Textbook
Themes in Indian History, Parts I–III (Class 12)
Source-based chapters on Harappa, Vijayanagara, the Mughal court and 1857 — essential for UPSC.
Their world
Move along the chart to see their age in any year, who ruled and what happened; click anything to open it.
The map shows Mughal Empire around their lifetime and where the events of their lifetime took place.
Hover a dot for the event; click it to open the full map in that year.
Rulers of the time
Kujula Kadphises
Emperor, Kushan Empire · c. 30 CE – c. 80 CE
Vima Taktu
Emperor, Kushan Empire · c. 80 CE – c. 95 CE
Vasishthiputra Pulumavi
King, Satavahana Empire · c. 130 CE – c. 159 CE
Huvishka
Emperor, Kushan Empire · c. 150 CE – c. 190 CE
Yajna Sri Satakarni
King, Satavahana Empire · c. 170 CE – c. 199 CE
Vasudeva I
Emperor, Kushan Empire · c. 190 CE – c. 230 CE
Sri Gupta
Maharaja, Gupta Empire · c. 240 CE – c. 280 CE
Mahasena
King, Anuradhapura Kingdom · c. 274 CE – c. 301 CE
Ghatotkacha
Maharaja, Gupta Empire · c. 280 CE – c. 319 CE
Chandragupta I
Maharajadhiraja, Gupta Empire · c. 319 CE – c. 335 CE
Samudragupta
Maharajadhiraja, Gupta Empire · c. 335 CE – c. 375 CE
Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya)
Maharajadhiraja, Gupta Empire · c. 375 CE – c. 415 CE
Kumaragupta I
Maharajadhiraja, Gupta Empire · c. 415 CE – c. 455 CE
Skandagupta
Maharajadhiraja, Gupta Empire · c. 455 CE – c. 467 CE
Dhatusena
King, Anuradhapura Kingdom · c. 455 CE – c. 473 CE
Budhagupta
Maharajadhiraja, Gupta Empire · c. 477 CE – c. 495 CE
Kashyapa I
King, Anuradhapura Kingdom · c. 477 CE – c. 495 CE
Pulakeshin I
King, Chalukyas of Badami · c. 543 CE – c. 566 CE
Kirtivarman I
King, Chalukyas of Badami · c. 566 CE – c. 597 CE
Simhavishnu
King, Pallava Dynasty · c. 575 CE – c. 600 CE
Prabhakaravardhana
King, Pushyabhuti (Vardhana) Dynasty · c. 580 CE – c. 605 CE
Mangalesha
King, Chalukyas of Badami · c. 597 CE – c. 609 CE
Mahendravarman I
King, Pallava Dynasty · c. 600 CE – c. 630 CE
Rajyavardhana
King, Pushyabhuti (Vardhana) Dynasty · 605 CE – 606 CE
Events in their lifetime
| 1555 | Humayun recovers Delhi (Battle of Sirhind) Humayun regained his throne from the Surs. |
| 1556 | Second Battle of Panipat Hemu was captured and killed, securing Akbar's throne. |
| 1558 | Portuguese occupy Malé |
| 1559 | Drabya Shah founds the Gorkha kingdom |
| 1564 | Akbar abolishes the jizya |
| 1565 | Battle of Talikota Vijayanagara's army was routed and its capital Hampi was sacked. |
| 1568 | Akbar takes Chittorgarh Chittor fell and Rana Udai Singh moved his capital to Udaipur. |
| 1571 | Fatehpur Sikri founded |
| 1573 | Akbar conquers Gujarat |
| 1573 | Muhammad Thakurufaanu frees the Maldives The Portuguese were expelled after fifteen years. |
| 1576 | Battle of Haldighati The Mughals held the field but Maharana Pratap escaped to continue resisting. |
| 1576 | Battle of Rajmahal: Mughals take Bengal Daud Khan Karrani was killed and Bengal became a Mughal province. |
| 1580 | Akbar organises the empire into subahs The empire was divided into twelve provinces with uniform administration. |
| 1582 | Akbar's Din-i-Ilahi |
| 1586 | Mughals annex Kashmir |
| 1591 | Charminar built |
| 1600 | East India Company chartered |
| 1601 | Asirgarh falls to Akbar |
| 1602 | Dutch East India Company (VOC) founded |
Contemporaries
Sorted by how long their lives overlapped. The bar shows when, within Abul Fazl’s life.
Gulbadan Begum
Scholar / historian · 1523 – 1603
Babur's daughter who wrote the Humayun-nama
Overlap: 51 years
Tulsidas
Poet / writer · c. 1532 – c. 1623
Author of the Ramcharitmanas
Overlap: 51 years
Abdul Qadir Badayuni
Scholar / historian · c. 1540 – c. 1615
Historian who wrote the Muntakhab-ut-Tawarikh
Overlap: 51 years
Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khanan
Poet / writer · 1556 – 1627
Poet of the Rahim ke dohe and general of Akbar
Overlap: 46 years
Muhammad Qasim Ferishta
Scholar / historian · c. 1560 – c. 1620
Historian of the Deccan who wrote the Tarikh-i-Ferishta
Overlap: 42 years
Guru Arjan Dev
Saint / religious leader · 1563 – 1606
Fifth Sikh Guru who compiled the Adi Granth
Overlap: 39 years
Tansen
Artist / musician · c. 1500 – c. 1589
Musician at Akbar's court and one of the Navaratnas
Overlap: 38 years
Raja Todar Mal
Statesman / administrator · died 1589
Akbar's finance minister who devised the zabt revenue system
Overlap: 38 years
Birbal
Statesman / administrator · 1528 – 1586
Minister and famed wit at Akbar's court
Overlap: 35 years
Surdas
Poet / writer · c. 1478 – c. 1583
Blind Bhakti poet of the Sursagar
Overlap: 32 years
Nur Jahan
Statesman / administrator · 1577 – 1645
Jahangir's empress and the power behind his throne
Overlap: 25 years
Sir Thomas Roe
Traveller / envoy · 1581 – 1644
English ambassador to the court of Jahangir
Overlap: 21 years
Srimanta Sankardev
Saint / religious leader · c. 1449 – c. 1568
Assamese saint who founded Ekasarana Dharma and the sattras
Overlap: 17 years
Purandara Dasa
Artist / musician · c. 1484 – c. 1564
Called the 'father of Carnatic music'
Overlap: 13 years
Rani Durgavati
Queen / royal · 1524 – 1564
Gond queen of Garha-Katanga who died resisting Akbar's army
Overlap: 13 years
Ustad Ahmad Lahauri
Artist / musician · died c. 1649
Architect traditionally credited with designing the Taj Mahal
Overlap: 13 years
Bairam Khan
General / commander · 1501 – 1561
Regent and guardian of the young Akbar
Overlap: 10 years
📚 Recommended reading
Textbook
History of Medieval India
The go-to single volume on the Sultanate, Mughals and regional kingdoms.
Reference
Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals (2 vols)
The detailed two-volume treatment for readers who want more than the single-volume textbook.
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