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Ancient Indian Empires Timeline

(322 BCE - 550 CE)

The timeline covers the period from 322 BCE to 550 CE, highlighting the Maurya, Gupta, and Kushan empires, as well as major cultural and political developments in Ancient India. Less

Go to: Timeline | Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Indianized Kingdoms

Hindu Culture in Southeast Asia

1 CE - 99 CE

By the early centuries of the common era, most of the principalities of Southeast Asia had effectively absorbed defining aspects of Hindu culture, religion, and administration, marking the beginning of Indianization in the region.

Adoption of Hinduism's Cosmology

1 CE - 399

The Indianized kingdoms had by the 1st to 4th centuries CE adopted Hinduism's cosmology and rituals, showcasing the deep integration of Hinduism in the region during this period.

Indianized Kingdoms Flourish

300 - 799

Dynastic consolidation was the basis for more centralized kingdoms that emerged in Java, Sumatra, Cambodia, Burma, and along the central and south coasts of Vietnam from the 4th to 8th centuries, showcasing the flourishing of Indianized kingdoms in the region.

Kalingga Kingdom

500 - 1099

Kalingga was the 6th century Indianized kingdom on the north coast of Central Java, Indonesia, showcasing its influence in the region during this period.

Image source: Kalingga Kingdom

Kalingga Kingdom

Kingdom of Sunda

669 CE - 1579 CE

The Kingdom of Sunda was a Hindu kingdom located in western Java from 669 CE to around 1579 CE, covering the area of present-day Banten, Jakarta, West Java, and the western part of Central Java, showcasing its influence in the region during this period.

Image source: Sunda Kingdom

Kingdom of Sunda

Mataram Kingdom Flourishes

700 - 1099

The Mataram Kingdom flourished between the 8th and 11th centuries, showcasing its prominence and influence in the region during this period.

Image source: Mataram Kingdom

Mataram Kingdom Flourishes

Hindu Shahi Dynasty

850 CE - 1026 CE

The Hindu Shahi dynasty held sway over the Kabul Valley, Gandhara, and present-day northwestern India, during the early medieval period in the Indian subcontinent, showcasing its dominance and influence in the region during this period.

Rise of Kadiri

900 - 1099

In the 10th century, Mataram challenged the supremacy of Srivijaya, resulting in the destruction of the Mataram capital by Srivijaya early in the 11th century, marking the rise of Kadiri in the region.

Image source: Kediri Kingdom

Rise of Kadiri

Singhasari Dynasty

1200 - 1299

In the 13th century, the Kediri dynasty was overthrown by a revolution, and Singhasari arose in east Java, marking the rise of the Singhasari dynasty in the region.

Image source: Singhasari

Singhasari Dynasty

Decline of Indian Kingdoms

1300 - 1399

Not only did Indianization change many cultural and political aspects, but it also changed the spiritual realm as well, creating a type of Northern Culture which began in the early 14th century, prevalent for its rapid decline in the Indian kingdoms.

Image source: Greater India

Decline of Indian Kingdoms

Religious Shifts

Spread of Buddhism and Hinduism

200 - 399

An essential factor for the spread and adaptation of Buddhism and Hinduism originated from trading systems of the third and fourth century, leading to the widespread influence of these religions in the region.

Image source: Indian religions

Spread of Buddhism and Hinduism

Islamization of the Region

700 - 1599

The region became Muslim by the 12th century, though Mahayana Buddhism is believed to have existed until the end of the century, marking the Islamization of the region during this period.

Islamic Control in Indian Kingdoms

1200 - 1299

Not only was the spark of Buddhism the driving force for Indianization coming to an end, but Islamic control took over as well in the midst of the thirteenth century to trump the Hinduist kingdoms, marking a significant shift in religious dominance.

Conversion of Kafirs

1895 - 1896

Kafirs were conquered and forcibly converted by Afghan Amir Abdul Rahman Khan in 1895–1896, marking the conversion of Kafirs in the region during this period.

Image source: Kafiristan

Conversion of Kafirs

Cultural Exchange

Sanskrit Scripts in Southeast Asia

200 - 299

Scripts in Sanskrit discovered during the early centuries of the Common Era are the earliest known forms of writing to have extended all the way to Southeast Asia, showcasing the spread of Sanskrit scripts in the region during this period.

Image source: Sanskrit

Sanskrit Scripts in Southeast Asia

Pashtun Immigration

1500 - 1699

Successive waves of Pashtun immigration, before or during the 16th and 17th centuries, displaced the original Kafirs and Pashayi people from Kunar Valley and Laghman valley, showcasing the impact of Pashtun immigration in the region during this period.

