandra Sinh Vikram, Param
Bhagvata etc.
Kumaragupta Mahendraditya, Ashvamedha Gajarohi, Khadgadhari, Gajarohi
Mahendra and Mahendra Sinh Sinh-nihanta, Khang-nihanata,
(i.e. rhinocerous slayer) Kartikeya
and Apratighmudra type.
Skandagupta Vikramaditya, Kramaditya, Param Archer king and queen, Chhatra
Bhagvat, (on coins); Shakropama and horseman type.
(Kahaum Pillar inscription);
Devaraja (Arya Manjushri Mula
Kalpa).
Gupta Administration (ii) Chief representative of the guild of
•• It was highly decentralised and quasi- merchants,
feudal in character. (iii) A representative of the artisans
•• Kings adopted famous titles such as (iv) The Chief Accountant.
Parameshvara, Maharajadhiraj, (v) It comprised of local representatives.
Parambhattarka, which signify that Army Military
they ruled over the lesser kings in their •• Chariots receded into the background
empire. and cavalry came to the forefront.
•• The practice of appointing Kumara •• The Gupta empire maintained a large
(crown prince) came in practice. standing army, but essentially the
•• Kings were assisted by Mantriparishad military organisation was feudal in
(Council of Ministers) as referred in the character.
Prayag Prasasti. Senabhakta
•• It was a form of tax i.e. the army was to
Administrative Units be fed by the people whenever, it passed
through the countryside.
Unit Headed by
•• Forced labour or Vishti was also practised
•• Bhukti (province) Uparika in royal army.
•• Vishayas (district) Vishyapati Revenue
•• Land revenue was the chief source of
•• Nagar/Peth Purapala/Nagar state’s income.
Pati •• It varied from ¼th to ⅙th of the produce.
  Village (sub-district) Gramika The number of taxes increased.
•• During the Gupta’s rule, land grants
City Administration was the council (Agarhara and Devagrahara grants)
responsible for city administration. also included transfer of royal rights
It included: over salt and mines, which were earlier
(i) The president of the city corporation, states monopoly during Mauryas.

Chandragupta II ‘Vikramaditya‘ was the first Gupta ruler to issue silver coins and adopted the title Sakari.

HISTORY GK-25
•• Judiciary: For the first time, civil and
criminal law were clearly defined and
demarcated.
•• Coinage: Guptas issued the largest
number of gold coins, which were called
dinaras in their inscriptions. Silver
coins were called the Rupayakas.
Important Officials
Official Field of Work
•• Maha Pratihari Chief usher of
Royal Palace
•• Dandapashika Chief officer of the
Police department
•• Mahaprajapati Chief officer of
elephant corps
•• Vinayasthitisthapak Chief officer of
religious affairs
•• Mahashvapati Chief of Cavalry
•• Mahadandanayaka Minister of Justice
Society in Gupta Period
•• The Supremacy of the Brahmins
continued. They accumulated wealth
on accounts of numerous land grant
and claimed many privilege.
•• The position of the Shudras improved,
and they were permitted to listen epic,
puranas and to worship a new God,
Lord Krishna.
•• Varna system got strengthened due
to the large scale proliferation of
castes, chiefly because of assimilation
of foreigners into the Indian society,
absorption of tribal people into
Brahminical society through land grant
and transformation of guilds into class
due to the decline of trade and urban
centres.
The Position of women
•• The first example of immolation of
widow after death of her husband (Sati)
appeared in Gupta times. (Also referred
in the Eran inscription, which mentions
that the wife of Goparaja, Commander
of Bhangupta, performed Sati)
•• Polygamy and pre-puberty marriages
were common.
•• Women were not given the right to
property except for stridhana, in the
form of garments and jewellery.
Gupta Religion
•• Bhagavatism was based on around the
worship of Vishnu or Bhagavad.
Harshavardhana was an accomplished author who wrote three sanskrit plays – Nagenanda, Ratnavali and Priyadarshika.
EBD_7237
•• Bhagvad Gita was written in this
period. It preached the doctrine of
incarnation or Avatar.
•• Idol worship in the temple became a
common feature.
•• The Gods were unified with their
respective consorts. Thus, Parvati got
associated with Shiva and Laxmi with
Vishnu.
•• Gupta kings followed a policy of
tolerance towards the different
religious sects.
•• There was an evolution of Vajrayanism
as well and Buddhist tantric cult.
•• Buddhism no longer received royal
patronage in the Gupta period.
Gupta Economy
Land was classified into five groups:
•• Khila Waste land
•• Kshetra Bhoomi Cultivable land
•• Vastu Bhoomi Habitable land
•• Charagah Bhoomi Pasture land
•• Aprahata Bhoomi Forest land
•• State was the exclusive owner of land.
•• Poona plates of Prabhavati Gupta refers
to the land survey conducted during the
period.
•• Pushtapala was the officer incharge
for maintaining records of all land
transactions.
•• Trade: There was a decline in trade
with the Roman empire after 3rd
century AD, while the South-East Asian
trade increased.
•• Ports on West coast to trade with
Mediterranean and West Asia—
Bharoach, Chaul, Kalyan and Cambay.
•• Ports on East coast to trade with South-
East Asia—Tamralipti, Ghantashala and
Kandura.
Taxes
Bhaga King’s share in the produce, to be
paid by cultivators.
Bali An additional and oppressive tax
during Gupta period.
Bhoga Periodic supplies of fruits,
firewoods etc., which the villagers
had to furnish to the king.
Uparika An extra tax levied on all subjects.
 GK-26 HISTORY
Gupta Art •• Mrichchakatikam (i.e. the clay cart)
Gupta period is also called The Golden Age is the love story of a poor Brahmin
of Ancient India. Charudatta and virtuous courtsean
•• Coin Arts: Samudragupta is represented Vasantasena.
on his coins playing the Veena and
Chandragupta II is credited with IMPORTANT FACTS
maintaining in his court, nine luminaries •• Brahmasidhanta, was translated
or great scholars viz, Kalidasa, Amarsimha, into Arabic under the title “Sind
Dhanavantri, Varahmihira, Vararuchi Hind”.
(Vartika-a comment on Ashtadhyayi), •• Ritusamhara, Meghdootam and
Ghatakarna, Kshapranak, Velabhatt and Raghuvamsham are epics and not
Shanku. plays.
•• Over two metre high bronze images •• Bhasa wrote 13 plays in this
of the Buddha of this period is period.
recovered from Bhagalpur. •• There was a development of
•• For the first time, images of Vishnu, Sanskrit grammar based on Panini
Shiva and some other Hindu Gods were
and Patanjali. Amarkosha was
found.
•• Buddha sitting in Dharmachakra compiled by Amarasimha.
mudra (Sarnath) and Buddha images
of Bamiyan belong to this period. Other Literary Works
•• Brahminical Image: The Great Boar
(Varah) carved in relief at the entrance Author Book
of a cave at Udayagiri.
Sudraka Mrichchakatikam
•• Paintings: Ajanta paintings and
paintings at Bagh (Madhya Pradesh) Bharavi Kiratarjuniya
are of this period. They belong to the Dandin Dasa Kumar Charita
Buddhist Art. and Kavyadarshan
•• In Gupta period the Gandhara School
of Sculpture was replaced by regional Bhasa Svapnavasavadattam,
centres at Banaras, Pataliputra and Charudatta
Mathura. Vishakhadatta Mudrarakshasa Devi
•• Stupas—Mirpur Khas (Sindh), Chandraguptam
Ratnagiri (Orissa) and Dhammekh
(Sarnath). Vishnu Sharma Panchtantra and
Hitopodesha
Gupta Architecture
•• The Gupta age marked the main style Amarismha Amarkosh
of temple architecture in India like the Isware Krishna Sankhya Kanika
Nagara and Dravida style (shikhar
style) with Garbhagriha. Vatsyayana Kamasutra (earliest
book on sex)
•• Square sanctum sanctorum and a
pillared porch was found. Bhattin Ravan Vadha
Religious Literature Varahamihira Panchasiddhantika,
Hindu Texts: Many old religious books were Brihad Samhita
re-written e.g. Vayu Purana, Vishun Purana,
Manu Smriti (translated into English under Astronomy
the title of “Institutes of Hindu law” William Aryabhatta
Jones), Ramayana and Mahabharata.
New Text: Narad Smriti, Parashar Smriti, He was the great mathematician who wrote
Katyana Smriti and Brihat Smriti. Aryabhatiyam and Surya Siddhanta.
Jain Texts: Nyayavartam written by He placed the value of first line number and
Sidhsena. the use of zero (‘0’).
Buddhist Texts: Abhidharma Kosha Varahamihira
written by Dignaga, Vishnu-dhimagga He wrote Panchsiddhantika and
written by Buddhghosa. Brihadsamhita. He said the Moon moves
Pallavi ruler Narshimhavarman ‘Mammala’ invaded chalukyas and captured vatapi and adopted the title vatapikonda.

HISTORY GK-27
round the Earth and Earth together with
the Moon, move round the Sun.
Brahmagupta: He was a great mathematician.
He hinted the law of gravitation in Brahma
Siddhanta.
Vagabhatta was a distinguished physician.
Dhanvantri was famous for the knowledge
of Ayurveda.
Romaka Siddhanta, a book on astronomy
was compiled.
Palakapya wrote Hastyagarveda, a treatise
on the disease of elephants.
Bhaskara wrote Mahabhaskarya and
Laghu Bhaskarya.
Harshavardhana (606-647 AD)
•• Fall of Gupta’s and Huna invasion
left northern India in a disorder
and chaotic situation. It gave rise to
small kingdoms like Thaneswar, near
Kurukshetra under the leadership
of Prabhakarvardhana and his son
Harsha.
•• He made Kannauj his capital and his
kingdom spread over northern India
except Kashmir.
•• Banabhatta was a poet in his court
who wrote Harshacharita describing
early history of his reign.
•• Chinese pilgrim Hsuan Tsang who
visited India during his reign has thrown
great deal of light on the administrative,
political and social life of that time. He
spent his six years of life in India (606-
612 A.D.).
•• Harsha himself wrote Ratnavali,
Naganandam and Priyadarshika
plays in Sanskrit.
The Pala Empire (750–1174 BC)
en Era of Bengal
•• It was Buddhist dynasty from Bengal
founded by Gopala I. The empire
reached its peak under Dharmapala
and Devapala. Dharmapala conquered
Kannauj and extended his sway up
to the farthest limits of India in the
northwest.
•• Palas were followers of the Mahayana
and Tantric schools of Buddhism,
they also patronised Shaivism and
Vaishnavism.
•• Dharmapala founded the Vikramashila
and revived Nalanda. They maintained
close cultural and commercial ties
with countries of Southeast Asia and
Tibet. Sea trade added greatly to the
Vaishesika School of Philosophy was founded by Uluka Kanada.
EBD_7237
prosperity of the Pala kingdom. The
Arab merchant Suleiman mentioned
the enormity of the Pala army in his
memoirs.
Southern Kingdoms (Sangam
Period)
The Cheras
•• The Chera state covered the area of
both Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
•• The capital of Cheras was Vanjji.
•• Mazris and Tondi were its main ports.
•• The Romans established two regiment
at Muzris like Cranganore in Chera
state. They also built a temple of
Augustus at Muzris.
•• Udiyangeral was one of the earliest
and better known among Chera rulers.
He fed both the armies of Kurukshetra
war and so earned the title Udiyangeral.
•• The greatest of Chera King, was
Senguttuvan or Red Chera. He invaded
the North and even crossed the Ganges.
•• He was also the founder of the famous
Pattini cult related to worship of
goddess of chastity - Kannagi.
The Pandyas
•• The Pandyas were first mentioned by
Megasthanese, who mentioned the
Kingdom was famous for pearls.
•• The Pandya Kingdom included modern
districts of Tirunelvelli, Ramand and
Madurai in Tamil Nadu.
•• It had its capital at Madurai, situated on
the banks of Vaigai River.
•• The Pandya King had trade with Roman
Empire and sent emissaries to Roman
emperor Augustus and Trojan.
•• The Pandyas are mentioned in the
Ramayana and Mahabharata.
•• The earliest known Pandyan ruler was
Mudukudumi.
•• The Pallavas of Kanchi, the Chalukyas
of Badami and the Pandyas of Madurai
emerged as powerful states in southern
India in the beginning of seven century.
Pallavas of Kanchi
Pallavas constructed temples of Shiva and
Vishnu in Tamil Nadu.
•• Epigraphs found in Andhra Pradesh
and Karnataka between second and
third century B.C. were mostly written
in Prakrit but around 400 A.D. Sanskrit
became official language.
 GK-28 HISTORY
•• Pallavas ruled over southern Andhra •• Most powerful king of the dynasty was
Pradesh and northern Tamil Nadu. Rajaraja and his son Rajendra - I.
They made Kanchi their capital •• Rajendra I founded a new capital of
identical to present Kanchipuram Gangai Kondacholapuram.
and made it a city of temple and vedic •• Rajendra Chola III was last king of
learning. dynasty.
Chalukyas of Badami •• The literature had improved in Chola
•• The Chalukyas set up their sovereign Period.
state at Vatapi (modern Bijapur Sangam Administration
district).
•• The king was the centre of administration.
•• Pulakesin I (543-567 A.D.) established
this dynasty and Pulakesin II (608- •• He was called Ko, Mannam, Vendan
647AD) was greatest of all rulers. Korravan or Iraivan.
•• Well known Kasivisvesvara Temple •• Avai was the court of the crowned
at Lakkundi, the Mallikarjuna Temple monarch.
at Kuruvatti, the Kallesvara Temple at •• Important officials (Panchmahasbha):
Bagali and the Mahadeva Temple at 1. Amaichchar (Ministers)
Itagi were built during Chalukyas reign. 2. Purohitar (Priests)
•• The Pallavas and Chalukyas were 3. Dutar (Envoys)
in conflict during Pulakesin II. 4. Senapatiyar (Commander)
Narasimhavarman captured his capital 5. Orar (Spies)
during their second clash between the •• The kingdom was divided into
two. Narasimhavarman then assumed Mandalam/Nadu (Province)
the title of vatapikonda (conquer of Ur (town)
Vatapi). Perur (Big village)
Chola Dynasty Sirur (Small village)
•• The Capital of Chola was Palayarai. Pattinam (Name of coastal town)
•• Vijaylaya was the founder of Chola Puhar (Harbour areas)
Dynasty. Cheri (Suburb of town)
SANGAM REGIONS
Panchtinai (five Tamil Occupation Inhabitants
regions)
Kurinji (hilly backwoods Hunting, Gathering Kurvar, Vetar
or montane)
Palai (Parched or arid zone) cattle lifting, Highway robbery Eyinar, Maravar
Mullai (Pastoral tract) Shifting Agriculture, Animal Ayar, Idaiyar
husbandry
Marutam (Wetland) Plough Agriculture Ulavar, Vellalar
Neital (littoral/coastal) Fishing, Salt extraction Paratavar, Valayar

