Mughal Empire

1526 – 1857
Map layer: Empires & Regional Powers

From Babur's victory at Panipat to the deposition of Bahadur Shah II.

🗺 Map at start (1526) Map at midpoint (1692) 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
15261600170018001857

Main polities of this period

NameTypeSpanRegionCapital
Kingdom of Kandy ★ Kingdom c. 1469 – 1815 Sri Lanka Senkadagala (Kandy)
Mughal Empire ★ Empire 1526 – 1857 North Agra / Fatehpur Sikri / Delhi (Shahjahanabad)
Koch Kingdom (Kamata / Cooch Behar) Kingdom 1515 – 1949 Northeast Kamatapur / Cooch Behar
Madurai Nayaks Kingdom 1529 – 1736 South Madurai / Tiruchirappalli
Gorkha Kingdom Kingdom 1559 – 1768 Himalaya Gorkha
Bhutan under the Zhabdrung (Druk Desi) Theocratic state 1616 – 1907 Himalaya Punakha
Kingdom of Cochin Kingdom c. 1102 – 1949 South Kochi / Thrissur
Chaubisi & Baisi Principalities Chiefdoms c. 1400 – 1786 Himalaya
Bikaner State Kingdom 1465 – 1949 West Bikaner
Kantipur (Kathmandu) Kingdom 1482 – 1769 Himalaya Kantipur (Kathmandu)
Lalitpur (Patan) Kingdom 1482 – 1769 Himalaya Lalitpur (Patan)
Bhaktapur Kingdom 1482 – 1769 Himalaya Bhaktapur
Keladi Nayakas (Ikkeri) Kingdom 1499 – 1763 South Ikkeri / Bednur
Safavid Empire (eastern provinces) Foreign / northwestern kingdom 1501 – 1736 Northwest Herat
Kingdom of Sitawaka Kingdom 1521 – 1594 Sri Lanka Sitawaka
Thanjavur Nayaks Kingdom 1532 – 1673 South Thanjavur
Kingdom of Sikkim Kingdom 1642 – 1975 Northeast Yuksom, later Gangtok

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
Portuguese Cochin
Coastal · 1503 – 1663
Portuguese Estado da Índia
Coastal · 1505 – 1961
Portuguese Bassein & Bombay
Coastal · 1534 – 1739
Portuguese Diu
Coastal · 1535 – 1961
Portuguese Daman
Coastal · 1559 – 1961
Portuguese Hooghly
Coastal · 1579 – 1632
Dutch East India Company (VOC) in India
Coastal · 1605 – 1825
Dutch Coromandel (Pulicat)
Coastal · 1610 – 1825
Danish India
Coastal · 1620 – 1869
Danish Tranquebar
Coastal · 1620 – 1845
Fort St George, Madras
Coastal · 1639 – 1858
Dutch Chinsurah
Coastal · 1656 – 1825
Dutch Malabar (Cochin)
Coastal · 1663 – 1795
French India
Coastal · 1668 – 1954
Bombay (English East India Company)
Coastal · 1668 – 1858
Chandernagore
Coastal · 1673 – 1950
Pondichéry
Coastal · 1674 – 1954
Mahé
Coastal · 1721 – 1954
Yanam
Coastal · 1731 – 1954
Karaikal
Coastal · 1739 – 1954
Danish Serampore
Coastal · 1755 – 1845
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
Kingdom of Nepal — expansion era
Himalaya · 1768 – 1816
Kingdom of Nepal
Himalaya · 1816 – 2008
Sultanate of the Maldives
Islands · c. 1153 – 1968
Delhi Sultanate
North · 1206 – 1526
Kashmir Sultanate
North · 1339 – 1586
Sur Empire
North · 1540 – 1556
Jat Kingdom of Bharatpur
North · 1722 – 1947
Sikh Empire
North · 1799 – 1849
Ahom Kingdom
Northeast · 1228 – 1826
Hotak Dynasty
Northwest · 1709 – 1738
Durrani Empire
Northwest · 1747 – 1823
Emirate of Afghanistan
Northwest · 1823 – 1926
British East India Company
Pan-Indian · 1600 – 1858
Zamorins of Calicut
South · c. 1124 – 1766
Vijayanagara Empire
South · 1336 – 1646
Kingdom of Mysore
South · 1399 – 1950
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
Portuguese Ceylon
Sri Lanka · 1597 – 1658
Dutch Ceylon
Sri Lanka · 1658 – 1796
British Ceylon
Sri Lanka · 1796 – 1948
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
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.

📚 Recommended reading for this era

Reference

A History of Nepal

John Whelpton · Cambridge University Press

A concise, reliable history of Nepal from the Gorkha unification to the republic.

General reading
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
Textbook

History of Medieval India

Satish Chandra · Orient BlackSwan

The go-to single volume on the Sultanate, Mughals and regional kingdoms.

UPSC Prelims UPSC Mains SSC State PSC
Reference

Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals (2 vols)

Satish Chandra · Har-Anand

The detailed two-volume treatment for readers who want more than the single-volume textbook.

UPSC Mains General reading

We may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. See all recommended books →

← European Maritime Powers Sur Empire →