Indian Rulers Timeline: Who Ruled India and When
India’s major ruling dynasties, in order: the Maurya Empire (c. 322–185 BCE), Shungas, Satavahanas, Kushans, Guptas (c. 320–550 CE), Harsha (606–647), the Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Palas and imperial Cholas (848–1279), the Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526), Vijayanagara (1336–1646), the Mughal Empire (1526–1857), the Marathas (1674–1818), the Sikh Empire (1799–1849), East India Company rule (1757–1858) and the British Raj (1858–1947). Many of these overlapped in different regions.
Indian history is not one line of kings but many overlapping kingdoms. This timeline places the major dynasties side by side, so you can see who ruled in any year, how long each lasted, and where the Mughal emperors fit, with links to HypeHive’s deep dives.
Indian Rulers Timeline
See which major dynasties ruled in any year from the Mauryas to 1947, and compare their spans on one timeline. Enter BCE years as negative numbers (for example, -260).
Major Dynasties and Empires
| Dynasty or state | Period | Region | Capital(s) | Notable rulers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maurya Empire | c. 322 BCE – c. 185 BCE | Most of the subcontinent | Pataliputra (Patna) | Chandragupta Maurya, Bindusara, Ashoka |
| Shunga dynasty | c. 185 BCE – c. 73 BCE | North and central India | Pataliputra, Vidisha | Pushyamitra Shunga |
| Satavahana dynasty | c. 100 BCE – c. 220 CE | Deccan | Pratishthana (Paithan), Amaravati | Satakarni I, Gautamiputra Satakarni |
| Kushan Empire | c. 30 CE – c. 375 CE | North-west India and Central Asia | Purushapura (Peshawar), Mathura | Kanishka |
| Pallava dynasty | c. 275 CE – c. 897 CE | Tamil country | Kanchipuram | Mahendravarman I, Narasimhavarman I |
| Gupta Empire | c. 320 CE – c. 550 CE | North India | Pataliputra | Chandragupta I, Samudragupta, Chandragupta II |
| Chalukyas of Badami | 543 CE – 753 CE | Deccan | Vatapi (Badami) | Pulakeshin II |
| Harsha's empire (Pushyabhuti) | 606 CE – 647 CE | North India | Kannauj | Harshavardhana |
| Pala dynasty | c. 750 CE – c. 1161 | Bengal and Bihar | Pataliputra, Gauda | Dharmapala, Devapala |
| Rashtrakuta dynasty | 753 CE – 982 CE | Deccan | Manyakheta | Amoghavarsha I |
| Chola dynasty (imperial) | 848 CE – 1279 | South India and Sri Lanka | Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram | Rajaraja I, Rajendra I |
| Delhi Sultanate | 1206 – 1526 | North India | Delhi | Iltutmish, Alauddin Khalji, Muhammad bin Tughlaq, Ibrahim Lodi |
| ↳ Mamluk (Slave) dynasty | 1206 – 1290 | North India | Delhi | Qutb ud-Din Aibak, Iltutmish, Razia, Balban |
| ↳ Khalji dynasty | 1290 – 1320 | North India | Delhi | Alauddin Khalji |
| ↳ Tughlaq dynasty | 1320 – 1414 | North India | Delhi | Muhammad bin Tughlaq, Firoz Shah Tughlaq |
| ↳ Sayyid dynasty | 1414 – 1451 | North India | Delhi | Khizr Khan |
| ↳ Lodi dynasty | 1451 – 1526 | North India | Delhi, Agra | Bahlul Lodi, Sikandar Lodi, Ibrahim Lodi |
| Vijayanagara Empire | 1336 – 1646 | South India | Vijayanagara (Hampi) | Krishnadevaraya |
| Bahmani Sultanate | 1347 – 1527 | Deccan | Gulbarga, Bidar | Muhammad Shah I |
| Mughal Empire | 1526 – 1857 | North India, later most of the subcontinent | Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Lahore, Delhi | Babur, Akbar, Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb |
| Sur Empire | 1540 – 1556 | North India | Delhi | Sher Shah Suri |
| Maratha state and confederacy | 1674 – 1818 | Western and central India | Raigad, Satara, Pune | Shivaji, Sambhaji, Shahu I, Peshwa Baji Rao I |
| Mysore under Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan | 1761 – 1799 | Mysore | Seringapatam (Srirangapatna) | Haidar Ali, Tipu Sultan |
| Sikh Empire | 1799 – 1849 | Punjab | Lahore | Ranjit Singh |
| East India Company rule | 1757 – 1858 | Expanding from Bengal | Calcutta | Robert Clive, Warren Hastings, Lord Dalhousie |
| British Raj | 1858 – 1947 | Most of the subcontinent | Calcutta, then New Delhi (from 1911) | Queen Victoria (Empress of India from 1876) |