Sangam Economy •• Ulgu Custom duties

•• The land was very fertile with proper
irrigation facilities. The chief local •• Variyar Tax collector
God was Murugan, also called as •• Variyam A well-known unit of
Subramaniya. territory yielding tax
Revenue Terminologies
Sangam Literature
•• Karai Land tax •• The word Sangam was an assembly
of Tamil scholars and poets, under the
•• Irai Tribute paid by feudatories royal patronage of the Pandyan kings.
and booty collected in war •• The whole Sangam age is called Golden
•• Iravu Extra demand or forced gift or Augustan age.
•• The father of Tamil literature is ‘Agastya’
 EBD_7237
HISTORY GK-29

Tamil Sangams •• Tirukkural or Kural by Tiruvalluvar

is the fifth Veda or Bible of the
San- Surviving Tamil land. It explains the doctrine of
Venue Chairman
gams Text Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha.
1st Madurai Agastaya — •• Aggatiyam is grammar of letters and
life, presented in three parts, written by
2nd Kapatapuran Agastaya Tolakap-
saint Aggatiyar.
Alvai (founder) piyam
Tolakap- (Tamil Epics
piyan Grammar) •• Silappadikaram, i.e. the jewelled
(later anklet by Ilango Adigal is an epic, a
chairman love story of Kovalan and Madhavi, also
3rd North Nakkirar Ettutogai called Illiyad of Tamil Poetry.
•• Manimekalai is also an epic and a
Madurai Patinenki
sequel to Silappadikaram, written by
lakanakku, Seetalai Sattannar.
Pattu-Pattu •• Sevaga Chintamani (Sivaga Sindamani),
a third epic by a Jaina Tiruttakadeva. It
Other Sangam Works
has elements of Jainism.
•• Tolkappiyam by Tolkappiyar (Tamil •• Bharatman was written by Perudevanar.
Grammar).
Very Important Temples of Ancient India
Temple Builder Dynasty
Jagannath Temple, Puri Narsinghdev Ganga
Sun Temple, Konark Yashoverman Ganga
Kandariya Mahadeva Krishan-I Chandella
Temple Khajurao
Kailash Temple at Ellora Krishan-I Rashtrakuta
Elephanta Narsingh Verman -I Rashtrakuta
Mamallapuram Temple Narsingh Verman - II Pallava
Kailashnath Temple Narsingh Verman - II Pallava
Jain Temple of Dilwara Vimala Solankiruler

MEDIEVAL HISTORY
The Rajputs
The Rajputas emerged as a powerful force in Northern India.
Some Important Rajputs Kingdom
Rajput Kingdom Capital Founder
Chauhan/Chahman of Delhi-Ajmer Delhi Vasudeva
(7th–1192)
Pratihara/Parihar of Kannauj Avanti Kannauj Nagbhatta–I
(730–1036)
Paware/Parmar of Malwa (790–1150) Ujjain/Dhar Sri Harsha
 GK-30 HISTORY
Chalukya/Solanki of Kathiawar Anihalvada Mularaja I
(942–1187)
Kalchuri/Haihaga of Chedi (850– Tripuri Kokkala I
1211)
Chandella of Jejaka Bhukti (831– Khajuraho Nanuk Chandela
1202)
Gadhwal/Rathor of Kannauj Kannauj Chandra Deva
(1090–1194)
Tomars of Delhi & Haryana Dhillika ----
Guhilota/Sisodiya of Mewar Chittor Bappa Rawal Hammir I

Important Rajput Rulers Architectural & Literary works by

Prithivi Raj Chauhan
•• He was Chahamana ruler of Delhi &
Agra.
•• He fought 2 battles with Muslim invador
Md. Ghori.
(i) First Battle of Tarain (1191): Prithvi
Raj defeated Muhammad Ghori
(ii) Second Battle of Tarain (1192):
Muhammad Ghori defeated Prithvi
Raj Chauhan.
Jaichand Gadhwal/Rathor
•• He was last Rajputa King
•• He was defeated by Md. Ghori in battle
of Chandawar.
Bhoja Parmar
He was a great conqueror and a patron of
literature.
Rajputs
•• Kandariya Mahadev Temple
(Khajuraho) built by Chandella of
Bundel Khanda.
•• Dilwara Temple (Mount Abu) built by
Siddharaja Solanki of Gujarat.
•• Sun Temple at Konark.
•• Lingaraja Temple at Bhubaneswar.
•• Rajtarangini (History of Kashmir) of
Kalhana
•• Gita Govinda of Jayadeva
•• Vikramadeva Charita by Bilhana
Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526 AD)
Delhi Sultanate begins with Turkish
invasion in India by Muhammad Ghori from
1173 to 1202. He nominated his faithful
slave Qutub-ud-Din Aibak as the governor
of the newly possessed region called India.
During this period Delhi became the centre
of Turkish and Afghan Power.

Dynasty Sultan / Agent Event Highlights

Muhammad •• Qutub-ud-din Aibak (1206–1210) •• Construction of world famous
Ghori/slave •• Aram Shah (1210–1211) monument Qutub Minar by
dynasty •• Shams ud din Iltutmish (1211–1236), Qutub-ud-din Aibak and finished
(1193-1290) •• Rukn ud din Firuz (1236) by his successors. They attacked
•• Raziyyat-ud-din Sultana (1236–1240) temples of Ajmer, Samana,
•• Muiz ud din Bahram (1240–1242) Kuhram, Delhi, Kol, Benaras
•• Alauddin Masud (1242–1246), •• Construction of Quwat ul-Islam
•• Nasiruddin Mahmud (1246–1266), at Delhi, Adhai din ka Jhopra at
•• Ghiyas uddin Balban (1266–1286), Ajmer.
•• Muiz uddin Qaiqabad (1286–1290),
Khiljis •• Jalal ud din Firuz Khilji (1290–1296) •• Known for their cruelty as they
(1290-1320) •• Alauddin Khilji (1296–1316) levied taxes on the defeated
•• Umar Khan Khilji (1316) community. During the period of
•• Qutb ud din Mubarak Shah (1316- Alauddin Khilji the famous Koh-i-
1320) noor Diamond of Warangal was
•• Khusro Khan (1320) looted somewhere around 1310
 EBD_7237
HISTORY GK-31

Tughlaqs •• Ghiyath al-Din Tughlaq (1320-1325) •• Geographically the largest

(1320-1395) •• Muhammad bin Tughlaq (1325-1351) dynasty; Muhammad bin Tughlaq
•• Mahmud Ibn Muhammad (March 1351) was one of the powerful sultans
•• Firuz Shah Tughlaq (1351–1388) who changed the capital from
•• Ghiyas-ud-Din Tughlaq II (1388– Delhi to Daulatabad (present
1389) Deogir in Maharashtra) to rule
•• Abu Bakr Shah (1389–1390) the empire more proficiently thus
•• Nasir ud din Muhammad Shah III ordered for forceful migration of
(1390–1393) common masses. Though a good
•• Sikander Shah I (March-April 1393) idea but he failed to execute.
•• Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah Tughlaq •• Secondly his ideas to introduce
(1393–1413) bronze coin instead of silver coin
•• Nasir-ud-din Nusrat Shah Tughlaq also failed as the bronze coins
(1394–1414), were easy to forge
Sayyids •• Khizr Khan (1414–1421) •• The vast Tughlaq dynasty shrunk
(1400-1442) •• Mubarak Shah (1421–1434) within 10 miles of Delhi during
•• Muhammad Shah (1434–1445) this period.
•• Alam Shah (1445–1451)
Lodis •• Bahlul Lodi (1451–1489) •• The dynasty had fought one of the
(1457-1518) •• Sikandar Lodi (1489–1517) greatest battles in India- Battle
•• Ibrahim Lodi (1517–1526), of Panipat in 1526 with Babur
who was invited by Daulat Khan
Lodi to enter India and at the end
Ibrahim Lodi lost the battle.

LITERATURE OF DELHI SULTANATE

Book Author Historical Importance
Tabqiq-i-Hind Al-beruni Alberuni was an Arabian scholar who wrote
about the Slave dynasty
Tabaqat-i-Nasiri Minhaj-us-Siraj Gives an account of Iltutmish’s region
Laila-Majnu Amir Khusrau Court poet of Alauddin Khilji
Khazain-ul-Futuh Amir Khusrau Describes conquests of Alauddin Khilji
Tughlaq-Nama Amir Khusrau Gives account of Ghiyasuddin’s reign
Nuh-Sipihr Amir Khusrau Poetic description of Alauddin Khilji
Fatawa-i-Jahandri Ziauddin Barani Gives an account of the Tughlaq dynasty
Tarikha-i-Firoz Shahi Ziauddin Barani Gives an account of Firoz Shah’s reign
Fatwah-i-Firoz Shahi Firoz Shah Gives an account of his reign
Kitab-fi-Tahqiq Alberuni About Indian Sciences
Qanun-e-Masudi Alberuni About astronomy
Jawahar-fil-jawahir Alberuni About mineralogy
Qamas Firozabadi Arabic words dictionary
Taj-ul-Maathir Hasan Nizami History of IIbaris, the slave dynasty
Chach Namah Abu Bakr History of Sindh region
Lubab-ul-Alab Bhukhari Persian anthology
 GK-32 HISTORY
Khamsah Amir khusrau Literature and Poems
Shah Namah Firdausi About Mahmud Ghazni’s reign
Kitab-ul-Rehla lbn Battutah A travelogue with stories
Miftah-ul-Futuh Amir Khusrau Jalaluddin’s conquest and life
Multa-ul-Anwar Amir Khusrau Literary masterpieces
Ayina-i-Sikandari Amir Khusrau Literary masterpieces
Hasht Bihisht Amir Khusrau Literary masterpieces
Shirin Khusrau Amir Khusrau Literary masterpieces
Tarik-i-Firoz Shahi Shams-i-Shiraj Afif History of Tughlaqs
Futuh-us-Salatin Isami About Bahmani Kingdom

CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION OF DELHI SULTANATE

Department Head (Founded by)
Diwan – i-Wizarat (Finance Department) Wazir

Diwan – i-Ariz (Military Department) Ariz – i –Mumalik

Diwan-i-Insha (Correspondence Department) Dabir-i-Mumalik.

Diwan-i-Risalat (Department of Appeals) Dabir-i-Mulq

Diwan-i-Mustakharaj (Department of Arrears) Founded by Alauddin Khilji

Diwan-i-Kohi (Department of Agriculture) Founded by Md-bin-Tughlaq

Diwan-i-Bandgan Department of Slaves) Founded by Firoz Tughlaq

Diwan-i-Khairat (Department of Charity) Founded by Firoz Tughlaq

Diwan-i- Isthiaq (Department of Pension) Founded by Firoz Tughlaq.

Vijayanagara Empire (1336–1646 AD)

•• Vijay Nagar Kingdom and city were founded by Harihara and Bukka.
•• Vijay Nagar Kingdom lay in the Deccan, to the south of the Bahmani Kingdom.
•• Vijay Nagar period can be divided into 4 distinct dynasty viz Sangma, Saluva, Tuluva
and Aravidu.
Dynasty Emperors Important Highlights
Sangama •• Harihara Raya I(1336–1356) •• The rise of Vijayanagar dynasty was
Dynasty •• Bukka Raya I (1356–1377) the result of political and cultural
•• Harihara Raya II (1377–1404) movement against the Tughlaqs.
•• Virupaksha Raya (1404–1405) •• Presumably Harihar I and Bukka I
•• Bukka Raya II (1405–1406) were the founders of this dynasty.
•• Deva Raya I (1406–1422) •• This dynasty had to face the invasion
•• Ramachandra Raya(1422) from Bahmani Sultan Ahmed Lin.
•• Vira Vijaya Bukka Raya (1422–1424) •• The kings of this dynasty were
•• Deva Raya II (1424–1446) generous and worked for the social
•• Mallikarjuna Raya (1446–1465) welfare of the people.
•• Virupaksha Raya II (1465–1485) •• Some of the kings were great
•• Praudha Raya(1485) patronage of literature.

