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TheHistory ofKarnataka goes back several millennia. Several great empires and dynasties have ruled over Karnataka and have contributed greatly to the history, culture and development of Karnataka as well as the entireIndian subcontinent. The Chindaka Nagas of central India Gangas,[1] Rashtrakutas ofManyakheta,[note 1] Chalukyas of Vengi,[2] Yadava Dynasty of Devagiri were all of Kannada origin[3] who later took to encouraging local languages.
In the medieval and early modern periods, theVijayanagara Empire and theBahmani Sultanate became the major powers in Karnataka. The latter disintegrated to form fiveDeccan Sultanates. The Deccan Sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire in 1565.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, theMaratha Empire ruled most of present-day Karnataka. Maratha rule was most fortified in the northern regions of present-day Karnataka. The first Maratha expeditions in the region were led byChhatrapati Shivaji.[4] As Maratha power weakened in the 1780s, theKingdom of Mysore began occupying lands inSouthern Karnataka.
After theAnglo-Mysore Wars, where theEast India Company defeated the forces ofTipu Sultan, Company Rule began in India. Karnataka was divided between theBombay Presidency, the Kingdom of Mysore and theNizam of Hyderabad.
India became Independent in 1947, and according to theStates Reorganization Act, 1956, theKannada-speaking areas of Hyderabad State, Madras State were unified withMysore State. The state was renamed asKarnataka in 1973.
The credit for doing early extensive study of prehistoric Karnataka goes to Robert Bruce-Foote and this work was later continued by many other scholars.[5] The pre-historic culture of Karnataka (and South India in general) is called the hand-axe culture, as opposed to the Sohan culture of North India. Paleolithic hand axes and cleavers in the shape of pebbles made with quartz and quartzite which have been found in places such asLingadahalli inChikkamagaluru district andHunasagi inYadgir district, and a wooden spike atKibbanahalli inTumkur district are examples of old Stone Age implements.[6] There are reports that a polishedstone axe was discovered atLingasugur in theRaichur district[7][8] Neolithic sites (new Stone Age) of importance areMaski inRaichur district,Brahmagiri inChitradurga district etc., with abundance of evidence that man begun to domesticate animals such as cows, dogs and sheep, use copper and bronze weapons, wear bangles, rings, necklaces of beads and ear-rings and have burial chambers. To the end of the Neolithic era, during theMegalithic age, people in Karnataka began to use long swords, sickles, axes, hammers, spikes, chisels and arrows, all made of iron.[9]
Scholarly hypothesis postulates contacts between theIndus Valley cities ofHarappa andLothal, citing the discovery of gold found in the Harappan sites that was imported from mines in Karnataka.[10][11][12]
Evidence ofNeolithic habitation of areas in modern Karnataka andcelts dating back to the 2nd centuryBCE were first discovered in 1872. There are reports that a polishedstone axe was discovered at Lingsugur in theRaichur district; however the authenticity of these reports remains unverifiable.[13]Megalithic structures and burial grounds were discovered in 1862 in the regions ofKodagu and Moorey Betta hills, whileNeolithic sites were discovered in north Karnataka.[13] Scholarly hypothesis postulates of contacts between theIndus Valley city ofHarappa in 3000 BCE, citing the discovery of gold found in the Harappan sites that was imported from mines in Karnataka.[14][15][16][17]
Karnataka was the part of theMaurya Empire, the first Mauryan EmperorChandragupta Maurya died inShravanbelgola inHassan District around 298 BCE where he spent the last days of his life as a Jain ascetic.[18]
Around 239 BCE, theSatavahana dynasty came to power and its rule lasted nearly four centuries, until the early 3rd century CE. The disintegration of the Satavahana dynasty led to the ascent of the earliest native kingdoms, theKadamba Dynasty ofBanavasi in modernUttara Kannada district withMayuravarma, a native ofTalagunda in modernShivamogga district as the founding king,[19][20][21][22][23][24] and theWestern Ganga Dynasty in southern Karnataka,[25][26] marking the birth of the region as an independent political entity. These were the first kingdoms to give administrative status toKannada language as evidenced by theHalmidi inscription of 450, attributed to KingKakusthavarma of theKadamba Dynasty.[27][28] Also, recent discovery of a 5th-century copper coin inBanavasi, ancient capital of theKadambas, withKannada script inscription on it, further proves the usage of Kannada at an official level.[29]
They were followed by large imperial empires, theBadami Chalukyas,Rashtrakuta Dynasty andWestern Chalukya Empire, who had their regal capitals in modern Karnataka region and patronized Kannada language and literature.[30][31][32][33][34][35][36]
TheBadami Chalukyas ruled between the 6th and the 8th centuries.[37] The Badami Chalukyas began to assert their independence at the decline of theKadamba kingdom ofBanavasi and rapidly rose to prominence during the reign ofPulakeshin II.
