India Map 1002 CE — Historical Map & Timeline

Who ruled India in 1002 CE?

In 1002 CE, power in the subcontinent was shared among 8 major states and dynasties. Dates are conventional estimates.

• Chola Empire
  Tamil Nadu, with naval reach to Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. Imperial Cholas of Thanjavur, including Rajaraja I and Rajendra I. Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica — Chola dynasty · Read: The Chola Dynasty
• Pala Empire
  Bengal and Bihar. Buddhist patrons of Nalanda and Vikramashila. Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica — Pala dynasty
• Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty
  Rajasthan, Gujarat and the Ganga plain; capital Kannauj. One of the three powers of the 'tripartite struggle' for Kannauj. Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica — Gurjara Pratihara dynasty
• Chandela dynasty
  Bundelkhand, central India. Builders of the Khajuraho temples. Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica — Chandela
• Paramara dynasty
  Malwa; capital Dhara. Rajput dynasty of Malwa, best known for King Bhoja. Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica — Paramara
• Chaulukya (Solanki) dynasty
  Gujarat; capital Anahilapataka (Patan). Rulers of Gujarat during Mahmud of Ghazni's raid on Somnath. Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica — Caulukya
• Chahamanas (Chauhans) of Shakambhari
  Rajasthan and Delhi; capital Ajmer. Prithviraj Chauhan's dynasty, defeated at the Second Battle of Tarain in 1192. Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica — Prithviraja III
• Western Chalukyas of Kalyani
  Karnataka and the Deccan. Revived Chalukya power in the Deccan after the Rashtrakutas. Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica — Chalukya dynasty

What happened in India around 1002 CE?

• 850 CE: Regional courts contest Kannauj
• 985 CE: Rajaraja Chola begins his reign
• 11th century context: A living architectural legacy. Use the early-eleventh-century atlas as context for the first two monuments; it does not date the later Darasuram temple. Source: UNESCO — Great Living Chola Temples
• c. 1014–1044 CE: Rajendra Chola projects power across the Bay of Bengal. Rajendra Chola I extended campaigns into Sri Lanka and launched a celebrated expedition against Srivijaya’s maritime network. Naval reach served political prestige and commercial interests, not permanent occupation of Southeast Asia. Source: Britannica: Chola dynasty
• 1191 CE: First Battle of Tarain
• 1192 CE: Second Battle of Tarain