HISTORY GK-33
Saluva •• Saluva Narasimha Deva Raya •• The Saluva started ruling soon after
Dynasty (1485–1491)
•• Thimma Bhupala (1491)
•• Narasimha Raya II (1491–1505)
Tuluva •• Tuluva Narasa Nayaka (1491–1503)
Dynasty •• Vira Narasimha Raya (1503–1509)
•• Krishna Deva Raya (1509–1529)
•• Achyuta Deva Raya (1529–1542)
•• Venkata I 1542
•• Sadasiva Raya (1542–1570)
Aravidu •• Aliya Rama Raya 1542–1565
Dynasty •• Tirumala Deva Raya 1565–
1572
•• Sriranga I 1572–1586
•• Venkata II 1586–1614
•• Sriranga II 1614
•• Rama Deva Raya 1617–1632
•• Venkata III 1632–1642
•• Sriranga III 1642–1646
Vijay Nagar Administration
• Nayankar system was special feature
of provincial administration.
• Ayngar system was special feature of
village administration.
• The Vijaynagar rulers issued Gold
coins called “Varahas or Pagodas”.
Vijay Nagar Architecture
• Vijay Nagar Rulers produced a new
style of Architecture called as provida
Style.
• Important temples were Vittalswami
& Hazara Rama Temple of Hampi.,
Varadraja and Ekambarnath temple
at Kanchipuram and Parvati Temple at
Chidambaram.
Religious Movements
During fifteenth and sixteenth century
religious movements have emerged in India
so as to liberate people from dogmatic beliefs,
ritualism, caste and communal hatred, etc.
Two major movements that carried out by
both Hindu and Muslim communities were
Bhakti and Sufi Movement.
Harshavardhana called for a religious assembly at Kannauj which was joined by many learned people and presided over by Hiuen-Tsang.
EBD_7237
Saluva Narasimha had a fight with
the Sambetas of Peranipadu and
the Paligers of Ummattur but they
couldn’t sustain power for a very long
period
•• Founded by Tuluva Narasa Nayak, the
third Hindu dynasty of Vijayanagar
Empire seemed to be the most
powerful dynasties.
•• Krishan Deva Raya the most powerful
king of this dynasty.
•• Believed to be the golden period of
Telugu literature.
•• Worshipped Nagaraja Vasuki hence
called as Nagavanshis.
•• The last dynasty of Vijayanagar
empire founded by Tirumal Deva
Raya
•• The battle of Raksa –Tangadi
happened hence the Aravidu dynasty
as well as Vijayanagar empire came
to an end by the combined forces of
Bijapur muslims
Bhakti Movement
•• Bhakti means personal devotion to God.
It stresses the union of the individual
with God.
•• Bhakti movement originated in South
India between the 15th and the 17th
centuries AD.
•• The Nayanars, who worshipped Shiva,
and the Alwars, who worshipped Vishnu,
preached the idea of Bhakti.
•• Saints like Sankara, Ramanuja and
Madhwa gave their concepts of God and
the individual soul.
•• Teachings of Ramanuja (1017–1137
AD) were based on the Upanishads and
Bhagwad Gita.
•• Ramananda was follower of Ramunaja.
He was the first reformer to preach in
Hindi.
•• Kabir (1440–1510 AD) was an ardent
disciple of Ramananda. He wanted unity
between the Hindus and the Muslims.
•• He preached that both the Hindus and the
Muslims are the children of a single God.
•• The devotees of Kabir were known as
Kabir Panthis.
 GK-34
•• Namdeva (1270–1350 AD) was a
waterman by birth. He composed
beautiful hymns in Marathi.
•• Guru Nanak (1469–1538 AD) was the
founder of the Sikh religion.
•• Nanak’s teachings were in the form of
verses. They were collected in a book
called the Adi Granth.
•• Later Adi Granth was written in a script
called Gurmukhi.
•• Chaitanya (1486–1533 AD), a great
devotee of Lord Krishna, was a saint
from Bengal.
•• Meerabai (1498–1546 AD) was a
Rajput princess. She married the Rana
of Mewar. She was a pious devotee of
Lord Krishna.
•• Chatrapati Shivaji, the great Maratha
ruler, was a follower of Ramdas.
•• Tukaram (1598–1650 AD) was a saint
who lived in Maharashtra. He composed a
large number of verses called Abhangas.
•• Tulsidas (1532–1623 AD) composed
the famous Ramcharitamanas in Hindi,
expounding the various aspects of Hindu
dharma.
•• Surdas was a devotee of Lord Krishna
and Radha. His works include Sursagar,
Sahitya Ratna and Sur Sarawali.
•• Dadu Dayal (1544–1603 AD) was a
disciple of Kabir. His followers were
known as Dadu Panthis.
•• Eknath (1533–1599 AD) was a devotee
of Vithoba. He wrote commentary on
verses of the Bhagavad Gita.
Sufi Movement
Sufism or tasawwuf, as it is called in
Arabic, is generally understood by scholars
and Sufis to be the inner, mystical, or
psycho-spiritual dimension of Islam. Today,
however, many Muslims and non-Muslims
believe that Sufism is outside the sphere of
Islam.
In Sufism, a perfect being is also called a
Wali (saint), a word that literally means
‘sincere friend’. The superstructure of
Sufism is built on the concept of teacher,
pir or murshid.
Hiuen-Tsang spent about eight years (635-643 AD) in India and wrote a text called- Si Yu ki.
HISTORY
The cardinal doctrines of the Sufism include
1. Absorbed variety of ideas and practices
from Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism
and Zorastrianism.
2. It aimed at services of mankind.
3. Building cultural synthesis.
4. It opposed orthodoxy and preached
devotion to God.
5. Discouraged materialistic life but did
not support complete renunciation.
These cardinal principles altogether
make the Doctrine of Fana which means
annihilation of human attributes through
Union with God. Sufism had succeeded in
inculcating the sentiments of fraternity,
equality and equity, coupled with sense
of service to humanity, in the followers,
irrespective of race, community, caste, creed
and colour.
Sufi Saint
•• Khwaja Ali Hujjwiri (11th century):
He was also known as Data Ganj
Baksh. He wrote a manual of Sufism
called ‘Kashf-ul-Mahjub’.
•• Shaikh Bahauddin Zakariya
(1182-1262): He was the founder of
Suhrawardi order who founded first
leading Khanqah in India at Multan.
•• Khwaja Muinuddin Chisti (1141-
1236): He was the founder of the
chisti order which is the first and most
popular liberal sufi order in India. He
settled down at Ajmer. Other chisti Sufi
Saints who followed Khwaja Muinuddin
Chisti were:
(1) Sheikh Hamiduddin Nagauri
(1192-1274);
(2) Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar
Kaki in whose memory Qutub
Minar was built;
(3) Baba Fariduddin Ganj-i-Shakar
(1175-1265) popularly known as
Baba Farid. He built his Khanqah
at Ajodan (Punjab). He was also
the first Punjabi poet of Sufism;
(4) Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya
(1236-1325): He was known
as Mehboob-i-ilahi, built his
khanqah in Delhi and became
the most famous Sufi Saint of the
Chisti order.
 EBD_7237
HISTORY GK-35

(5) Shaikh Nasiruddin Mahmud •• Shah Nayamatullah Qadri and Shah

(death 1365) was a chisti saint Abdullah Shuttari (15th Centry):
came to be known as Chirag-i- Shah Nayamattullah Qadri founded
Delhi; the Qadiriya order. It spread in Uttar
(6) Syed Muhammad Gesu Daraz Pradesh and Deccan. Miya Mir (1550-
(death 1421) settled down at 1635) was its popular Saint. Shah
Gulbarga (Karnataka). He was Abdullah Shuttari (dealth 1458)
popularly known as Bandanawaz. founded the Shuttari order. It spread
•• Shaikh Badruddin Samarkandi (13th mainly in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
century): He founded Firdausi order •• Khwaja Baqi Billah (1536-1603) He
which thrived only in Bihar. founded Naqsbandiah order.
Major Events during Mughal Period (1526 - 1858)
1526, May 27 Babur found the empire of Hind.
1540, May 17 Mughal rulers are expelled and suppressed by the Afghan Suri Dynasty.

1555, July 23 Empire of Hind under the Mughal rulers restored.

1600, Dec 31 East India Company (EIC) was given monopoly privileges on all trades with
the East.
1608 The Companies ships arrived at the port of Surat.

1615 Jahangir granted the EIC the right to establish a factory at Surat.

1717 EIC received a firman exempting the company from the payment of custom
duties in Bengal.
1757 The forces of the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-daulah, was defeated at the Battle
of Plassey.
1773 Lord North’s India Bill, known as the Regulating Act of 1773, provided for
greater Parliamentary control over the affairs of the company and placed
India under the rule of a Governor General.
1858, Mar 29 The last Mughal ruler is deposed.

1858, Aug 2 U.K. Act of Parliament annexed the Empire, creating British India.

Babur’s Expeditions to India

Year Place Remarks
AD 1518-19 Bajaur and Bhira • First invasion of India
• Babur’s artillery played a decisive role.
• Gunpowder was used for the first time.
AD 1520 Sialkot • Third expedition in India.
AD 1524 Lahore and Dipalpur • Gave Sultanpur to Dilawar Khan
AD 1526 Panipat • Defeated Ibrahim Lodhi.
AD 1527 Khanwa (or Khanua) • He defeated Rana Sangha. He proclaimed victory by
(near Fatehpur Sikri) assuming the title of Ghazi.
• This victory secured Babur’s position in Delhi-Agra
region.
 GK-36 HISTORY
AD 1528 Chanderi • Defeated the Rajput ruler, Medini Rai.
AD 1529 Ghagra (near Patna) • Fought against the allied forces of Afghans, under
Mahmud Lodi, brother of Ibrahim Lodi, in Bengal
and Bihar.
• Sultan Nusrat Shah of Bengal faced crushing defeat.

MUGHAL DYNASTY
Sultans Important accomplishments
•• Babur won by defeating the last king of Lodhi dynasty, i.e. Ibrahim
Lodhi.
•• Two major battles won by Babur were Battle of Panipat I (April
1526) and Khanwa Battle (March 1527).
•• Continued to conquer places in the coming years and his territory
Babur (1526-1530) extended almost up to the northern part of India.
•• Came to power soon after the death of his father Babur in 1530.
•• Forcefully driven to Afghanistan by the Muslim rebel Sher Shah in
1540 and returned to India after 15 years in 1555.
•• Encouraged Persian artists for their fine arts; brought two of them
from the school of Bihzad to teach Akbar, the lessons of drawing.
•• Died accidentally by falling down from stone staircase.
Humayun
(1530-40 to 1555-56)
•• Ruled from 1556 till his death in 1605.
•• His power influenced entire country because of the dominance of
Mughal military, politics, culture and economy.
•• Was quite different from other mughal emperors in terms of his liberal
behaviour with the society, religious practices and administrative
policies.
•• Abolished pilgrimage tax which the common people had to pay
Akbar while visiting to pilgrim spots.
(1556-1605) •• Rajputs were made equal partners in government.
•• Driven by the thought of religious equality, formulated his own
religion Din-i-Ilahi which focused on universal harmony.
•• His great passion about knowledge made him appoint intellectual
people in his court and name them as Navratna.
•• The only heir that survived and ruled the mughal dynasty after
Akbar.
•• First military expedition was against Rana Amar Singh, son of Rana
Pratap of Mewar.
•• Art, literature, and architecture prospered under Jahangir’s
rule, and the Mughal gardens in Srinagar remained an enduring
Jahangir (1605- testimony to his artistic taste.
1627)
•• The fifth ruler of Mughal dynasty was famous for his great
administration.
•• As a great lover of art and culture he took interest in the
construction and architecture and the master piece is Taj Mahal
built in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal.
•• He also built Red Fort and Jama Masjid at Delhi.
Shah Jahan
(1628-1658)

Krishna Deva Rai took the titles of Yavanaraja Sthapancharya and also was known as Andhra Bhoj and Andhra Pitamaha.
 EBD_7237
HISTORY GK-37

•• Started ruling the dynasty as its sixth emperor.

