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Carbon
dating on ash mounds associated with neolithic cultures in
Southern India date back to 8000 BCE. Artefacts such as
ground stone axes, and minor copper objects have been found
in the region. Towards the beginning of 1000 BCE, iron
technology spread through the region; however, there does
not appear to be a fully developed Bronze Age preceding the
Iron Age in South India.[6] South India was a crossroads of
the ancient world, linking the Mediterranean and the Far
East. The southern coastline from Karwar to Kodungallur was
the most important trading shore in the Indian subcontinent
resulting in intermingling between locals and traders.[7]
The South Indian coast of Malabar and the Tamil people of
the Sangam age traded with the |
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Graeco-Roman
world. They were in contact with the Phoenicians, Romans,
Greeks, Arabs, Syrians, Jews, and Chinese.[8]
There were several significant rulers and dynasties in
southern Indian history. Dynasties such as the Satavahanas
of Amaravati, Kadambas of Banavasi, Western Ganga Dynasty,
Chalukya dynasty of Badami, Western Chalukyas, Eastern
Chalukya, Cheras, Cholas, Hoysalas, Kakatiya dynasty,
Pallavas, Pandyas, and Rashtrakutas of Manyaketha have ruled
over South India. The late medieval period saw the rise of
Muslim power in South India. The defeat of the Kakatiya
dynasty of Warangal by Tughlaq forces of the Delhi Sultanate
in 1323 CE heralded a new chapter in South Indian history.
The struggle of the period was between the Bahmani Sultanate
based in Gulbarga (and later, Bidar) and the Vijayanagara
Empire with its capital in Vijayanagara in modern Hampi.
With the fall of Vijayanagara and the break-up of the
Bahmani sultanate, the Qutb Shahi dynasty of Golconda and
Hyderabad became the dominant power in the region. Qutb
Shahi dominance of the region continued until the middle of
the seventeenth century, when the Mughals under Aurangzeb
made determined inroads into the Deccan. Following
Aurangzeb’s death, Mughal power weakened, and South Indian
rulers gained autonomy from Delhi. The Wodeyar kingdom of
Mysore, the Asaf Jahis of Hyderabad, and Marathas all gained
power.
In the middle of the eighteenth century, the French and the
British initiated a protracted struggle for military control
of South India. Shifting alliances between the two European
powers and the local powers marked the period with mercenary
armies being employed by all sides causing general anarchy
in South India. As the British consolidated power over much
of India in the late 1850s, they allowed the French to
retain their possessions over Pondicherry. The four
Anglo-Mysore wars and the three Anglo-Maratha Wars saw
Mysore, Pune and Hyderabad allying themselves with the
British or the French. South India during the British
colonial rule was divided into the Madras Presidency and
Hyderabad, Mysore, Thiruvithamcoore (also known as
Travancore), Kochi (also known as Cochin or Perumpadapu
Swaroopam), Vizianagaram and a number of other minor
princely states. British Residents were stationed in the
capitals of the important states to supervise and report on
the activities of the rulers.
The States Reorganisation Act (1956) created new states
(Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala) and reorganised
modern-day Tamil Nadu along linguistic lines. Additionally,
the enclaves of French India, which were ceded to India in
the 1950s, were constituted into the union territory of
Pondicherry. |
