Textbook
Our Pasts I, II & III (Classes 6–8)
The simplest possible start: short, illustrated and the base of countless exam questions.
Thanjavur Nayaks
Kingdom
Level 3
1532 – 1673
Nayak kingdom of the Kaveri delta, succeeded by the Thanjavur Marathas.
- Capital
- Thanjavur
- Region
- South
- Duration
- 141 years
- Main period
- Mughal Empire
Approximate extent.
📚 Recommended reading on the Thanjavur Nayaks
Textbook
Themes in Indian History, Parts I–III (Class 12)
Source-based chapters on Harappa, Vijayanagara, the Mughal court and 1857 — essential for UPSC.
Textbook
An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I (Class 11)
The standard base for art and architecture questions — stupas, temples and sculpture.
Textbook
History of Medieval India
The go-to single volume on the Sultanate, Mughals and regional kingdoms.
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📄 Research papers
Paper🏛 Library access
Temple Desecration and Indo-Muslim States
A documented, case-by-case study of temple destruction and its political context, 1192–1760.
Paper🏛 Library access
🇮🇳 Indian scholarship
Potentialities of Capitalistic Development in the Economy of Mughal India
Money, markets, crafts and credit in the Mughal economy — and why they did not lead to capitalism.
Paper🏛 Library access
🇮🇳 Indian scholarship
Connected Histories: Notes towards a Reconfiguration of Early Modern Eurasia
Reads Mughal India as part of a connected early-modern world rather than an isolated civilisation.
Paper🏛 Library access
Knowing the Country: Empire and Information in India
Spies, runners and news-writers: how the Company took over Indian systems of information.
Contemporaries
Powers that coexisted with the Thanjavur Nayaks for a significant part of its history. The bar shows when, within its own span.
Sultanate of the Maldives ★
Islands · c. 1153 – 1968
Overlap: 141 years
Malla Dynasty of Nepal ★
Himalaya · 1201 – 1769
Overlap: 141 years
Ahom Kingdom ★
Northeast · 1228 – 1826
Overlap: 141 years
Mewar (Sisodia) ★
West · 1326 – 1949
Overlap: 141 years
Vijayanagara Empire ★
South · 1336 – 1646
Overlap: 114 years
Kingdom of Mysore ★
South · 1399 – 1950
Overlap: 141 years
Kingdom of Kandy ★
Sri Lanka · c. 1469 – 1815
Overlap: 141 years
Portuguese Estado da Índia ★
Coastal · 1505 – 1961
Overlap: 141 years
Mughal Empire ★
North · 1526 – 1857
Overlap: 141 years
British East India Company ★
Pan-Indian · 1600 – 1858
Overlap: 73 years
Zamorins of Calicut
South · c. 1124 – 1766
Overlap: 141 years
Kachwahas of Amber (Jaipur)
West · c. 1128 – 1949
Overlap: 141 years
Jaffna Kingdom
Sri Lanka · c. 1215 – 1619
Overlap: 87 years
Marwar (Rathore)
West · c. 1226 – 1949
Overlap: 141 years
Kashmir Sultanate
North · 1339 – 1586
Overlap: 54 years
Bengal Sultanate
East · 1352 – 1576
Overlap: 44 years
Malwa Sultanate
Central · 1392 – 1562
Overlap: 30 years
Gujarat Sultanate
West · 1407 – 1573
Overlap: 41 years
Kingdom of Kotte
Sri Lanka · 1412 – 1597
Overlap: 65 years
Ahmadnagar Sultanate (Nizam Shahi)
Deccan · 1490 – 1636
Overlap: 104 years
Bijapur Sultanate (Adil Shahi)
Deccan · 1490 – 1686
Overlap: 141 years
Berar Sultanate (Imad Shahi)
Deccan · 1490 – 1574
Overlap: 42 years
Bidar Sultanate (Barid Shahi)
Deccan · 1492 – 1619
Overlap: 87 years
Portuguese Cochin
Coastal · 1503 – 1663
Overlap: 131 years
Koch Kingdom (Kamata / Cooch Behar)
Northeast · 1515 – 1949
Overlap: 141 years
Golconda Sultanate (Qutb Shahi)
Deccan · 1518 – 1687
Overlap: 141 years
Madurai Nayaks
South · 1529 – 1736
Overlap: 141 years
Portuguese Bassein & Bombay
Coastal · 1534 – 1739
Overlap: 139 years
Portuguese Diu
Coastal · 1535 – 1961
Overlap: 138 years
Portuguese Daman
Coastal · 1559 – 1961
Overlap: 114 years
Gorkha Kingdom
Himalaya · 1559 – 1768
Overlap: 114 years
Portuguese Hooghly
Coastal · 1579 – 1632
Overlap: 53 years
Portuguese Ceylon
Sri Lanka · 1597 – 1658
Overlap: 61 years
Dutch East India Company (VOC) in India
Coastal · 1605 – 1825
Overlap: 68 years
Dutch Coromandel (Pulicat)
Coastal · 1610 – 1825
Overlap: 63 years
Bhutan under the Zhabdrung (Druk Desi)
Himalaya · 1616 – 1907
Overlap: 57 years
Danish India
Coastal · 1620 – 1869
Overlap: 53 years
Danish Tranquebar
Coastal · 1620 – 1845
Overlap: 53 years
Fort St George, Madras
Coastal · 1639 – 1858
Overlap: 34 years