•• Was a ruler with religious orthodoxy and used to support Islam
•• Was not much passionate about art and culture, so during his
tenure only few monuments have been developed - the exquisite
Moti (Pearl) Mosque at Delhi.
•• Reintroduced Jaziya, i.e. taxation on non-muslims.
Aurangzeb
(1658-1707)

DIN-I-ILAHI Akbar’s Nine Ratnas

•• Akbar adopted the policy of Sulh-i- Akbar’s court had Navratans, meaning a
Kul (peace for all) to unite the people
group of nine extraordinary people. They
of all religions, He started a new faith
included-
“Tauhid-i-Ilahi” which later became
popular as “Din-i-ilahi”. 1. Abul Fazel - Akbar’s chief advisor
•• Akbar’s Rajput Policy was also based on 2. Faizi - Poet
his religious policy. 3. Tansen - Singer of his court
•• Akbar cancelled the Royal Status of 4. Birbal - Noble known for his
Islam. wittiness
•• ‘Din-i-Ilahi was the essence of all the 5. Raja Todar Mal - Akbar’s finance
religions. Akbar granted freedom to Minister
people of all religions. He abolished all 6. Raja Man Singh - Trusted general
the religious restrictions imposed by
7. Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khana - Hindi
previous Muslim religions.
Scholar
•• Akbar granted freedom to Hindus to
8. Hakim Humam - Physician to the
worship in temples and public places.
He also allowed the converted Muslims King.
to change their religion. 9. Mullah Do Piaza - An intelligence
•• The christian missionaries were advisor to the King.
allowed to propagate their ideas.
•• He never discriminated on the basis Main Events during the reign of
of caste and religion and gave equal Akbar
opportunity to all to hold government
positions. Year Major Events
•• Because of the policies adopted by 1562 Abolition of Slavery
Akbar, the Ulemas lost their positions 1563 Abolition of Pilgrimage Tax.
and were annoyed to such an extent
that they issued ‘Fatwa’ against him. 1564 Abolition of Jaziya.
•• He changed the Jagirs to ‘Khalisa’ land 1575 Ibadatkhana was built in Fatehpur
and reduced the allowances of nobles. Sikri
Ten Commandments of Din-i-illahi 1578 Parliament of Religions in
1. Liberal mindedness and generosity. Ibadatkhana.
2. Forgiveness of the evil doers. 1579 Proclamation of “Marhar’
3. Repulsion of anger with mildness.
4. Abstinence from wordly desire. 1582 Proclamation of Tauhid-i-illahi.
5. Non attachment to the materialistic 1575-76 Entire empire divided into 12
world. provinces (After victory of south it
6. Careful thought on proposed action.
becomes 15)
7. Softness of voice and gentle speech.
8. Good treatment with fellow brethren. 1582 ‘Dahsala system’ introduced by
9. Total break with bad characters. Todarmal.
10. Dedication of soul in the love of God. 1573-74 ‘Mansabdari system’ introduced
He fixed 14 years age for girls and 16 after victory over Gujarat.
years age for boys for marriage.
 GK-38 HISTORY
LITERATURE OF MUGHAL PERIOD
Book Author Contents
Tuzuk-i-Baburi Babur Describes military tactics and
administrative organisation during
Babur’s reign
Qanun-i-Humayu Khwand Amair Describes Humayun’s administration,
festivities and buildings of that period
Humayun Nama Gulbadan Begum Biography of Humayun
Akbar Nama Abul Fazl Gives a history of Akbar’s reign
Tobaqat-i-Akbari Khwajah Nizamuddin Given a history of Akbar‘s reign
Ahmad Baksh
Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri Jahangir Memoirs of his own reign
Iqbalnama-i-Jahangiri Muhammad Khan History of Jahangir's reign
Chahar Chaman Chandra Bhan Brahman History of Shah Jahan's rule
Alamgir-Nama Munshi Mirza Gives an account of Aurangzeb's first 10
Muhamma Kazin years of rule
Massir-i-Alamgiri Saqi Mustaid Khan Official history of Aurangzeb’s reign
written after his death
Ain-i-Akbari Abul Fazl History of Akbar's reign
Muntakhab-ul- Abdal Qadir Badauni History of Akbar's rule
Tawarikh
Tawarikh-i-Alfi Mulla Daud History of Akbar‘s rule
Nuriyya-i-Sultaniyya Abdul Haq Theory of Kinship during Mughal Period
Waqt-i-Hyderabad Nimat Khan Ali Aurangzeb's Golconda conquest
Futuhat-i-Alamgiri Ishwar Das Aurangzeb's history
Nuskha-i-Dilkusha Bhimsen Saxena Analysis of Aurangzeb's rule and
character
Khulasat-ul-Tawarikh Sujan Raj Khatri History of Aurangzeb's rule
Padshah Namah Abdul Hamid Lahori History of Shah Jahan's reign
Padshah Namah Muhammad Waris History of Shah Jahan‘s rule
Shahjahan Namah Muhammad Salih History of Shah Jahan‘s rule
Shahjahan Namah Inyat Khan History of Shah Jahan‘s rule
Hamlai-Haidri Muhammad Rafi Khan History of Aurangzeb's rule
Namah-e-Alamgiri Aquil Khan Zafar History of Aurangzeb‘s rule
Sirr-i-Akbar Dara Shikoh Urdu translation of Upanishad
Safinat-ul-Auliya Dara Shikoh Biographies of Sufi Saints
Majma-ul-Bahrain Dara Shikoh Philosophical ideas discussed
Raqqat-e-Alamgiri Aurangzeb A compendium of his letters
Hasmat-ul-Arifin Dara Shikoh Religious ideas discussed
 EBD_7237
HISTORY GK-39

PAINTINGS OF MUGHAL PERIOD

Ruler Famous painter Other feature

Humayun Mirsayyid Ali, Abdur Samed
Akbar Khusro Ali, Fahrukhbeg
Basawan, Jamshed Daswan
Jahangir Bishan Das, Abdul Hassan,
Ustad Mansur
Introduction of Passion Style,
Daswan illustrated ‘Razma Namah’
and Akbar Nama
Use of Halo Started

Translation of Famous Sanskrit Texts in Persian in Medieval India

1370 Nakshatra Shastra Ejuddin Kirmani Dalyab-i-Firoz Firoz Tuglaq
Shahi
1303 Sali Kshetra Abdulla bin Safi - Ahmad Shah
Bahamani
1500 Chiktsa Shastra Main Bhuwan Tibbe Sikandari Sikandar Lodhi
1574-1575 Singhasan Battisi Faizi & others Siral Afza Akbar
1575-76 Atharv Ved Haji Ibrahim - Akbar
Sarhindi
1582-83 Mahabharat Badayuni, Razm Nama Akbar
Naqibkhan,
Sheikh Sultan
1583-84 Ramayan Badayuni - Akbar
1585 Harivansh Puran Maulana, Sherry Jamaye Rashidi Akbar
1589-90 Kaliya Daman Abul Fazal Ayar Danish Akbar
1590 Raj Tarangini Mulla Shah - Akbar
Muhammad
1593 Liawati Faizi - Akbar
(Arthmatic)
1594 Nal Damayanti Faizi Masnavi Akbar
Nalodaman
1596 Panch Tantra Abul Fazal Anwar-i-Saheli Akbar
1650 Yog Vashishtha Dara Shikoh - Shahjahan
1652-83 Bhagwat Gita Dara Shikoh - Shahjahan

SHER SHAH SURI •• In 1539, he captured Chausa from

Humayun in the battle of Chausa.
•• His real name was Farid and born to
•• He annexed Kannauj after defeating
Hassan.
Humayun.
•• Ibrahim Lodhi transferred his Jagir to
•• He defeated Rajput forces of Marwar in
him.
Battle of Samel (1544)
•• He gaind Chunar by marrying a Widow
•• He introduced a regular postal service,
lady Malika.
Silver rupiya.
 GK-40 HISTORY
•• He built Purana Qila along with Grand- •• He introduced the principle of local
Trunk. responsibility for local crimes.
•• Malik Muhammad Jaysi wrote Padmavat •• The taxes were directly collected.
during his reign.
THE KINGDOM OF THE GREAT MARATHA
Eminent Persons Notable accomplishments
•• Known as the father of Maratha nation.
•• Before killing Adilshahi general Afzal Khan in 1647, he gradually
started capturing forts in the region like Purandar, Rajgad, Torna.
•• The guerrilla tactics and brilliant military strategies were his key to
success in every war.
•• Fought with Jai Singh, general of Aurangzeb in which he lost and was
Shivaji Bhonsle arrested in 1666, but soon he escaped and regained his lost territory.
(1630-80 A.D) •• Assumed the title of “Chhatrapati” at his elaborate coronation in 1674.
•• Died in 1680 and at that time had control over most of western
Maharashtra and had made ‘Raigad’ capital.
•• Was the first son of Chhatrapati Shivaji and succeeded his father after
his death in the first week of April 1680.
•• Gave shelter to Sultan Muhammad Akbar, the fourth son of Aurangzeb,
who sought Sambhaji’s aid in winning the Mughal throne from his emperor
father.
•• During this period Mughals sieged the Maratha fort of Ramsej in 1682, but
after five months of failed attempts, including planting explosive mines
Sambhaji and building wooden towers to gain the walls, the Mughal siege failed.
•• Was imprisoned and executed by Aurangzeb, in 1689.
•• After the execution of Sambhaji, Rajaram, the second son of Shivaji had
taken the charge of Marathas in 1689 but soon died in 1700.
•• Tarabai the widow of Rajaram, put her young son Sambhaji II on the
throne after his father’s death, at the tender age of ten, and continued
the fight against Mughals until the death of Aurangzeb in 1707.

Rajaram
•• Sahuji the son of Sambhaji was released from Mughals captivity in 1707.
•• He attacked Tarabai and Sambhaji II from the throne of Maratha with
the help of Peshwa Balaji Biswanathan and won the battle. Soon he had
his own territory.
•• Didn’t posses a strong affinity for politics, he settled down in Satara.

Sahuji
•• He was appointed as Prime Minister of Sahuji and assisted him on
political issues.
•• This was the beginning of another great dynasty in 1718 known as
Peshwa dynasty.
•• He died in 1721.

Balaji
Vishwanath
 EBD_7237
HISTORY GK-41

•• As the eldest son to his father Balaji Vishwanath, Bajirao Peshwa I took
the charge of Peshwa dynasty after his death in 1721.
•• During his tenure, Pune regained the status of capital Maratha Kingdom
from Raigad.
•• In 1734, captured the Malwa territory in the north, and in 1739, drove
out the Portuguese from nearly all their possessions in the Western
Ghats.
Bajirao Peshwa I •• He died in 1740.
•• Succeeded Peshwa after his father Bajirao Peshwa’s death.
•• Fought the Third War of Panipat with Ahmad Shah Abdalli in 1761
but lost the war.
•• Was shattered by the loss of his elder son and brother in the war and
died soon after the war ended.

Balaji Bajirao
(Nanasaheb)
•• Assumed the title of Peshwa in 1761.
•• His leading achievements included the defeat of Nizam of Hyderabad,
Hyder Ali of Mysore and Bhosle of Nagpur.
•• Defeated Jats and took the hold of Agra and Mathura in 1769 with the
help of Mahadaji Shinde and Nana Phadnavis.
•• In 1772, died at an early age of 27 years.
Madhav Rao
•• Was a trusted lieutenant of the Peshwa and one of the three pillars of
Maratha Resurrection.
•• Wiped out the power of Jats of Mathura and during 1772-73 destroyed
the power of Pashtun Rohillas in Rohilkhand and captured Najibabad.
•• Died of typhoid fever, at his camp at Wanavdi near Pune on 12 February
1794 while he was at the zenith of power.

Mahadaji Shinde
•• Was a prominent minister and statesman of the Maratha Empire during
the Peshwa administration in Pune.
•• Handled the Peshwa well and with great unity among Maratha chiefs.
•• The then rising powers have been halted by his great efforts and
continued to serve the Peshwas until his death in 1800 AD.

Nana Phadnavis

GREAT TRAVELERS IN INDIAN HISTORY

Identity: Greek ethnographer & ambassador.
Time of Visit to India: During the rule of Chandragupta Maurya.
Duration of Stay: 302-298 BC.
Contribution: Wrote the book Indica.

Megasthenes
 GK-42 HISTORY
Identity: A Buddhist Monk who came from China.
Time of Visit to India: Reign of Harshvardhana.
Duration of Stay: 405-411 AD.
Contribution: Wrote ‘Record of Buddhist kingdoms’.

Fa Hsien
Identity: Chinese Buddhist monk.
Time of Visit to India: Reign of Harshavardhan.
Duration of Stay: 630-645 AD.
Contribution: Wrote Si-yu-ki or the ‘Records of Western World.

Hiuen Tsang/
Xuanzang
Identity: Muslim scholar and polymath from Persia
Time of Visit to India: Came along with Mahmud of Ghazni.
Duration of Stay: 1024-1030 AD
Contribution: Wrote Taharikh-al-Hind, about social religious,
political nature of India during that time.
Al-Biruni/Abu
Rayhan Muhammad
Identity: Italian merchant and traveller
Time of Visit to India: Came during the period of Rudramani Devi
of Kakatiya Dynasty.
Duration of Stay: 1292-1294 AD
Contribution: Wrote “The Book of Sir Marcopolo”, describing
about Indian economy at that time.
Marco Polo
Identity: Traveller of Morocco
Time of Visit to India: Came in India at the reign of Muhammad
bin Tughluq.
Duration of Stay: 1333-1347 AD
Contribution: wrote Kitab-ul-rahla, relating geographical, social
and economical behaviour of this time.
Ibn Battuta
Thomas Roe Identity: English diplomat.
Time of visit to India: visited the court of Jahangir in 1615 to seek
protection for an English factory at Surat.
Contribution : His journal ‘Mission to the Mughal Empire’.
Identity: Russian merchant Traveller
Time of Visit to India: Came to India during the reign of Bahmani
Sultanate.
Duration of Stay: 1469-1472
Contribution: ‘The Journey Beyond Three Seas’.
Niccolo Conti
Identity: Ambassador of James II, king of England
Time of Visit to India: Came in India at the reign of Jahangir, the
great mogul along with William Finch.
Duration of Stay: First Visit: 1421, Revisited: 1430

William
Hawkins

Barley was the first grown crop by human in the Middle East around 8000 B.C.
 EBD_7237
HISTORY GK-43

Identity: Italian Traveller

Time of Visit to India: Came during the rule of Devaraya I of
Sangam dynasty of Vijaynagar empire.
Duration of Stay: First Visit : 1421 Revisited: 1430
Contribution: Author of “Voyage aux Indes.
Afanasy Nikitin
Identity: Persian traveller
Abdur Razzaq Time of Visit to India: Came to India during Bahmani Sultanate.
Duration of Stay: 1443-1444 AD
Francois Bernier Identity: French physician
Time of visit: He was the personal physician of the Mughal emperor
Aurangzeb for around 12 years during his stay in India. He visited
India during 1658 and 1671.
Contribution: He wrote ‘Travels in the Mughal Empire’.
Identity: Arab navigator
Sulaiman Al Mahri Time of Visit: Middle of Ninth Century during the age of Palas and
Pratiharas
Contribution: Wrote an account on Pala Empire
Identity: Arab historian & geographer
Al-Masudi Time: Visited Gujarat in 915-16 during Pratiharas Kingdom.
Contribution: Testified the great power and prestige of the
Pratihara rulers.

