European Maritime Powers

1498 – 1961
Map layer: Colonial Settlements

Portuguese, Dutch, Danish, French and British trading posts and colonies.

🗺 Map at start (1498) Map at midpoint (1730) Zoomed timeline

Who ruled when

Move along the chart to see which powers existed in any year; click a bar for its page, or empty space to open the map.

Events
149816001700180019001961

Main polities of this period

NameTypeSpanRegionCapital
Portuguese Estado da Índia ★ Colonial power 1505 – 1961 Coastal Goa (from 1530)
Portuguese Cochin Colonial settlement 1503 – 1663 Coastal
Portuguese Bassein & Bombay Colonial settlement 1534 – 1739 Coastal
Portuguese Diu Colonial settlement 1535 – 1961 Coastal
Portuguese Daman Colonial settlement 1559 – 1961 Coastal
Portuguese Hooghly Colonial settlement 1579 – 1632 Coastal
Portuguese Ceylon Colonial settlement 1597 – 1658 Sri Lanka Colombo
Dutch East India Company (VOC) in India Colonial power 1605 – 1825 Coastal Pulicat, later Nagapattinam
Dutch Coromandel (Pulicat) Colonial settlement 1610 – 1825 Coastal
Danish India Colonial power 1620 – 1869 Coastal Tranquebar
Danish Tranquebar Colonial settlement 1620 – 1845 Coastal
Dutch Chinsurah Colonial settlement 1656 – 1825 Coastal
Dutch Ceylon Colonial settlement 1658 – 1796 Sri Lanka Colombo
Dutch Malabar (Cochin) Colonial settlement 1663 – 1795 Coastal
French India Colonial power 1668 – 1954 Coastal Pondichéry
Chandernagore Colonial settlement 1673 – 1950 Coastal
Pondichéry Colonial settlement 1674 – 1954 Coastal
Mahé Colonial settlement 1721 – 1954 Coastal
Yanam Colonial settlement 1731 – 1954 Coastal
Karaikal Colonial settlement 1739 – 1954 Coastal
Danish Serampore Colonial settlement 1755 – 1845 Coastal
Portuguese Malé Colonial settlement 1558 – 1573 Islands Malé

