Outline of South Asian history

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The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the history of South Asia:

Contents

History of South Asia South Asia refers to the broader region in and around the historical Indian subcontinent, which includes the contemporary geopolitical entities of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Afghanistan, Bhutan, and the island nations of Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Chronology

Chronology of India
James Mill (1774–1836), in his The History of British India (1817), [lower-alpha 1] distinguished three phases in the history of the Indian subcontinent, namely Hindu, Muslim, and British civilisations. [lower-alpha 2] [lower-alpha 3] This periodisation has been influential, but has also been criticised for the misconceptions it gave rise to. [lower-alpha 4] Another influential periodisation is the division into "ancient, classical, medieval and modern periods". [lower-alpha 5]
World History [lower-alpha 6] James Mill's Periodisation [lower-alpha 7] ACMM [lower-alpha 8] [lower-alpha 9] Chronology of Indian History [lower-alpha 10] [lower-alpha 11] [lower-alpha 12] [lower-alpha 13]
Early Societes
(3500–2500 BCE)
Early Indian CivilizationsAncient India Prehistoric Era
Indus Valley civilisation (c. 3300–1750 BCE)
Ancient Vedic Kingdoms
(2500–600 BCE)
Hindu civilisationsEarly Vedic period
(c. 1750 – 1200 BCE)
Middle Vedic period
(from 1200 BCE)
Late Vedic period
(from 850 BCE)
Classical Civilisations
(600 BCE-500 CE)
Second urbanisation
Early empires [lower-alpha 14]
(c. 600–200 BCE) [lower-alpha 15]
Disintegration [lower-alpha 16] and regional states
(c. 200 BCE–300 CE) [lower-alpha 17]
Classical India"Golden Age" (Gupta Empire)
(c. 320–650 CE) [lower-alpha 18]
Post-classical age
(500–1000 CE)
Medieval India Regional Indian kingdoms and Beginning of Islamic raids
(c. 650–1100 CE) [lower-alpha 19]
Transregional nomadic empires
(1000–1500 CE)
Muslim civilisations Delhi Sultanate (north India)
(1206–1526 CE)
Vijayanagara Empire (south India)
(1336–1646 CE)
Modern age
(1500–present)
Modern India Mughal Empire
(1526–1707)
British civilisations Maratha Empire
British rule
(c. 1750 CE–1947)
Independent India

James Mill (1773–1836), in his The History of British India (1817), distinguished three phases in the history of India, namely Hindu, Muslim and British civilisations. This periodisation has been influential, but has also been criticised for the misconceptions it gave rise to. Another influential periodisation is the division into "ancient, classical, medieval and modern periods", although this periodisation has also been criticised. [1]

Romila Thapar notes that the division into Hindu-Muslim-British periods of Indian history gives too much weight to "ruling dynasties and foreign invasions", [2] neglecting the social-economic history which often showed a strong continuity. [2] The division into Ancient-Medieval-Modern periods overlooks the fact that the Muslim conquests occurred gradually during which time many things came and went off, while the south was never completely conquered. [2] According to Thapar, a periodisation could also be based on "significant social and economic changes", which are not strictly related to the change of ruling powers. [3] [note 1]

By period

Paleolithic and Mesolithic age

(c.500,000–125,000 BCE)

Neolithic age

Bronze Age

Bronze Age India (3500–1500 BCE)

Iron Age and Vedic period

Middle kingdoms

Late medieval period

Late medieval period   (1206–1596)

Early modern period

Early modern period   (1526–1858)

European colonial period

Colonial period   (1510–1961 CE)

Kingdoms of Sri Lanka

History of South Asia, by region

History of South Asia, by subject

History of architecture in South Asia

See also

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References

Notes

Citations

  1. Thapar 1978, p. 19–20.
  2. 1 2 3 Thapar 1978, p. 19.
  3. Thapar 1978, p. 20.

Sources