Mughal Emperors in Order
| Emperor | Reign | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Babur | 1526 – 1530 | 4 |
| Humayun | 1530 – 1540 | 10 |
| Humayun (restored) | 1555 – 1556 | 1 |
| Akbar | 1556 – 1605 | 49 |
| Jahangir | 1605 – 1627 | 22 |
| Shah Jahan | 1628 – 1658 | 30 |
| Aurangzeb | 1658 – 1707 | 49 |
| Bahadur Shah I | 1707 – 1712 | 5 |
| Jahandar Shah | 1712 – 1713 | 1 |
| Farrukhsiyar | 1713 – 1719 | 6 |
| Muhammad Shah | 1719 – 1748 | 29 |
| Ahmad Shah Bahadur | 1748 – 1754 | 6 |
| Alamgir II | 1754 – 1759 | 5 |
| Shah Alam II | 1759 – 1806 | 47 |
| Akbar II | 1806 – 1837 | 31 |
| Bahadur Shah Zafar | 1837 – 1857 | 20 |
Dates marked c. are approximate and debated by historians. Spans show the core period of each dynasty, not every successor state. Many regional kingdoms are not listed.
How to Read the Timeline
Each bar shows the core period of a dynasty or state. Bars overlap because India was rarely ruled by a single power: in 1540, for example, the Vijayanagara Empire ruled much of the south while Sher Shah Suri drove the Mughal emperor Humayun out of the north. Dates for early dynasties are approximate, because they are reconstructed from inscriptions, coins and later texts.
The Big Shifts in Indian History
- c. 322 BCE: Chandragupta Maurya founds the first empire to cover most of the subcontinent.
- c. 320 CE: the Gupta Empire begins a long period often described as a classical age in North India.
- 848–1279: the imperial Cholas build a south Indian maritime power reaching Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia.
- 1206: the Delhi Sultanate is founded, beginning more than three centuries of Sultanate rule in the north.
- 1526: Babur defeats Ibrahim Lodi at Panipat and founds the Mughal Empire.
- 1707: Aurangzeb dies and the Mughal centre begins to fragment (read more).
- 1757: the Battle of Plassey begins East India Company political power in Bengal (read more).
- 1857–58: after the Revolt of 1857 the last Mughal emperor is deposed and the British Crown takes over from the Company.
- 1947: independence and partition end British rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which was the first empire in India?
The Maurya Empire, founded by Chandragupta Maurya around 322 BCE, is generally regarded as the first empire to unite most of the Indian subcontinent.
Who ruled India before the Mughals?
In the north, the Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526), whose last dynasty was the Lodis. Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi at the First Battle of Panipat in 1526. In the south, the Vijayanagara Empire was the dominant power.
How long did the Mughal Empire last?
From 1526 to 1857, about 331 years, with an interruption from 1540 to 1555 when the Sur Empire ruled the north. Its real power declined sharply after Aurangzeb’s death in 1707.
Who was the last Mughal emperor?
Bahadur Shah Zafar (r. 1837–1857), exiled by the British to Rangoon after the Revolt of 1857.
Who ruled India after the Mughals?
Power passed to regional states, above all the Marathas, and then to the East India Company, which ruled until 1858. The British Crown governed India directly from 1858 to 1947.
Who ruled South India?
Major southern powers included the Satavahanas, Pallavas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, imperial Cholas, the Vijayanagara Empire and, in the 18th century, Mysore under Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan.
Sources and Further Reading
- Romila Thapar, Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300 (Penguin, 2002).
- Upinder Singh, A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India (Pearson, 2008).
- Satish Chandra, Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals (Har-Anand, 2004–2005).
- John F. Richards, The Mughal Empire (Cambridge University Press, 1993).
- Britannica, “History of India”.
Last reviewed October 2026. Related tools: Historical Calendar Converter · Old and New Place Names Finder · All history tools. Spotted an error? Tell us.