Also existing during this period

Malwa Sultanate
Central · 1392 – 1562
Holkar State (Indore)
Central · 1731 – 1948
Scindia State (Gwalior)
Central · 1731 – 1948
Bhonsles of Nagpur
Central · 1739 – 1853
Fort St George, Madras
Coastal · 1639 – 1858
Bombay (English East India Company)
Coastal · 1668 – 1858
Bahmani Sultanate
Deccan · 1347 – 1527
Ahmadnagar Sultanate (Nizam Shahi)
Deccan · 1490 – 1636
Bijapur Sultanate (Adil Shahi)
Deccan · 1490 – 1686
Berar Sultanate (Imad Shahi)
Deccan · 1490 – 1574
Bidar Sultanate (Barid Shahi)
Deccan · 1492 – 1619
Golconda Sultanate (Qutb Shahi)
Deccan · 1518 – 1687
Maratha Empire
Deccan · 1674 – 1818
Hyderabad State (Nizams)
Deccan · 1724 – 1948
Bengal Sultanate
East · 1352 – 1576
Gajapati Kingdom
East · 1434 – 1541
Nawabs of Bengal
East · 1717 – 1765
Rohilkhand
Gangetic Plain · 1721 – 1774
Awadh (Nawabs of Oudh)
Gangetic Plain · 1722 – 1856
Malla Dynasty of Nepal
Himalaya · 1201 – 1769
Gorkha Kingdom
Himalaya · 1559 – 1768
Bhutan under the Zhabdrung (Druk Desi)
Himalaya · 1616 – 1907
Kingdom of Nepal — expansion era
Himalaya · 1768 – 1816
Kingdom of Nepal
Himalaya · 1816 – 2008
Kingdom of Bhutan
Himalaya · 1907 – present
Sultanate of the Maldives
Islands · c. 1153 – 1968
Delhi Sultanate
North · 1206 – 1526
Kashmir Sultanate
North · 1339 – 1586
Mughal Empire
North · 1526 – 1857
Sur Empire
North · 1540 – 1556
Jat Kingdom of Bharatpur
North · 1722 – 1947
Sikh Empire
North · 1799 – 1849
Ahom Kingdom
Northeast · 1228 – 1826
Koch Kingdom (Kamata / Cooch Behar)
Northeast · 1515 – 1949
Samma Dynasty
Northwest · 1351 – 1524
Timurid Empire (Herat)
Northwest · 1370 – 1507
Hotak Dynasty
Northwest · 1709 – 1738
Durrani Empire
Northwest · 1747 – 1823
Emirate of Afghanistan
Northwest · 1823 – 1926
Kingdom of Afghanistan
Northwest · 1926 – 1973
Pakistan (West & East)
Northwest · 1947 – 1971
British East India Company
Pan-Indian · 1600 – 1858
British Raj (Crown Rule)
Pan-Indian · 1858 – 1947
Dominion of India
Pan-Indian · 1947 – 1950
Republic of India
Pan-Indian · 1950 – present
Zamorins of Calicut
South · c. 1124 – 1766
Vijayanagara Empire
South · 1336 – 1646
Kingdom of Mysore
South · 1399 – 1950
Madurai Nayaks
South · 1529 – 1736
Carnatic (Nawabs of Arcot)
South · 1692 – 1855
Travancore
South · 1729 – 1949
Jaffna Kingdom
Sri Lanka · c. 1215 – 1619
Kingdom of Kotte
Sri Lanka · 1412 – 1597
Kingdom of Kandy
Sri Lanka · c. 1469 – 1815
British Ceylon
Sri Lanka · 1796 – 1948
Dominion of Ceylon
Sri Lanka · 1948 – 1972
Kachwahas of Amber (Jaipur)
West · c. 1128 – 1949
Marwar (Rathore)
West · c. 1226 – 1949
Mewar (Sisodia)
West · 1326 – 1949
Gujarat Sultanate
West · 1407 – 1573
Gaekwad State (Baroda)
West · 1721 – 1949

