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184 BC - 647 AD
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History
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<UL> <LI><P><b>~ 200 BC - 200 AD: Andhras :</b> As the Mauryan empire declines, the Satavahanas carve their own kingdom in the southern/deccan parts of the mauryan territorry. At the peak the kindom extends up north all the way to present day Nasik. The fertile land and control over the western sea ports makes the kingdom a rich and prosperous one. Most of the wealth is spent on art and culture. The great stupa in Amaravati is built, the one at Sanchi is rebuilt. Towards the end, the Andhras probably break up.. (Chutus, Pallavas, Ikshvakus, Abhiras)<sup><a href="http://garage.arunwho.com/creep.pl/?todo=read&doc=173#ref">[6]</a></sup></p> <LI><P><b>~ 190 -130 BC : Gandharan Indo-Greek Kingdom :</b> Around 200 BC the eastern Greek colony of Bactria (present Afghanistan) declares itself independent. In 190 BC the king of Bactria crosses over to India (Mauryan empire declining) and brings whole of north-west India (Gandharan and Punjab) under his control. The Gandharan art form is born. </p> <LI><P><b>184 BC - 72 BC : Shungas :</b> After murdering the last of Mauryan king, Pushyamitra bases himself in central India. Shungas empire is founded. A brahmin and adrent Hindu, Pushyamitra rejects Buddhism - destorys Buddhist monastries and executes it's monks. This anti-Buddhist sentiment ended with Pushyamitra - under his predecessors many interesting Buddhist structures are built. The last Shungas king Devabhimi is murdered by his chief-minister Vasudeva kanva. </p> <LI><P><b>183 BC : Kharavela becomes king of Kalinga :</b> Kalinga was the last big kingdom to come under Mauryan rule after Ashoka's bloody Kalinga war. After the fall of Mauryas, they were the one of the first to go independent. Kharavela attacks Magadha and plunders ex-Mauryan capital pataliputra. </p> <LI><P><b>~ 130 BC : attacks from central Asia :</b> The unified Chinese empire is expanding westwards, the great wall is expanded. This pushes the tribes in central Asia into India. The Shakas (Synthians) are the first. The uproot Greek power from bactria and north-west India. </p> <LI><P><b>72 BC - 30 BC: Kanvas </b> After murdering the last Shungas, the Kanva kingdom is formed, but fades away soon </p> <LI><P><b>~50 - 200 AD : Kushan dynasty :</b> Another tribe from central Asia, Yueh Chi forces its way in to India pretty much like the Shakas. Their entry pushes the Shakas from the Pakistan region to present Gujarat region. </p> <LI><P><b>52 AD : Christianity arrives :</b> St.Thomas arrives on in malabar and sets up numerous Syrian churches along the western coast. He travels to the eastern coast, where he is killed (near present Chennai) for preaching the new religion.</p> <LI><P><b>78 - 114 AD: Kanishka - greatest Kushan king :</b> Under kanishka, Kushan dynasty reaches its peak, with borders extending all the way from the Indus valley to banares in the east and Sanchi in the south. The capital is setup at Purushapura (present Peshawar). Kanishka is a Ruthless ruler, never satisfied, but is a great patron of art. Gandharan art florishes, Buddhism spreads to China. The fourth Buddhist council is convened. All this and in the end, the ruthless king is smothered to death by his own men. </p> <LI><P><b>~ 226 AD: decline of Kushan dynasty :</b> Ardashir I becomes the first Sassanian emperor (persia). In a spree of conquest spanning over generations, the Sassanians expanded eastwards, engaging in war with Kushans. Kushan dynasty is destabilized and broken down into smaller kingdoms. </p> <LI><P><b>320 AD: Chandragupta becomes king - Rise of Gupta empire:</b> With marriage to influential Lachchavi clan, Chandragupta (from a wealty family himself) earns the thorne of patilipura and becomes king of magadha. Chandragupta dreams of restoring the glory of Mauryan empire. At his death bed, he asks his son Samudragupta to 'rule the whole world'. </p> <LI><P><b>335 - 370 AD: Samudragupta the Kaviraja :</b> Fired by his father's dream, Samudragupta expands the Gupta empire from Punjab to Assam. The shakas (western India) resist conquest, but most kingdoms of the Deccan accept Samudragupta's overlordship. Culture flourishes under his rule, and Patilipura shines again. </p> <LI><P><b>370 - 376 AD: Ramagupta the flop :</b> Eldest son Ramagupta succeeds Samudragupta, but proves to be a failure. Almost immediately after coming to power, he is defeated in battle by the Shakas, and forced to a humiliating treaty (It is rumoured he even had to give up his queen as part of the treaty). Enraged, Ramagupta's younger brother Chandragupta II murders him and becomes king. </p> <LI><P><b>376 - 415 AD: Chandragupta II the Vikramaditya : </b> Obviously, he launches a series of attacks on the Shakas... bring them to the knees by 409 AD. He seals good relationship with Rudrasena II, king of deccan, by marrying his dauther Prabhavati to Rudrasena. Ujjain is made the second capital of the empire. With the trade routes of the west coast under his conrol, wealth of the empire grows.. so does art and culture. The great poet Khalidasa, is one of nine 'jewels' in Chandragupta II's court. Fa-hsien visits India during this period (405-411) and is in awe for the brilliance of the state. </p> <LI><P><b>415 - 454 AD: Kumaragupta, peace time king : </b> Under Kumaragupta, the empire sees 40 years of peace. Only disturbed towards the end by the threat of the fierce Huns. Kumaragupta onlly almost managed to keep the Huns at bay. </p> <LI><P><b>454 - 467 AD: Skandagupta - last of the great Guptas : </b> Skandagupta does a great job of crushing the Huns. The Huns who ravaged kingdoms everywhere else are defeated convincingly and kept out of the Indian scene for another half century. Skandagupta keeps the empire intact but all the war time expenses dries up the treasury. The Empire begins to decline after Skanda's death and around 500 AD when the Hums attack again, the Huns penetrate as far as far as present day Gwalior, controlling the Punjab, western India and the entire gangetic plain. The Huns under Mihirakula are finally stopped by yashodharman (former Gupta vassal). </p> <LI><P><b>606 - 647 AD : Harsha Vardhana </b> The fall of Mauryan empire left the country in the state it was before it rose to power - Small kingdoms scattered throughout. It required the dream and passion of another king to bring them all under one banner - restore the glory of Mauryans. Harsha Vadhana becomes king of Thaneshwar (near Delhi) at 16 and soon after goes on a 6 year long relentless campaign to bring all the small kindoms under his rule. Though, at the end he emerges to be the most powerful king of the times, he isnt very successful in his campaigns. He manages to create an kingdom that streached from Gujarat to Bengal, but it is more a state bound togeather by loose treaties and alliances. The state is not as well managed as it was during the previous two great empires.. another Chinese traveller Hsuang Tsang visiting the country this time, is robbed twice in his journey. The entire empire was built on the charisma of the leader and when he dies in 647, the emipre died with him. </p> </UL> <div align=right><a href="http://garage.arunwho.com/creep.pl/?todo=read&doc=173#comment">suggest/comment</a></div>
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