📘 Notes on Indian Dynasties (Ancient to Medieval)

(Useful for 71st BPSC & all PSCs)

🔹 Pre-Mauryan Dynasties

1. Haryanka Dynasty

   • Founder: Bimbisara (558 BCE)

   • Capital: Rajgir

   • Last ruler: Udayin (shifted capital to Patliputra)

2. Shishunaga Dynasty (413–345 BCE)

   • Founder: Shishunaga

   • Capitals: Rajgir → Vaishali → Patliputra (under Kalasoka)
     
     Note : The Second Buddhist Council was held in 383 BCE at Vaishali, under the patronage of King Kalasoka of the Sishunaga dynasty and presided over by Sabakami

3. Nanda Dynasty (345–321 BCE)

   • Founder: Mahapadma Nanda

   • Capital: Patliputra

   • Last ruler: Dhana Nanda (contemporary of Alexander, defeated by Chandragupta Maurya)

🔹 Mauryan & Contemporaries

4. Maurya Dynasty (322–184 BCE)

   • Founder: Chandragupta Maurya

   • Capital: Patliputra

   • Famous rulers: Bindusara, Ashoka

   • Last ruler: Brihadratha, killed by Pushyamitra Shunga

5. Shunga Dynasty (187–73 BCE)

   • Founder: Pushyamitra Shunga

   • Capital: Patliputra

   • Last ruler: Devabhuti, killed by his minister Vasudeva Kanva
     
     

6. Kanva Dynasty (72–28 BCE)

   • Founder: Vasudeva Kanva

   • Capital: Patliputra

   • Defeated by Satavahanas

7. Satavahana Dynasty (230 BCE–233 CE)

   • Founder: Simuka

   • Capitals: Pratishthana (Paithan), Amravati

   • Last ruler: Vijaya Satakarni

   • Deccan power post-Mauryas

🔹 Foreign Dynasties in India

8. Indo-Greeks

   • Famous king: Menander (Milinda)

   • Introduced coins with king’s image

9. Shaka (Scythians)

   • Founder in India: Maues (Moga)

   • Famous: Rudradaman I (Junagarh Inscription)

10. Parthians (Pahlavas)

• Ruler: Gondophernes (St. Thomas visited his court)

11. Kushana Dynasty (30–232 CE)

• Founder: Kujula Kadphises

• Famous king: Kanishka (The 4th Buddhist Council was a significant gathering that occurred around 72 AD in Kundalvana, Kashmir, under the patronage of the Kushan King Kanishka)

• Capital: Purushpura (Peshawar), Mathura

• Last ruler: Kipunada

  
  

  
  

🔹 Gupta & Contemporaries

Gupta Dynasty (240–550 CE)

• Founder: Sri Gupta

• Capital: Patliputra

• Famous rulers: Chandragupta I, Samudragupta, Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya), Skandagupta

• Last ruler: Vishnugupta

13. Vakataka Dynasty (250–500 CE)

• Founder: Vindhyashakti

• Capitals: Vatsagulma (Washim), Nandivardhana (Nagpur)

14. Pallava Dynasty (295–897 CE)

• Founder: Simhavishnu

• Capital: Kanchipuram

• Last ruler: Aparajitavarman, defeated by Cholas
  
  Read More : https://www.eminent-ias.com/notes/pallava-dynasty-3rd-9th-century-ce

15. Kadamba Dynasty (350–540 CE)

• Founder: Mayurasharma

• Capital: Banavasi or Belgavi(Karnataka)

16. Western Ganga Dynasty (350–1000 CE)

• Founder: Kongani Varma

• Capital: Talakad (Karnataka)

🔹 Deccan & South Indian Dynasties

17. Chalukyas of Badami (543–753 CE)

• Founder: Pulakeshin I

• Capital: Vatapi (Badami)

• Last ruler: Kirtivarman II, defeated by Rashtrakuta Dantidurga

18. Pandya Dynasty (590–920 CE)

• Founder: Kadungon

• Capital: Madurai

• Last ruler: Maravarman Rajasimha II, defeated by Cholas

19. Pushyabhuti (Vardhana) Dynasty (606–647 CE)

• Famous ruler: Harshavardhana

• Capitals: Thanesar & later Kannauj

20. Eastern Chalukyas (Vengi) (624–11th CE)

• Founder: Kubja Vishnuvardhana

• Capital: Vengi (Rajahmundry)

21. Gurjara-Pratihara Dynasty (730–1036 CE)

• Founder: Nagabhata I

• Capital: Kannauj

22. Rashtrakuta Dynasty (735–982 CE)

• Founder: Dantidurga

• Capital: Manyakheta

23. Pala Empire (750–1038 CE)

• Founder: Gopala

• Capitals: Patliputra, Munger

24. Chola Dynasty (850–1070 CE)

• Founder: Vijayalaya Chola

• Capital: Thanjavur
  
  Rajaraja I the Great (985–1014 CE) [ Imp.]
  
  

• Last ruler: Rajendra III

25. Yadava Dynasty (Devagiri) (850–1344 CE)

• Founder: Bhillama

• Capital: Devagiri (Daulatabad)

• Last ruler: Sankara Deva, defeated by Alauddin Khalji’s general Malik Kafur

26. Chandela Dynasty (900 CE)

• Founder: Nannuka

• Capital: Khajuraho

27. Chalukyas of Kalyani (957–1200 CE)

• Founder: Tailapa II

• Capital: Kalyani

28. Hoysala Dynasty (1026–1343 CE)

• Founder: Nripa Kama II

• Capital: Halebidu (Dwarasamudra)

• Last ruler: Veera Ballala III, killed by Delhi Sultanate

29. Kakatiya Dynasty (1083–1323 CE)

• Founder: Rudradeva I

• Capital: Warangal

• Last ruler: Prataparudra II, defeated by Muhammad bin Tughlaq

🔹 Sultanate & Later Dynasties

30. Slave Dynasty (Delhi Sultanate) (1206–1290)

• Founder: Qutb-ud-din Aibak

• Capital: Lahore 
  Note : The shift of the capital from Lahore to Delhi during the Slave Dynasty occurred under the rule of Shams-ud-din Iltutmish

31. Khilji Dynasty (1290–1320)

• Founder: Jalal-ud-din Khilji

• Famous ruler: Alauddin Khilji

32. Tughlaq Dynasty (1320–1414)

• Founder: Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq

33. Bahmani Sultanate (1347–1527)

• Founder: Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah

• Capital: Gulbarga → Bidar

🔹 Vijayanagara Empire Dynasties

34. Sangama Dynasty (1336–1486) – Founders: Harihara & Bukka (Capital: Hampi)

35. Saluva Dynasty (1486–1506) – Narasimha (short-lived)

36. Tuluva Dynasty (1506–1565) – Founder: Vira Narasimha, peak under Krishnadevaraya

37. Aravidu Dynasty (1570–1647) – Last ruler: Sriranga III