Events

YearEventPolity
1498 Vasco da Gama reaches Calicut
The direct sea route from Europe to India was opened.
Zamorins of Calicut
1504 Sikandar Lodi founds Agra
Agra became the Lodi and later Mughal capital.
Lodi Dynasty
1505 Portuguese reach Sri Lanka Kingdom of Kotte
1509 Krishnadevaraya's accession Tuluva Dynasty
1509 Battle of Diu
Portuguese naval supremacy in the Arabian Sea was established.
Portuguese Estado da Índia
1510 Portuguese capture Goa
Goa became the capital of the Portuguese Estado da Índia until 1961.
Portuguese Estado da Índia
1520 Krishnadevaraya takes Raichur
Vijayanagara won the Raichur doab from Bijapur.
Tuluva Dynasty
1526 First Battle of Panipat
Ibrahim Lodi was killed and Babur founded the Mughal Empire.
Mughal Empire
1527 Battle of Khanwa
Babur defeated Rana Sanga's Rajput confederacy, securing Mughal rule in the north.
Mughal Empire
1529 Battle of the Ghaghra
Babur defeated the Afghan chiefs of the east.
Mughal Empire
1530 Death of Babur; Humayun succeeds Mughal Empire
1535 Humayun takes Mandu and Champaner Mughal Empire
1539 Battle of Chausa
Humayun was defeated and escaped by swimming the Ganga.
Sur Empire
1540 Battle of Kannauj
Humayun fled into exile and Sher Shah founded the Sur Empire.
Sur Empire
1541 Rohtas Fort begun by Sher Shah Sur Empire
1545 Death of Sher Shah at Kalinjar Sur Empire
1555 Humayun recovers Delhi (Battle of Sirhind)
Humayun regained his throne from the Surs.
Mughal Empire
1556 Second Battle of Panipat
Hemu was captured and killed, securing Akbar's throne.
Mughal Empire
1558 Portuguese occupy Malé Portuguese Malé
1559 Drabya Shah founds the Gorkha kingdom Gorkha Kingdom
1564 Akbar abolishes the jizya Mughal Empire
1565 Battle of Talikota
Vijayanagara's army was routed and its capital Hampi was sacked.
Tuluva Dynasty
1568 Akbar takes Chittorgarh
Chittor fell and Rana Udai Singh moved his capital to Udaipur.
Mughal Empire
1571 Fatehpur Sikri founded Mughal Empire
1573 Akbar conquers Gujarat Mughal Empire
1573 Muhammad Thakurufaanu frees the Maldives
The Portuguese were expelled after fifteen years.
Sultanate of the Maldives
1576 Battle of Haldighati
The Mughals held the field but Maharana Pratap escaped to continue resisting.
Mewar (Sisodia)
1576 Battle of Rajmahal: Mughals take Bengal
Daud Khan Karrani was killed and Bengal became a Mughal province.
Mughal Empire
1580 Akbar organises the empire into subahs
The empire was divided into twelve provinces with uniform administration.
Mughal Empire
1582 Akbar's Din-i-Ilahi Mughal Empire
1586 Mughals annex Kashmir Mughal Empire
1591 Charminar built Golconda Sultanate (Qutb Shahi)
1600 East India Company chartered British East India Company
1601 Asirgarh falls to Akbar Mughal Empire
1602 Dutch East India Company (VOC) founded Dutch East India Company (VOC) in India
1604 Adi Granth installed at Harmandir Sahib
1605 Death of Akbar Mughal Empire
1606 Execution of Guru Arjan Dev
Sikhism began to take on a militant character under Guru Hargobind.
Mughal Empire
1611 English factory at Masulipatnam British East India Company
1612 Battle of Swally
The English defeated the Portuguese and won trading rights at Surat.
British East India Company
1615 Sir Thomas Roe at Jahangir's court Mughal Empire
1616 Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal arrives in Bhutan Bhutan under the Zhabdrung (Druk Desi)
1628 Shah Jahan becomes emperor Mughal Empire
1632 Taj Mahal construction begins Mughal Empire
1639 Fort St George founded at Madras Fort St George, Madras
1646 Last Vijayanagara stronghold falls Aravidu Dynasty
1648 Shahjahanabad (Old Delhi) inaugurated Mughal Empire
1653 Taj Mahal completed Mughal Empire
1656 Dutch take Colombo from the Portuguese
Portuguese rule in Sri Lanka ended by 1658.
Dutch Ceylon
1658 Aurangzeb becomes emperor Mughal Empire
1659 Shivaji kills Afzal Khan at Pratapgad
Bijapur's army was routed and Shivaji's power grew.
1661 Bombay passes to England Portuguese Bassein & Bombay
1664 Shivaji sacks Surat
1665 Treaty of Purandar
Shivaji ceded 23 forts to the Mughals and agreed to attend Aurangzeb's court.
1666 Shivaji escapes from Agra
1671 Battle of Saraighat
The Ahoms defeated the Mughals, keeping Assam independent.
Ahom Kingdom