The rule of the Chalukyas marks an important milestone in the history ofSouth India and agolden age in the history ofKarnataka. The political atmosphere in South India shifted from smaller kingdoms to large empires with the ascendancy of Badami Chalukyas.
The Rashtrakutas were originally vassals of the Badami Chalukyas.Dantidurga overthrew the Chalukya rulerKirtivarman II in 735 CE, and established the rule of theRashtrakuta dynasty.
During this period, important contributions were made in the field of literature, arts, and mathematics.Amoghavarsha I, the most famous king of this dynasty wroteKavirajamarga, a landmark literary work in theKannada language. Important mathematical theories and axioms were postulated byMahaviracharya.
TheWestern Chalukyas ruled Karnataka between 973 and 1189 CE. In 973, seeing confusion in the Rashtrakuta Empire after an invasion of their capital by the ruler of theParamara dynasty ofMalwa,Tailapa II (a feudatory of the Rashtrakuta dynasty ruling fromBijapur) defeated his overlords and made Manyakheta his capital.
TheWestern Ganga dynasty was founded around 350 CE, ruling southern Karnataka. Their sovereignty lasted from about 350 to 550 CE, after which they ruled as vassals of theBadami Chalukyas,Rashtrakutas, andWestern Chalukyas. Their rule came to an end after the disintegration of theWestern Chalukyas in 1000 CE.
Though a small kingdom, the Western Ganga contribution topolity, culture and literature of the modern south Karnataka region is considered important. The Western Ganga kings showed benevolent tolerance to all faiths but are most famous for their patronage towardJainism resulting in the construction of monuments in places such asShravanabelagola andKambadahalli. The kings of this dynasty encouraged the fine arts due to which literature inKannada andSanskrit flourished.
Natives of themalnad Karnataka, the Hoysalas established theHoysala Empire at the turn of the first millennium. Art and architecture flourished in the region during this time resulting in distinctive Kannada literary metres and the construction of temples and sculptures adhering to theVesara style of architecture.[34][39][40][41][42] The expansion of the Hoysala Empire brought large parts of modern Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu under their rule.[43][44][45][46]
TheSeuna dynasty,Kadamba dynasty, andChola Empire ruled parts of Karnataka.[47]
Nidugal Cholas ruled some parts of Karnatala and Andhra between 8th to 13th centuries.[48]
In the early 14th century, theVijayanagara Empire with its capital at Hosapattana (later to be calledVijayanagara) rose to successfully challenge the Muslim invasions into the South. This empire was established byHarihara I and Bukka Raya who many historians claim were commanders of the last Hoysala KingVeera Ballala III and the empire prospered for over two centuries.[50][51]
The Vijayanagara rulers patronized culture, and a distinct form ofliterature andarchitecture evolved during this period. The best example of Vijayanagara architecture is seen in the ruined city of Hampi.[49]
The main rivals of the Vijayanagara empire were the fiveDeccan Sultanates, who defeated the empire in 1565 at theBattle of Talikota.
Two generals of the Vijayanagara army switched sides and turned their loyalty to the united Sultanates. They capturedAliya Rama Raya and beheaded him on the spot. The beheading ofRama Raya created confusion and havoc and in the still loyal portions of the Vijayanagara army, which were then completely routed. The Sultanates' army plunderedHampi and reduced it into ruins.[49]
TheBahmani sultans ofBidar were the main competitors to the Vijayanagara empire for hegemony over the Deccan[52] and after their fall, theBijapur Sultanate andBidar Sultanate took their place in the dynastic struggle for control of the southern India.[53]
After the defeat and disintegration of the Vijayanagara Empire in battle at Talikota in 1565 to a confederacy of Sultanates, the Bijapur Sultanate rose as the main power in the Deccan before their defeat to theMughal Empire in late 17th century.[54][55] Mughal EmperorAurangzeb gave the order tobesiege Bijapur and after a 15-month-long siege, the Mughal army emerged victorious and theAdil Shahi dynasty came to an end.