MODERN HISTORY
ADVENT OF EUROPEANS
Portuguese
The cape route from Europe to India was
discovered by Vasco da Gama. Cochin
was the initial capital of the Portuguese in
India, later on was replaced by Goa.
Dutch
The Dutch East India Company established
factories in India at Masulipatnam in 1605.
Dutch was defeated by British in the Battle
of Sedera.
English
In 1617, the British East India Company
was given permission by Mughal Emperor
Jahangir to trade in India. As a result of
three Carnatic Wars, the British East India
Company gained exclusive control over the
entire Carnatic region of India. The Anglo-
Mysore Wars (1766–1799) and later the
Anglo-Maratha Wars (1772–1818) led
to the control of the vast regions of India.
First evidence of human in India was found in western Narmada region in Madhya Pradesh.
First few to Burmese invasion and then to
Punjab, North-West Frontier Province, and
Kashmir were annexed after the Second
Anglo-Sikh War in 1849; however, Kashmir
was immediately sold under the Treaty of
Amritsar to the Dogra Dynasty of Jammu
and thereby became a princely state.
The border dispute between Nepal and
British India, which sharpened after 1801,
had caused the Anglo-Nepalese War
of 1814–16 and brought the defeated
Gurkhas under British influence. In 1854,
Berar was annexed, and the state of Oudh
was added two years later.
The first factory was built at Surat (1608).
The factory at Sutanati was fortified and
named Fort William in 1700.
In 1757, Clive was appointed by the
company as its first ‘Governor of Bengal’.
In same year Treaty of Allahabad was
concluded by which the Mughal Emperor
granted the Diwani rights to the English
East India Company. Thus, the British
power in India was thoroughly established.
 GK-44 HISTORY
Danes French
The Danes arrived in India in 1616. They The French East India company was formed
established Settlement at Tranquebee in 1664 by Colbert. The first French factory
(Tamil Nadu) in 1620 and Serampore was established at Surat in 1668 and second
(Bengal) in 1676. at Masulipatnam in 1669.

GOVERNORS OF BENGAL AND GOVERNOR GENERALS OF INDIA

Name and Well Known For War fought
Tenure
Robert Clive •• Diarchy of Dual Government of Bengal from •• Battle of Plassey (1757)
(1758-60) and 1765-72. •• Battle of Condore (1758)
(1765-67) •• Considered one of the creators of British
power in India.
Henry •• Deposed Mir Jafar, the Nawab of Bengal, and •• Battle of Buxar
Vansittart replaced him with his son-in-law Mir Qasim.
(1760-65)
Harry Verelst •• Increased tax revenue of the East India
1767-69 Company.
•• Exposed corruption within the company.
John Cartier •• The Great Famine of Bengal 1770 occured in
(1769-1772) his regime which claimed about two million
lives
Warren •• Founding Asiatic Society of Bengal •• Rohilla war (1774)
Hastings (1772- •• Auctioning the right to collect land revenue to •• 1st Anglo-Maratha War
85) its highest bid (1776-82)
•• Starting Diwani and Fauzdari Adalats in •• 2nd Anglo-Mysore War
district level and Nizam Adalats at Kolkata (1780-84)
Lord •• Codifying laws in 1793 so as to separate the •• 3rd Anglo-Mysore War
Cornwallis administration for revenue and justice against Tipu Sultan
(1786-93) •• Abolition of all the superfluous posts. and signed the treaty of
•• Creating the post of District judge. Srirangapatnam in 1792
•• Establishment of lower grade court.
•• Father of Civil Services in India.
Sir John Shore •• 1st Charter of Act in 1793 •• Battle of Kharda between
(1793-98) Nizam and Marathas in
1793
Lord Wellesley •• Started subsidiary alliance to achieve British •• 4th Anglo-Mysore War in
(1798-1805) dominancy over India 1799 and with defeat and
•• Forming Madras Presidency death of Tipu Sulatan
•• Treaty of Bassein in 1802
•• 2nd Anglo-Maratha War
from 1803-1805 defeating
Scindia, Bhonsle and
Holkar
Sir George •• Vellore Mutiny in 1806
Barlow (1805-
1807)
Shyadvade also known as Anekantvada is the theory and philosophy of Jainism of ancient times.
 EBD_7237
HISTORY GK-45

Lord Minto •• Concluding Treaty of Amritsar with Raja

(1807-1813) Ranjit Singh
•• Charter of Act 1813 was passed
Lord Hastings •• Adopting the Policies of intervention and wars •• Anglo-Nepalese War
(1813-1823) •• Forceful implementation humiliating treaties (1813-23)
or Peshwas and Scindias.
Lord Amherst •• Acquisition of Malayan Peninsular territories •• First Burmese War (1824-
(1823-33) •• Capturing Bharatpur 26)
Lord William •• Abolition of Sati and other cruel rites in 1829 •• occupied Coorg and
Bentinck •• Annexation of Mysore. Central Cachar in 1834
(1833-35) •• Concluding a treaty of perpetual friendship due the misgovernance
with Ranjit Singh (1831)
•• He was also known as Father of Modern
Western Education in India.
•• He was last Governor General of Bengal who
later continued his service as the first Governor
General of India from 1833 to 1835
Sir Charles •• Passed the famous Press Law which liberated
Metcalfe (1834- the press in India
36)
Lord Auckland •• Extended irrigation •• 1st Anglo Afgan war
(1836-42) •• Inaugurated famine relief (1836-42)
Lord Ellen •• Brought an end to Afgan War. •• War with Gwalior (1843)
Borough (1842- •• Annexed Sindh in 1843
44)
Lord Hardings •• Gave preference to English education •• 1st Anglo Sikh War
(1844-48) •• Treaty of Lahore in 1846 (1845-46)
Lord Dalhousie •• Abolished titles and pensions •• 2nd Anglo Sikh War
(1848-56) •• Passed widow Re-marriage Act 1856. (1848-49)
•• Introduced “Doctrine of Lapse” •• 2nd Anglo Burmese War,
•• Annexed Punjab, lower Burma or Pegu and 1852.
Awadh.
•• Started railway, post and telegraph service.
WARS FOUGHT BEFORE 1857
Event Involved Consequences
First Carnatic War Between France and England •• Ended with Treaty of Aix-la-chapelle
(1746-1748) (1748) British victory.
Second Carnatic Nasir Jung aided by France •• Ended with the Treaty of Pondicherry
War (1749-1754) while England aided Muzaffar in 1754 and Muzaffar Jung became
Jung the Nizam.
•• Dupleix was replaced by Godeheu as
the French governor.
Third Carnatic At Wandiwash (1760) Comte •• Defeat of French
War (1758-1763) de Lally French commander •• Treaty of Paris (1763) was signed,
was defeated by British which returned Chandernagore and
General Sir Eyre Coote Pondichérry to France.
Battle of Plassey French supported Siraj-ud- •• Paved way for British mastery of
(23 June 1757) Daula and East India Company Bengal and eventually whole of India.
led by Robert Clive. •• Rich revenue of Bengal helped British
to maintain strong army.

The original script of the Rigveda is in Brahmi.

 GK-46 HISTORY
Battle of Buxar, East India Company led by •• Treaty of Allahabad secured Diwani
22nd October, 1764 Hector Munro and Mughal Rights for the Company to collect and
Emperor along with the Nawab manage the revenues of real estate.
of Bengal
1781 War Forces of the Kingdom of •• Eyre Coote defeated Haider Ali at
Mysore and Great Britain. Port Novo.
Pitt’s Act 1784 •• British government got supreme
control over the company’s affair and
its administration.
War 1789 -1792 Tipu Sultan and East India •• Treaty of Seringapatam was signed.
Company Tipu had to cede half of his territories
to English and paid ` 330 lakhs as
indemnity.
Awadh Lord Dalhousie •• Introduced the famous Doctrine of
annexation 1856 Lapse.
The rebellion East India Company and united force of Indian leaders like (Bahadur
of 1857–Sepoy Shah, Bakt Khan, Begum Hazart Mahal of Avadh, Tanti Tope, Nana Saheb,
Mutiny Azimullah, Rani Lakshmibai, Kunwar Singh etc.), The revolt marked the
end of the East India Company’s rule, and India came under the direct
rule of the British Crown.

LIST OF VICEROYS IN INDIA

Viceroys Period Important Point

Lord 1856-62 • He was the last Governor- General of India
Canning • He was the Governor-General during the Revolt of 1857.
• He was also appointed as the first viceroy of India.
Lord Mayo 1869-72 • The First census of India was conducted.
• He was killed by a convict in the Andaman Islands.
Lord Lytton 1876-1880 • The Delhi Darbar was held, in which Queen Victoria was
proclaimed
• Kaisar-i-Hind.
• Vernacular Press Act, 1878, for better control of Indian
newspapers was passed during his tenure.
Lord Rippon 1880-1884 • Introduced the dual system of Governance.
• First complete census of British territories in India.
• Also associated with Ilbert Bill
• Known as the Father of local self Government in India.
Lord 1884-1888 • The Indian National Congress was formed during his period.
Dufferin
Lord Curzon 1899-1905 • Partition of Bengal
• Launch of Swadeshi Movement.
Lord 1910-1916 • The Capital of India was shifted from Calcutta to Delhi
Harding • George V, the King of England visited india to attend the
Delhi Darbar in 1911.
Lord 1916-1921 • The Jallianwallah Bagh tragedy.
Chelmsford • Montague Chelmsford reforms.
• Rowlatt Act.
• Khilafat Movement.
 EBD_7237
HISTORY GK-47

Lord 1921-1926 • Chauri Chaura Incident

Reading
Lord Irwin 1926-1931
Lord 1931-1936
Willingdom
Lord 1936-1943
Linlithgow
Lord Wavell 1943-47
BRITISH WARS WITH DIFFERENT INDIAN STATES.
Event
Anglo-Mysore wars
First war (1766-69) between
Haider Ali and Britishers.
Second war (1780-84) Haider
Ali was defeated by Britishers
Third war (1789-92)
Marathas & Nizams aided
the British, Lord Cornwallis
captured Bangalore
Anglo-Maratha wars
First war (1775-82)
Britishers attacked Marathas.
Second Maratha war (1803-
06)
Third Maratha war (1817-19)
Anglo-Sikh war
First war (1845-46)
Second Anglo Sikh
war (1848-49)
• Mahatma Gandhi was imprisoned for the first time in India.
• First Round Table conference.
• Simon Commission.
• Gandhi – lrwin Pact.
• Famous Dandi March.
• Second Round Table conference.
• Communal Award was given by PM Ramsay Macdonald.
• The Poona Pact signed between Mahatma Gandhi and
Dr. Ambedkar during this period.
• Cripps Mission visited India
• Quit India Resolution was passed during his tenure.
• Simla Conference
• Cabinet Mission
• Indian Independence Act was passed.
Involved Consequences
Haider Ali defeated the Treaty of Madras signed
British.
Warren Hastings attacked Treaty of Mangalore was
French Port Mahe. signed by Tipu Sultan.
Tipu Sultan ceded parts of Treaty of Seringapatnam
his territories was signed.
Britishers favoured Treaty of Salbai was
Raghunath to become signed.
Peshwa.
Peshwar signed treaty for Treaty of Bassein was
subsidiary Alliances. signed.
Lord Hastings moved Marathas were
against Marathas. decisively defeated.
Sikh were defeated. Treaty of Lahore ended
the war.
Dolhousie annexed Punjab. Sir John Lawrence
become the first
commissioner of Punjab.

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL REFORMS

Date Person Event
1815 Raja Ram Mohan Roy Established Atmiya Sabha. He was the first
Indian to start an agitation for social, religious and
political reforms.
1820 Henry Louis Vivian Founded Young Bengal Movement. Supported
Derozio Women’s education.
 GK-48 HISTORY
1828 Raja Ram Mohan Roy Established Brahmo Samaj to preach monotheism
and purify Hinduism.
1830 Radhakant Dev Formed Dharma Sabha to counter Brahmo Sarwaj
1839 Debendranath Tagore Founded Tattvabodhini Sabha to propagate Ram
Mohan Roy’s ideas.
1850 Vidyasagar Protested against child-marriage and promoted
women education.
1850 Vishnu Shankar Pundit Founded widow remarriage association.
1851 Naoroji Furdonji, Rehnumai Mazdayasan Sabha or Religious Reform
Dadabhai Naoroji and Association.
S.S.Bengalee
1852 Kassondas Mulji Advocated widow remarriage in Gujarat.
1866 Dadabhai Naoroji Established East India Association in London.
1867 MG Ranade Founded The Prathana Sabha. It rejected idolatry,
denied the Vedas and adopted the method of
Congregational worship.
1872 Baba Ram Singh Namdhari Movement originated in north-west
corner of Sikh kingdom. It was also known as Kuka
movement.
23 September, Mahatma Jyotirao Formed Satyashodhak Samaj (Society of Seekers of
1873 Govindrao Phule Truth).
1875 HP Blavatsky and Col HS Founded Theosophical Society of India.
Olcott, Annie Besant
1875 Swami Dayanand Founded Arya Samaj in Bombay. Called Vedas to
Saraswathi be source of “true knowledge” and gave the motto
“back to Vedas”. Was against idol worship, child
marriage and caste system.
1897 Vivekananda Founded the Ramakrishna Mission to carry out
humanitarian relief and social work.
1902 Swami Shradhananda Started Gurukul near Haridwar to propagate more
traditional idea of education.
1905 Gopal Krishna Gokhale Founded the Servants of India Society World for
famine relief, tribal welfare.
1910 Saralabala Devi Founded the Bharat Stri Mandal it was the First All
Chaudharani India women organization.
MUSLIM SOCIO-RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT
Movement Location Leaders Aim
Fairazi Movement Faridpur Dudhu Miyan Emphasis on strict Monotheism.
(1804) Bengal
Deoband Movement Deoband RA Ganghoi Against western education &
(1867) promoted classical studies in Islam.
Aligarh Movement South Sir Syed Ahmed Liberalisation of Indian Islam and
(1875) Khan modernisation of Indian Muslim
through religious reinterpretation
and modern education.
Great philosopher and political thinker Chanakya was known by other names such as Kautilya and Vishnugupta.
 EBD_7237
HISTORY GK-49

Ahmadiya Movement Faridkot Mirza Ghulam Oppose to Islamic Orthodoxy and

(1889-90) Ahmed spread of Eastern liberal education
among the Youth.
Ahrar Movement … Ali Brothers Against Aligarh Movement
CASTE MOVEMENTS & ORGANISATIONS
Movements Location Leaders Aimes
Satya Sodhak Maharashtra Jyotiba Phule To fight against Brahmanical
Samaj (1873) domination.
Started a School for untouchables.