1674 Shivaji crowned Chhatrapati Maratha Empire
1675 Execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur Mughal Empire
1679 Aurangzeb reimposes the jizya
Alienated many Rajput and other subjects.
Mughal Empire
1680 Death of Shivaji
His son Sambhaji succeeded him.
Maratha Empire
1681 Aurangzeb moves to the Deccan Mughal Empire
1686 Mughals annex Bijapur
The Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur ended.
Mughal Empire
1687 Mughals annex Golconda
The Qutb Shahi dynasty of Golconda ended.
Mughal Empire
1689 Execution of Sambhaji Maratha Empire
1690 Job Charnock founds Calcutta
Calcutta grew into the capital of British India.
British East India Company
1699 Guru Gobind Singh founds the Khalsa
1707 Death of Aurangzeb Mughal Empire
1708 Death of Guru Gobind Singh
He declared the Guru Granth Sahib the eternal Guru.
1709 Mirwais Hotak's revolt at Kandahar Hotak Dynasty
1713 Balaji Vishwanath becomes Peshwa Maratha Empire
1716 Execution of Banda Singh Bahadur Mughal Empire
1717 Farrukhsiyar's farman to the East India Company Mughal Empire
1720 Baji Rao I becomes Peshwa Maratha Empire
1724 Battle of Shakar Kheda: Hyderabad State founded
Nizam-ul-Mulk defeated the Mughal governor and founded Hyderabad State.
Hyderabad State (Nizams)
1737 Baji Rao raids Delhi Maratha Empire
1739 Nadir Shah sacks Delhi
Delhi was plundered and the Peacock Throne and Koh-i-Noor taken to Persia.
Mughal Empire
1741 Battle of Colachel
Travancore defeated the Dutch, ending Dutch ambitions in Kerala.
Travancore
1742 Maratha (Bargi) raids on Bengal Nawabs of Bengal
1746 French capture Madras (First Carnatic War) French India
1747 Ahmad Shah Durrani founds the Durrani Empire Durrani Empire
1749 Battle of Ambur
Anwaruddin Khan was killed; Chanda Sahib, backed by the French, took Arcot.
Carnatic (Nawabs of Arcot)
1751 Siege of Arcot
Clive's defence of Arcot turned the Second Carnatic War in Britain's favour.
Carnatic (Nawabs of Arcot)
1757 Battle of Plassey
Siraj ud-Daulah was defeated and Mir Jafar became a Company-backed nawab.
British East India Company
1760 Battle of Wandiwash
French power in India was broken.
British East India Company
1761 Third Battle of Panipat
The Marathas were crushed by Ahmad Shah Durrani and their northward expansion checked.
Maratha Empire
1764 Battle of Buxar
The Company defeated Mir Qasim, Shuja-ud-Daula and Shah Alam II together.
British East India Company
1765 Diwani of Bengal granted
The Company won the right to collect revenue in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
British East India Company
1767 First Anglo-Mysore War Kingdom of Mysore
1768 Prithvi Narayan Shah conquers Kathmandu
Kathmandu became the capital of a unified Nepal.
Kingdom of Nepal — expansion era
1769 Treaty of Madras
Ended the First Anglo-Mysore War with mutual restitution of conquests.
Kingdom of Mysore
1770 Great Bengal Famine British East India Company
1773 Regulating Act; Warren Hastings Governor-General British East India Company
1775 First Anglo-Maratha War begins Maratha Empire
1780 Battle of Pollilur
Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan destroyed a Company force under Colonel Baillie.
Kingdom of Mysore
1782 Treaty of Salbai
The First Anglo-Maratha War ended with a return to the status quo.
Scindia State (Gwalior)
1784 Asiatic Society founded British East India Company
1784 Treaty of Mangalore
Ended the Second Anglo-Mysore War on the basis of mutual restitution.
Kingdom of Mysore
1792 Treaty of Seringapatam
Tipu Sultan ceded half his kingdom and gave two sons as hostages.
Kingdom of Mysore
1793 Permanent Settlement of Bengal British East India Company
1795 Battle of Kharda
The Marathas defeated the Nizam of Hyderabad.
Maratha Empire
1796 British take coastal Ceylon from the Dutch
Coastal Sri Lanka passed to Britain, confirmed by the Treaty of Amiens.
British Ceylon
1798 Hyderabad accepts the Subsidiary Alliance
The Nizam became the first ruler to accept Wellesley's system.
Hyderabad State (Nizams)
1799 Fall of Srirangapatna
Tipu Sultan was killed and the Wodeyars were restored as Company allies.
Kingdom of Mysore
1799 Ranjit Singh takes Lahore Sikh Empire
1802 Treaty of Bassein
Peshwa Baji Rao II accepted the Subsidiary Alliance.
Maratha Empire
