ABSTRACT

HISTORY OF SOUTH INDIA

The history of South India covers a span of over four thousand years during which the region
saw the rise and fall of a number of dynasties and empires. The period of known history of
the region begins with the Iron age (1200 BCE to 24 BCE) period until the 14 th century CE.
Dynasties of Satavahana, Chola, Chera, Pandyan, Chalukya, Pallava, Rashtrakuta, Kakatiya,
Seuna (Yadava) dynasty and Hoysala were at their peak during various periods of history.
These Dynasties constantly fought amongst each other and against external forces when
Muslim armies invaded south India. Vijayanagara empire rose in response to the Muslim
intervention and covered the most of south India and acted as a bulwark against Mughal
expansion into the south. When the European powers arrived during the 16th century CE, the
southern kingdoms resisted the new threats, and many parts eventually succumbed to British
occupation. The British created the Madras Presidency which covered most of south India
directly administered by the British Raj, and divided the rest into a number of dependent
princely states. After Indian independence South India was linguistically divided into the
states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

In this topic I will mention the following topics-

1. Pre-history of south india

2. Iron age

3. Ancient history of south india

4. Medieval history of south india

Sources: A History of south india by K. A. Nilakanta sastri, online sources