history of karnataka

Legend has it that the history of Karnataka dates back to the happenings in the Epic, Ramayana.

Moreover, the history of Karnataka also has a bearing to the period when people from the western countries came here in search of a market.

But the ancient history of Karnataka apparently starts with the Mauryas. After the Mauryas, the history of Karnataka witnessed the rule of Satavahanas who ruled Karnataka for nearly 300 years.


The Satavahanas, in their turn, were replaced by Kadambas and the Pallavas, the Gangadikaras, the Chalukyas of Badami, the Rashtrakutas, the Kalacharis, the Hoysalas, the Yadavas, the Kakaiyas and so on.

Moreover, with the rise of the Malik Kafur, the history of Karnataka saw the emergence of the Muslim rulers.

Yet in 1336 a Hindu kingdom was established at Vijaynagar by the Harihara (Hakka) and Bukka. This period of wealth and property and the economy of Karnataka shot up vigorously, under these rulers.

But all good things come to an end and so did this kingdom; it was replaced by the Bahamanis in 1337. The Bhamanis gave way to the Vijayanagar empire, which in its turn, lost to the Sultans of the Deccan at the famous battle of Talikota.

Subsequently, with the emergence of the British in the political scenario of India, the local administrators of India had to yield to the expansionist policy of the Britishers. Karnataka went under the charge of the Britishers in 1799 and it remained a princely state with a presiding puppet king as its head till 1947 when India got its independence.

Ultimately, in 1973 Karnataka became an independent state of the Indian Union