1803 British capture Delhi
The Mughal emperor came under British protection.
British East India Company
1803 Battle of Assaye
Arthur Wellesley defeated the combined Scindia and Bhonsle armies.
British East India Company
1806 Vellore mutiny British East India Company
1809 Treaty of Amritsar fixes the Sutlej frontier
Ranjit Singh agreed not to expand south of the Sutlej.
Sikh Empire
1814 Anglo-Nepal War: siege of Nalapani
The Gorkha garrison under Balbhadra Kunwar held out before withdrawing.
Kingdom of Nepal — expansion era
1815 Kandyan Convention
The Kandyan kingdom ended and all Sri Lanka came under British rule.
Kingdom of Kandy
1816 Treaty of Sugauli
Nepal ceded Kumaon, Garhwal and the Terai and accepted a British resident.
Kingdom of Nepal
1817 Battle of Khadki
The Peshwa's army was defeated near Pune.
Maratha Empire
1818 Third Anglo-Maratha War ends
The Peshwa's territories were annexed and the Company became the paramount power.
Maratha Empire
1824 Kittur revolt against the Company
Rani Chennamma won an early victory but was captured in a second assault.
1826 Treaty of Yandabo
Burma ceded Assam, Manipur, Arakan and Tenasserim to the Company.
Ahom Kingdom
1828 Brahmo Samaj founded British East India Company
1829 Sati abolished British East India Company
1835 English Education Act British East India Company
1839 Death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Sikh Empire
1839 First Anglo-Afghan War begins
Shah Shuja was installed in Kabul, but British forces were destroyed in 1842.
Emirate of Afghanistan
1842 British retreat from Kabul
Almost the entire retreating British column was annihilated.
Emirate of Afghanistan
1843 Annexation of Sindh
Sindh was annexed after the Battle of Miani.
British East India Company
1845 First Anglo-Sikh War
The Sikhs ceded the Jullundur Doab and paid an indemnity.
Sikh Empire
1846 Jammu & Kashmir granted to Gulab Singh
The Dogra-ruled princely state of Jammu and Kashmir was created.
1846 Kot massacre; Rana rule begins in Nepal
Jung Bahadur Rana seized power and Rana prime ministers ruled for 104 years.
Kingdom of Nepal
1848 Doctrine of Lapse applied to Satara
Satara was annexed because its ruler died without a natural heir.
British East India Company
1849 Punjab annexed
The Sikh Empire ended and Maharaja Duleep Singh was pensioned off.
British East India Company
1853 First passenger railway: Bombay to Thane British East India Company
1855 Santhal Hul (rebellion)
Suppressed in 1856; the Santhal Parganas district was created.
British East India Company
1856 Awadh annexed
Wajid Ali Shah was deposed on the charge of misgovernance.
British East India Company
1856 Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act
Remarriage of Hindu widows was legalised.
British East India Company
1857 Revolt of 1857 begins at Meerut
The revolt was suppressed by 1858 and Company rule was ended.
1857 Mangal Pandey's attack at Barrackpore
Mangal Pandey was hanged; his regiment was disbanded.
British East India Company
1857 Rebels proclaim Bahadur Shah Zafar emperor
Delhi became the centre of the revolt until retaken in September 1857.
1858 Rani Lakshmibai falls at Gwalior
1858 Government of India Act — Crown rule begins
The Crown took over India, governed by a Viceroy and a Secretary of State.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1859 Indigo revolt in Bengal
The Indigo Commission of 1860 ended forced indigo cultivation.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1869 Birth of Mahatma Gandhi
1872 First census of British India British Raj (Crown Rule)
1875 Arya Samaj and Aligarh (MAO) College founded British Raj (Crown Rule)
1876 Indian Association founded British Raj (Crown Rule)
1877 Delhi Durbar: Victoria proclaimed Empress of India British Raj (Crown Rule)
1878 Second Anglo-Afghan War Emirate of Afghanistan
1878 Vernacular Press Act
Indian-language newspapers were curbed; repealed in 1881.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1883 Ilbert Bill controversy
European opposition forced the bill to be diluted, stirring Indian nationalism.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1885 Indian National Congress founded