Shri Narayan Kerala Shri Narayan Demanded free entry of people of

Dharma Guru lower castes to the temples.
Paripalan Yogam/ Launched Aravipuram Movement.
SNDP Movement
(1902)
Temple Entry Kerala Sri Narayan To allow lower castes to enter into the
Movement Guru TK temples
Madhavan
Self respect Madras EV Ram Swamy Anti-Brahmin, advocated wedding
Movement without priest, forcible temple entry.
Harijan Sevak Pune Mahatma For removal of untouchability
Sangh (1932) Gandhi and social discrimination against
untouchables.

TRIBAL MOVEMENTS
Revolts Year Area
Chuar uprising 1966-70 Bengal and Bihar
Koli uprising 1824-28,1839,1899 Gujarat
Bhil uprising 1818-31 Western Ghat
Rampa Rebellion 1879 Coastal Andhra
Khasi Up Rising 1846-48, 1885, 1914 Odisha
Kuki Up Rising under Rani 1917-19 Manipur
Gaidinlieu
No Rising 1820, 1822 Singhbhum and
Chhotanagpur
Naikad Revolt 1858-59 Gujarat
Kachhang Revolt 1882 Chhachar Area, Assam
Munda Revolt 1899-1900 Chhotanagpur area

THE FREEDOM STRUGGLE TIMELINE

1885 Pherozeshah Mehta, K.T. Telang, Badruddin Tyabji formed Bombay
Presidency Association.
28 Dec. 1885 Indian National Congress was formed by Allan Octavian Hume.
28-31 Dec. First session of Indian National Congress was attended by 72 delegates
1885 under the presidency of W.C. Bonnerjee.
 GK-50 HISTORY
1896-97 Bal Gangadhar Tilak initiated a no-tax campaign in Maharashtra.
20 July, 1905 Partition of Bengal order was passed by Lord Curzon.
Dec. 1905 Gokhale then the president of Congress condemned the partition of Bengal
and supported Swadeshi and Boycott movement.
1906 Dadabhai Naoroji became the president of National Congress and clearly
declared their goal to be self-government or Swaraj like the other colonies.
30 Dec. 1906 All India Muslim League was formed by Aga Khan III and the founding
meeting was hosted by Nawab Sir Khwaja Salimullah.
1909 The Indian Councils Act or Morley-Minto Reform was announced.
1911 Government announced the withdrawal of Partition of Bengal.
1913 Ghadar Party founded by Punjabi Indians in the United States and Canada
aiming at securing India’s independence.
April, 1915 First session of Hindu Mahasabha was held under the presidentship of
Maharaja of Kasim Bazar.
26 Dec. 1916 Lucknow Pact was signed dealing with the structure of the government of
India and with relation to the Hindu and Muslim communities.
1917 Indigo Satyagraha started by M.K. Gandhi in Champaran, Bihar.
1918 Edwin Montagu, then the Secretary of State and Lord Chelmsford, the
Viceroy, produced a scheme of constitutional reform which was called as
the Montague-Chelmsford reforms.
1919 Enactment of the Government of India Act.
March, 1919 Rowlatt Act was passed which enabled government to imprison people
without trial.
13 April, 1919 Unarmed crowd gathered at Jallianwala Bagh to protest against the arrest
of Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr. Satyapal was attacked by the British
army as commanded by General Dyer.
31 August, Khilafat Committee launched a Non-cooperation Movement.
1920
1 February, M.K. Gandhi announced mass Civil Disobedience Movement.
1922
5 Feb. 1922 Protesters participating in the Non-cooperation Movement turned violent,
leading to police opening fire in Chauri Chaura. Congress as a result halted
the Non-cooperation Movement.
1925 Communist Party came into existence.
Nov. 1927 Simon headed commission was set up to submit report on working of
Indian constitution established by Government of India Act, 1919.
17 Nov. 1928 Lala Lajpat Rai died due to the injuries by the beating of local police
during a protest demonstration at Lahore.
Dec. 1928 Gandhi joined back the active politics at Calcutta session.
26 Jan. 1930 Was fixed as the First Independence Day and since then was celebrated
every year up to 1947.
Feb. 1930 Chandra Shekhar Azad was shot dead in a park called Azad Park at
Allahabad, in an encounter by British police.
12 March, 1930 Dandi March lead by M.K. Gandhi took place. Together with 78
companions he walked 375 km from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi.

Bhagwat were the first to worship Vasudev Krishna.

 EBD_7237
HISTORY GK-51

6 April, 1930 Gandhi reached Dandi and broke the Salt Law.
12 Nov. 1930 First round table conference was held in London, was chaired by British
Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald.
5 March, 1931 Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed between Gandhi and then viceroy of India
Lord Irwin according to which British agreed to withdraw all ordinances
and end prosecutions and release all political prisoners.
24 August, Poona Pact was signed between Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar at
1932 Yerwada Central Jail.
1935 Government of India Act was passed according to which All India
Federation was established including British India and Princely States
(representative were appointed by the rulers) forming a bicameral federal
legislature.
October, 1940 Mahatma Gandhi gave an order for limited satyagraha (for few individuals
only).
8 August, 1942 Quit India Movement was launched by M.K. Gandhi.
1945 Congress Working Committee adopted a resolution to abolish landlordism.
2 Sept. 1946 Interim government of India formed the newly elected Constituent
Assembly of India. This idea was rejected by Muslim League.
9 Dec. 1946 The Constituent Assembly met for the first time.

INTERIM GOVERNMENT 1946

External Affairs and Commonwealth Relations : Jawahar Lal Nehru
Defence : Baldev Singh
Home (including Information and Broadcasting) : Vallabhbhai Patel
Finance : Liaquat Ali Khan
Posts and Air : Abdur Rab Nishtar
Food and Agriculture : Rajendra Parsad
Labour : Jagjivan Ram
Transport and Railways : M. Asaf Ali
Industries and Supplies : John Matthai
Education and Arts : C. Rajagopalachari
Works, Mines and Power : C.H. Bhabha
Commerce : I.I. Chundrigar
Law : Jogindar Nath Mandal
Health : Ghazanfar Ali Khan

Mountbatten Plan
The Indian Independence Act 1947 also called 3 June Plan or Mountbatten Plan,
declared that power would be handed over by 15 August 1947. It gave India and Pakistan
a dominion status. The Act received the royal assent on 18 July 1947. The boundaries
between the two dominion states were determined by a Boundary Commission which
was headed by Sir Cyril Radcliffe.
 GK-52 HISTORY
SESSIONS OF INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
The Founding Years (1885-1900)
Session Place Date President
1st Session Bombay Dec. 28-30, 1885 Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee
2nd Session Calcutta Dec. 27-30, 1886 Dadabhai Naoroji
3rd Session Madras Dec. 27-30, 1887 Badruddin Tyabji
6th Session Calcutta Dec. 26-30, 1890 Pherozeshah Mehta
8th Session Allahabad Dec. 28-30, 1892 Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee
11th Session Poona Dec. 27-30, 1895 Surendranath Banerjee
9th Session Lahore Dec. 27-30, 1893 Dadabhai Naoroji

THE PRE INDEPENDENCE ERA (1900-1947)

Session Place Date President
21st Session Benares Dec. 27-30, 1905 Gopal Krishna Gokhale
22nd Session Calcutta Dec. 26-29, 1906 Dadabhai Naoroji
23rd Session Surat Dec. 26-27, 1907 approx Rash Behari Ghosh
23rd Session (contd.) Madras Dec. 28-30, 1908 Rash Behari Ghosh
24th Session Lahore Dec. 27-29, 1909 Madan Mohan Malaviya
32nd Session Calcutta Dec. 26-29, 1917 Annie Besant
(Special Session) Bombay Aug. 29-Sept. 1, 1918 Syed Hasan Imam
33rd Session Delhi Dec. 26-31, 1918 Madan Mohan Malaviya
34th Session Amritsar Dec. 26-30, 1919 Motilal Nehru
37th Session Gaya Dec. 26-31, 1922 C.R. Das
(Special Session) Delhi Abul Kalam Azad
39th Session Belgaum Dec. 26-27, 1924 M.K. Gandhi
45th Session Karachi Mar. 29-31, 1931 Vallabbhai J. Patel
48th Session Bombay Oct. 24-28, 1934 Rajendra Prasad
51st Session Haripura Feb. 19-21, 1938 Subhash Chandra Bose
52nd Session Tripuri Mar. 10-12, 1939 Subhash Chandra Bose
53rd Session Ramgarh Mar. 19-20, 1940 Abul Kalam Azad
54rd Session Meerut Nov. 23-24, 1946 J.B. Kripalani

IMPORTANT BOOKS
Editor /Author Book Name
Aurobindo Ghosh • Kalmayogi
• New Lamp for Old
• Bhawani Mandir
Bankim Chandra Chatterjee • Anand Math
• Durgesh Nandini

Gautam Buddha was raised to the position of God during the reign of Kanishka.
 EBD_7237
HISTORY GK-53

BR. Ambedkar • Mook Nayak

• Bahishkrit Bharat
Dadabhai Naoroji • Rast Goftar
• Voice of India
• Poverty and Un-British Rule in India.
Dayanand Saraswati • Veda Bhasya Bhumika
• Satyartha Prakash
Gopal Krishna Gokhale • Nation
• Sudharak
Jawahar Lal Nehru • Discovery of India
• Glimpses of World History
M.K. Gandhi • Navjeevan, Young India and Harijan
• Indian Opinion
Madan Mohan Maliviya • Hindustan
• Leader
R.N. Tagore • Letters form Russia, Gora
Raja Ram Mohan Roy • Samvad Kamaudi, Mirat – ul Akhbar, Barga Dutta
Vivekananda • Prabhudha Bharat Udbodhana
• Prachya Acir Pashchaya

NEWSPAPERS AND JOURNALS

Newspaper/Journal Name Founder
Bengal Gazette (1780) (India’s First Newspaper) James Augustus Hickey.
Kesari B.G. Tilak
Amrita Bazar Patrika Sisir Kumar Ghosh and Motilal Ghosh
Vande Mataram Aurobindo Ghosh, Madam Bhikaji Cama
Kavivachan Sudha Bhartendu Harishchandra
Rast Goftar(first newspaper in Gujarati) Dadabhai Naoroji
Statesman Robert Knight
Hindu Vir Raghavacharya and G.S. Iyer
Yugantar Bhupendranath Datta and Barinder Kumar
Ghosh
Bombay Chronicle Firoze Shah Mehta
Hindustan M.M. Malaviya
Mooknayak B.R. Ambedkar
Comrade Mohammad Ali
Tahzib-ul-Akhlaq Sir Syed Ahmed Khan
Al-Hilal Abul Kalam Azad
Al-Balagh Abul Kalam Azad
Independent Motilal Nehru
Punjabi Lala Lajpat Rai
New India(Daily) Annie Besant
Pratap Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi
Samvad Kaumudi (Bengali) Ram Mohan Roy

Bodhisatva Avalokiteshwara of Mahayana Buddhism is also known as Padmapani.

 GK-54
Mirat-ul-Akbhar (first Persian Newspaper)
Young India
Harijan
Hindustan Times
IMPORTANT ACTS
The Regulating Act
•• The Regulating Act of 1773 was
an Act of the Parliament of Great
Britain intended to refurbish the
management of the East India
Company’s rule in India.
•• The Company was very much
important to British as it was the only
company which was trading in India
with many influential people as its
shareholders.
Provisions of this Act were
1. The Act cut down company dividends
to 6% until it repaid a £1.5M loan
along with restricting the term of the
Court of Directors to 4 years.
2. It prohibited the servants of company
from engaging in any private trade or
accepting presents or bribes from the
natives.
3. It elevated the position of Governor
of Bengal to Governor-General of
Bengal during the period of Warren
Hastings with the subsumption of the
presidencies of Madras and Bombay
under Bengal’s control.
4. According to the Act four men were to
be appointed by British government
in the name of “Council of Four” to
serve the Supreme Council of Bengal.
5. A Supreme Court was established
at Fort William at Calcutta under
the provision of the Act stating that
British judges were to be sent to India
to administer the British legal system
that was used there.
The Pitt’s India Act
The Pitt’s India Act, was an Act of the
Parliament of Great Britain which was
HISTORY
Ram Mohan Roy
M.K Gandhi
M.K Gandhi
K.M. Panikkar
passed by East India Company in 1784
so as to address the shortcomings of the
Regulating Act of 1773.
Provisions of this Act were
1. With the Pitt‘s India Act of 1784, East
India Company’s political functions
were differentiated from its commercial
activities.
2. In political matters, the Company
which was till now working as
somewhat sovereign was made directly
subordinate to the British government.
3. To enable this, a Board of Commissioners
was created, which was called Board of
Control.
4. 6 people viz. the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, the Secretary of State, and
four Privy Councilors, nominated by the
King were the members of this Board of
Control.
5. The Secretary of the State was entitled
as the President of the Board of Control.
This Board of control was empowered
to control all matters of civil or military
government or revenues.
6. The board was given full access to the
company’s records. It had the powers
to send Governors to India and full
authority to alter them.
The Charter Act of 1793
•• The Charter Act of 1793 extended
the commercial privileges of the
company for a further period of
twenty years.
•• Lord Cornwallis was given special
power at the time of his appointment,
to override his Council but it was
not extended to all Governors or
Governor General by the Charter Act
of 1793.