The Bahmani and Bijapur rulers encouragedUrdu and Persian literature andIndo Islamic architecture, theGol Gumbaz being one of the high points of this contribution.[56]Bidriware andDeccan painting developed during this period. TheMadrasa Mahmud Gawan was a university built during the reign of the Bahmani Sultanate, one of the few centers of higher learning in medieval India.[57]
Most of Karnataka was conquered by the Maratha Empire in the 17th and 18th centuries. The first expeditions were led byChhatrapati Shivaji. After Shivaji's death in 1680, his sonChhatrapati Sambhaji inherited the throne of the Marathas. He ruled untilhis capture, torture, and execution by the Mughal emperorAurangzeb[58] in 1689. From this time until 1707, thewar of 27 years was fought in the Deccan, including Karnataka. The Mughals raided the region several times but struggled in conquering the territory. The Maratha Empire continued to rule over the majority of Karnataka until the rise of Mysore in the 1760s and 1770s decades. Even after the Mysore-Maratha wars, the Marathas held onto the majority of Northern Karnataka until 1818.
TheWodeyars of Mysore, former vassals of the Vijayanagara Empire, After the fall of vijayanagara empire Mysore became independent kingdom 17th-18th century. With the death ofKrishnaraja Wodeyar II,Haider Ali, theCommander-in-Chief of the Mysore Army, assumed control over the region, until the rule of the kingdom was passed toTipu Sultan, after Haider Ali's death. In attempting to contain European expansion in South India, Tipu Sultan, known as theTiger of Mysore fought four significantAnglo-Mysore Wars, the last of which resulted in his death and the incorporation of Mysore into a princely state of theBritish Raj.
Following Tipu's fall, a part of the kingdom of Mysore was annexed and divided between the Madras Presidency and the Nizam. The remaining territory was transformed into a princely state; the five-year-old scion of the Wodeyar family,Krishnaraja III, was installed on the throne with chief minister (Diwan)Purnaiah.
TheMysore State andHyderabad State, which ruled most of Karnataka by the mid-nineteenth century, were allied with the British during theIndian Rebellion of 1857.
In 1799, the Kingdom of Mysore signed a Protectorate treaty with the British Empire. The British then helped the Wadiyar dynasty come back to power after 2 generations of Islamic rule. During this time, railways and airways, as well as modern universities were introduced in the Kingdom of Mysore, which was ruled by the Wadiyar dynasty. The Kingdom of Mysore became aprincely state by this time. TheIndian Institute of Science (1909) andUniversity of Mysore (1916) were the first educational institutions established in Karnataka.
Though the British assisted the Kingdom of Mysore, the British period was a time of racial discrimination, economic exploitation, andnumerous preventable famines, most notably in the areas directly administered by the British, which was known then asBritish India.
By the late 19th century, the independence movement had gained momentum;Aluru Venkata Raya,S. Nijalingappa,Kengal Hanumanthaiah,Nittoor Srinivasa Rau and others carried on the struggle into the early 20th century. Strong independence movements erupted across the regions of Karnataka under British direct rule.
After Indian independence, theWodeyar Maharaja acceded to India. In 1950,Mysore became an Indian state, and the former Maharaja became itsrajpramukh, or governor, until 1975. TheEkikarana movement which started in the later half of the 20th century, culminated in theStates Reorganisation Act of 1956 which provided for parts ofCoorg,Madras,Hyderabad, andBombay states to be incorporated into thestate of Mysore. Mysore state was renamedKarnataka in 1973. The state of Mysore was formed on 1 November 1956 and since then 1 November of every year is celebrated asKannada Rajyotsava /Karnataka Rajyotsava.
The1957 elections saw theIndian National Congress win 150 seats out of 208, andS. Nijalingappa was retained as Chief Minister.
The Congress retained its power in Karnataka till 1983, when theJanata Party formed the first non-Congress government in Karnataka with the support of other smaller parties. Subsequent elections have seen power switch between the Congress,Bharatiya Janata Party, and other parties.
