Starting around the 10th century AD, India fell into what is classified as a dark age. It was not like the dark ages that were studied in Europe, but more a time when no one specific kingdom/dynasty controlled India. This was also a time when India was introduced to 'foreign' invaders. Middle Easterners who were very adamant about the religion of Islam converted people from their home country of Saudi Arabia, north to Turkey, to the west across Africa all the way to the Atlantic Ocean in Morocco, and also east into India.
The dynasties of the Muslims were imperialistic but also progressive. The same techniques and tolerance that was seen in the west was also shown in the east too. Indians like some Europeans did not like the idea of a foreign people and foreign religion in their lands and they fought and attacked the Muslims. The first Muslim commander, Mahmud of Ghazni invaded in the years of 997-1027 AD. His attacks were directed towards the areas of the Punjab and the North Indian Plains. Before the Muslims left India, they were instructed to establish a new kingdom in the region. The name of this Kingdom was the Delhi Sultanate. It was established in 1206. The capital of the kingdom was Lahore which is found in modern day Pakistan. The muslims used strong military might and heavy taxation to suppress the native Indians.
Muslim expansion ventured from the north, south, west, and east. A famous explorer of the Muslims was a man named Ibn Battuta. He was from the African country of Morocco. In his life, he traveled for 30 years and in 1334 he lived and explored India for 8 years.
The last of the major Indian kingdoms was the Mughal Empire. It lasted from 1526-1757. It was called the Mughal Empire because the invaders could trace their heritage to the Mongols of Central Asia. The Mongols were a feared and dominant group of people that held an Empire from China (Pacific Ocean), Southern Russia, Eastern Europe (would have invaded deeper if their chief didn't die), and eastern into India. The founder of the empire was a leader named Babur. He ruled from 1526-1530. What was unique is that he ruled with two capitals, the cities of Agra and Delhi. Beside the organization and military might, he was a large contributor to the arts of India.
The greatest of the Mughal Emperors was a man named, Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar (1542-1605), he is referred to as Akbar the Great. At age 14 he received the throne and all the trappings that go with it. During his career, he accumulated more land for his Empire, unified groups with religious toleration, and became a trade and military power.
The British Empire (1600-1947)
Just like Paul Revere said in our colonies, "The British are coming, the British are coming," rang true in the Indian Sub-continent. Starting in the years of 1601-1613 merchants from the East India Company were looking for their way into India and it's vast amount of natural and exotic resources. They took 12 voyages during this time period. At this time of the world, the British are the most dominant nation and also sailing nation in the world. India was to fall into the economic process called Mercantilism. This system of government has a mother country (Britain) and various colonies (the early United States, Canada, South Africa, and India to name a few) that work in the world of trade. The colonies give the mother country their raw materials. Within the mother country, industry takes these products and transforms them into sellable goods. These goods are sold all of the mother country, but also to neighboring countries and even the colonies (usually at an inflated price and a heavy tax).
When the British first tried to enter India, they tried to get permission from the court of Jahangir, but he was not very receptive. Sir Thomas Roe chose at different route, he arrived at the court of the Mughal Emperor in 1617 and found his way in. The man that is called the "Conqueror of India" was Sir Robert Clive. Clive first came to India in 1743 for the East India Company, to make a long story short, he then transferred to the military.
As we know in our United States history, we did not like the colonial attitude of the British towards us, for the people of India it was worse since they held no connection to the European continent. The British were stricter and far more harsh to the Indians than they were to the American colonists, the Canadians, and Australians. The one group of people that were treated as bad as the Indians were the people of South Africa. Violence between the two groups in India occurred more than in the American colonies. The Battle of Plassey in 1757 is considered the start of British occupation. Even though the British were in India for over 100 years, they were there mostly in terms of their companies and trade. The battle was between the forces of Robert Clive and the army of Siraj-ud-daulah, who was the Nawab of Bengal. The battle was quick and final since Clive already made a deal with the allies of Siraj-ud-daulah who wanted his throne. His name was Mir Jafar.
Life under the British stayed pretty consistent for the next 100 years until another incident occurred between the Indians and the British. At this time, the British were creating military divisions made of the natives of India, these soldiers were called Sepoys. The Sepoy Mutiny occurred in 1857 over a religious issue. The two major religions of northern Indian were Hindu and Muslim. Both groups of Indians were enraged over a rumor about the cartridges for their new rifles. The Sepoys heard that the cartridges were greased with lard and beef fat. The Hindus were upset because of the use of the cow, while the Muslims were upset that pig fat was used too which is an animal they cannot be involved with. The revolt was quick and spontaneous and the cities of Delhi and Kanpur were involved in the mutiny. A key point of the mutiny was the city of Lucknow. The siege of the city against the British was hard fought and brutal, but when the British defended the city, the mutiny lost momentum.
Towards the end of the 19th century Indians were more organized in their goal of creating their own country by using the political road. In 1885 the Indian National Congress was created. Their goal was to achieve, 'swaraj,' which means independence. Over the next few years, other organizations were created like the Muslim league in 1906.
Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869-1948)
Gandhi was born in West India. He left to study law in Britain. Many people do not realize how worldly he actually was. After his stay in Britain he did not return to India, rather he lived and worked as a lawyer in South Africa for 20 years starting in 1893. As a lawyer in South Africa, he fought for the rights of native people against the crown. Gandhi practiced a type of protest called civil disobedience. This is essentially peaceful protest. No matter what is done to them, they do not raise a hand against to fight or defend. This same style of protest was used in the United States during the Civil Rights Era and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Gandhi returned to India in 1914 where he was a large supporter of the Home Rule Movement. He also became a leader of the Indian National Congress. Gandhi had many goals for his homeland of India. He struggles to alienate poverty, liberate women, and eliminate the caste system's form of segregation. He also wanted to help the farmers and the poor against oppressive taxes, laws, and labor practices.
India eventually gained independence after World War II when the Age of Empire was officially over. Prior to this India still had armed conflict with the British. The last major event was the Amritsar Massacre of 1919. The British opened fire on an unarmed group of protestors. The people were protesting the arrest of 2 members of the National Congress. Nearly 400 people were killed and over 1000 people were injured.