HISTORY GK-55
Provisions of this Act were
1. The Governor General was
granted extensive powers over the
subordinate presidencies.
2. The Governor General’s power of
over ruling his council was affirmed,
and extended over the Governors of
the subordinate presidencies.
3. Senior officials were forbidden from
leaving India without permission.
4. Royal approval was mandated for
the appointment of the Governor
General, the governors, and the
Commander-in-Chief.
5. The EIC was empowered to grant
licences to both individuals and
company employees to trade in
India (known as the “privilege” or
“country” trade), which paved the
way for shipments of opium to China.
The Charter Act of 1813
•• The Charter Act of 1813 renewed the
tenures of the commercial privileges of
the Company.
•• Moreover the Charter of 1813,
envisaged that the Company should
function as the commercial body wholly.
•• Its political function was limited
considerably.
Provisions of this Act were
1. The monopoly of trade of the company
was abolished except in tea trade and its
trade with China.
2. Church was placed under a Bishop
which was maintained from Indian
revenue. Englishmen were granted
permission to settle and hold land in
India. The Christian Missionaries were
allowed to spread their religion in India.
3. The Crown had Complete power over
territorial and revenue.
4. For the improvement of education,
grant of rupees one lakh every year was
allotted.
EBD_7237
The Charter Act of 1833
•• The Charter Act of 1833 granted a
lease to the Company for further
twenty years.
•• The Act introduced centralization
in the legislative and administrative
function and provided the abolition
of slavery thereby brought several
changes in the Constitution of India.
•• The Charter Act of 1833 was a turning
point in the history of modern India.
Provisions of this Act were
1. The monopoly of all trade of the
company was abolished.
2. All restrictions on European
immigration into India and
acquisition of land and property in
India removed.
3. A Law Commission was constituted
for codification of laws.
4. The debts of the company were taken
over by the Indian government which
agreed to pay its shareholders a
10.5% dividend on their capital out
of the Indian revenues for the next 40
years.
5. Section 87 of the Act declared that
no person can be disqualified for any
place in the Company’s service by
reason of caste, colour, creed or place
of birth.
6. The Charter Act of 1833 provided the
Indians an opportunity of entering
into the company’s service.
7. The merit became the basis for
employment in government services
and the religion, birth place were not
the criteria.
The Charter Act of 1853
•• The Charter Act of 1853 renewed the
powers of the company but did not
mention the specific time period.
•• It allowed the company to retain the
possession of the Indians territories in
trust of Her Majesty.
 GK-56
•• It also provided the scope for thorough
revisions of the existing legislative
procedure.
Provisions of this Act were
1. Laid foundation of Parliamentary
system of government, the executive
and legislative organs were separated.
Legislative Assembly functioned on the
model of British Parliament.
2. Renewed the term of East India
Company for an indefinite period;
3. Reduced the number of Board of
Directors from 24 to 18 and 6 out of
them were nominated;
4. Indian Civil Service became an open
competition. Macaulay was made
Chairman of the Committee.
5. The Act for the first time introduced
local representation in the Indian
(Central) Legislative Council. The
Governor-General’s Council had six
new legislative members. They were
appointed by the local (provincial)
governments of Madras, Bombay,
Bengal and Agra.
6. The Act separated, for the first time, the
legislative and executive functions of
the Governor General’s Council.
The Government of India Act, 1858
1. Rule of company in India ended and the
rule of Crown started.
2. System of dual government ended.
Court of Directors and Board of control
abolished and substituted them with a
post of secretary of state.
3. Secretary of State governed India through
the Governor General.
4. Governor General received the title of
Viceroy who represented Secretary of
State.
5. A highly centralised administrative
structure was created.
The Indian Council Act, 1861
•• The first ever constitutional structure
was formulated in 1861.
•• The British Government passed the
Legislative Council Act to introduce
better provisions for the Governor
General’s Council and for Local
Government.
HISTORY
Provisions of this Act were
1. The three separate presidencies
(Madras, Bombay and Bengal) were
brought into a common system.
2. System of legislative devolution in
India was inaugurated.
3. The Act added to the Viceroy’s
Executive Council a fifth member - a
jurist.
4. For purposes of legislation, the
Viceroy’s Executive Council was
expanded by the addition of not
less than six and not more than 12
additional members, who would be
nominated by the Governor General
and would hold office for two years.
Therefore, the total membership
increased to 17
The Indian Council Act, 1892
•• The Government introduced another
Act known as the Indian Councils Act
of 1892 which could not ensure the
maximum safeguards to the Muslims.
•• For which the leaders of Muslim
community felt for a separate
electorate to protect the Muslim
Interest.
Provisions of this Act were
1. The number of the non-official
members, in the Central and
Provincial Legislative Councils were
increased. However, the official
members were still in majority.
2. The members of the Legislative
Councils were given the right to put
questions. They were also authorized
to discuss the annual budget.
3. The local bodies were given right to
send their elected members to the
Legislative Councils.

HISTORY GK-57
The Indian Councils Act, 1909
(The Morely-Minto Reforms)
•• Morely was the Secretary of State and
Minto was the Indian Viceroy.
•• It introduced for the first time indirect
elections to the state legislative
councils.
•• Separate electorates were introduced
for the Muslims.
•• Resolution could be moved before
the Budget takes its final form.
Supplementary questions could be
asked.
Indian Press Act, 1910
•• It revived the worst features of the
Vernacular Press Act – Local government
was empowered to demand a security
at registration from the printer or
publisher.
•• Assamese, Bengali, Hindi, Kannada,
Gujarati, Konkani, Malayalam, Kashmiri
and Marathi were added in new
Vernacular language and literature.
The Government of India Act,
1919 (The Montague-Chelmsford
Reforms)
•• Devolution Rules: Subjects of
administration were divided into two
categories – ‘Central’ and ‘Provincial’.
All important subjects (like Railways
and Finance) were brought under the
category of Central, while matters
relating to the administration of the
Provinces were classified as Provincial.
•• Dyarchy system introduced in the
Provinces.
•• The Provincial subjects of
administration were divided into
two categories ‘Transferred’ and
‘Reserved’ subjects.
•• The Transferred subjects were to be
administered by the Governor with
the aid of ministers responsible to the
Legislative Council.
•• The Reserved subjects (Rail, Post,
Telegraph, Finance, Law & order,
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etc.) were to be administered by the
Governor and his Executive Council.
•• Indian legislature became ‘bicameral’
for the first time.
•• Communal representation extended to
Sikhs.
•• Secretary of State for India now to be
paid from British revenue.
•• An officer of the High Commissioner of
India was created in London.
The Government of India Act, 1935
•• The Government of India Act, 1935
provided for setting up of the Federation
of India comprising British Indian
provinces and Indian States (Princely
States). The joining of Princely states
was voluntary and as a result, the
federation did not come into existence.
•• Dyarchy in the Provinces was replaced
by Provincial autonomy. They were
granted separate legal identity.
•• It divided powers into three fold:
Federal, Provincial and Concurrent.
Residuary powers were to be with
Governor-General.
•• The Indian Council of Secretary of State
for India was abolished.
•• Principle of separate electorate was
extended to include Anglo-Indians,
Indian Christians and Europeans.
•• The Federal Bank (The Reserve Bank of
India) and the Federal Court (Supreme
Court of India) were established in
1935 and 1937 respectively.
Indian Independence Act, 1947
•• Indian Independence Act, 1947 did
not lay down any provision for the
administration of India.
•• It was about the partition of India and
the establishment of two countries
(India and Pakistan).
•• Constituent Assembly of each Dominion
would have unlimited powers to frame
and adopt any Constitution.
•• The office of the Secretary of State for
India was to be abolished and his work
was to be taken over by the Secretary of
State for common wealth affairs.
 GK-58 HISTORY

WORLD HISTORY MIND MAP

WORLD HISTORY

Ancient Medieval Modern

 Mesopotamian Civilization  Medieval Europe  Renaissance
(5000-900 BC) Civilization  Reforms
 Egyptian Civilization  African Civilization  Major Revolutions of
(500-30 BC)  Mongol Empire Civiliza- World
 Israel Kingdom tion • Glorious Revolution
(1300-63 BC)  Arab civilization & Islam • Industrial Revolution
 Greek Civilization (776-  Medieval China • American Revolution
388 BC) • French Revolution
 Roman Civilization (753 • Russian Revolution
BC-476AD)  An insight into World Wars
 Christianity  Major wars of World
 Zoroastrianism (Parsi) • Trojan War
• Persian War
• Peloponnesian War
• Punic Wars
• Hundred Years War
• Russo-Japan War
• Vietnam War
• Iraq War

ANCIENT WORLD HISTORY

MESOPOTAMIAN CIVILIZATION

Time Period Events

5000-3500 BC The first city built by Sumerian people in southern Mesopotamia.
3500 BC Writing started with pictogram based script and took about a thousand
year to be evolved in full cuneiform script.
2300 BC The first Akkadian ruler Sargon started to conquer Sumerian cities
2112-2095 BC The central city of Ur was built by Ur-Nammu and was called the third
dynasty of Mesopotamian.
2100 BC Hammurabi, the greatest Baylonian rules, united the whole kingdom now
called Iraq.
1792-49 BC Development of Babylonian civilization by king Hammurabi along the
Euphrates River.
1530 BC Kassite came into being in Hammurabi’s rule in 1750 BC and categorized
into minorities of Mesopotamia.
1530 BC The potter’s wheel was perhaps first used in Mesopotamian Period.
1500 BC Northern Mesopotamia is conquered by an Indo-European ruler called
Mittani. He has also conquered Syria and Asia Minor.
1200 - 900 BC Assyria started to lose its importance due to political instability engulfing
Anatolia, Syria, and the Levant coast.
The original script of the Rigveda is in Brahmi.
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HISTORY GK-59

EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION
Time Period Events
5000 BC Farming started along the bank of Nile river.
3100 B.C The Egyptian Script, known as hierroglyphic, was invented. The Egyptian
Script – hierroglyphic script was deciphered by Champollion.
3500-3000 BC Starting of Pre dynastic period which was characterized by permanent
settlement.
2650 BC Old kingdom began to flourish which was known to be the era of dynamic
development of Egyptian art.
2575-2465 BC Pharaoh Khufu built Great pyramid of Giza having a height of 481 feet.
2381-2345 BC The Old Kingdom ended during the realm of Unas.
2055 BC-1650 BC The era of middle kingdom started with the reunion of Egypt.
1539 BC With the expulsion of the Hyksos and reunification of Egypt, it became
the leading power in the Middle East.
1344-1328 BC The first ever instance of monotheism had been illustrated by the
religious reforms of Pharaoh Akhenaton.
1336-1327 BC The realm of Tutankhamun.
1279-1213 BC The existence of Ramses Realm when Egypt experienced the height of
its power.
728 BC Nubian kings took over the power of Egypt.
639 BC The period of revival started with the expulsion of Assyrians by
Egyptians.
525 BC Persians started ruling the Egypt.
332 BC Alexander the Great conquered Egypt.
305 BC A greek-speaking dynasty was established by one of the generals of
Alexander the Great.
30 BC The last queen of independent Egypt died and Roman empire occupied
Egypt.

CHINESE CIVILIZATION
Time period Events
3rd Century B.C. The Chinese dynasty became important. During the China dynasty the
construction of Great Wall’ begin to keep out invaders from the North.
202 BC. The Han Dynasty followed the China Dynasty under the Hans, Silk was
a principal item of export.
604 BC The major religion of ancient China were Toism, based on teachings of
lao-be.
1st Century AD. Paper was invented in China.
In 2nd century AD. China invented Seismogaph.
 GK-60 HISTORY
THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL
Time Period Events
1300-1200 BC The land of Canaan occupied by the Israelites.
1050-970 BC The kingdom was ruled by Soul followed by David.
970 BC David’s son Solomon became the new king.
931 BC The kingdom divided into north (Israel) and south(Judah) parts.
722 BC The Assyrians destroyed the northern kingdom.
620 BC A religious revival took place in southern kingdom of Judah.
597-582 The destruction of both Judah and Jerusalem occurred.
538 BC The Persian king Cyrus repatriated the kings of Judah and Jerusalem and
encouraged them to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.
164 BC The revolution broke out against the Seleucid kings under the leadership of
the Maccabbees brothers by Jews.
63 BC Judea was conquered by Romans and the family of Herod the Great started
ruling.