Image source: Pashtuns

Pashtun Immigration

Indian Cultural Colonization

1900 - 1999

The scholars of the society postulated a benevolent ancient Indian cultural colonization of Southeast Asia, in stark contrast – in their view – to the Western colonialism of the early 20th century, showcasing the influence of Indian cultural colonization in the region during this period.

Image source: Cultural imperialism

Indian Cultural Colonization

Renaming of New Guinean City

1962

In 1962, Indonesia changed the colonial name of New Guinean city of Hollandia to Jayapura ('glorious city'), showcasing the renaming of the city in the region during this period.

Image source: Jayapura

Renaming of New Guinean City

Southeast Asian Empires

Rise of Chenla

500 - 899

Chenla was the successor polity of Funan that existed from around the late 6th century until the early 9th century in Indochina, preceding the Khmer Empire, marking its rise to power in the region.

Image source: Chenla

Rise of Chenla

Srivijaya's Maritime Empire

600 - 1299

From the 7th to 13th centuries, Srivijaya, a maritime empire centered on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, had adopted Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism under a line of rulers from Dapunta Hyang Sri Jayanasa to the Sailendras, showcasing its influence as a maritime empire in the region.

Image source: Srivijaya

Srivijaya's Maritime Empire

Fall of Srivijaya

600 - 1399

The Srivijaya kingdom ceased to exist in the 13th century due to various factors, including the expansion of the Javanese, Singhasari, and Majapahit empires, marking the fall of Srivijaya in the region.

Buddhist-Shahi Rule

600 - 1099

The Zunbils and the related Kabul-Shahs of the dynasty which became known as the Buddhist-Shahi ruled over a predominantly Indian rather than a Persianate realm, showcasing the Buddhist-Shahi rule in the region during this period.

Establishment of Kambuja

800 - 1099

The Khmer Empire was established by the early 9th century in a mythical initiation and consecration ceremony by founder Jayavarman II at Mount Kulen (Mount Mahendra) in 802 CE, marking the establishment of Kambuja in the region.

Image source: Khmer Empire

Establishment of Kambuja

Mon Kingdoms Facilitate Cultural Exchange

800 - 1539

From the 9th century until the abrupt end of the Hanthawaddy Kingdom in 1539, the Mon kingdoms were notable for facilitating Indianized cultural exchange in lower Burma, in particular by having strong ties with Sri Lanka, fostering cultural exchange in the region.

Image source: Mon kingdoms

Mon Kingdoms Facilitate Cultural Exchange

Chola Dynasty's Influence

900 - 999

Cultural and trading relations between the powerful Chola dynasty of South India and the Southeast Asian Hindu kingdoms led the Bay of Bengal to be called 'The Chola Lake', emphasizing the significant influence of the Chola dynasty in Southeast Asia during the 10th century CE.

Image source: Chola dynasty

Chola Dynasty's Influence

Sultan Mahmud's Campaign

1020 - 1021

In 1020–21, Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna led a campaign against Kafiristan and the people of the 'pleasant valleys of Nur and Qirat', showcasing his campaign in the region during this period.

Image source: Mahmud of Ghazni

Sultan Mahmud's Campaign

Rise of Sukhothai

1200 - 1299

The first Tai peoples to gain independence from the Khmer Empire and start their own kingdom in the 13th century, marking the rise of Sukhothai in the region.

Image source: Sukhothai Kingdom

Rise of Sukhothai

Majapahit Empire

1200 - 1499

The Majapahit empire, centered in East Java, succeeded the Singhasari empire and flourished in the Indonesian archipelago between the 13th and 15th centuries, showcasing its dominance and influence in the region during this period.

Image source: Majapahit

Majapahit Empire

Key Facts

  1. The Maurya Empire, founded by Chandragupta Maurya, was the first major empire in Ancient India.
  2. The Gupta Empire is often referred to as the Golden Age of Ancient India, known for its achievements in science, mathematics, and art.
  3. The Kushan Empire played a significant role in facilitating trade along the Silk Road, connecting India with the Roman Empire and China.
  4. The concept of zero was developed during the Gupta period, revolutionizing mathematics and having a lasting impact on the field.
  5. Ancient Indian empires made significant contributions to literature, philosophy, and architecture, leaving a lasting cultural legacy in the region.

Source

This Ancient Indian Empires timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

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