Dynasties

One of the three crowned kings of the Tamil country.

Capital

Korkai, then Madurai, later Tenkasi

Then

the Pandya country, around Madurai

Now

Tamil Nadu

Notable rulers

• Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan I 1251–1268took the Pandya kingdom to its zenith, as far as Nellore

Built

• Vettuvan Koil · Kalugumalai · 8th c.

Capital

Pataliputra (Patna)

Then

Magadha

Now

Bihar · Uttar Pradesh

Notable rulers

• Chandragupta Maurya c. 320–297 BCEfounder and first emperor
• Ashoka c. 268–232 BCEhis Lion Capital at Sarnath became India's state emblem

Built

• Sanchi Stupa · Sanchi · 3rd c. BCE

Capital

Pratishthana (Paithan), Amaravati

Then

the Deccan

Now

Maharashtra · Andhra Pradesh · Telangana

Notable rulers

• Gautamiputra Satakarni c. 60–85remembered as the greatest Satavahana ruler

Built

• Nasik Caves (Pandavleni) · Nashik · from 1st c. BCE

Rose in Kalinga after the decline of the Maurya Empire.

Capital

Toshali

Then

Kalinga

Now

Odisha

Notable rulers

• Kharavela 2nd or 1st c. BCEa Jain emperor; his Hathigumpha inscription records his reign year by year

Built

• Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves · Bhubaneswar · 2nd or 1st c. BCE

Capital

Purushapura (Peshawar) and Mathura

Then

Gandhara to Mathura

Now

Uttar Pradesh · Punjab, and in Pakistan and Afghanistan

Notable rulers

• Kanishka 127–150his patronage helped carry Buddhism along the Silk Road

Capital

Pataliputra, later Ayodhya

Then

Magadha and the Gangetic plains

Now

Bihar · Uttar Pradesh · Madhya Pradesh

Notable rulers

• Samudragupta 335–375campaigned across north India
• Chandragupta II c. 380–415the empire at its zenith

Built

• Bhitargaon Temple · Bhitargaon · late 5th c.
• Dashavatara Temple · Deogarh · early 6th c.

Capital

Vatsagulma (Washim)

Then

Vidarbha

Now

Maharashtra · Madhya Pradesh

Notable rulers

• Harishena c. 480–510most of the Ajanta caves were made in his reign

Built

• Ajanta Caves · Ajanta · c. 460–480

Once vassals of the Satavahanas.

Capital

Kanchipuram

Then

Tondaimandalam, around Kanchi

Now

Tamil Nadu · Andhra Pradesh

Notable rulers

• Narasimhavarman I c. 630–668took the title Vatapikondan, conqueror of Vatapi
• Narasimhavarman II c. 695–728built Kailasanathar, Kanchipuram

Built

• Pancha Rathas · Mahabalipuram · 7th–8th c.
• Shore Temple · Mahabalipuram · c. 700
• Kailasanathar Temple · Kanchipuram · c. 700

With the Western Gangas, the earliest native kingdoms to rule the land with autonomy.

Capital

Banavasi

Then

western Karnataka

Now

Karnataka · Goa

Notable rulers

• Mayurasharma 345–365founded the kingdom of Banavasi

Capital

Kolar, later Talakad

Then

southern Karnataka

Now

Karnataka

Notable rulers

• Marasimha II 963–975his minister Chavundaraya later raised Gommateshwara

Built

• Gommateshwara · Shravanabelagola · c. 983

Capital

Thanesar, later Kannauj

Then

Thanesar and Kannauj

Now

Haryana · Uttar Pradesh

Notable rulers

• Harsha 606–647ruled from Thanesar and Kannauj

Capital

Badami (Vatapi)

Then

the western Deccan

Now

Karnataka · Maharashtra

Notable rulers

• Pulakeshin II c. 609–642defeated the northern emperor Harsha
• Vikramaditya II c. 733–744his queen Lokamahadevi built Virupaksha, Pattadakal

Built

• Virupaksha Temple · Pattadakal · c. 740
• Durga Temple · Aihole · c. 700

Capital

Parihaspur

Then

Kashmir

Now

Jammu & Kashmir

Notable rulers

• Lalitaditya Muktapida c. 724–760commissioned the Martand Sun Temple

Built

• Martand Sun Temple · Anantnag · 8th c.

