1. Chronology of Foreign Travellers (1000 AD – 1700 AD)
Exams often ask you to arrange travellers by their arrival time or match them to the ruling monarch.
Al-Biruni (11th C): With Mahmud of Ghazni (wrote Kitab-ul-Hind).
Marco Polo (13th C): Visited Kakatiya/Pandya kingdoms (Venetian).
Ibn Battuta (14th C): Reign of Muhammad bin Tughlaq (Moroccan).
Nicolo de Conti (15th C): Vijayanagara (Deva Raya I).
Abdur Razzaq (15th C): Vijayanagara (Deva Raya II).
Domingos Paes & Fernao Nuniz (16th C): Vijayanagara (Krishnadevaraya/Achyuta Raya).
William Hawkins & Thomas Roe (17th C): Jahangir’s court.
Bernier & Tavernier (17th C): Shah Jahan & Aurangzeb’s reign (French).
2. Chronology of Bhakti & Sufi Saints
"Who was a contemporary of whom?" is a very common question type.
Adi Shankaracharya (8th C): Advaita Vedanta.
Ramanuja (11th/12th C): Vishishtadvaita.
Basavanna (12th C): Lingayat movement (Karnataka).
Nizamuddin Auliya (13th/14th C): Contemporary of Amir Khusrau and Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq.
Kabir (15th C): Contemporary of Sikandar Lodi.
Guru Nanak (15th/16th C): Witnessed Babur's invasion.
Tulsidas (16th C): Contemporary of Akbar.
Tukaram (17th C): Contemporary of Shivaji.
3. Timeline of European Factories (The "Arrival" Sequence)
You have a topic on "European Powers," but the specific sequence of their first factories is a favorite for examiners.
Portuguese: Cochin (1503).
Dutch: Masulipatnam (1605).
English: Surat (1613 - first permanent).
Danes: Tranquebar (1620).
French: Surat (1668).
4. Evolution of Indo-Islamic Architecture
Questions often ask to arrange monuments by construction date to test your knowledge of architectural style evolution.
Slave Dynasty: Quwwat-ul-Islam (First Mosque).
Khilji: Alai Darwaza (First true arch/dome).
Tughlaq: Sloping walls (Batter) and Tughlaqabad.
Lodi: Octagonal Tombs and Double Domes.
Mughal (Early): Humayun’s Tomb (Precursor to Taj, Charbagh style).
Mughal (Mature): Taj Mahal (Pietra Dura).
5. Sequence of Critical Battles (Transition Points)
To solidify the transition between eras.
1191/1192: Battles of Tarain (Rajput to Sultanate).
1526: First Battle of Panipat (Sultanate to Mughal).
1556: Second Battle of Panipat (Mughal consolidation).
1565: Battle of Talikota (Fall of Vijayanagara).
1576: Battle of Haldighati (Mughal vs. Mewar).
1658: Battle of Samugarh (War of Succession/Aurangzeb’s rise).
1739: Battle of Karnal (Nadir Shah vs. Muhammad Shah).
1761: Third Battle of Panipat (Decline of Marathas).
