See History Through Civilization - India (Part 1)

See India’s history through Civilization VI

See Indian history through Civilization (Part 1)

Previously

Civilization VI is a historical turn-based strategy game developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K Games. Players build an empire and stand the test of time. You guide your civilization from the Stone Age to the Information Age and try to become a world leader. Along the way, you wage wars, conduct diplomacy, promote culture, and face many historical leaders.

Last time we talked about Hammurabi. Today we continue with India, one of the four ancient civilizations.

From now on it will be split into national history and leader history.

Indian history will be in three parts:

• National history
• Leader Gandhi history
• Leader Chandragupta history

National history

A brilliant civilization

Around 2500 BC, a brilliant ancient Indian civilization appeared in the Indus Valley.

From about 1500 to 1200 BC, the Aryans migrated from the northwest. They brought Aryan culture, which became a source of Hinduism and Indian literature, philosophy, and art.

With the arrival of the Iron Age, the Ganges basin gradually became the center of Indian history. It had ample rainfall, dense vegetation, and improved production tools.

By the 6th century BC, a series of states had formed in the Ganges basin. During state formation, India developed the caste system with clear social ranks, hereditary occupations, and unequal legal status. Under this strict hierarchy, Brahmins controlled religious rituals; Kshatriyas were mainly a warrior group led by kings and were responsible for ruling and defending the state; most Vaishyas were ordinary laborers, with a minority being wealthy merchants; Shudras had the lowest status and served the top three castes. Brahmanism provided the theoretical and religious foundation for the caste system. Later, “untouchables” appeared outside the four castes. They were at the bottom of society and considered “untouchable.” This system originated in ancient times and continued, deeply influencing Indian society and history.

Here we should mention Indian stepwells. A stepwell is a well or pool at the bottom of a staircase. While similar structures exist elsewhere, stepwells (which have many names) are most common in India and South Asia.

The first rock-cut stepwell in India was built around 200 BC. By 600 AD, they were common throughout Gujarat. Scholars believe that “cylindrical brick-lined wells” were a product of early Bronze Age Indus Valley civilization.

Many ancient Indians lived near stepwells, often with exquisite decoration – some as detailed as Indian temples – showing they were highly valued. This is not surprising, because clean water sources were scarce.

Ancient India created a splendid culture. Buddhism was an important school of thought and challenged the caste system to some degree. But for much of the Renaissance and early modern period, India was under foreign rule: the Mughal Empire was founded by descendants of the Mongols and became a high point for Indian art, architecture, and achievement. During this period of Islamic rule, magnificent buildings such as the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort rose, until the emergence of the British East India Company.

Turbulent regimes

In the early 4th century, the Gupta Empire rose in the middle Ganges region and, after years of conquest, almost unified northern India. The empire was stable and prosperous, but the king directly controlled mainly the middle and lower Ganges regions, while most other areas remained under local princes, and policies were not unified.

During the Gupta period, Hinduism (evolved from Brahmanism) gained support from the ruling class and later developed into India’s main religion.

The Mahabodhi Temple (also called the Great Awakening Temple) is located in Bodh Gaya, one of the four sacred sites of the Buddha (Gautama Siddhartha) and the place where he attained enlightenment. West of the temple is the sacred Bodhi Tree, under which the Buddha meditated and attained enlightenment. The first Mahabodhi Temple (of many) was built by Ashoka around 260 BC.

The current temple complex dates to the 5th-6th centuries. The most prominent structure is the stupa, India’s first large brick structure. Later, high walls were built around the temple, though the exact time is unknown. The walls surround the Bodhi Tree and six other sites of enlightenment, because the Buddha spent seven weeks in seven places reflecting on his revelation. The walls also surround many votive stupas. Today, Buddhists worldwide pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya as one of the holiest sites of their faith.

In the 11th century, Turks invaded India. In the early 13th century, they founded the Delhi Sultanate with Islam as the state religion. The supreme ruler was called the Sultan,

holding the highest administrative, legislative, judicial, and military power. The territory was divided into provinces, with governors appointed by the Sultan, and key positions held by Muslims.

Colonial rule

In 1498, Vasco da Gama’s fleet found a route to India by rounding Africa, though some Indian kingdoms and empires had traded with Western countries since Roman times. The Portuguese set up trading posts along the subcontinent’s coast. Later, the Dutch, British, and French also arrived – all under the banner of chartered trade companies. The “Honourable East India Company” was a joint-stock company granted a charter by Queen Elizabeth I in December 1600 to trade with the Far East. At its height, its trade accounted for half of global trade. It later became the only European company with subsidiaries in India.

Despite turmoil, India produced many monumental buildings, with the Taj Mahal as a representative.

The Taj Mahal is one of India’s most famous monuments, a World Heritage site, and one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World.”

The Taj Mahal’s full name is “Taj Mahal,” a huge white marble mausoleum-mosque built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in Agra from 1631 to 1653 in memory of his wife.

In the early 17th century, the British came to India. Through the East India Company, Britain plundered wealth and profits through direct looting, land seizure, heavy land taxes, and opium cultivation and smuggling. The exploitation of India was a major source of primitive capital accumulation for Britain. Britain also took advantage of severe feudal fragmentation and social conflicts within India, pitting Indians against each other and reaping the benefits, or directly invading by force. By the mid-to-late 19th century, Britain controlled almost all of India.

The next part will cover this in detail in the leader history section.

Summary

Ancient Indian history is a vast and colorful topic, covering periods from around 600 BC to 800 AD, from the Indus Valley civilization to the rise and fall of dynasties and religions. This article briefly outlines the main features and achievements of ancient Indian history. The next part will introduce key leaders and related history in more detail.