Capital

Avanti, later Kannauj

Then

Avanti and Kannauj

Now

Rajasthan · Madhya Pradesh · Uttar Pradesh

Notable rulers

• Nagabhata I c. 730–760founded the imperial Pratiharas
• Mihira Bhoja c. 836–885ruled from the Narmada to the Sutlej

Built

• Teli ka Mandir · Gwalior Fort · 8th–9th c.
• Osian temples · Osian · from the 8th c.

Gopala was elected king by regional chieftains.

Capital

several, including Pataliputra and Gauda

Then

Bengal and Bihar

Now

Bihar · West Bengal, and in Bangladesh

Notable rulers

• Gopala I 750–783founded the dynasty
• Dharmapala 783–820founded Vikramashila university
• Devapala 820–850the empire at its height

Built

• Vikramashila · Bhagalpur · late 8th c.

Vassals who overthrew the Badami Chalukyas in 753.

Capital

Manyakheta

Then

the Deccan

Now

Maharashtra · Karnataka

Notable rulers

• Krishna I 756–774built the Kailasa Temple, Ellora
• Amoghavarsha I c. 814–878wrote the Kavirajamarga, the earliest surviving Kannada literary work

Built

• Kailasa Temple · Ellora · 756–773

Began as vassals of the Gurjara-Pratiharas.

Capital

Khajuraho, Kalanjara, Mahoba

Then

Jejakabhukti (Bundelkhand)

Now

Madhya Pradesh · Uttar Pradesh

Notable rulers

• Yashovarman c. 925–953built the Lakshmana Temple, Khajuraho
• Vidyadhara c. 1003–1035Kandariya Mahadeva was built in his reign

Built

• Kandariya Mahadeva · Khajuraho · c. 1030

Capital

Thanjavur, later Gangaikonda Cholapuram

Then

the Kaveri delta

Now

Tamil Nadu

Notable rulers

• Rajaraja I 985–1014built Brihadeeswarar, Thanjavur
• Rajendra I 1014–1044completed the Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple
• Rajaraja II 1150–1173built Airavatesvara, Darasuram

Built

• Brihadeeswarar · Thanjavur · c. 1010
• Airavatesvara · Darasuram · 12th c.

Capital

Yayatinagara, later Jajpur

Then

Odisha

Now

Odisha

Built

• Mukteshvara Temple · Bhubaneswar · 950–975
• Lingaraja · Bhubaneswar · 11th c.

Replaced the Chavda dynasty around 940.

Capital

Anahilavada (Patan)

Then

Gujarat

Now

Gujarat · Rajasthan

Notable rulers

• Mularaja c. 941–996founded the dynasty
• Bhima I 1022–1064Modhera's Sun Temple was built in his reign

Built

• Modhera Sun Temple · Modhera · 1026

Capital

Dhar

Then

Malwa

Now

Madhya Pradesh

Notable rulers

• Bhoja 1010–1055celebrated patron of scholars
• Udayaditya c. 1070–1093built the Udayeshvara Temple

Built

• Udayeshvara Temple · Udaypur · 11th c.

Rashtrakuta vassals who took over in 973.

Capital

Kalyani (Basavakalyan)

Then

the Deccan

Now

Karnataka · Maharashtra

Notable rulers

• Tailapa II c. 973–997overthrew the Rashtrakutas
• Vikramaditya VI 1076–1126his commander built the Mahadeva Temple, Itagi

Built

• Mahadeva Temple · Itagi · c. 1112
• Kasivisvesvara Temple · Lakkundi · 12th c.
• Doddabasappa Temple · Dambal · 12th c.

Legend says the founder, Sala, killed a tiger to save his Jain guru Sudatta: the scene on their emblem. Began as vassals of the Western Chalukyas.