It became the principal organisation of the freedom movement.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1887 Maldives becomes a British protectorate Sultanate of the Maldives
1893 Durand Line agreed
The frontier between British India and Afghanistan was fixed.
Emirate of Afghanistan
1899 Birsa Munda's Ulgulan
Birsa died in custody in 1900; the Chota Nagpur Tenancy Act followed in 1908.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1905 Partition of Bengal
It triggered the Swadeshi movement and was annulled in 1911.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1905 Swadeshi movement launched
Boycott of British goods and promotion of Indian industry.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1906 All-India Muslim League founded British Raj (Crown Rule)
1907 Ugyen Wangchuck becomes first King of Bhutan Kingdom of Bhutan
1907 Surat split of the Congress
The Congress divided into Moderates and Extremists.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1908 Khudiram Bose executed British Raj (Crown Rule)
1909 Morley-Minto Reforms
Separate electorates for Muslims were introduced.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1911 Capital moved from Calcutta to Delhi British Raj (Crown Rule)
1911 Delhi Durbar annuls the Partition of Bengal
Bengal was reunited and the capital moved to Delhi.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1913 Rabindranath Tagore wins the Nobel Prize British Raj (Crown Rule)
1913 Ghadar Party founded
1915 Gandhi returns to India British Raj (Crown Rule)
1916 Lucknow Pact
The Congress and the Muslim League agreed on joint constitutional demands.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1916 Home Rule Leagues launched British Raj (Crown Rule)
1917 Champaran Satyagraha British Raj (Crown Rule)
1918 Kheda Satyagraha
Revenue collection was suspended for the poorest farmers.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1918 Ahmedabad mill strike
Gandhi's fast won the workers a 35 per cent wage increase.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1919 Third Anglo-Afghan War; Afghan independence
The Treaty of Rawalpindi recognised Afghanistan's control of its foreign affairs.
Emirate of Afghanistan
1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre
Nationwide outrage followed and Tagore renounced his knighthood.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1919 Rowlatt Act
Gandhi called a nationwide Rowlatt Satyagraha.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1919 Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms
Dyarchy was introduced in the provinces.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1920 Non-Cooperation Movement British Raj (Crown Rule)
1920 Khilafat Movement
Joined with Non-Cooperation in a united Hindu-Muslim struggle.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1922 Chauri Chaura incident British Raj (Crown Rule)
1923 Swaraj Party founded
Nationalists contested legislative elections to wreck them from within.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1925 Kakori train action
Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Rajendra Lahiri and Roshan Singh were hanged.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1928 Simon Commission boycotted
Lala Lajpat Rai died after a police lathi-charge.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1928 Nehru Report
Proposed dominion status; rejected by the Muslim League.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1928 Bardoli Satyagraha
The revenue hike was rolled back and Vallabhbhai Patel was hailed as 'Sardar'.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1929 Purna Swaraj resolution at Lahore British Raj (Crown Rule)
1929 Central Legislative Assembly bombing
Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt courted arrest.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1930 Salt March to Dandi
Gandhi broke the salt law, launching the Civil Disobedience Movement.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1930 Chittagong armoury raid British Raj (Crown Rule)
1931 Gandhi-Irwin Pact British Raj (Crown Rule)
1931 Execution of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru British Raj (Crown Rule)
1931 Karachi Congress resolution on Fundamental Rights British Raj (Crown Rule)