GREEK CIVILIZATION
Time Period Events
776 BC The first official date of Olympic Games.
750 BC Greek started planting colonies on the Mediterranean coast.
490 B.C. The Battle of Marathon happened, the Greek defeated the Iranian King
Darius 1 at Marathon near Athens.
490-479 Athens and Sparta took lead for defending their land against invasion
from the huge Persian Empire.
447 BC Athenian Empire was at the height of its power.
431-404 Athens was defeated by Sparta in the Second Peloponnesian War.

399 Socrates, the famous philosopher of Athens was sentenced to death as he

was questioning conventional ideas.

338 The Greek city-states were defeated by King Phillip II of Macedon.

336BC-323BC Alexander compelled all Greece to accept his leadership and conquered the
Achaemenid empire.
326 BC Alexander comes to border of India and he defeated king Porus on the
Jhelum.

ROMAN CIVILIZATION
Time Period Events
1000 BC The city of Rome was founded
509 BC Roman republic was built.
390 BC Rome was sacked by the Gauls.
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HISTORY GK-61

264-241 BC First Punic War between Carthage and Rome took place.
218-202 BC Second Punic War consisting of several small battles took place where
Rome was the ultimate winner.
83-31 BC Decline of Roman Republic due to the continuous phase of civil wars.
27 BC Augustus established himself as the first of the Roman emperors.
117 AD Roman Empire became the largest empire of its time.
312 AD Constantine the great got converted to Christianity.
410 AD Goths sacked Roman Empire.
476 AD The last Roman emperor was thrown out by German Tribes.

Christianity
•• It was founded by Jesus Christ (i.e. Merriah).
•• He was born on 25th December to Mother Mary (Marium) in Bethlehem (Nr. Jerusalam)
•• Bible is the holy book of Christians.
•• His crucifixion (hanging) on cross happened in about 33 AD.
•• So, sign of ‘cross’ is considered holy for Christians.

MEDIEVAL WORLD HISTORY

MEDIEVAL EUROPEAN CIVILIZATION
Time Period Events
500-600AD •• A monastery was built in Italy.
•• Christianity was introduced in England.
•• The foundation stone of Roman Catholic Church was laid by Gregory the
Great.
650-700AD History of the English Church and People was written by Bede.
800AD Charlemagne, the King of the Franks, was crowned as Holy Roman Emperor.
850-900AD First Russian states founded at Kiev and Novgorod.
900-950AD Viking raids across Western Europe.
1000-1050 Medical school set up in Salerno, Italy (1030).
1050-1100 AD •• William of Normandy invaded England and becomes king.
•• First Crusade was proclaimed.
1150-1200 AD Construction of the cathedral of Notre Dame.
1200-1250 AD •• St Francis of Assisi sets up a monastic order, emphasizing austerity and
compassion.
•• Rebellion against the king by the Lords of England as he signed the Magna
Carta, accepting to rule according to law.
1250-1300 AD Establishment of the Hapsburg dynasty that continued to rule Austria till
1918.
 GK-62 HISTORY
Feudalism was a socio-political hierarchy which started in 8th century AD in Europe and
ended in 14th century AD.
Crusades were the series of military campaign organized under the banner of the cross so
as to recover the holy places of Palestine from Muslim occupation.
AFRICAN CIVILIZATION
Time Period Events
830AD Ghana Empire was created.
1050-1100AD Expansion of Almoravid kingdom from Ghana to southern Spain.
1100-1150AD Emergence of Zimbabwe as a centre for producing gold and copper
artifacts and long distance trade.
1200-1250 AD Christian churches established in Ethiopia.
Kingdom of Mali was established in West Africa, with Timbuktu as a
centre of learning.
1375 AD Gao rebelled against Malian hegemony and Songhai started to expand its realm.
1465 AD Songhai conquered Mema and after three years seized Timbuktu.
1588–91 AD Songhai was attacked by Moroccan forces with firearms and they kept on
conquering Tondibi, Timbuktu and Gao one after the other.

MONGOL EMPIRE
Time Period Events
1206 AD Temüjin from the Orkhon Valley received the title Genghis Khan, and
started ruling the unified nomads of Mongolia homeland.
1227 AD Death of Genghis Khan.
1250–1350 AD Pax Mongolica or stabilization of Mongol empire.
1260-1294 AD Fragmentation of Mongol Empire into Ilkhanate Yuan dynasty, Chagatai
Khanate, Golden Horde.
1368 AD Fall of Yuan Dynasty.
1687 AD Collapse of Chagatai Khanate.

ARAB CIVILIZATION
Time Period Events
571AD The great Prophet of Islam was born in Mecca
With the rise of new religion Islam, the Arab civilization started expanding its realm
622 AD Mohammad had to leave Mecca and take refuge in Medina. This Year is known
as Hijra.
632AD After the death of Mohammad his successors continued to spread his teachings
and were known as Caliphs or Khalifas.
13th Century The Islamic Empire came to end with the defeat of Abbasids by Seljuq Turks
AD

Islam in Arab Civilization •• His father died in Madina before

•• Hazrat Prophet Muhammad Saheb
founded Islam as a religion.
•• His father was Abdullah & mother was
Aminah.
Muhammad was born.
•• He was suckled by Haleema (Dai).
•• His mother died when he was 6 and
grandfather died 2 years later.

HISTORY GK-63
•• Hijri Era started on 24th September
622 when he migrated to Medina.
•• He attained enlightenment, i.e. the first
revelation came to him on Monday,
August 10th, 610 AD (21st of Ramadan)
at 40 years of age at Gaare-Hira (Hira
cave).
•• First persons who embraced Islam
were–Khadija (wife), Zaid (slave), Ali
MODERN WORLD HISTORY
Renaissance
The European era between 14th to 17th
centuries AD was designated as the Age of
Renaissance generally known for “Revival
of Learning”. The Florence city of Italian
region Tuscany was well known as the
birth place of Renaissance.
Reformation
Reformation was a social movement
initiated by Martin Luther during 16th
century in Europe against Roman Catholic
Church. He started criticizing the selling of
self indulgence of higher authorities in the
church by highlighting the fact that the Pope
had no authority over the purgatory and
there was no evidence of catholic doctrine
of the merits of the saints in the gospel.
Major Revolutions
Glorious Revolution (1688)
It was otherwise known as the Bloodless
Revolution primarily focused on securing
freedom of worship from Catholics and
unifying Whigs and Tories of Anglican
church against the Roman Catholic ruler
James II.
Industrial Revolution
It was the process of change in earning
livelihood by adopting industrial processes
rather than agriculture. It started during
mid 18th century in Britain with the
invention of several technological aids such
as spinning jenny by James Hargreaves
in 1764, water-powered spinning frame by
Richard Arkwright in 1769, spinning mule
by Samuel Crompton in 1779, power loom
Bhagwat were the first to worship Vasudev Krishna.
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(cousin), & Abu Bakr (friend).
•• Prophet Muhammad died on Monday,
8th June, 623 AD and was buried at
Medina.
•• Islam divided into Shia and Sunni cults
after his death.
•• His successors were called Khalifa.
•• Eid-milad-un-Nabi is celebrated as the
birthday of the prophet.
by Edmund Cartwright in 1785, steam
engine by James Watt in 1769 etc.
American Revolution
It was the mutiny of people living in thirteen
colonies of England in North America in late
18th century. Various factors such as French
and Indian War, Stamp Act, Townshend
Acts, Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party
(1773/Intolerable Acts, can be considered
as the triggering fact of this revolution in
1775-83.
•• On 4th July 1776, the Declaration of
Independece was issued by Thomas
Jafferson.
•• The war ended with the Treaty of Paris
in 1783.
French Revolution
It was one of the greatest revolutions of
eighteenth century which put an end to
French monarchy. It lasted from 1789 to
1799, and partially carried forwarded by
Napoleon during the later expansion of the
French Empire.
•• Liberty, Equality and Fraternity were
the watch of the revolution.
•• Montesquieu, Voltaire and Rousseau
were the French writers and thinkers of
the period.
Russian Revolution
Based on the ideology of Marxism,
Russian revolution took place in 1917 and
eventually ended up in creating the Russian
Soviet Union. The prime causes of these
revolutions were the autocratic rule of
Czars, inefficient and vigorous use of power,
low living standard of people in the society,
to support church forcefully.
 GK-64 HISTORY
GREAT LITTERATEUR OF RENAISSANCE
Italian Dante – Book Divine Comedy
Petarch – Founder of Humanism.
Boccacio- Book Dacemeron.
French Rabelais – Pantagruel
Spanish Cewantes – Don Quixote
German Thomas Kempis – The Imitation of Christ

WORLD WARS: I & II

Event World War I
Countries Germany, Austria,Hungary,
Involved Bulgaria, Turkey vs. France,
Russia, Britain, US, Italy.
Duration of July 28, 1914 – November 11,
War 1918
Causes Immediate
Murder of Austrian King
Archduke Ferdinand at
Serajevo by a Serbian which
resulted in strong hostility
between Austria-Hungary and
Serbia
Associated
Militarism
Nationalism or Competitive
Patriotism
Economic Imperialism
Anglo-German Rivalry and the
charter of William II
Lack of International
Organization
Consequences End of the German, Russian,
Ottoman and Austro-
Hungarian empires
Formation of new countries in
Europe and the Middle East.
Transfer of German colonies
and regions of the former
Ottoman Empire to other
powers
Establishment of the League
of Nations
World War II
Britain, France, USSR, US, Other nations vs.
Germany, Italy, Japan
September 1, 1939 –
September 2, 1945
Immediate
Germany’s ultimatum and Poland’s rejection
for surrender of Port Dazing.
Refusal of Poland to establish rail link
between Germany and West Prussia through
Polish corridor.
Associated
The Treaty of Versailles (1919)
Nationalist movement of Germany & Italy.
Ideological conflict between Dictatorship
and Democracy
Inefficiency of League of Nation
Colonial and commercial rivalry
Aggressiveness of Berlin-Rome –Tokyo axis
Collapse of Nazi Germany
Fall of Japanese and Italian Empires
Creation of the United Nations
Emergence of the United States and the
Soviet Union as superpowers
Beginning of the Cold War

MAJOR GEOGRAPHICAL DISCOVERIES

Discovery Year Discoverer Name
Cape of Good Hope 1487 Bartholomew, Portugal
America 1492 Christropher Columbus, Spain
Newfoundland 1497 John Cabot, England
Sea-route of India 1498 Vasco da Gama, Portuguese
New Zealand 1642 Tasman, Holland

HISTORY GK-65
Major Wars in History
Trojan War
Participants: City of Troy vs City of Sparta
Duration of War: 10 years
Causes of War: The war resulted due to
the kidnapping of Queen Helen from her
husband, the king of Sparta by the Trojan
Prince.
Outcome of war: The war ended with
victory of Greek and destruction of Troy.
Persian War
Participants: Greek vs. Persia
Duration of War: 499 BC – 449 BC
Causes of War: The king of Persia, Darius
I attacked Athens when the series of Greek
uprisings were suppressed.
Outcome of war: The Greek had its victory
against Persia.
Peloponnesian War
Participants: Athens vs. Sparta
Duration of War: 431 BC – 404 BC
Causes of War: The war occurred due to
the political fragmentation and mutual two
city states of Greece, Athens and Sparta.
Outcome of War: Eventually Sparta
registered its victory by defeating Athens in
Decelean war (known to be the third phase
of Peloponnesian War), with the help of
Persian Empire.
Punic Wars
First
Participants: Rome vs. Carthage
Duration of War: 264 BC -241 BC
Causes of War: The war broke out as the
Carthaginians established a base of island
that seemed to be a potential threat to
Rome.
Outcome of War: The Romans won the war.
Second
Participants: Greek vs. Trojan
Duration of War: 218 BC- 201 BC
Causes of War: The war occurred when
Carthage started expanding its power in
Spain and striving for the coastal city of
Saguntum (the present day Sagunto) which
was allied with Rome.
Outcome of War: Finally Rome won over
Carthage in the Battle of Zama forcing the
Carthaginians to give up Spanish territories
and its navy.
Gautam Buddha was raised to the position of God during the reign of kanishka.
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Third
Participants: Greek vs. Persian
Duration of War: 149 BC- 146 BC
Causes of War: The fear of Carthaginian
resurgence led to the war in the city streets
of Carthage
Outcome of War: Ultimately Romans
destroyed the city of Carthage
Hundred Years’ War
Participants: France vs. England
Duration of War: 1337 BC -1453 BC
Causes of War: The war broke out after
King Edward III of England invaded the
country of France and continued to seize its
land and became its ruler.
Outcome of War: At the end France
managed to defy the England’s reign with
the help of Scotland.
Russo-Japan War
Participants: Russia vs. Japan
Duration of War: 1904 – 05 AD
Causes of War: The war took place for
having imperial authority over Manchuria
and Korea.
Outcome of War: Japanese won the war.
Vietnam War
Participants: Democratic Republic of
Vietnam allied with Soviet Union vs. China.
Duration of War: 1955 – 75 AD
Causes of War: The war was fought for
checking communism spread all over
South-Asia.
Outcome of War: The war ended with the
victory of North Vietnam by empowering
the Communist government in South
Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia with annexure
of South Vietnam. The American-led forces
had to back out from Indochina.
Iraq–Iran War
Participants: Islamic Republic of Iran and
the Republic of Iraq
Duration of War: 1980 – 88 AD
Causes of War: The war started with the
invasion of republic of Iran resulting from a
border dispute of two Republics.
Outcome of War: Iraq failed to take over
the east bank of the Shatt al-Arab and
strengthen Arab separatism in the region of
Khuzestan. The Iranian invasion failed and
the idea of deposing Saddam Hussein was
shattered.