Capital

Belur, later Halebidu

Then

Malnad and the southern Deccan

Now

Karnataka

Notable rulers

• Vishnuvardhana c. 1108–1152born a Jain (Bittideva); beat the Cholas at Talakad, later followed Ramanuja and commissioned Chennakeshava, Belur
• Veera Ballala II 1173–1220made the Hoysalas an independent empire
• Narasimha III c. 1263–1292worshipped Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara; his general built Keshava, Somanathapura

Built

• Lakshmi Devi Temple · Doddagaddavalli · early 12th c.
• Chennakeshava Temple · Belur · 1117
• Hoysaleswara Temple · Halebidu · 12th c.
• Veera Narayana Temple · Belavadi · c. 1200
• Keshava Temple · Somanathapura · 1258

Capital

Kalinganagara

Then

Kalinga

Now

Odisha · Andhra Pradesh

Notable rulers

• Anantavarman Chodaganga 1078–1150began the Jagannath Temple, Puri
• Narasingha Deva I 1238–1264built the Konark Sun Temple

Built

• Jagannath Temple · Puri · 12th c.
• Konark Sun Temple · Konark · c. 1250

Vassals of the Rashtrakutas, then the Western Chalukyas.

Capital

Orugallu (Warangal)

Then

the Andhra country

Now

Telangana · Andhra Pradesh

Notable rulers

• Ganapati c. 1199–1262his general built the Ramappa Temple
• Rudrama Devi 1262–1289queen regnant of the Kakatiyas

Built

• Ramappa Temple · Palampet · 1213

Capital

Delhi

Then

north India

Now

Delhi · Uttar Pradesh · Haryana · Punjab

Notable rulers

• Iltutmish 1211–1236considered the effective founder of the Sultanate
• Alauddin Khalji 1296–1316fended off several Mongol invasions

Built

• Qutb Minar · Delhi · 1199–1220

Capital

Charaideo, later Garhgaon and Rangpur

Then

the Brahmaputra valley

Now

Assam

Notable rulers

• Sukaphaa 1228–1268founded the kingdom
• Rudra Singha 1696–1714the kingdom at its zenith

Built

• Sivasagar Sivadol · Sivasagar · 1734

A branch of the Guhilas, who retook Mewar in 1326.

Capital

Chittor, later Udaipur

Then

Mewar

Now

Rajasthan

Notable rulers

• Hammir Singh 1326–1364retook Mewar and founded the Sisodia line
• Maharana Pratap 1572–1597fought Akbar's armies at Haldighati
• Jagat Singh I 1628–1652built the Jagdish Temple, Udaipur

Built

• Jagdish Temple · Udaipur · 1651

Capital

Vijayanagara (Hampi)

Then

the southern Deccan

Now

Karnataka · Andhra Pradesh · Tamil Nadu

Notable rulers

• Harihara I 1336–1355founded the empire
• Deva Raya II 1423–1446Virupaksha, Hampi was enlarged in his reign
• Krishnadevaraya 1509–1529the empire at its zenith; Vitthala grew in his time

Built

• Virupaksha Temple · Hampi · enlarged 15th c.
• Vitthala Temple · Hampi · 16th c.

Feudatories of the Tughlaqs who took Gwalior Fort in 1398.

Capital

Gwalior

Then

the Gwalior region

Now

Madhya Pradesh

Notable rulers

• Man Singh Tomar 1486–1516built the Man Mandir and Gurjari Mahal palaces in Gwalior Fort

Built

• Gopachal Jain colossi · Gwalior Fort · 14th–15th c.
• Gwalior Fort palaces · Gwalior Fort · late 15th c.

Capital

Mysore and Srirangapatna

Then

southern Karnataka

Now

Karnataka

Notable rulers

• Krishnaraja Wodeyar III 1799–1868a patron of the arts and music
• Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV 1902–1940commissioned the Mysore Palace

Built

• Mysore Palace · Mysuru · 1897–1912

Founded by Babur, a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan.

Capital

Agra, Delhi, Fatehpur Sikri, Lahore

Then

north India, from Agra and Delhi

Now

Delhi · Uttar Pradesh · Haryana · Rajasthan, and in Pakistan

Notable rulers

• Babur 1526–1530founded the empire
• Akbar 1556–1605the third emperor, known as Akbar the Great
• Shah Jahan 1628–1658Mughal architecture at its zenith

Built

• Taj Mahal · Agra · commissioned 1631

Governors under Vijayanagara who ruled on their own.

Capital

Madurai

Then

the Madurai country

Now

Tamil Nadu

Notable rulers

• Viswanatha Nayak 1529–1564first Nayak of Madurai
• Tirumala Nayaka 1623–1659built the Tirumala Nayaka Palace

Built

• Meenakshi Temple · Madurai · 16th–17th c.