1932 Poona Pact British Raj (Crown Rule)
1932 Communal Award
Gandhi's fast against separate electorates for Depressed Classes led to the Poona Pact.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1935 Government of India Act 1935 British Raj (Crown Rule)
1937 Provincial elections under the 1935 Act
The Congress formed ministries in most provinces.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1939 Congress ministries resign
Protest at India being declared at war without consultation.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1940 Lahore Resolution British Raj (Crown Rule)
1942 Quit India Movement
Congress leaders were jailed, but the movement showed British rule was untenable.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1942 Cripps Mission
Its offer of post-war dominion status was rejected.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1943 Bengal famine British Raj (Crown Rule)
1944 Battles of Imphal and Kohima
Allied victory; the Japanese and INA were forced to retreat.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1945 INA trials at the Red Fort
Public outrage led to the sentences being remitted.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1945 Simla Conference
Failed over the League's claim to nominate all Muslim members.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1946 Royal Indian Navy mutiny British Raj (Crown Rule)
1946 Direct Action Day riots British Raj (Crown Rule)
1946 Cabinet Mission
Proposed a three-tier federation that ultimately failed.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1946 Constituent Assembly first meets British Raj (Crown Rule)
1947 Pakistan comes into being Pakistan (West & East)
1947 First Kashmir war
1947 Independence and Partition
India and Pakistan became independent dominions amid mass migration and violence.
Dominion of India
1947 Mountbatten Plan
British India was to be partitioned into India and Pakistan.
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1948 Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi Dominion of India
1948 Ceylon becomes independent Dominion of Ceylon
1948 Hyderabad integrated (Operation Polo)
The Nizam surrendered and Hyderabad joined the Indian Union.
Dominion of India
1949 Constitution of India adopted Dominion of India
1950 Constitution comes into force
India became a republic with Rajendra Prasad as its first President.
Republic of India
1951 Democracy restored in Nepal Kingdom of Nepal
1951 India's first general election (1951–52) Republic of India
1952 Bengali Language Movement Pakistan (West & East)
1953 First ascent of Everest Kingdom of Nepal
1953 Andhra State formed
It became the first state formed on a linguistic basis.
Republic of India
1954 French settlements transferred to India Republic of India
1954 Panchsheel agreement with China Republic of India
1956 Pakistan becomes an Islamic Republic Pakistan (West & East)
1956 Sinhala Only Act Dominion of Ceylon
1956 States Reorganisation Act
States were reorganised largely on linguistic lines into 14 states and 6 union territories.
Republic of India
1958 Ayub Khan's coup Pakistan (West & East)
1959 The Dalai Lama takes refuge in India Republic of India
1960 Indus Waters Treaty
1960 Bombay State split into Maharashtra and Gujarat Republic of India
1961 Goa liberated
Portuguese rule ended and Goa, Daman and Diu joined India.
Republic of India

📚 Recommended reading for this era

Reference

A History of Sri Lanka

K. M. de Silva · Penguin

The standard history of Sri Lanka from Anuradhapura to independence.

General reading
Textbook

Our Pasts I, II & III (Classes 6–8)

NCERT · NCERT

The simplest possible start: short, illustrated and the base of countless exam questions.

NCERT basics UPSC Prelims SSC State PSC
Textbook

Themes in Indian History, Parts I–III (Class 12)

NCERT · NCERT

Source-based chapters on Harappa, Vijayanagara, the Mughal court and 1857 — essential for UPSC.

NCERT basics UPSC Prelims UPSC Mains SSC State PSC
Reference

The Marathas 1600–1818

Stewart Gordon · Cambridge University Press

How the Maratha state rose from Shivaji's swarajya to a subcontinental power.

General reading

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